Pete Crow-Armstrong secured his 40th stolen base on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at Wrigley Field, becoming the seventh player in Major League Baseball history and the first in Chicago Cubs history to record a 40-homer, 40-steal season.
A Milestone at Wrigley Field
History arrived early in the afternoon during the regular-season finale at Wrigley Field. Facing Miami Marlins starting pitcher Tyler Phillips in the first inning, the Chicago Cubs center fielder drew a leadoff walk on seven pitches. On Phillips’ very first pitch to the subsequent batter, Seiya Suzuki, Crow-Armstrong broke for second base and slid in safely for his 40th steal of the year in 47 attempts.
The achievement made the 24-year-old outfielder the seventh player in Major League Baseball history to reach the 40-home-run and 40-stolen-base thresholds in a single campaign. As the Wrigley Field videoboard proclaimed the feat, fans in the stands erupted in chants of MVP
.
Chasing Down the Final Steal
Crow-Armstrong reached 45 home runs on September 6 against the Marlins, a power surge that left him tied for the Major League lead. At that moment, he held 33 stolen bases with 18 games remaining on the schedule.
After swiping his 36th base on September 7, he added only one more against the Atlanta Braves on September 14 before finally locking down the historic 40th bag against Miami with three games left in the regular season.
Joining Elite Company Across Eras
The exclusive 40-40 fraternity features only a handful of players since its modern inception. Jose Canseco first cracked the milestone with the Oakland Athletics in 1988, followed by Barry Bonds in 1996, Alex Rodriguez in 1998, Alfonso Soriano in 2006, Ronald Acuña Jr. in 2023, and Shohei Ohtani in 2024 with his unprecedented 50-50 campaign.
At age 24, Crow-Armstrong joins Canseco and Rodriguez as the only players to hit these marks at or below that age threshold.
| Player | Team | Season | HR – SB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jose Canseco | Oakland Athletics | 1988 | 42-40 |
| Barry Bonds | San Francisco Giants | 1996 | 42-40 |
| Alex Rodriguez | Seattle Mariners | 1998 | 42-46 |
| Alfonso Soriano | Washington Nationals | 2006 | 46-41 |
| Ronald Acuña Jr. | Atlanta Braves | 2023 | 41-73 |
| Shohei Ohtani | Los Angeles Dodgers | 2024 | 50-50 |
| Pete Crow-Armstrong | Chicago Cubs | 2026 | 45-40 |
Rebuilding the Bat and Rewriting Franchise Records
The offensive explosion represents a dramatic evolution from the player the Cubs acquired from the New York Mets in July 2021 in exchange for Javier Baez and Trevor Williams. While initially regarded primarily as an elite defensive prospect who won a Gold Glove in center field last year, his bat needed refinement.
To change how pitchers attacked him, he adjusted his stance by lowering his hands, stood closer to the plate, shortened his swing path, and increased his bat speed by nearly two ticks compared to the previous season. His discipline at the plate shifted just as drastically, with his walk rate climbing from 4.5% to 11.5% while his chase rate on pitches outside the zone dropped below 34%.
Within the franchise record books, his production stands alone. He is the first Cubs player ever to record 30 homers and 30 steals in a single season—a feat he has now accomplished in two consecutive years—while also collecting over 30 doubles. His 45 home runs establish the highest single-season total by a left-handed batter in team history, surpassing Billy Williams' mark of 42 set in 1970.
Postseason Scenarios and Final Stretch
As the regular season draws to its close, individual milestones share space with team ambitions. A victory over Miami secures a playoff berth outright for Chicago, while a loss would still send them through if the Arizona Diamondbacks fall to the Colorado Rockies.
