Potential Shohei Ohtani benching reminds us all that Pete Crow-Armstrong is NL MVP

This year's NLCS matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers is nothing short of a nightmare for Chicago Cubs fans. We're forced to pick between our most hated rival and a team that's spent its way to back-to-back World Series championships, setting up what's expected to be a highly contentious CBA debate this offseason that could threaten the 2027 MLB season.

But if there's one bit of solace Cubs fans can take from the first two games of the series, it's the continued struggles of Shohei Ohtani. No, not because we wish ill will on other players, but because the trends that have taken center stage here in October date well back to the regular season, when Pete Crow-Armstrong was locked with the Dodgers' superstar in a battle for National League MVP honors.

First, a reminder: end-of-season awards are voted on before the postseason, so Ohtani potentially being benched as the Dodgers look to claw their way out of a 2-0 deficit in the best-of-seven is a non-factor in the MVP discussion, but that doesn't mean looking back at when this downturn started is a waste of time, either.

“Yeah I mean obviously it hasn’t been good,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “He doesn’t feel great. I think for me, it’s having a conversation with him tomorrow, kind of try to figure out what’s best for him, what’s best for us. He certainly has earned that conversation and deserves it.”

Injuries cost Shohei Ohtani a real shot at NL MVP, opening door for Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong

In the second half, he slashed just .245/.325/.447 (compared to PCA's .265/.354/.623) - and in September, he really bottomed out, batting only .200 and slugging .233 before hitting the injured list. He was limited to just eight games in September and any hopes that injured list stint would help him recover for the postseason look like a fool's hope at this point.

When he was healthy and still the two-way threat that's dominated the game in recent years, it was a very legitimate question whether Crow-Armstrong could possibly do enough to pry MVP honors away from Ohtani. But as the second half wore on and Ohtani faded, PCA put the finishing touches on the first 40/40 season in Cubs history, all but guaranteeing he brings home the hardware.

October doesn't determine these awards, but I couldn't help but see Ohtani's struggles and the news of his potential benching and think: man, PCA really should be the unanimous NL MVP next month.

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