Wednesday, October 28

Welcome back to the Cubs Beat newsletter. Jordan Bastian has covered baseball for MLB.com since 2005, including the Cubs since the 2019 season.

CHICAGO -- Pete Crow-Armstrong authored not only one of the all-time great seasons for the Cubs, but put together an all-around campaign worthy of mention among some of the best one-year performances in baseball history. The question now is whether it will net him the National League’s Most Valuable Player Award.

“You’re grateful to see things like this,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said in September. “And you’re grateful that the fans get to see a season like this, because they're going to talk about it. They're going to tell their kids about it. They're going to tell their grandkids about seasons like this.”

Crow-Armstrong is not alone when it comes to Cubs in the hunt for hardware.

Chicago has five Gold Glove contenders and five players up for the All-MLB Team. While the Baseball Writers’ Association of America has not yet revealed its award candidates (5-7 p.m. CT on Monday on MLB Network) and Silver Slugger finalists are not yet revealed (Louisville Slugger will announce those at 10 a.m. CT on Nov. 5), expect the Cubs to have a couple players in the mix.

Let’s run through Chicago’s potential winners in this MLB awards season:

Pete Crow-Armstrong

Candidate for: Gold Glove, Platinum Glove, Hank Aaron Award, MVP, Silver Slugger, All-MLB Team

When the smoke cleared on Crow-Armstrong’s season, the center fielder was only the seventh player in MLB history to record at least 40 homers and 40 steals in one year. He finished tied for the MLB lead in homers (45), swiped 41 bags and added 31 doubles, 83 walks and 107 RBIs, while pacing the Majors in runs (119) and total bases (357). Crow-Armstrong hit .280 and led the NL in slugging (.570) and OPS (.942).

Defensively, Crow-Armstrong posted a +26 fielding run value and +26 outs above average in arguably the best showing in the field since Statcast began tracking those numbers. It all pushed Crow-Armstrong’s WAR up to 10.6 (FanGraphs), which led MLB and was the second-highest showing in Cubs history (11.0 by Rogers Hornsby in 1929).

Crow-Armstrong could become the Cubs’ first MVP since Kris Bryant in 2016, and would also join Sammy Sosa (1998), Andre Dawson (‘87), Ryne Sandberg (‘84), Ernie Banks (‘58-59), Hank Sauer (‘52), Phil Cavarretta (‘45), and Gabby Hartnett (‘35) as the only players in team history to pick up that award via the BBWAA.

Alex Bregman

Candidate for: Gold Glove, Silver Slugger, All-MLB Team

Expect Bregman to appear on NL MVP ballots, but he is not expected to be a finalist for that honor. He could wind up in the mix for a Silver Slugger and is already among the contenders for a Gold Glove. Defensively, Bregman had a +7 fielding run value with +9 outs above average and +15 defensive runs saved this year at third base. He won a Gold Glove in 2024 with the Astros.

Really, Bregman’s season is a tale of two halves. After a rough start to the year, the veteran turned it on in the second half, posting a 3.7 WAR (FanGraphs) after the break to rank second in MLB behind only Crow-Armstrong (4.7). Bregman ended the year batting .265/.355/.464 with 28 homers, 33 doubles, 93 RBIs, 92 runs, 76 walks and an .819 OPS. He had 19 homers and 52 RBIs after the All-Star break. 

Seiya Suzuki

Candidate for: Gold Glove, All-MLB Team

Suzuki made major strides on defense this season, reversing his reputation as a subpar right fielder since coming to MLB. This year, Suzuki had a +7 fielding run value and recorded +5 outs above average. The result was making the list of finalists for a Gold Glove. Offensively, Suzuki was strong once again, hitting .270 with 26 homers, 31 doubles, 86 RBIs, 96 runs and an .841 OPS.

Dansby Swanson

Candidate for: Gold Glove, All-MLB Team

Swanson has two Gold Gloves on his resume and is a finalist for another after another strong performance as Chicago’s shortstop. The veteran posted +16 outs above average with a +11 fielding run value, but he was also limited to 126 games on the year due to a left oblique strain that cost him time in the final two months. Swanson had 19 homers, 69 RBIs and 17 steals, but overall his season (.694 OPS) featured a lot of extreme peaks and valleys in the batter’s box.

Nico Hoerner

Candidate for: All-MLB Team, Heart & Hustle Award

A two-time Gold Glove recipient, Hoerner did not make the cut for that award this year. He played elite defense again (+10 fielding run value), but also spent a large chunk of August and September at shortstop while Swanson was sidelined. That said, Hoerner is up for the All-MLB Team and is a fitting candidate for the annual Heart & Hustle Award, given his hard-nosed style of play for the North Siders.

Ian Happ

Candidate for: Gold Glove

After winning four straight Gold Gloves across ‘22-25, Happ is once again up for the same hardware in left field for his work this year. Happ’s +6 fielding run value was the best of his career and he recorded +10 defensive runs saved. His nine outfield assists also led NL left fielders. Happ is the only outfielder in Cubs history with more than two career Gold Gloves.

What is the most number of Gold Glove Award winners the Cubs have had in one year?

A. Two

B. Three

C. Four

D. Five

• First day after World Series: Players become free agents. Players may be traded between clubs

• Five days after World Series (4 p.m. CT): Deadline for teams to make a qualifying offer to players. Players can begin signing with any club

• Nov. 10-12: General Managers’ Meetings in Las Vegas

• Nov. 17 (3 p.m. CT): Deadline for players to accept a qualifying offer

• Nov. 20: Non-tender deadline

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• Want to watch Cubs’ prospects in AFL? Here’s how. Read more >>

B. Three

The Cubs have had multiple Gold Glove Award winners for one season 14 times, but have had three winners only twice. Both came within the last few years. Happ, Hoerner and Swanson each took one home in ‘23, and then Crow-Armstrong, Happ and Hoerner picked up the hardware for their defensive work in ‘25.

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