It’s official. With his two-home-run performance in Minnesota on July 10, Pete Crow-Armstrong joined one of the most exclusive clubs in baseball history.
25 home runs. 25 stolen bases. Before the All-Star break.
The only other players to do it? Barry Bonds in 1993 and Eric Davis in 1987.
That’s it. Three names. Two legends and a 23-year-old center fielder who was still considered a "prospect" a year ago. That’s not just rare, that’s historic.
Not Just Speed, Not Just Power, but Both
The story with PCA coming up was always defense and wheels. Scouts raved about his glove. Chicago Cubs fans anticipated his range and athleticism in center field. He was supposed to be a glove-first guy who could develop into a steady bat.
What no one saw coming, at least not this quickly, was the surge in power. Crow-Armstrong has mashed 25 homers in 93 games, putting him on pace for well over 40. This isn’t empty power, either. He’s hitting for average, getting on base, and stealing with efficiency.
His sprint speed ranks among the league’s best. At the end of the year, he could be up for a platinum glove, and he’s slugging out of his mind. He very well could be in talks for an MVP as well.
From Prospect to Franchise Player
Pete Crow-Armstrong came to the Cubs in 2021 in exchange for Javier Báez, a deal that at the time raised eyebrows, given PCA’s injury status and the Cubs’ shaky timeline. Three years later, it looks like a franchise-altering move.
He didn’t force his way onto the roster overnight. The Cubs were careful with his development. However, in 2024, he got his feet wet, and then in 2025, he exploded.
He’s not just a future piece anymore. He’s the piece. His All-Star starting nod this year was just confirmation of what’s already been obvious for months: he is the guy.
Why the 25/25 Matters
It’s one thing to hit homers. It’s another to swipe bags, and doing both at elite levels is incredibly rare. Doing it before the All-Star break? That’s something that’s only happened twice before in the modern game.
When Eric Davis did it in 1987, it was electric. When Barry Bonds did it in 1993, he was unstoppable. Now, Crow-Armstrong stands alongside them, not just as a stat-line oddity but as a legitimate five-tool force that is turning into a star.
Unlike Davis and Bonds at the time, PCA is doing it at 23, with a defense that ranks among the best in baseball and a flair for the moment that plays big on the Chicago stage.
A New Face of the Franchise
There’s a swagger to PCA, but it’s not overdone. He carries himself like a guy who knows what he’s doing but doesn’t need to shout it from the rooftops. He plays hard, plays smart, and does it all with a style that’s easy to root for.
In a season filled with inconsistency around the league, Crow-Armstrong has become a nightly highlight. His glove saves runs. His bat wins games. His presence changes everything for this team.
The Summer of PCA is Just Getting Started
The All-Star break is here, but for Pete Crow-Armstrong, this is just the beginning.
Only three players have ever done what he just did. He’s not chasing history anymore, he’s making it. And if the second half is anything like the first, there’s no telling where his ceiling ends.
One thing’s for sure: Chicago has a star. And now, the rest of the baseball world knows it, too.
The Summer of PCA Is Just Getting Started
If the second half mirrors the first, we’re not just talking about a Cubs breakout story. We’re talking about a legitimate NL MVP candidate and the early face of baseball’s next wave of two-way stars. He’s the type of player who can shift a franchise’s direction, not in theory, but in real-time.
Chicago has been waiting for someone like this. A homegrown player who defends like a Gold Glover, runs like a leadoff man, and hits like a cleanup threat. A player who embraces the moment and makes it his.
The summer belonged to Crow-Armstrong before the calendar flipped. Now the league is on notice. He’s not just chasing history anymore; he’s owning it.
And with the second half ahead, the Pete Crow-Armstrong show is only just getting started.
