RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 4 sourcesCHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 03: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on August 03, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) Getty
The National League MVP race centers around two names: Shohei Ohtani and Pete Crow-Armstrong.
On Wednesday, both stars put on a show in the Chicago Cubs’ 7-6 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers to complete the sweep.
Ohtani finished 3-for-5 with three RBIs and two home runs, while Crow-Armstrong also hit two home runs, collected three hits and drove in four runs.
Ohtani Addresses MVP Race
After the game, Ohtani made his feelings clear when asked about Crow-Armstrong and the National League MVP race with just over 45 games remaining in the regular season.
“He’s a great player, but I’m really focused on myself right now on the hitting side of things, and I’m really working toward hopefully getting back on the mound,” Ohtani said.
When asked whether the MVP race is something he’s thinking about, Ohtani kept his focus on the present.
“It’s still a little too far away to think about that.”
Shohei Ohtani says he isn’t thinking much about his NL MVP race vs Pete Crow-Armstrong right now:
“He’s a great player but I’m really focused on myself right now on the hitting side of things and I’m really working towards hopefully getting back on the mound.”
“It’s still a… pic.twitter.com/t8snqSrHTu
— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) August 5, 2026
PCA Comments on Pursuing First MVP
Earlier this season, Crow-Armstrong said he wanted to stop Ohtani from winning his third consecutive NL MVP Award, though he acknowledged Ohtani’s dominance as one of the league’s elite pitchers.
With Ohtani currently sidelined from pitching because of a knee injury, however, the MVP race appears much more open. Crow-Armstrong admitted he’d be “crazy” to say he doesn’t want to win the award, but emphasized that helping the Cubs win remains his top priority.
“I would be crazy to say that I don’t want to win an MVP, but if we’re talking about having priorities straight, I think mine are pretty straight,” Crow-Armstrong said. “It’s not on the forefront of my mind. It’s fun to joke about it and it’s fun to acknowledge. And I think it’s absolutely okay to pay attention to, but again, it’s not like following me up to the plate. And yeah, I think if you guys want to talk about all this back and forth, I really should go get in the lab and start pitching. I really should.
“I just think simply put, just having your name in the same conversation as someone as profound as he [is], it’s awesome and it’s a nice nod,” he added.
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