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‘#MVPete’ momentum grows as PCA moves ahead of Ohtani in NL MVP race

From Dong-A Ilbo · () Korean

Translated from Korean and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Ongoing story
  • Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong leads the National League and MLB in WAR, while Shohei Ohtani ranks lower at 6.8.
  • Crow-Armstrong ranks first in the NL in OPS and has joined the 30-home-run, 30-steal club while leading MLB in defensive value.
  • A recent player survey and Crow-Armstrong’s strong July have strengthened his position in the MVP race, while Ohtani has struggled recently.

The hashtag “#MVPete” is gaining traction as Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong pulls ahead of Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani in the National League MVP race.

Crow-Armstrong’s case rests on an all-around game. FanGraphs lists his WAR at 9.3, the best mark in both the NL and MLB, compared with 6.8 for Ohtani. Crow-Armstrong also leads the NL with a .946 OPS, ranks second in home runs with 39 and second in stolen bases with 32. His 30-homer, 30-steal season is already assured.

His strongest advantage may come in the field. The Cubs’ regular center fielder leads the majors with a Fielding Run Value of 26, a measure of how many runs a player prevents compared with an average defender. Cubs fans have nicknamed his spectacular catches a “cheat code.”

If people keep mentioning me, I might have to start practicing pitching too.

· Pete Crow-ArmstrongHe joked about being compared with Ohtani in the MVP race.

Ohtani’s two-way role remains his biggest strength, but his recent form has weakened his position. He has not pitched since July 4 because of left-knee pain, and he is batting .143 over his last seven games without a home run. He also struck out four times against St. Louis on Aug. 3.

Crow-Armstrong said it was remarkable simply to be mentioned alongside Ohtani, adding, “If people keep mentioning me, I might have to start practicing pitching too.” CBS Sports journalist Mike Axisa posed the question of whether Ohtani’s 14 starts or Crow-Armstrong’s 1,100 innings of elite defense carried greater value. ESPN’s survey of active players favored Crow-Armstrong by 15 votes to four.

If he were merely an above-average defender, I would vote for Ohtani, but Crow-Armstrong’s defense is tremendous.

· Mike AxisaThe CBS Sports journalist assessed the value of the two players’ respective strengths.
About this summary

Originally published by Dong-A Ilbo in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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