Baseball Writers' Association of America has already voted to decide the top three contenders for the NL MVP award. As the race between Shohei Ohtani, Brice Turang, and Pete Crow-Armstrong takes center stage, fans on social media have already picked their favorite.
"Your 2026 @officialBBWAA NL MVP Award finalists: Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs; Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers; Brice Turang, Brewers," announced MLB on its official X handle.
Despite having four-time MVP Shohei Ohtani and the World Series winner Brice Turang on the list, Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong is the fan favorite for NL MVP this year. His regular-season stats make it easy to understand why. Notably, PCA has already secured the Rawlings Gold Glove for his dominance at center field .
This season, the 24-year-old established himself as one of the National League's most productive all-around players, combining power, speed, and defensive ability. It strengthened his case for the league's highest individual honor.
Crow-Armstrong finished the regular season with a .280 batting average, 45 home runs, 107 RBIs, and 41 stolen bases across 162 games. His 40-40 season made him only the seventh player in MLB history and first among the Cubs to do so.
PCA also recorded 119 runs, a .372 OBP, a .570 slugging percentage, and a .942 OPS. His 45 home runs tied for the National League lead, while his 41 stolen bases placed him among the league's most elite baserunners.
This combination of power and speed is arguably his strongest argument against Ohtani this season. Ohtani's season was hampered by inconsistencies as he struggled with knee and biceps issues. The Japanese two-way phenomenon posted a 1.79 ERA in his 14 regular-season starts, with an 8-2 record. As a DH, Ohtani slashed .275/.377/512 with 30 homers, 81 RBI, and an .889 OPS, a drop from his career average of .949 OPS.
PCA also led the National League in runs scored and OPS, underscoring his value in Chicago's lineup. According to Baseball-Reference, PCA recorded a 9.8 WAR in 2026.
MLB.com notes that the Cubs' center fielder led the big leagues with 10.6 fWAR, per FanGraphs. As Bobby Witt Jr. finished second with a 7.0 fWAR, the gap of more than 3.0 between No.1 and No.2 marked the first time this happened since 1954.
After winning his second Gold Glove award on Sunday, PCA told MLB.com, "The thing that I keep saying is I was actually able to appreciate the year as it was going on, which was the first time I've been able to do that in my life, just because there was a lot of good this year. And more good than bad, when it comes to baseball."
While Ohtani is expected to give strong competition, PCA's case is built around his contributions throughout the field. Ohtani's two-way ability makes him an exceptional candidate, but he was shut down from pitching mid-season.
Crow-Armstrong's performance also helped Chicago finish the regular season with an 89-73 record and secure a National League Wild Card berth. His individual achievements have received recognition beyond the MVP finalist selection. He was named the 2026 Players' Choice Player of the Year and National League Outstanding Player, awards voted on by his fellow players.
As we wait for the results, here's what the fans are saying.
After watching Shohei Ohtani win the NL MVP for the last two years, fans have found a new favorite this season, and they want to see him win it unanimously.
One fan commented on X, "No reason why PCA shouldn't win unanimously." Another agreed, "[It's] Pete all day."
Fans of PCA are as confident as the player himself. One fan wrote, "[Y'all] giving a top 3 like we all don't know it's gonna be PCA."
While PCA has emerged as the favorite, Ohtani is not one to be ignored. One fan reminded us of exactly that.
"If anything with Ohtani shows up, he's winning it…he pitches also," remarked a user.
Another user evaluated the race as a whole, stating, "PCA CLEARLY HAS BEST STATS. Brewers won the title doesn't mean Turang is A MVP. [Ohtani] hurt way too much this year."
But the numbers are indeed in favor of "MVPete" as many are calling him. He recorded an MLB-high 84 extra-base hits.
A fan wrote, "Just hoping Pete gets the MVP… Gold Glove… done."
The final decision will be announced on November 12 at 6 PM C.T on MLB Network. With Crow-Armstrong, Ohtani, and Turang competing for the honor, the National League MVP race will be one to keep an eye on. For the Cubs, Crow-Armstrong's nomination represents recognition of a season in which he developed into his best version.
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