Why Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani must still win NL MVP despite Pete Crow-Armstrong’s huge season

Shohei Ohtani has won the MVP four times over the previous five seasons. He was the AL MVP as a member of the Los Angeles Angels in 2021 and 2023 before winning NL MVP honors in each of the past two seasons since being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Having four MVP titles puts Ohtani firmly in second place in MLB history for MVP wins, and the two-way superstar from Japan is in the running to be named the best player in the National League yet again.

Ohtani has competition for baseball’s most prestigious award, though. Pete Crow-Armstrong is actually the favorite to be named the NL MVP, with -10,000 odds, according to BetMGM. Ohtani trails the Chicago Cubs outfielder as a +5,000 underdog. There could be a level of voter fatigue with those odds, though, and Ohtani is still a worthy MVP. So, what is the Dodgers’ star’s case?

Shohei Ohtani should win the MVP over Pete Crow-Armstrong

Crow-Armstrong is certainly a worthy MVP, and it would be far from a travesty if he ended up winning the award. The fourth-year center fielder leads baseball in WAR (8.9) and runs (108). He is the NL leader in SLG (.574), OPS (.948), and total bases (323), too. Furthermore, the Cubs’ star has 41 home runs, which only trails Kyle Schwarber. The true five-tool player has put up those lofty numbers while being a standout defensive outfielder and a threat on the base paths.

However, Ohtani’s offensive numbers aren’t far off from PCA, and, of course, he is still doing the unprecedented. That is, thriving as both a hitter and as a pitcher. On offense, Ohtani has a .380 on-base percentage that is actually greater than Crow-Armstrong’s .375 mark. The Japanese star also has 30 home runs and 80 walks.

On top of that, Ohtani has reestablished a case as one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball. While he isn’t among the league leaders in innings pitched, Ohtani is 8-2 in the 14 games he has started. He has a stellar 1.79 ERA during that time, in addition to a 0.946 WHIP and just four homers allowed.

Fans have become numb to just how special and influential it is for a player to excel as a two-way player like Ohtani has. Yes, Crow-Armstrong is having an incredible year, and Ohtani has been more dominant in past seasons. Even so, this two-way dominance epitomizes what it means to be the Most Valuable Player.

Plus, the Dodgers again look like World Series favorites. The team’s 88 wins are the second-most in baseball. Far too often in sports, fans look back at iconic eras for superstars and wonder why they didn’t get more MVP trophies, and the explanation can often be pinned on voter fatigue. Ohtani is the best player in MLB, and MVP voters shouldn’t forget that.

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