Just when it looked like Shohei Ohtani had a lock on the MVP race, a new challenger has refused to back down. Pete Crow-Armstrong, the Cubs’ galvanizing center fielder, has been shadowing Ohtani on the AXE leaderboard all season. With his latest surge, he came within a single point, 143 to Ohtani’s 144. That might sound like a minor difference, but in a race this tight, one quiet Ohtani series was all it took for fans to feel the pressure shift.
And Crow-Armstrong is not just padding his stats; he is making noise. With a ridiculous combo of 42-homer, 46-steal pace and a league-best 15 defensive runs saved, he is showing up on both sides of the ball. Meanwhile, Ohtani has recorded just three defensive runs above average from the mound—respectable, sure, but not game-changing. If this turns into a straight-up slugfest between bats, Crow-Armstrong will need more than his 140 OPS+ to keep pace with Ohtani’s jaw-dropping 174. But if voters care about complete value, this is no longer a one-man show.
The surge has not been a stroke of luck either. Crow-Armstrong outlasted Kyle Tucker’s June run, reclaimed the Cubs’ top AXE position, and then doubled down by earning a well-deserved All-Star starting nod. His name now stands beside Fernando Tatis Jr., Juan Soto, Pete Alonso, and Elly De La Cruz, not as a surprise addition, but as a real candidate. For someone who started the season facing skeptics, he has completely reversed the script.
And now, the whispers have turned to WBC chatter. The Cubs star, when asked, did not hesitate—he is ready to represent Team USA. “Any position. Any role. I would just go catch the ball,” Crow-Armstrong said with a grin. He does not just want to join the elite; Crow-Armstrong wants to take the crown off Ohtani’s head, both in MLB and the WBC. If you are Ohtani, consider yourself officially warned.
However, behind Crow-Armstrong’s quick rise and MVP buzz lies a story rooted in something far deeper than numbers and leaderboards. To truly understand how he has managed to threaten a generational talent like Ohtani, we need to go back—way back—to where it all began.
The unshakable roots of Pete Crow-Armstrong
Before the chants of “M-V-P” echoed through Wrigley Field, Crow-Armstrong was just a kid tearing across flag football fields in Southern California. Even back then, he stood out. Former MLB manager Gabe Kapler once said to Crow-Armstrong’s father after a crisp route and effortless catch, “You know that’s not normal, right?” That statement from a routine flag football practice now looks prophetic, because nothing Crow-Armstrong is doing in 2025 is normal—it is exceptional.
His story is cluttered with moments that make you stop and say, “Yeah, this kid was built for it.” From ditching the tee as a toddler to turning his backyard into a personal ballpark, Crow-Armstrong was always in motion, always engaged with the game. And while his parents were actors, he was not raised in the limelight. Instead, it was the backyard where he sharpened his skills, Sherman Oaks Little League where he built confidence, and Harvard-Westlake where he became something more than a prospect: a leader, a showman, and a grinder all rolled into one.
That energy has not faded yet. Teammates describe him as magnetic, full of charisma, and deeply kind; a rare mix that instantly connects with the fanbase. The kid who once told his high school coach, “I got this,” before launching a walk-off over a house in right field, still carries that swagger. And perhaps more importantly, that love for the sport. Even as a big leaguer, he returns to Harvard-Westlake and takes live reps with high schoolers as if it’s still day one. That mindset—humble, fearless, relentless—is what propels his meteoric ascent.
MLB, Baseball Herren, USA Chicago Cubs at Minnesota Twins Jul 10, 2025 Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong 4 hits a solo home run during the seventh inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Minneapolis Target Field Minnesota USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJordanxJohnsonx 20250710_jla_jb4_466
What sets Crow-Armstrong apart is not just that he wants to be great; it’s that he has never stopped acting like the kid who just wants to play ball. In a sport that can turn into business fast, he has held onto the joy. And maybe that is the most dangerous thing for pitchers facing him now: he is not just an ordinary rising star; he is still just getting started.
The post Shohei Ohtani Warned of Pete Crow-Armstrong Uprising as NL Battle Heats Up appeared first on EssentiallySports.