Cubs Blast 5 Homers to Beat Orioles 9-7 as Crow-Armstrong Hits 2

Q: Can Pete Crow-Armstrong, baseball's first 20-20 player this season, now join the legendary 30-30 club by season's end?

Yes. Pete Crow-Armstrong is in strong position to reach 30-30 again this season. After Wednesday’s two-homer game in Baltimore, Crow-Armstrong became the first player in the majors to reach 20 homers and 20 steals in 2026. Based on the additional reporting, he is already at 21 home runs and 23 stolen bases, leaving him needing 9 more homers and 7 more steals to get to 30-30. That target looks realistic for several reasons. He reached 30-30 last season, so this would not be a first-time breakthrough but a repeat of something he has already done. He also got to 20-20 before the All-Star break for the second straight year, a rare feat that points to sustained power-speed production rather than a short hot streak. His recent form also supports the idea. Crow-Armstrong was coming off an 11-homer June and has remained one of the Cubs’ most dynamic offensive players. Chicago’s lineup is producing, and regular opportunities in a competitive Cubs season should keep giving him chances to add both home runs and steals. Nothing is guaranteed over a full season, but the pace, health, role and prior track record all suggest 30-30 is well within reach. If he maintains anything close to his current rate, Crow-Armstrong has a very good chance to finish there by season’s end.

3 articles · Updated · ESPN · Jul 8

Chicago erased a 3-1 deficit with five home runs and a five-run seventh, beating Baltimore 9-7 for its third straight win.
Pete Crow-Armstrong homered twice, giving him 21 on the season and making him the first player in MLB to reach 20 homers and 20 steals in 2026.
Michael Conforto and Carson Kelly went deep on the first two pitches of the fifth after Pete Alonso's two-run homer, and Seiya Suzuki's three-run shot broke open a 4-3 game in the seventh.
Baltimore nearly rallied from 9-3 down as Tyler O'Neill hit two homers and Coby Mayo added a 420-foot blast, but Jacob Webb worked a perfect ninth for his fourth save.
The Cubs will try for a three-game sweep Thursday, with the finale moved to 1:35 p.m. ET because of possible bad weather.