Cubs' Crow-Armstrong Jokes About Pitching to Challenge Ohtani for MVP

Pete Crow-Armstrong, a rising star for the Chicago Cubs, humorously suggested he might need to take up pitching to compete with Shohei Ohtani for the National League MVP award. Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers' Japanese superstar, is a strong contender for his third consecutive MVP title.

According to baseball analytics website Fangraphs, Ohtani currently leads all of Major League Baseball with a Wins Above Replacement (WAR) of 6.2. Crow-Armstrong follows closely in second place with a WAR of 6, while the Washington Nationals' James Wood ranks third in the National League with a 4.6 WAR.

When asked about the possibility of surpassing Ohtani for the MVP, Crow-Armstrong told ESPN reporter Jesse Rogers, "I was telling a few of the guys earlier, 'man, I would love to dethrone him,' but I don't know how you do it unless I go to a pitching lab in the off-season. I'll go be a closer or something and see how that helps my odds."

Crow-Armstrong has had a productive season, appearing in 96 games with 21 home runs, 53 RBIs, and a batting average of .291, resulting in an OPS of .917. He also excels defensively, ranking tied for second in MLB with 16 Outs Above Average (OAA).

Shohei Ohtani has returned to his two-way role this season. As a pitcher, he has an 8-2 record with a 1.79 ERA over 14 starts, striking out 95 batters in 85.2 innings. As a hitter, he has played in 92 games, hitting 22 home runs and 58 RBIs with a .293 batting average and an OPS of .952.

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I was telling a few of the guys earlier, 'man, I would love to dethrone him,' but I don't know how you do it unless I go to a pitching lab in the off-season. I'll go be a closer or something and see how that helps my odds.