Shohei Ohtani’s elite offensive production for Los Angeles Dodgers keeps him firmly ahead of emerging challengers in the National League MVP race.
Shohei Ohtani will not make his first pitching start after the All-Star break as originally planned.
The Los Angeles Dodgers had lined him up to start Wednesday against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, but those plans have changed because of continued inflammation in his left knee.
Ohtani has been managing the issue for some time and underwent a procedure to have the knee drained during the All-Star break.
His return to the Dodgers’ rotation is now uncertain.
When will Ohtani pitch again?
Although manager Dave Roberts expects Ohtani to pitch again at some point this season, he acknowledged that it will be some time before the 32-year-old returns to the mound.
The encouraging news for Los Angeles is that the left knee issue is not expected to affect Ohtani’s role as the club’s everyday designated hitter.
Before being shut down from pitching, Ohtani had thrown 85.2 innings, his highest total since 2023.
He owns an 8-2 record along with a 1.79 ERA, a 0.95 WHIP, and a 2.61 FIP.
However, he has not accumulated enough innings to qualify for the ERA title, and this latest setback will likely remove him from the National League Cy Young Award race.
Ohtani’s MVP case
The National League MVP race, however, is an entirely different discussion.
Ohtani has captured the last three MVP awards, winning in the American League in 2023 before earning National League honors in both 2024 and 2025.
Had New York Yankees star Aaron Judge not produced his historic 2022 campaign, Ohtani could have entered this season with five consecutive MVP awards.
Even with the interruption to his pitching schedule, he remains the overwhelming favorite for the award because of the value he has provided on both sides of the game.
At the plate, Ohtani is hitting .287 with 22 home runs, 60 RBIs, and a .930 OPS in 92 games.
Those numbers continue complementing his excellence on the mound, even if they have not quite matched his production from 2025. Last year, he hit .282 with 55 home runs, 102 RBIs, and a 1.014 OPS in 158 games while also posting a 2.87 ERA in 47 innings over 14 starts.
Ohtani’s competition
With Ohtani temporarily sidelined as a pitcher, several National League stars may have an opportunity to gain ground in the MVP race.
Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong has emerged as the most significant challenger after overcoming a slow start and delivering the type of all-around play that has drawn comparisons to Willie Mays.
Crow-Armstrong is hitting .281 with 21 home runs and 53 RBIs in 100 games while providing Platinum Glove-caliber defense in center field.
Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber and Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood have also positioned themselves as legitimate dark-horse candidates.
Schwarber, last season’s National League MVP runner-up, is currently tied for the MLB lead with 33 home runs while helping propel Philadelphia up the standings.
Wood has transformed Washington’s lineup with 28 home runs, 66 RBIs, a .954 OPS, and 15 stolen bases in 101 games.
A close race?
Ohtani’s place atop the MVP race has not changed significantly.
His impact as both an elite hitter and frontline pitcher during the first half continues separating him from the rest of the field.
At most, the injury has created a small opening for another player to produce a season comparable to Judge’s 2022 campaign.
For Crow-Armstrong, that would require maintaining his remarkable pace while Ohtani remains out of the rotation.
If Ohtani returns to the mound later this season and resumes pitching at the same level, he will once again be in position to capture another National League MVP Award.
Beyond the numbers, Ohtani continues redefining what is possible in modern baseball. His commitment to excelling as both a hitter and pitcher requires extraordinary discipline, preparation, and physical conditioning.
Every part of his routine is designed to maximize performance while balancing responsibilities that almost no other player attempts. His professionalism, humility, and relentless drive to improve have earned admiration throughout the sport.
Ohtani also embraces immense expectations without allowing outside pressure to change his approach, consistently focusing on preparation rather than results.
His ability to impact games in multiple ways forces opponents to prepare differently and makes him one of the most unique talents the game has ever produced.
Even with a temporary setback on the mound, he remains the player every contender measures itself against.
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