Ohtani's Fourth Straight MVP in Jeopardy: 0 First-Place Votes in MLB Mock Vote, Second With 135 Points

In MLB.com's final mock vote, Ohtani did not receive a single first-place vote. All 38 first-place votes went to Pete Crow-Armstrong, the 24-year-old Cubs center fielder.

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"There's almost no chance. From now on I'll focus on hitting." That is what Shohei Ohtani told reporters on September 8. It was his answer to a question about pitching again this season, and with that one remark, his 2026 two-way campaign was closed out, ending with his July 3 start. In the final MVP mock vote released two weeks later, Ohtani received 0 first-place votes.

In MLB.com's final mock vote, Crow-Armstrong took all 38 first-place votes

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MLB.com polled 38 experts for its final mock vote (as of 2026.09.22), and Pete Crow-Armstrong came in first with 190 points. Ohtani was second with 135 points, but did not get a single first-place vote. Reporter Brian Murphy wrote, "The award is already his. All that remains is whether he wins it unanimously."

Rank	Player	Team	Points	First-place votes
1	Pete Crow-Armstrong	Cubs	190 points	38 (all)
2	Shohei Ohtani	Dodgers	135 points	0
3	Jacob Misiorowski	Brewers	61 points	—
3	Elly De La Cruz	Reds	61 points	—
5	Kyle Schwarber	Phillies	32 points	—

From 28 Votes in May to 0 in September: Four Months of Ohtani Support Slipping Away

He wasn't behind all year. Ohtani received 28 of 40 votes in the first mock vote in May and 30 of 35 in June, running far ahead in first place. The ranking flipped in the fifth vote, on August 25. Of the 37 panelists, Crow-Armstrong had 29 first-place votes and 177 points, while Ohtani had 8 and 154.

It wasn't only the experts who turned away. ESPN asked 21 active players on August 19, and the result was 15 votes for Crow-Armstrong, 4 for Ohtani and 2 for co-winners. Cleveland's Reese Hoskins said, "The player who shows up every day is the one who makes a bigger impact on the team every day."

Ohtani's 2026 Stats: Why Voters Split Despite 30 Home Runs and a 1.79 ERA

On the numbers alone, Ohtani's season wasn't bad. He hit .277 with 30 home runs, 80 RBIs and a .902 OPS. As a pitcher, he went 8-2 in 14 starts with a 1.79 ERA, Cy Young-caliber. His home run total fell by 25 from the 55 he hit in 2025, a 45% decline. After left knee inflammation, he went on the injured list in September with right biceps pain.

Crow-Armstrong, by contrast, hit 45 home runs in his age-24 season, tying Schwarber for the MLB lead, and is reported to lead outright in runs (118), extra-base hits (83) and total bases (351). His center field defensive metrics (OAA and FRV) are also first in MLB. A center fielder who never missed a day versus a designated hitter who played three games in September. That was the difference voters saw.

Four Unanimous Wins and the BBWAA Voting Schedule

Ohtani has 4 career MVP awards, and all four were unanimous. He is the only player in history with two or more unanimous wins. BBWAA records show that in last year's NL vote he received all 30 first-place votes for a perfect score of 420 points. In one year, he went from a perfect score to second place in the mock vote with 135 points.

These figures are not the award itself. The MLB.com mock vote is an unofficial prediction by writers, and the actual MVP is decided by a vote of 30 Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) members per league. Voting closes right after the regular season ends on September 27, and the results will be announced in November. Nothing has been decided yet.

The Dodgers clinched the NL West on September 18 (96-60 as of 2026.09.22), and manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani would return for the September 23–25 three-game series in San Diego. The number of games played varies by outlet from 126 to 159, and his stats will keep changing through September 27. Even so, the number that sums up this season is already in. Of the 38 first-place votes in the mock vote, Ohtani's share was 0.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What are Ohtani's 2026 stats?

As of 2026.09.22, he is hitting .277 with 30 home runs, 80 RBIs, 89 runs, 11 stolen bases and a .902 OPS (148 OPS+). As a pitcher, he went 8-2 in 14 starts with a 1.79 ERA and 95 strikeouts in 85⅔ innings, but his July 3 start was his last.

Q. What are Pete Crow-Armstrong's stats, and how old is he?

He is a 24-year-old center fielder for the Chicago Cubs. In the 2026 season, he is reported to be tied with Schwarber for the MLB lead with 45 home runs, to lead outright in runs (118), extra-base hits (83) and total bases (351), and to be first in MLB in center field defensive metrics (OAA and FRV).

Q. When will the MLB MVP be announced?

The actual MVP is decided by a vote of 30 BBWAA (Baseball Writers' Association of America) members per league. Voting closes right after the regular season ends (September 27), and the results will be announced in November 2026. The date has not yet been made public.

Related Official Sites

MLB Official Website — Check the schedule and postseason bracket in one place
MLB Official Standings — Live-updated division standings, including the Dodgers' 96-60 record
Shohei Ohtani Stats Page — Raw batting and pitching data
Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) — Original results of MVP and other award votes

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