The Chicago White Sox’s surprising competence in 2026 means that crosstown series with the Chicago Cubs actually carries some weight this season. With both teams fighting for playoff spots in mid-August, the Cubs and White Sox engaged in a tense first game as they begin their final crosstown series of the regular season.
While both teams showed incredible fight in a game that featured five lead changes, it was Cubs centerfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong who turned in the best performance. Crow-Armstrong started off the contest in dominant fashion, homering on the first pitch he saw from White Sox starter Luis Castillo.
With the game tied 5-5 in the bottom of the 10th inning, Crow-Armstrong stuck again, belting a two-run, walk-off home run to give the Cubs the 7-5 win.
It marked the first time in nearly 70 years a player hit a leadoff home run on the first pitch of the game and then a walk-off home run on the last pitch of the game.
Pete Crow-Armstrong did something last night the baseball world hadn't seen in nearly 70 years 🤯 pic.twitter.com/fwUzRpuKUS
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) August 18, 2026
In addition to those two home runs, Crow-Armstrong added two more hits. He finished the contest 4-for-5, with a single, a double and two home runs. He scored two runs, notched three RBI, stole a base and walked. It was an MVP-caliber performance.
Crow-Armstrong may have stolen the show, but the entire game deserves attention. Following back-to-back home runs to open the contest, the Cubs carried a 2-0 lead into the fourth inning. But Randal Grichuk smacked a three-run homer at that point, giving the White Sox a narrow 3-2 lead.
The Cubs answered back in the bottom of the fifth, as Nico Hoerner brought in two runs with a single to once again give the Cubs the lead. With the White Sox trailing in the eighth, Andrew Benintendi hit a two-run shot to put the White Sox back on top.
The Cubs rallied again in the bottom of the ninth, scoring a run off White Sox reliever Jordan Hicks to tie things at 5-5. After failing to put a run on the board in the top of the 10th inning, the White Sox allowed Crow-Armstrong to end the contest with his walk-off shot in the bottom of the frame.
With the performance, Crow-Armstrong pushed his season-long slash line to .281/.379/.550. He’s hit 30 home runs and stolen 31 bases, all while playing fantastic defense in center. All of that combines to make up an 8.2 fWAR, easily the best in baseball.
That seems to suggest Crow-Armstrong has an excellent shot to take home the National League MVP award at the end of the season, an award Shohei Ohtani won in his first two seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
While Ohtani has remained a strong hitter, his numbers have dropped compared to his first two seasons with the team. That, combined with Ohtani missing time as a pitcher, opened the door for someone else to win the MVP this year. Crow-Armstrong has done more than enough to claim that prize.
With Crow-Armstrong playing at this level, the Cubs are in excellent shape to make the postseason. The team is trailing the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central, but have a six-game lead on the top NL wild-card spot.
If Crow-Armstrong can keep up this pace, the Cubs can be a legitimate World Series contender in a stacked NL. If Monday’s performance was any indication, Crow-Armstrong has it in him to put the team on his back when it needs him the most.