Pete Crow-Armstrong Making His Case to Dethrone Shohei Ohtani as NL MVP

PCA has been crushing the ball in August

Aug 29, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) reacts after hitting a home run during the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For the past couple of seasons, there hasn't been much of a debate over who should win the National League MVP. But this year, Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong is trying to change that.

Crow-Armstrong turned in a three-homer performance for the Cubs on Saturday. The 24-year-old belted a 435-foot solo shot, a 375-foot two-run blast, and a 444-foot three-run homer in Chicago's 17-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds. He's now tied for third in the majors and the National League with 36 home runs this season.

With 12 long balls in August, Crow-Armstrong has now surged past the defending back-to-back NL MVP on the home run leaderboard. Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani is tied for the fifth-most homers in the National League with 30. That could set the stage for a thrilling NL MVP race heading into the final month of the 2026 MLB regular season.

Comparing Shohei Ohtani and Pete Crow-Armstrong's numbers so far in 2026

Aug 23, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) calls out a foul ball at the bottom of the fourth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Navarro-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Following his multi-homer game on Saturday, Crow-Armstrong now has a .282 batting average, a .377 on-base percentage, and a .944 OPS with 36 homers, 89 RBIs, and 32 stolen bases in 136 games this year. That puts him within striking distance of joining the exclusive 40-40 club, which currently includes just six players. And the most recent member of that club is one of the Chicago outfielder's main competitors for this year's NL MVP.

At the plate this season, Ohtani has a .283 batting average, a .383 on-base percentage, and a .918 OPS with 30 home runs, 80 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases. The 32-year-old also has a 1.79 ERA and 95 strikeouts in 85 2/3 innings this year. But the two-way star hasn't pitched since July 3, and he's no longer expected to return to the mound over the next few days.

Whether the Dodgers All-Star pitches again in the regular season could play a major role in who wins the 2026 NL MVP. But if Crow-Armstrong continues to swing a hot bat over the final weeks of the season, he could create a gap between his offensive numbers and Ohtani's that the voters might find too difficult to ignore. Either way, baseball fans should be in for a treat with an intense NL MVP race down the stretch.