The Historic 40/40 Season
The Chicago Cubs have officially secured their spot in the National League Wild Card playoffs. A huge reason for their success is 24 year old center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong. The young star recently made history by stealing his 40th base of the year. This milestone made him just the seventh player in Major League Baseball history to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in a single season.
Crow-Armstrong joined the exclusive 40/40 club on Thursday afternoon at Wrigley Field. His incredible season has made him the clear favorite to win the National League MVP award. He currently leads the league in home runs, runs scored, games played, and wins above replacement.
Huge Improvements at the Plate
Before the season started, Crow-Armstrong was a 35 to 1 long shot to win the MVP. He spent the spring focusing on getting on base more and chasing fewer bad pitches. The work paid off. He raised his on-base percentage by nearly 100 points and cut his chase rate by eight percentage points.
He also became a major threat against left handed pitchers. Last year, he struggled with a poor .188 batting average against lefties. This year, he raised that mark to .282. Cubs manager Craig Counsell put him in the leadoff spot, where he has thrived. Crow-Armstrong is batting .303 with 38 home runs and 83 RBIs from the top of the lineup.
Elite Defense and Consistency
It is not just his hitting that has carried the Cubs. Crow-Armstrong is also regarded as one of the best defensive players in baseball. Milwaukee Brewers designated hitter Christian Yelich praised him, saying he is probably the best defender in the game right now.
His teammate, shortstop Dansby Swanson, noted how opposing hitters fear hitting the ball toward center field because Crow-Armstrong catches everything. Swanson also praised the young star for staying healthy and avoiding long slumps. Whenever he has a bad game or two, he quickly bounces back.
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