While the vacation and delays keep every club in the league from playing, one of the games this week will represent the midway through every team in the MLB this season. Who is the leader who won the MVP award during the offseason? MLBTR’s view on the American League Judge Aaron Get 55% of the vote, today we will check out the National League:
Shohei Ohtani
The defending NL MVP hasn’t slowed down after his 50-50 2024 campaign. Ohtani cuts the incredible .289/.388/.627 (174 WRC+) to 78 games this year, with 27 home runs and 11 steals during that period. His position as DH helped him in war, but according to Fangraphs, he still ranks second in the NL. He leads the league with home runs and leads in the top five with a softball shooting percentage. Ohtani’s expected numbers are also good, as his .435 Xwoba is actually better than his Woba, with only traces Juan Soto In NL batsmen. Of course, the real ace in Ohtani’s hole is his return to pitching this year. He has only scored two innings so far, but his stuff looks good in those abbreviated outings, and he thinks he can only add volume as the season goes on.
Ohtani’s unicorn status as the only real two-way player in the sport could make him the leader in MVP awards every season until he starts facing a significant decline or retires from pitching. That said, he is not currently holding NL lead on FWAR when combining his pitch and hit numbers this year. His offensive numbers aren’t as strong as last year, and he especially doesn’t steal bases as frequently as he did in the second most valuable benchmark in the NL season last season. Voter fatigue can also be considered for players who have won MVP awards in three of the past four seasons. Just ask Ohtani’s former teammate Mike Trout About the 2015 season. Are those potential weaknesses enough to get another player overcoming him?
Pete Crow-Armstrong
The dynamic 23-year-old’s breakthrough has been one of the biggest stories in the entire sport this year. Although he entered his career 82 WRC+ batsman in the 2025 season in two seasons of the Grand Slam season, Crow-Armstrong cut .273/.310/.563 (140 WRC+) in 78 games. This is a very low benchmark percentage for MVP candidates, but Crow-Armstrong compensates for this by being elite in every other way. He ranked fifth in the NL with 21 home runs, second only to his 24 stolen bases Oneil Cruzhe is one of the most valuable guards in the entire sport, +10 above average. To sum up, it was enough to get Crow-Armstrong to lead the league with a 4.0 Fwar and tied with Ohtani when the latter’s work on the mound was taken into account.
For those with less statistically inclinedness, the fact that his breakthrough is key to the Cubs’ promotion from mediocrity to one of the league’s heavyweights can keep value from the voters who distinguish the “most valuable” players in the league and the “best” players in the league. Even if all this is dependent on him, it is difficult to regard Crow-Armstrong as a favorite. Ohtani’s star power and uniqueness as a two-way player are hard to match, and if he can effectively pitch throughout the second half, it will be hard for Crow-Armstrong not to fall behind the war rankings. More importantly, the Advanced metrics are somewhat skeptical about his offensive performance this year, as his .356 Xwoba is 16 points lower than his actual WOBA. Crow-Armstrong’s plate subject problems exceeded his anemia walking rate. He swings more frequently than any qualified batsman in baseball, but overall contact rates are below average on the courts within the strike zone.
James Wood
At this point, he was behind Ohtani and Crow-Armstrong, but Wood has always been the phenomenon that the nation hoped he would be his. Juan Soto In the 2022 deal. He hit .281/.377/.561 (158 WRC+) in 80 games, with nine steals and a solid defense on the left. His basic offensive indicators are also perfect, with the highest scale expected number, elite bat speed and barrel rate of the 99th percentile. It was an exciting offensive performance, especially from the 22-year-old. Some MVP voters can also argue that Wood and his nationality are not competitors against budding young stars.
Fernando Tatis Jr.
Tatis is a familiar face in the NL MVP competition, who won fourth place in the award in 2020 and then ranked third in the second year. Injuries, pauses and the shift from shortstop to the right have changed the way Tatis saw in the league in the following years. That hasn’t stopped him from maintaining a strength in the Padres roster, and this year he is one of the best all-around players in the NL. He cut .264/.352/.459 (129 WRC+) with 15 home runs and 15 steals, while his defensive value is second only to Crow-Armstrong in the NL Outfielders. Tatis also benefits from strong base numbers; his .390 Xwoba is 37 points higher than his .353 Woba, and if he can get closer to those expected numbers in the second half, he can push his way to the top of certain votes.
Other options
Although Ohtani and Crow-Armstrong seem to be obvious leaders at this time, Wood and Tatis are not the only potential challengers. Corbin Carroll It was in the middle of a sensational season and was combined with the first two until yesterday’s news of a wrist fracture left him uncertain when the next site. Trea Turner and Kyle Tucker Both are excellent and can be more solid in this conversation if things are just right in the second half. Will Smith It’s one of the best hitters in the league this year, and the 170 WRC+ status makes his regular catcher identity even more impressive, but he’s only played 63 games so far.
Juan SotoThe first half was disappointing with his standard (147 WRC+), but he definitely tore it now, with his .458 Xwoba consistent with last year’s monster performance. Elly de la Cruz Flirting in the 40-40 season, but the shortstop is less annoyed by the defensive metrics this season, which makes him feel a little stressed. He is still easily the candidate for the second half. Paul Skynis,,,,, Logan Webberand Zack Wheeler All are on the mounds during the main season, but it is rare for pitchers to win MVP awards.
Who do you think will eventually be number one in the NL MVP vote? Will Ohtani rule over supremacy again, or will challengers like Crow-Armstrong strengthen the trophy? There is a say in the following polls:
