Why Cubs Star Pete Crow-Armstrong, Not Shohei Ohtani, Should Be 2026 NL MVP

The National League MVP Award was precocious renamed the "Shohei Ohtani Award." Okay, not really, but it feels that mode with Ohtani winning unanimous NL MVP honors successful each of his archetypal 2 seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2024-25) – the 3rd and 4th MVPs of his career.

On that note, has a unit emerged that volition instrumentality distant the NL MVP from Ohtani?

Danny Parkins thinks that subordinate is Chicago Cubs prima halfway fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong.

"If the [NL MVP] voting were held today, my ballot would spell to PCA," Parkins said connected Wednesday's variation of "First Things First." "Ohtani is the champion subordinate successful baseball. He's a two-way superstar. The occupation for his MVP lawsuit this twelvemonth is helium hasn't pitched since July 3. Now, if helium returns to the mound soon, pitches efficaciously and helps the Dodgers unafraid the apical effect successful the National League, I reserve the close to alteration my mind. But, close now, look astatine the offense: PCA and Ohtani are having remarkably akin seasons."

Through 121 games (538 sheet appearances), Crow-Armstrong has totaled 27 location runs, 73 RBIs, 30 stolen bases, a 156 OPS+ and an MLB-high 7.5 wins supra replacement, portion sporting a .284/.384/.544 slash line. On the powerfulness front, Crow-Armstrong boasts a career-high successful mean exit velocity (90.2 mph) and hard-hit percent (48.6%), according to Statcast.

Crow-Armstrong, an All-Star successful each of the past 2 seasons and a 2025 Gold Glover winner, has posted 14 antiaircraft runs saved successful halfway tract this season. Last year, helium finished ninth successful NL MVP voting aft signaling 31 location runs, 95 RBIs, 35 stolen bases, 5.9 wins supra replacement and 15 antiaircraft runs saved successful center.

Through 111 games and 509 sheet appearances, Ohtani has totaled 27 location runs, 74 RBIs, an NL-high 157 OPS+ and 3.4 wins supra replacement, portion owning a .292/.393/.544 slash line. Ohtani ranks successful the 97th percentile of MLB successful mean exit velocity (93.4 mph) and the 96th percentile successful tube percent (16.6%) and hard-hit percent (52.2%), per Statcast.

Meanwhile, arsenic a subordinate of the Dodgers' starting rotation, the two-way superstar has posted a 1.79 ERA, an 0.95 WHIP, 95 strikeouts, a 231 ERA+ and 3.0 wins supra replacement implicit 85 ⅔ innings pitched crossed 14 starts. Granted, helium hasn't pitched successful six weeks owed to a genu injury.

As for their lasting successful the NL, Crow-Armstrong is tied for 2nd successful runs scored (86), OPS (.928) and triples (seven), is 3rd outright successful on-base percent (.384), seventh successful hits (130) and tied for 11th successful RBIs. Ohtani is archetypal successful OPS (.937), tied for archetypal successful on-base percent (.393), tied for sixth successful runs scored (77), tied for eighth successful RBIs and tied for 12th successful hits (125); Crow-Armstrong and Ohtani are each tied for 2nd successful slugging percent (.544) and sixth successful location runs.

"If the violative accumulation is fundamentally a wash, that's wherever PCA starts to abstracted himself [from Ohtani]. Defense? Well, PCA is the champion antiaircraft halfway fielder successful the game, and helium leads each of shot successful wins supra replacement," Parkins said. "On the bases, it's not adjacent close. Ohtani is lone 2 years removed from stealing 59 bags, but helium has 7 this twelvemonth to PCA's 30. So, let's adhd it up: akin offense, Ohtani's pitching has stopped, and PCA has the wide borderline connected defence and the bases.

"And past I'll crook to the "V" successful "MVP": value. PCA has helped transportation the Cubs done a play successful which implicit a twelve pitchers person spent clip connected the injured list. Meanwhile, Ohtani is playing connected a superteam with a payroll that exceeds Chicago's by implicit $170 million. All that other help, and the Cubs conscionable swept the Dodgers past week. They person conscionable 2 less wins than L.A. connected the season."

The Cubs are the No. 1 NL wild-card effect astatine 71-50, portion the defending, back-to-back World Series champion Dodgers basal atop the NL West astatine 73-48.