Did Pete Crow-Armstrong just lock up the NL MVP award with historic Cubs performance?

Pete Crow-Armstrong hit three home runs and drove in six for the Cubs, potentially delivering the defining performance of the 2026 NL MVP race.

Crow-Armstrong doesn't pitch like Shohei Ohtani, but his elite production has made him the front-runner for the award.

Pete Crow-Armstrong homers 3 times as the Chicago Cubs pound the Cincinnati Reds 17-5  Toronto Star

Pete Crow-Armstrong homered three times and drove in six runs, helping the Cubs beat Sal Stewart and the Cincinnati Reds 17-5

The Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong already had a pretty good case for National League Most Valuable Player. He made it even stronger Saturday, hitting three home runs for the first time in his career. Crow-Armstrong went deep twice against Reds starter Andrew Abbott, and then off Cincinnati's Tony Santillan in the seventh.

Cubs Bullpen Implosion Continues in Dramatic 10-8 Loss to Cincinnati Reds  Sports Illustrated

The Cubs would have gone up 1-0 had a balk been called in the sixth inning on Wednesday. Instead, they ended up losing 2-0.

Crow-Armstrong, Cubs irate after umps miss pivotal balk call  ESPN

‘It’s obvious to anybody’: Umpires’ missed balk call costs Chicago Cubs in 2-0 loss to Arizona Diamondbacks  Chicago Tribune

Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong let the umpiring crew hear it after they missed a balk call in their loss Wednesday.

Pete Crow-Armstrong livid at umpiring crew after Cubs loss to Diamondbacks  USA Today

The umpiring crew missed an obvious balk with Crow-Armstrong on third base in a scoreless game