Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong felt jitters as he prepared for Saturday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field.
They weren’t normal pregame butterflies or anxiety of facing a left-handed starter, but as he took hacks in the batting cages underneath the Friendly Confines, a collection of Cubs icons toiled around, waiting for a pregame ceremony that would honor the 150th anniversary team.
“If anything, the most intimidating part of today was doing my pregame routine in front of Sammy Sosa and Billy Williams,” Crow-Armstrong said.
Then, as if to seemingly add more pressure on the 24-year-old, Sosa, the slugger who clubbed 609 home runs in his career, pulled him aside.
“We were just in the cage talking again, and he was like, ‘I want three out of you today. I need three,’” Crow-Armstrong said.
It wasn’t a burden to Crow-Armstrong. In fact, it seemed to empower the Cubs star.
Crow-Armstrong belted a home run on the second pitch he saw, another one an inning later and then a three-run shot in the seventh inning, stealing the show in the Cubs’ 17-5 walloping of the Reds.
It was Crow-Armstrong’s first career three-homer game and the third by a Cubs hitter this season, joining Dansby Swanson on July 1 and Alex Bregman on Aug. 12. He also tied career highs with four hits and six RBIs.
It was another performance to fortify his case for the National League MVP award.
“I don’t know what he passed down to me there, but weird (stuff) like that happens in this game,” Crow-Armstrong said. “That’s coming from a guy that’s — I don’t know how many times he’s done that. We all know how many homers he’s got. I guess he was feeling pretty good today too.”
Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong connects for a solo home run against the Reds in the first inning Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, at Wrigley Field. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
The first was a 435-foot blast off left-hander Andrew Abbott that kick-started a three-run first inning and was his seventh leadoff home run of the season, tied for the second most in franchise history.
“I thought it was fun, great pregame ceremony — and Pete kept it going, for sure,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said.
Crow-Armstrong took Abbott deep an inning later, capping another three-run frame with a 375-foot shot to right field.
The most memorable, though, came in the seventh, when he uncorked a no-doubt three-run shot to left-center field. Crow-Armstrong flipped his bat just in front of him, spun, walked for two steps and then began his trot around the bases, holding up three fingers as he neared third base and glanced at the Cubs dugout.
Crow-Armstrong had a chance to become the 22nd player in MLB history to hit four home runs in a game when he came up to bat in the eighth. The Wrigley Field crowd rose, hoping to see him make history with Reds catcher Jose Trevino pitching.
“Yeah, of course,” Crow-Armstrong said when he was asked if he was trying to homer. “There’s nothing else to do against a guy like that.”
Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong smiles as he comes to the plate against Reds catcher Jose Trevino, who took the mound in the eighth inning Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, at Wrigley Field. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
He grounded out to second base, but as he trotted off the field, the 39,597 in attendance rose to their feet, giving him a standing ovation, which he acknowledged. It was his final act in a show that rivaled what some of the other icons in attendance had put on in their careers.
“Yeah, that was really cool,” Crow-Armstrong. “It’s awesome. I couldn’t really do much but smile and tip my cap. That’s a really special, specific thing.”
Crow-Armstrong’s three home runs raised his count to 36, and coupled with his 32 stolen bases, put him in position to challenge a 40-40 season, an exclusive club of six players, including former Cub Alfonso Soriano, who was honored as part of the franchise’s anniversary team.
“I got to geek out a little bit because I finally met Alfonso Soriano for the first time,” Crow-Armstrong said.
Saturday’s performance is the type of game that can be the crown jewel of an MVP campaign. Of course, he has had many of those performances this season too. He hit for the cycle June 15, he’s had a home run and stolen bases in six games and is the first Cub with consecutive 30-home-run, 30-stolen-base seasons.
The three-homer game raised his fWAR to 9.1, the fifth-highest mark in a single season by a Cubs player behind Rogers Hornsby (11.1, 1929), Sosa (9.9, 2001), Ernie Banks (9.7, 1959) and Ron Santo (9.5, 1967).
“Again, those are legendary people, but everyone’s starting to ask a lot of questions about WAR right now, so I don’t know how to feel about WAR,” Crow-Armstrong said. “Whatever I can do to produce wins is really what I care about most. Those are just (four) names that everybody knows is Hall of Famers, so that’s cool.”
Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong acknowledges fans after a 17-5 win over the Reds on Aug. 29, 2026, at Wrigley Field. He hit three home runs in the game. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
It’s what makes not just Saturday special but Crow-Armstrong’s entire 2026 campaign remarkable. These seasons don’t happen every year.
“It’s a lot of fun to watch,” Counsell said. “I think the great example for me is (bench coach) Ryan Flaherty stands next to me a lot of the game and he’s shaking his head and can’t believe it. You see guys do this and it doesn’t happen a lot, but it’s the seasons you remember somebody having and we’re lucky to be a part of it.
“I think as a fan in the stands, for the teammates, for the coaching staff, watching somebody perform like this is something special.”
Notes
Left-hander Hoby Milner was designated for assignment after Saturday’s game. He had been on a rehab assignment since July 29 after an appendectomy.
Right-hander Edward Cabrera (right middle finger blister) is scheduled to go on a rehab assignment next week.