For a while, it seemed a foregone conclusion that Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani would run away with the National League’s Most Valuable Player award for the third straight year. But the inspired play of Pete Crow-Armstrong has warped that narrative, and as we head into the final seven weeks of the season, the Cubs center fielder has not only entered the conversation, but has emerged as the favorite to win the award outright.
Ohtani is dealing with a lingering knee injury, which has resulted in him being removed from the Dodgers’ rotation as he looks to get back to full strength. He hasn’t pitched since July 3—though he’s still suiting up as the DH in L.A.—and that absence from the mound has opened the door for Crow-Armstrong to overtake him in the MVP race.
