Pete Crow-Armstrong Vs. Shohei Ohtani: Who Should Win NL MVP?

With just over 30 games remaining in the MLB season, the NL MVP race is neck and neck. Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Chicago Cubs and Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers have narrowed the race down to the two of them, each providing a strong case.

The Dodgers and Cubs faced off at Wrigley Field on August 5th; Ohtani led off the game with a moonshot home run, setting the tone in Crow-Armstrong’s own stadium. The following half-inning, the Cubs center fielder launched a home run of his own. Both players ended the game with two home runs, but Crow-Armstrong and Chicago got the last laugh, winning 7-6 and completing the three-game sweep of the Dodgers.

This is just a small portion of the strenuous MLB season, but for one afternoon in August, fans got to see the National League MVP race play out live.

Ohtani has become the golden standard for individual greatness in baseball. He has won four MVP’s and remains capable of doing something no other player at his level can: dominate as both a pitcher and hitter. This season, though, Crow-Armstrong has made the decision much more complicated.

Pete Crow-Armstrong Has Become A Complete Superstar

The Cubs center fielder has always been a great defender. His ability to play in the outfield has helped establish him as one of baseball’s most exciting young stars, even before his offensive production reached its current level.

Entering Aug. 24, Crow-Armstrong is batting .281 with a .379 on-base percentage and .559 slugging. That equates to 33 home runs, 83 RBIs, and 32 stolen bases through 131 games. This season marks his second consecutive 30-30 year with home runs and stolen bases.

One of PCA’s biggest improvements this season has come with his approach at the plate. His swing rate has dropped from 60.1% in 2025 to 49.8% this season, yet his walk rate increased from 4.5% to 11.8%. This matters because Crow-Armstrong was already dangerous when he put the ball in play due to his speed. Becoming a more selective hitter shows his maturity and makes him harder for opposing pitchers to attack.

Then there’s Crow-Armstrong’s bread and butter: defense. Baseball Savant credits him with 22 Outs Above Average in center field, the best in the MLB. His speed also remains among baseball’s best, allowing him to track down balls nobody else in the league could.

Every aspect of PCA’s game creates value for the Cubs. He can change an inning at the plate and take runs away with his glove on defense. That combination is the foundation of his MVP argument.

Ohtani’s Case Is Still In A World Of Its Own

The other frontrunner for NL MVP, Ohtani, has made a strong case for winning his 6th award in seven years. His season is ridiculous in its own right. Through Aug. 23, Ohtani is batting .288 with a .389 on-base percentage and .545 slugging, producing a .934 OPS. He has 30 home runs, 80 RBIs, and nine stolen bases.

As the end of the season approaches, it’s remarkable how close the two MVP candidates have become offensively. Crow-Armstrong holds a slight advantage in slugging and OPS while Ohtani reaches base at a higher rate. PCA also has more home runs and stolen bases this year.

On paper, it would seem Crow-Armstrong is the clear favorite, but Ohtani does something he can’t: pitch at an elite level.

Crow-Armstrong can make plays defensively that Ohtani cannot, but he can’t take the ball every fifth day and potentially give his team six innings of ace-level pitching. Before injuries interrupted his year on the mound, Ohtani had a record of 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA over 14 starts. He struck out 95 batters in 85 ⅔ innings, something no other MVP candidate is able to do. 

The sheer difference between these players is what makes comparing them so difficult. Ohtani’s absence on the mound has opened a door for Crow-Armstrong. If he had kept pitching at the same level throughout the summer, this race might have already been over. Instead, his last start came July 3.

Knee and biceps issues have kept him away from the Dodgers’ rotation, although he has recently resumed throwing bullpens in preparation for the playoffs. That time away matters. It doesn’t erase the value that Ohtani creates as a pitcher, nor should voters treat the injury as a negative. MVP voting is based on the season a player actually produces, not the one he might have had if healthy.

While Ohtani has been limited to designated hitter duties, Crow-Armstrong has continued influencing games in any way possible. That difference gives Crow-Armstrong a legitimate claim to the NL throne.

What Does “Most Valuable” Actually Mean?

The race may come down to how the voters define the words “Most Valuable”. If the question is who is the most talented baseball player, Ohtani remains unmatched. Nobody else in the sport combines elite power and hitting splits with the ability to pitch at the front of a rotation. Being baseball’s most talented player and producing its most valuable season are not necessarily the same thing.

Crow-Armstrong is ahead of Ohtani in WAR, 7.8 to 6.8. The Cubs center fielder also leads the National League in Win Probability Added, another key indication of how frequently he impacts the results of games.

Statistics alone don’t determine the most valuable player; they do, however, reinforce what watching Crow-Armstrong every day already shows fans. His value comes from every aspect of his game.

In an August 17th game against the cross-town rival White Sox, Crow-Armstrong hit a leadoff home run and later ended the game with another homer in the 10th inning, becoming just the sixth player in MLB history to hit both a leadoff and walk-off home run in the same game. Those are moments that define an MVP season. 

Pete Crow-Armstrong Has The Edge, For Now

If the MVP vote came to a close today, Crow-Armstrong would be the slight favorite. The gap offensively has only gotten larger. Defensively and on the bases, his value exceeds that of any other player in baseball.

Crow-Armstrong holds a slight advantage when it comes to slugging percentage and OPS. He’s also hit three more home runs and stolen 23 more bases while playing elite defense at one of baseball’s most demanding positions.

Keeping Ohtani in the race is his unique pitching ability. His stats are too good to overlook, but he hasn’t pitched since early July. The best ability is availability, and Crow-Armstrong hasn’t skipped a beat in his production all year. For now, he has the edge over the Dodgers’ Swiss Army knife, but that doesn’t mean the race is finished.