Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong News: Unmatched 5-star catch pace and increasing MVP odds

Chicago Cubs rising star outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong is picking right up where he left off prior to the All-Star break. Over the first five games of the “second half”, he has reached base eight times over five games, which includes a three walk performance last night against the Detroit Tigers as well as hitting his 21st home run of the season.

Defensively, he also has made more spectacular plays. A recent improbable catch gave him 33 5-star catches for his career, the most among any players (with the least innings played by a landslide) since the statistic was introduced in 2016. For reference, a 5-star catch in baseball is a spectacular, low-probability defensive play where an outfielder has a 25% or lower chance of successfully catching the ball.

Pete Crow-Armstrong has the most 5-star catches since 2016

He made his MLB debut at the end of 2023 pic.twitter.com/3XdQGuDPff

— Cubs Zone (@CubsZone) July 22, 2026

Crow-Armstrong, who undoubtedly was not only the team’s first half MVP but second by many to only Shohei Ohtani for the National League MVP, has also recently seen his MVP odds shift in a positive direction. Over the last week, BetMGM has changed his odds from +700 to +375.

Pete Crow-Armstrong’s NL MVP odds at @BetMGM:

Last week: +700
Current: +375

The race is heating up! pic.twitter.com/erfRmdWbzO

— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) July 20, 2026

Pete Crow-Armstrong’s all around game makes him a perfect candidate to dethrone Shohei Ohtani for the National League MVP in 2026

Over the All-Star break, Crow-Armstrong was asked about the NL MVP race. He jokingly said he would have to get into a pitching lab in order to catch Ohtani in the race, who is chasing a fifth MVP of his career. Little did Crow-Armstrong know that in the short future Ohtani would be scratched from the Los Angeles Dodgers starting rotation indefinitely due to a lingering knee issue, which now subsequently may be factoring into his improved MVP odds.

Between this shift, Ohtani now strictly being a DH, and Crow-Armstrong being a well blended all around player who hits for a high batting average, gets on-base, hits for power, steals bases, and is a real threat for not only a second gold glove award but a platinum glove as well, he could eek out the MVP if Ohtani’s detour from pitching lasts long into the second half.

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