Chicago Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong was going through a little bit of a slump earlier in August, but in his last 13 games, the center fielder has hit 11 home runs while posting a 1.362 OPS in 63 plate appearances. He had an incredible weekend against the Cincinnati Reds, homering five times in two games, and the haters can cope all they want, but it’s never been clearer than now that Pete Crow-Armstrong is running away with the 2026 National League MVP race.
Shohei Ohtani is having a good year, with 30 home runs, a 144 wRC+, and 85 great innings on the mound. However, the Los Angeles Dodgers have delayed Ohtani’s return to the mound, and there is currently no updated plan for when the Japanese superstar will pitch again this season. There is no doubt that it would take an incredible year to beat Ohtani in the MVP race, and guess what, that’s exactly what Crow-Armstrong has accomplished heading into September.
Crow-Armstrong is just the best player in the National League in 2026; he is running laps around the field across MLB. Crow-Armstrong is already at 9.3 fWAR, while no other position player has reached 7 fWAR. Combined with his pitching numbers, Ohtani is at 6.8 fWAR, second behind PCA.
The Cubs star is on the verge of becoming the first left-handed hitter in Cubs history to hit 40 home runs in a single season since Billy Williams did it in 1970. PCA’s 38 home runs currently rank second in MLB, trailing Kyle Schwarber, who has 40. Crow-Armstrong has 32 stolen bases, the fifth-most in baseball, while also coming in as the second-best offensive player with a 160 wRC+ behind Yordan Alvarez.
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Oh, and Crow-Armstrong is No. 1 in Fielding Run Value and second with 23 Outs Above Average. So, there’s no surprise to see PCA is the favorite by a wide margin to win the 2026 NL MVP.
NL MVP Odds (Aug. 31)
DraftKings: Pete Crow-Armstrong: -1600 | Shohei Ohtani: +900
FanDuel: Pete Crow-Armstrong: -1500 | Shohei Ohtani: +750
(Previous Update)
Pete Crow-Armstrong and Shohei Ohtani went toe-to-toe at Wrigley Field, giving fans an unbelievable duel of MVP candidates in the National League. Both stars hit two home runs for their respective teams, but in doing so, the Chicago Cubs can now look at center field and see the new MVP favorite over Ohtani.
The 7-6 win completed a three-game sweep over the Los Angeles Dodgers, and it also clinched the season series for the Cubs. A statement series? Sure, but playoff baseball is much different than regular-season games; however, it was certainly a statement for Crow-Armstrong, who continues to lap the field in value in 2026.
The Cubs center fielder went 6-for-13, with two home runs, a double, five RBI, five runs scored, and two stolen bases against the Dodgers this week. Another difference-making series from Crow-Armstrong, who had his third multi-home run game of the season, also made history.
Not only did Crow-Armstrong become only the sixth player in MLB history to ever reach 25 home runs and 25 stolen bases within the first 115 games of a season, but he’s also now the first player ever to do it back-to-back years.
Truly special stuff from Crow-Armstrong, and that speaks to how amazing Ohtani is because it’s taken unreal performances to dethrone the Japanese superstar in MVP races.
In 2022, Aaron Judge hit 62 home runs, had a 1.111 OPS and an 11.1 fWAR to beat out Ohtani for the American League MVP. During that season, Ohtani recorded a 2.33 ERA with 219 strikeouts in 28 starts, while also hitting 34 home runs with an .875 OPS.
There is no question that if Ohtani had continued to pitch in 2026, he would be the runaway favorite to win MVP. But he’s no longer pitching for the Dodgers, who may end up saving him for the postseason. So far, Ohtani has 85.2 innings of work, and yes, he’s been special, posting a 1.79 ERA over 14 starts. The left-handed slugger also has a .954 OPS with 26 home runs and a 154 wRC+.
Well, guess what, Crow-Armstrong is right there with him on offense.
Pete Crow-Armstrong: .288/.386/.552, 26 HR, 28 RBI, .938 OPS, 156 wRC+
Shohei Ohtani: .297/.399/.554, 26 HR, 6 SB, 954 OPS, 154 wRC+
Crow-Armstrong has a higher wRC+, more stolen bases, the same amount of home runs, and although Ohtani has a combined 6.7 fWAR between his offensive and pitching numbers, there’s a clear most valuable player in MLB.
Entering Thursday, Crow-Armstrong leads MLB with a 7.8 fWAR. Yordan Alvarez, is second in position players at a distant 5.7 fWAR.
Oh, and Pete Crow-Armstrong is also the best defensive player in MLB, leading the league with a 24 Fielding Run Value and 22 Outs Above Average.
At DraftKings, Crow-Armstrong is currently the favorite to win the 2026 National League MVP at -120, while Ohtani is second in odds at +100.
