Cubs BCB After Dark: Will Pete get reach 40-40?

August 19, 2026 - 08:10

The late-night crowd is back, and this time the question floating around the bleachers is a bold one. Pete Crow-Armstrong, the Cubs' electric center fielder, has been on a tear this season, and some fans are starting to whisper about a very exclusive club: 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in the same year.

It sounds crazy. It is crazy. Only a handful of players in baseball history have pulled it off. But here is the thing about PCA, as the kids call him. He is not your average speedster. He is not your average anything. His defense alone is worth the price of admission, but the bat has come alive in a way nobody saw coming.

Right now, the power numbers are climbing. He is hitting the ball harder, pulling it more, and the launch angle is finally where the coaches wanted it. The stolen base total is already in the high twenties, and he is not slowing down. He gets great jumps, and the new rules make it easier for him to run.

The real question is the home run pace. He is on track for maybe 25 or 30, not 40. To get to 40, he would need a monster second half, like 20 bombs after the break. That is a tall order for a guy who was never seen as a pure slugger.

But here is the counterargument. He is young, he is getting stronger, and Wrigley Field can be a bandbox when the wind blows out. Plus, he is seeing more fastballs now that the lineup around him is healthy. If he can keep his strikeout rate down and keep making contact, the power might just keep coming.

The safe bet is he falls short, maybe ends up with 30 and 35. But the fun part is watching him try. For a team that needs a spark, PCA chasing history is the best show in town. So, will he do it? Probably not. But do not tell that to the fans who stay up late, because they are dreaming big. And honestly, that is half the fun.