This might be the first time in over half a decade that neither Aaron Judge nor Shohei Ohtani will win MVP. The NL already seems to have found its MVP, and after 153 games, Pete Crow-Armstrong’s 44 homers and 9.6 bWAR have left the NL MVP race with only one credible answer.

On Friday’s episode of the “Talkin’ Baseball” podcast, co-host Jake Storiale hailed the Chicago Cubs players’ historic run.

“What Pete Crow-Armstrong is doing this year is out of his mind,” said Storiale. “He drove in four runs in the first game. He followed it up with two homers in the last game. There’s a lot of PCA talk because it’s one of the more special seasons we’ve seen.”

Crow-Armstrong’s season has reached a point where the NL MVP race feels completely finished. After 153 games, he has 44 homers, 105 RBIs, 37 steals, and 9.6 bWAR. His .956 OPS has matched the impact he continues making with his defense.

With Shohei Ohtani currently injured, Crow-Armstrong has created serious distance in the MVP conversation. The Cubs star now has only a few games left to strengthen an already remarkable case.

But the numbers only explain part of what Cubs fans have watched happen this season.

Crow-Armstrong became the first Cubs left-handed hitter since Billy Williams to reach 40 homers. Then he hit his 43rd and 44th homers against Atlanta on Wednesday, breaking Williams’ franchise record. Wrigley Field responded with repeated “MVP” chants as another huge night unfolded. Even after striking out, Crow-Armstrong received a standing ovation from Chicago.

That performance came after the Braves game where Crow-Armstrong had already made his impact felt. He went 4-for-5 with four RBIs, his 42nd homer, and his 37th stolen base.

The homer tied Williams’ mark before his next two blasts pushed him past it. Now he needs only 3 more steals to reach the rare 40-40 milestone. Only 6 players have previously completed a 40-40 season in MLB history.

His season has also earned praise from people who have watched baseball for decades.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell admitted, “You’re shaking your head in amazement sometimes. You know, you don’t get to see this. That’s what I told Alex (Bregman): ‘We don’t get to see things like this.’ You spend your whole life in baseball, and you just don’t see this happen on a baseball field.”

Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga said there were no words to describe what Crow-Armstrong was doing. In August, even Dave Roberts said Pete making this a race could push Ohtani even further. That praise has followed Crow-Armstrong as Chicago continues fighting toward another postseason run.

Now the Cubs enter October with Pete Crow-Armstrong leading their push toward another championship opportunity. Chicago won its last World Series in 2016, 10 years before this postseason chase. Ohtani can still return from the IL and make an impact, but PCA seems to be leaping ahead too much, even for Ohtani. 

With October approaching, Cubs fans have plenty of reasons to keep watching closely. The center fielder hit two homers against the Braves, and The Wrigley Field crowd watched his latest power display while Chicago strengthened its Wild Card position.

With PA playing like this, his bat could become one of Chicago’s biggest weapons in October.

But while PCA keeps giving Chicago reasons to celebrate, the bullpen continues creating uncomfortable moments. The Cubs have struggled to find enough reliable arms when close games reach their final innings. Ryan Rolison and Ryan Zeferjahn have delivered important outs, but more pitchers must earn Chicago’s trust

The recent loss to Cincinnati showed how quickly a game can change when Chicago cannot protect its lead. That makes the return of injured players even more important as Chicago moves toward October.

Dansby Swanson has already returned after missing 28 games with a left oblique strain. Justin Steele has also begun rehab for a return, giving Chicago another possible option for the pitching staff. If more arms become available, the Cubs will have more choices when every postseason inning starts carrying greater weight.

At the same time, Alex Bregman has given the Cubs another bat that opponents cannot overlook right now. He entered Friday with a 1.137 OPS and 14 homers across his previous 35 games. Seiya Suzuki, Michael Busch and the other veterans will also need to find their rhythm.

If the pitching settles and those bats keep producing, Chicago could give itself a real chance at World Series No. 4, and then, Pete Crow-Armstrong’s potential MVP win would be the cherry on top.