Cubs Hall of Famer Billy Williams praised Pete Crow-Armstrong for his outstanding 2026 season, hailing the outfielder’s performance as worthy of Most Valuable Player consideration. Williams, 88, who finished as the National League MVP runner-up twice in the early 1970s, expressed surprise and admiration for Crow-Armstrong’s power-hitting surge.

Crow-Armstrong made history on Wednesday at Wrigley Field by breaking Williams’ long-standing team record for most home runs hit by a left-handed batter in a single season. The 24-year-old slugger hit two home runs during the Cubs’ victory, surpassing Williams’ mark of 42 home runs set in 1970. Williams, watching from his home in Glen Ellyn, called Crow-Armstrong after the game to offer congratulations and acknowledged the 2026 campaign as “MVP numbers.”

“It took 56 years for a lefty to top that record, and I thought Kyle Schwarber might have done it if he had stayed with the team,” Williams said. He credited Crow-Armstrong’s success to adjustments made early in the season to his swing and stance that have enhanced his power production.

After the Cubs’ 5-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday, Crow-Armstrong held a .277 batting average with a .369 on-base percentage and a .941 OPS. He had also amassed 44 home runs, 29 doubles, 105 RBIs, and 115 runs scored. Notably, he had hit 27 home runs at Wrigley Field, second only to Schwarber’s 28 in the same season among players’ home park totals.

Williams noted the challenge of hitting home runs at Wrigley Field, where wind conditions often dictate the trajectory of the ball, emphasizing Crow-Armstrong’s ability to produce line drives rather than just towering fly balls. “When you see a player put up those numbers here, it’s really something special,” Williams said.

Crow-Armstrong, who shares some personal ties with Williams including the same jersey number early in his career, called the connection meaningful. After tying Williams’ home run record, he expressed appreciation for being mentioned alongside the Cubs legend, while acknowledging Williams’ encouragement to surpass those achievements.

Williams compared Crow-Armstrong’s impact on fans to that of Sammy Sosa, another Cubs slugger who electrified Wrigley Field. He said Crow-Armstrong’s presence at the plate has become a major draw for fans, noting how supporters eagerly await his at-bats late in games.

With the Cubs narrowing their lead to clinch a playoff spot and vying for the top wild-card position, Williams plans to attend any postseason games at Wrigley Field. He views Crow-Armstrong as essential to the team’s playoff success and sees a promising future for the young star if he can remain healthy.

“His ceiling is high,” Williams said. “There’s no telling what this kid is going to do in Chicago.”