Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has been named one of three finalists for the 2026 National League Most Valuable Player Award. He is joined by Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and Milwaukee Brewers infielder Brice Turang.
The NL MVP Finalists and Race
Although Ohtani battled struggles through the final months of the regular season and the postseason, his advancement to the finalist stage comes as no expectation-defying shock. However, this announcement carries a distinct shift from previous years as Ohtani is not projected to take home the honor.
Crow-Armstrong, frequently referred to as PCA, stands as the favorite to claim the NL MVP. This shift could halt Ohtani’s streak of three consecutive unanimous MVP Award victories, bringing his career total of MVP honors to four, despite voting being restricted to regular-season performance and excluding the postseason.
Statistical Breakdown of the Candidates
Statistics indicate that Crow-Armstrong’s status as the favorite is not merely the result of voter fatigue regarding Ohtani’s past dominance. The 24-year-old Cubs player held the advantage over Ohtani in WAR at 9.8 compared to 6.5, home runs at 45 to 30, and batting average at .280 to .275. Crow-Armstrong also surpassed Ohtani in every other significant offensive category except for on-base percentage, where Ohtani maintained a narrow edge of .377 to .372.
Furthermore, Crow-Armstrong is widely acknowledged as the premier defender in baseball, bolstering his candidacy. Ohtani did not play in the field during the 2026 campaign other than when pitching.
Ohtani’s pitching abilities were central to his three previous MVP victories, including his past two with the Dodgers. Yet, physical setbacks restricted him to 85.2 innings pitched during the regular season, relegating him primarily to a designated hitter role. Ohtani’s final pitching appearance of the year took place against the San Diego Padres on July 3.
The winner of the 2026 NL MVP Award will be revealed on November 12 at 4 p.m. PT on MLB Network. Ohtani represented the sole Dodgers player to place in the top three of voting for any of the five Baseball Writers’ Association of America awards, which span the MVP, Cy Young, Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year, Manager of the Year, and Reliever of the Year honors.
