What Makes the 40-40 Season One of Baseball's Rarest Milestones?
Pete Crow-Armstrong stole his 40th base of the season in the bottom of the first inning against the Miami Marlins. The stolen base itself was not the headline; the number attached to it was.
By the time he reached that mark, Crow-Armstrong already had 45 home runs. That combination — 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a single season — puts him in a group of just seven major-league players. He is the first player in Cubs history to do it. The Cubs went on to win the game 2-1.
The six players to do it before him: Jose Canseco in 1988, Barry Bonds in 1996, Alex Rodriguez in 1998, Alfonso Soriano in 2006, Ronald Acuna Jr. in 2023, and Shohei Ohtani in 2024. Ohtani's 40-40 season was so strong that he became baseball's first 50-50 player that same year.
A feat that cuts against the game's grain
Home runs and stolen bases require different skill sets. Power hitters are often paid to drive in runs, not to run. Speed players often lack the power to reach 40 homers. That tension keeps the 40-40 club small.
Crow-Armstrong, 24, arrived with a defensive reputation, too. The Cubs acquired him from the Mets in 2021 in the deadline trade that sent Javier Baez and Trevor Williams to New York. He debuted in September 2023, made his first All-Star team, won a Gold Glove in center field, and posted two straight 30-30 seasons before pushing his numbers higher.
ESPN reported that Crow-Armstrong is only the third player in MLB history with at least 45 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a season, joining Soriano and Ohtani. That upper tier is a reminder that he did not simply squeak past the standard.
The chase was not easy
The final stolen bases came with resistance. USA Today reported that pitchers stopped giving Crow-Armstrong much to run on as the season progressed. He still reached 40 with three games to spare, which is part of why the milestone remains so rare.
The 40-40 club has also been tied to MVP recognition. Three of the six previous members won the MVP award in their 40-40 season. USA Today called Crow-Armstrong the leading candidate for the National League award this time. Whether or not he wins it, his season has already changed what is possible in a Cubs uniform.