THE NL MVP RACE WAS ON DISPLAY LAST NIGHT

The season ends on Sunday, September 27.

Including today (Bartolo Colon’s) 40 days of play remain.

The postseason begins on Tuesday, September 29.

There are numerous races going on this season across the majors, including the one for NL MVP, where Shohei Ohtani's preeminence is being challenged by Pete Crow-Armstrong. Last night, both players put on a show.

In Colorado, Ohtani proved again why he loves hitting at Coors Field. The DH went 4-5 including two homers, numbers 28 and 29. He now has 78 RBI from the leadoff position. This was the 25th regular-season multihomer game of his career, his ninth with the Dodgers, his second of 2026, and his first ever against the Rox. His second homer went 452 feet and was the 26th career homer of 450 feet or more (including postseason) since the start of the 2021 season, seven more than anyone else over that span. To be honest (not that I ever lie to you), I could give an expletive over homer length. I just don’t think it matters. A homer is a homer, and you don’t get anything extra if it’s 450 feet or 350 feet. You might feel differently, so I included that factoid. But Bucky Dent’s three-run homer in the 1978 AL East tiebreaker is generally estimated at about 330 feet into the netting above Fenway’s Green Monster, and it was all the Yankees needed that day.

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Ohtani now has 11 four-hit games in his career, five with the Dodgers and his first since September 2024. His last three have come against the Rockies. In his career, Ohtani has hit .378 against Colorado (68-180), with 19 homers and a 1.226 OPS. At Coors, in 25 games (22 starts), Ohtani has hit .398 with 9 homers and a 1.244 OPS. He has hit safely in 21 straight games at Coors Field, hitting .413.

As part of the new agreement with the players, in order for the other owners to express their anger at the Dodgers, it should be stated that Ohtani must play next season with Colorado, resulting in the fans being suitably distracted as Ohtani strives to break the record for the most home runs in a season…and do it before the All-Star break.

Now, do not get distracted by Ohtani's historical numbers when judging his credentials for the 2026 MVP award. You shouldn't automatically check the box for him, even though he's won the award the last three seasons and four of the last five. We know he is one of, if not the greatest player living or dead (although even Kyle Tucker at Dodger Stadium is having a better season than any dead player is this season, although it is close). He earns the accolades because he is a great hitter and a great pitcher. However, this season, a year in which he sought the NL Cy Young Award, Ohtani’s pitching has been halted by an inflamed knee since July 3. But he may be back soon.

Ohtani will throw his third bullpen session today, after receiving an Orthovisc injection in his left knee at the All-Star break. I used to get those (I write while rubbing my knee replacement) and found them to be very effective (for a while). Ohtani last threw Friday in a 34-pitch session; yesterday he threw long toss from about 120 feet.

I think to add another MVP Award, Ohtani needs the extra oomph from pitching, because PCA is having a season of his own.

Pete Crow-Armstrong had a memorable night last night as the Cubs defeated the White Sox, 7-5 in 10 innings. More about that in a moment, but first let’s have a brief foray into some Chicago baseball postseason history.

In 2008, the Cubs won the NL Central but were quickly disposed of after losing the NLDS to the Dodgers. That same season, the White Sox won the AL Central but lost the ALDS to the Rays.

In the 2020 season, under MLB’s expanded, COVID-shortened postseason format, both teams qualified once again. The Cubs won the NL Central but quickly lost the Wild Card Series to the Marlins. The White Sox were a Wild Card qualifier, and they too lost the Wild Card Series; in their case, to the Athletics.