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Shohei Ohtani remains the favorite for the NL MVP award despite a slump in batting performance, receiving 28 out of 40 votes in MLB.com’s MVP poll. He continues to excel as a pitcher with a 0.60 ERA.
Sep 16, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) flips his bat after hitting his 50th home run of the season during the eighth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani topped MLB.com’s first Most Valuable Player poll of the 2026 season.
40 MLB.com analysts participated in the poll, and 28 of them voted Ohtani as the National League’s MVP thus far. The 31-year-old has won the NL MVP unanimously in both of his seasons with the Dodgers, and could very well be on the way to a third.
Ohtani hasn’t performed up to his usual, 1.000 OPS standard at the plate this season, but that doesn’t seem to matter when he’s been the National League’s best pitcher for the first month or so of the regular season. The right-hander is sporting a .814 OPS to go with his 0.60 ERA—which would lead MLB if he qualified for individual stat leadership.
“Who else did you expect to see here? It seems safe to say that as long as Ohtani is elite at either hitting or pitching, he will continue to be the MVP favorite in the NL,” . “One could even argue that if he remains simply league average at both that he’d be a strong MVP candidate, but that’s a discussion for another day.
“On this day, Ohtani is running away with the prize on the strength of a 0.60 ERA as a pitcher and an .825 OPS as a hitter. Though he doesn’t have enough innings to qualify for the ERA lead, let’s not act like he’s been anything but crazy-impressive on the mound (he’s the for March/April). And though his offensive numbers don’t lead the league, let’s also not pretend that it’s normal for any pitcher other than him to warrant a lineup spot because he’s such a major offensive threat. Like it or not, fair or not, when you do both things at the level of Ohtani, you’re the easy MVP favorite.”
Ohtani is viewed as the MVP favorite due to his outstanding performance as a pitcher, leading the league with a 0.60 ERA, despite a dip in his batting average.
Shohei Ohtani has hit 50 home runs this season, showcasing his power at the plate.
Ohtani has a .814 OPS at the plate and a 0.60 ERA as a pitcher, highlighting his dual-threat capabilities.
Shohei Ohtani has won the NL MVP award unanimously in both of his previous seasons with the Dodgers.
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Sep 16, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) flips his bat after hitting his 50th home run of the season during the eighth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Ohtani won his first MVP with the Angels in 2021, when he first really broke onto the scene as a superstar. He hit 46 home runs that season and reached triple-digit RBIs for the first time in his career, while also managing 23 starts on the mound. He had a 3.18 ERA that season.
His next MVP came two seasons later, when he also made 23 starts with the Halos. He had a 3.14 ERA to go with another fantastic offensive season, during which he had an AL-leading 44 homers with and an MLB-leading 1.066 OPS.
He’s maintained similar offensive form with the Dodgers for his last two MVP’s, and even managed to win the 2024 award solely as a designated hitter. He had 54 homers and 130 RBIs that season, both of which led the NL, and also stole 59 bags, making him the first player ton ever record a season with 50 homers and 50 steals.
He returned to pitching in 2025, where he posted a 2.87 ERA through 14 starts. That wasn’t the main part of his game, though, as he had an arguably better season at the plate. He hit 55 homers, setting a career high, and had a 1.014 OPS.
Ohtani is always a threat to win the MVP, and if he can return to his prior form this season while performing at the top of his game on the mound, he could run away with a fourth consecutive MVP award.
Do you think Shohei Ohtani will be the MVP once again in 2026?