Pete Crow-Armstrong kept rolling Monday night, going 4-for-5 with a two-run homer, a double, four RBIs and a stolen base as the Chicago Cubs beat the Atlanta Braves 7-3 at Wrigley Field.
The 24-year-old center fielder raised his batting average to .281 and his OPS to .945. The homer was his 42nd of the season, tying Hall of Famer Billy Williams for the most home runs by a left-handed hitter in Cubs history.
Crow-Armstrong also swiped his 37th base of the year. He now sits three steals short of becoming the first player in franchise history to post a 40-homer, 40-steal season.
The night produced another piece of history. Crow-Armstrong recorded his seventh game this season with at least four hits, multiple extra-base hits and a home run.
No player in the modern era has ever had that many such games in a single season, according to OptaSTATS. The account posted: “Pete Crow-Armstrong of the @Cubs has now had 7 games this season with: 4+ hits multiple XBH a home run That’s the most by any MLB player in a single season in the modern era.”
A four-hit game is already rare. Adding extra-base hits and a homer in the same contest makes the combination even harder to repeat. Crow-Armstrong has done it seven times in 2026.
He entered the game in a small slump, going 0-for-8 over his previous two contests. He snapped out of it quickly with a two-run double in the second inning that put the Cubs ahead 3-0.
His two-run shot in the sixth off AJ Smith-Shawver made it 7-0. David Peterson threw six-plus innings of one-run ball for the win, improving to 8-8.
The Cubs improved to 84-67 and moved into sole possession of the top National League wild-card spot. Crow-Armstrong also reached 102 RBIs, the first time he has topped 100 in a season.
Only six players in major league history have ever finished a season with 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases: Jose Canseco in 1988 (42 homers, 40 steals), Barry Bonds in 1996 (42-40), Alex Rodriguez in 1998 (42-46), Alfonso Soriano in 2006 (46-41), Ronald Acuña Jr. in 2023 (41-73) and Shohei Ohtani in 2024 (54-59).
Crow-Armstrong already belongs to a slightly larger group of players with at least 40 homers and 35 steals. Three more stolen bases over the Cubs’ remaining games would put him in that exclusive 40-40 club.
After the game, Crow-Armstrong talked about tying Williams’ mark.
“I’ve gotten to know him decently well and some of his extended family a little bit. I like all of them a lot as people,” he said. “It’s great that he continues to represent the Cubs. At the same time, I think he’d want me to surpass him and his numbers.”
He added, “If that homer’s going to mean anything, I’m glad I could hit that one for Billy. That was 42 for Billy.”
Crow-Armstrong won a Gold Glove in center field last season and remains one of the best defensive outfielders in the game. His combination of power, speed and defense has put him in the middle of the National League MVP conversation.
The Cubs still have games left on the schedule. Crow-Armstrong has shown no signs of slowing down. Fans at Wrigley have taken notice, and many already see him as a cornerstone for the next decade.
His 2026 numbers already rank among the strongest individual seasons by a Cubs position player in recent decades. Whether he finishes the 40-40 chase or not, the year has been one worth watching every night.
