Chicago Cubs superstar Pete Crow-Armstrong continued his remarkable offensive explosion Sunday night, launching another leadoff home run against the Cincinnati Reds and further strengthening the growing belief that he belongs in the National League MVP conversation. The blast came just one day after Crow-Armstrong produced the first three-home-run game of his career, making his latest performance another chapter in an extraordinary stretch for the young center fielder.
Crow-Armstrong wasted virtually no time making his presence felt at Wrigley Field. Facing Reds flamethrower Chase Burns, he attacked a 98.9-mph fastball and sent it soaring into the right-field seats. Statcast measured the exit velocity at 108 mph, providing another reminder of just how much power the Cubs star has developed. It was his ninth leadoff home run of the season, leaving him only three behind Alfonso Soriano’s Cubs record of 12 leadoff homers established in 2007.
The timing of the home run made the achievement even more impressive. Crow-Armstrong had entered the game coming off a sensational three-homer performance against Cincinnati, a game in which he also added a single and helped lead Chicago to a 17-5 victory. That performance pushed his season home-run total to 36 and immediately intensified the MVP discussion surrounding him. Against the Reds again Sunday, he showed that his previous night’s explosion was anything but a fluke.
PCA’s Power Surge Has Reached Another Level
Crow-Armstrong’s recent stretch has been extraordinary even by the standards of an MVP-caliber season. His leadoff blast against Cincinnati represented his fifth home run in a two-game span, a remarkable run that has turned virtually every Cubs at-bat into an anticipated event. He later homered again in the ninth inning, giving him two long balls in the game and five across the two-game stretch.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell has also taken notice of how effortless Crow-Armstrong’s power has begun to look. Counsell praised the quality of his opening at-bat and pointed to the way the ball has been coming off Crow-Armstrong’s bat. The manager’s assessment reflects a larger development in the player’s game: pitchers are no longer facing simply a talented defensive center fielder who can steal bases. They are confronting one of the most dangerous offensive players in the National League.
The transformation has been especially notable because Crow-Armstrong has become much more selective at the plate. Rather than chasing pitches that previously gave him trouble, he has shown a greater willingness to work counts and wait for mistakes. That improved discipline has allowed his natural bat speed and power to become even more dangerous.
MVP Chants Growing Louder at Wrigley
The home runs have also changed the atmosphere surrounding Crow-Armstrong in Chicago. MVP chants that began appearing more frequently around Wrigley Field have become increasingly difficult to ignore. Fans are watching a player who has already established himself as one of baseball’s best young defensive center fielders now develop into a legitimate middle-of-the-order threat.
His production has also given the Cubs an enormous offensive advantage at the top of the lineup. When Crow-Armstrong reaches base or launches a home run in the opening inning, Chicago immediately puts pressure on opposing pitchers and creates opportunities for the hitters behind him. That dynamic has been a major part of the Cubs’ ability to remain one of baseball’s highest-scoring offenses. Chicago entered Monday leading MLB with 725 runs despite the team’s recent pitching concerns.
Cubs Still Have Questions Despite PCA’s Heroics
Crow-Armstrong’s brilliance, however, has not completely erased Chicago’s problems. The Cubs ultimately dropped Sunday’s game to Cincinnati, 7-5, despite his two-home-run performance. The defeat highlighted an increasingly frustrating problem for the club: the offense can produce at an elite level, but inconsistent pitching continues to put pressure on the lineup to score almost every night.
Shōta Imanaga struggled again, surrendering three home runs and six earned runs over five innings. The Cubs allowed four homers overall, pushing their season total to 208, tied for the most in Major League Baseball. Imanaga’s 33 home runs allowed also put him at the top of the MLB leaderboard in that category.
That imbalance could become particularly important as the Cubs enter the final stretch of the regular season. Chicago is battling for postseason positioning, and while Crow-Armstrong’s emergence gives the team an elite offensive weapon, the pitching staff will need to become more dependable if the Cubs are going to make a deep October run.
PCA Is Building a Season Cubs Fans Won’t Forget
Even with those concerns, Crow-Armstrong’s 2026 campaign is becoming one of the most memorable individual seasons in recent Cubs history. He has already recorded a second consecutive 30-30 season, combining his power with speed, and his recent home-run barrage has pushed his offensive production into another category.
His ability to lead off games with home runs has become particularly valuable. The latest blast was his ninth of the season in the first inning, putting him within striking distance of Soriano’s franchise record. With games still remaining, Crow-Armstrong has a realistic opportunity to challenge that mark while continuing to build his MVP case.
For Cubs fans, the biggest takeaway is simple: PCA is no longer merely a promising young star—he has become one of the central figures of the team’s championship hopes. Every time he steps into the batter’s box, there is now a legitimate expectation that something spectacular could happen.
And after five home runs across two games, including another leadoff bomb and a second homer Sunday night, that expectation is becoming increasingly difficult to call unrealistic. Crow-Armstrong is on an extraordinary tear, and the Cubs will need every bit of his production as they push toward the postseason.
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