CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – AUGUST 18: Pete Crow-Armstrong #4 of the Chicago Cubs looks on from the dugout against the Chicago White Sox at Wrigley Field on August 18, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
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The rise of Pete Crow-Armstrong has become one of the biggest stories surrounding the Chicago Cubs this season.
The 24-year-old center fielder has developed from a promising young player into a legitimate National League MVP candidate, combining elite defense, power and speed while helping keep Chicago in contention.
His latest heroics against the crosstown rival Chicago White Sox only strengthened that case, underscoring the fact that he is the team’s undisputed MVP and perhaps will be named the league’s MVP in short order as well.
“After getting the crosstown party revved up with a leadoff homer in the first inning, Crow-Armstrong continued to pad his MVP portfolio with a two-run, walk-off blast that sent the place into a frenzy,” Jordan Bastian wrote for MLB.com. “Over the final two months, expect some cries of “M-V-P!” to begin raining down from the stands at the Friendly Confines. That is how good the center fielder’s season has been to date for the North Siders.”
But as Crow-Armstrong’s profile has grown, an unusual connection from his gilded Hollywood childhood has resurfaced following the tragic death of actress Hayden Panettiere at 36.
Chicago Cubs MVP Candidate Pete Crow-Armstrong Had Surprising Connection To Late Star Hayden Panettiere
Long before Crow-Armstrong became one of baseball’s brightest young stars, he grew up around the entertainment industry. His parents, actors Ashley Crow and Matthew John Armstrong, both had careers in Hollywood and his mother might be best known for a recurring roles on “Heroes,” a show that also starred Panettiere.
Crow-Armstrong previously revealed that he enjoyed a unique relationship with Panettiere as a child, which sprung up from her working relationship with his mother.
“Hayden Panettiere babysat me,” Crow-Armstrong revealed to NBC Chicago’s Gordon Wittenmeyer in 2022. “I had the biggest crush on her.”
Crow-Armstrong added that Panettiere was his favorite actor-turned-babysitter, but that it wasn’t uncommon for his mother’s co-stars to watch him while he was growing up.
“I liked being around the older actors, and I liked being babysat by my mom’s co-stars and what-not,” he added, per Wittenmeyer.
Chicago Cubs Outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong’s Childhood Connection Resurfaces After Hayden Panettiere’s Death
Panettiere, known for numerous film and television roles, died Sunday. ABC News reported that the Greenville County Coroner’s Office said she was found unresponsive and in cardiac arrest at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina.
That has brought renewed attention to Crow-Armstrong’s unique anecdote about his Hollywood childhood. Not only does it appear to be an astounding coincidence that such a gifted athlete enjoyed a personal connection with such a notable actor, but it also seems notable that his rise to MVP consideration has coincided so closely with her tragic death.