Chicago Cubs: PCA ranked most important asset in 2026 playoff baseball

The Chicago Cubs are about to begin their three-game, all-on-the-road Wild Card series against the San Diego Padres Tuesday evening at Petco Park. Needless to say, it’s going to be an uphill climb to get past the red-hot Padres without even a single game back at Wrigley.

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But the team will not be a pushover. As a matter of fact, experts and analysts seem divided on who will take the series.

The Cubs definitely have their weaknesses and question marks—notably a bullpen that has looked horrid at times and a starting rotation that’s been inconsistent throughout the season.

The team’s strengths, however, can sometimes be overwhelming.

Chicago has the top-rated offense in all of baseball and, when hot, the lineup can pile up runs. The team, also, by the way, has the best defense in baseball as well—a defense so good that it’s almost historical in its excellence.

PCA represents the Cubs’ strengths

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Center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong is the primary asset in both of the Cubs’ major strengths. As such, his ability to execute and thrive in the playoffs is absolutely essential to the team’s postseason fortunes.

As a matter of fact, one writer/analyst has declared “PCA” to be “the most important player in the MLB postseason,” noting that it’s not even close.

Oliver Fox of Fansided placed Crow-Armstrong No. 1 on his list of the Top 15 most important playoff figures heading into the postseason, well ahead of Shohei Ohtani at No. 2 and Aaron Judge at No. 3.

Per Fox:

“If you had suggested before this season that someone not named Shohei Ohtani would top the list of the most important players in the MLB playoffs as the Los Angeles Dodgers go for a three-peat, I would have called you crazy. I also would have called you crazy if you suggested the Pete Crow-Armstrong would throw down 10.7 WAR, but here we are.

PCA is so overwhelmingly the most important player in the playoffs — he has carried the Chicago Cubs to the postseason, joined the 40-40 club and is one of the greatest fielders in the history of baseball. If the Cubs accomplish anything this postseason, and they can, it will be on the shoulders, back and quadriceps of PCA.”

Another accolade for PCA

Going hand in hand with this bold declaration is the latest accolade heaped on the slender shoulders of the 24-year-old star. According to MLB Stats, Crow-Armstrong finished the 2026 season with a Fielding Run Value (FRV) of plus-27—the best-rated defensive season registered since Statcast started tracking FRV in 2015.

Already headed for a much-deserved MVP award, Crow-Armstrong is looking to cap off a career year with a playoff performance that helps the Cubs overcome odds and make a strong championship run.

The Cubs will take on the Padres at Petco Park in San Diego—the first of the three-game Wild Card series—on Tuesday at 9:00 pm CT, broadcast on Peacock and NBCSN.

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