Pete Crow-Armstrong is the 2026 National League Most Valuable Player, and the vote was not close. The Chicago Cubs centre fielder won the award unanimously on Thursday, November 12, 2026, collecting all 30 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers' Association of America in an announcement carried live on MLB Network. The Pete Crow-Armstrong NL MVP win ends Shohei Ohtani's run of three straight MVP awards, gives the Cubs their first National League MVP since Kris Bryant in 2016, and caps one of the greatest all-round seasons in modern baseball: 45 home runs, 41 stolen bases, and defence rated the best at any position in the major leagues.

Key Points

• Pete Crow-Armstrong won the 2026 NL MVP unanimously, earning all 30 first-place votes and 420 points, announced Thursday, November 12, 2026.
• He hit .280/.372/.570 with 45 home runs, 107 RBIs, 119 runs scored and 41 stolen bases in 48 attempts across all 162 games for the Chicago Cubs.
• He became only the seventh player in MLB history with a 40-homer, 40-steal season, joining baseball's exclusive 40-40 club.
• Shohei Ohtani finished second with 264 points and Brice Turang of the Milwaukee Brewers finished third, ending Ohtani's streak of three consecutive MVP wins.
• Crow-Armstrong is the ninth Chicago Cub to win an MVP award and the first since Kris Bryant in 2016.

What Happened

The Baseball Writers' Association of America announced the result on Thursday evening, November 12, 2026, on MLB Network, closing out awards week with a pair of coronations. Hours earlier, Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez had been named the American League MVP, also unanimously, making 2026 a rare season in which both leagues produced unanimous winners. Crow-Armstrong received all 30 first-place votes for a maximum 420 points. Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar, finished second with 264 points after receiving 26 of the 30 second-place votes. Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang, the third finalist, finished third.

The unanimous result made Crow-Armstrong the fourth consecutive National League winner to be elected unanimously, and the first Cubs player ever to win the award by a unanimous vote. Ohtani had won the previous two National League MVPs with the Dodgers and the 2023 American League MVP with the Los Angeles Angels, so the result also closed the book on a three-year run of dominance by one of the sport's defining stars.

Background and Context

Crow-Armstrong's season did not begin like an MVP campaign. The 24-year-old opened the year slowly, hitting .224/.316/.361 through his first 235 plate appearances with just six home runs. He had signed a six-year, $115 million pre-arbitration extension before the season, a deal that looked like a gamble while the bat was quiet. From mid-May onward, everything changed. He erupted at the plate and never slowed down, finishing the year having played all 162 games for an 89-win Cubs club.

The MVP award capped a remarkable week of honours. Crow-Armstrong had already collected the National League Hank Aaron Award as the league's best offensive performer, the NL Platinum Glove as its best defender, and All-MLB First Team honours. His fellow players had also voted him the Players Choice Player of the Year and the National League Outstanding Player, so the BBWAA vote completed a clean sweep of the game's major awards.

Pete Crow-Armstrong NL MVP: A Season for the History Books

The numbers behind the Pete Crow-Armstrong NL MVP win stand up against the great seasons of the past half-century. His 45 home runs tied Kyle Schwarber for the major-league lead, and his 41 stolen bases in 48 attempts made him the seventh member of baseball's 40-40 club. He led the National League with a .570 slugging percentage and a .943 OPS, drove in 107 runs, and scored 119 runs as the Cubs' leadoff man, a total that led the majors. His 9.8 WAR by Baseball-Reference's calculation was also the best in baseball.

What separates Crow-Armstrong from other sluggers is that the bat was only half the story. He led every fielder at every position with 26 outs above average, the game's leading measure of defensive range, patrolling centre field with speed and instincts that turned would-be extra-base hits into routine outs. The Platinum Glove confirmed what the numbers showed: a player who leads the majors in home runs, runs scored and WAR while also grading as the best defender in baseball is a rare combination, and it is why the writers did not split a single first-place vote.

Reactions and Quotes

The reaction across baseball framed the award as both a coronation and a changing of the guard. Ohtani's second-place finish ended a streak of three consecutive MVP wins, a measure of just how high Crow-Armstrong set the bar. Turang's third-place finish capped a fine season for the Brewers infielder, but he was never a serious threat to the top two.

For the Cubs, the award lands as validation of a young core built around a homegrown star. Crow-Armstrong becomes the ninth Cub to win an MVP, joining a list that includes Kris Bryant, Sammy Sosa and Ryne Sandberg.

Why It Matters

The award matters beyond one trophy because of what it says about how baseball's biggest individual honour is now judged. Crow-Armstrong won not simply by hitting home runs but by doing everything: power, speed, run production and elite defence, all while playing every game for a winning team. His 9.8 WAR led the majors, and his 26 outs above average showed voters are weighing fielding as seriously as batting. For the Cubs, an 89-win season now has a franchise centrepiece under contract through the extension he signed before the year, a deal that already looks like one of the best value contracts in the sport.

What Happens Next

With awards week now closed, Crow-Armstrong heads into the offseason as the game's newest MVP, with the Cubs expected to build around him this winter. Spring training opens in February 2027, when the focus shifts from individual honours to whether Chicago can turn an 89-win season and a unanimous MVP into a deeper postseason run.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who won the 2026 NL MVP?
Chicago Cubs centre fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, unanimously, with all 30 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

What were Pete Crow-Armstrong's 2026 stats?
He hit .280/.372/.570 with 45 home runs, 107 RBIs, 119 runs scored and 41 stolen bases over all 162 games, with a 9.8 WAR that led the major leagues.

Who finished second and third in NL MVP voting?
Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers finished second with 264 points, and Brice Turang of the Milwaukee Brewers finished third.

When was the last time a Cub won NL MVP?
Kris Bryant in 2016 was the previous Chicago Cub to win the National League MVP. Crow-Armstrong is the ninth Cub overall to win the award.

What is the 40-40 club?
Players with at least 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a single season. Crow-Armstrong became its seventh member with 45 homers and 41 steals.

Read more: Yordan Alvarez Wins 2026 AL MVP Unanimously After Historic .316 Season | 2026 Cy Young Awards: Cam Schlittler, Jacob Misiorowski Win Unanimously | 2026 BBWAA Award Finalists: Ohtani, Crow-Armstrong Lead MVP Race