Counting Crow-Armstrong
Pete Crow-Armstrong (CHC): 4-6, 3 HR, 4 R, 6 RBI.
It’s not going to be easy for Pete Crow-Armstrong to dethrone Shohei Ohtani as NL MVP. However, performances like Saturday’s could help him clinch his first MVP trophy.
In a 17-5 Cubs victory over the Reds, Crow-Armstrong went 4-for-6 with 3 home runs, four runs scored, and six RBI. Today’s big day increased his home run total to 36, and he is now hitting .282 with a .944 OPS in 608 plate appearances. The Cubs outfielder also has 32 stolen bases and could be a threat for a 40 HR-40 SB year by the conclusion of the season, as long as he stays healthy.
The 24-year-old former Mets 1st-round draft pick had a nice breakout season in 2025. He hit 31 home runs and stole 35 bases in 647 plate appearances. However, he only hit .247 and posted a .768 OPS. It wasn’t bad, but a .216 average and .634 OPS after the All-Star Break dampened an impressive first-half performance (.265 average and .846 OPS).
In 2026, Crow-Armstrong hasn’t slowed down in the second half. In 190 plate appearances after the All-Star Break, he has 15 home runs, a .262 average and 1.004 OPS. That’s impressive, especially considering the gaudy numbers he put up in the first half this season (21 home runs, .291 average, and .917 OPS in 418 plate appearances).
The Cubs are far behind the Brewers in the NL Central race (Chicago is 8.0 games behind the division lead). However, the North Siders are squarely set in the NL Wild Card picture, with 98.4% odds to make the postseason, according to Fangraphs. While Ohtani is Ohtani and plays for arguably the best team in baseball, Crow-Armstrong is carrying this Cubs team on both offense and defense. Crow-Armstrong’s 8.6 fWAR leads all of baseball and is 1.7 wins higher than Ohtani’s (and this is including Ohtani’s hitting AND pitching).
And that’s with still roughly a month left to play.
Ohtani may have won back-to-back MVP awards and has the pitching aspect that separates him from most MVP candidates (though it sounds like Ohtani is unlikely to pitch down the stretch due to lingering injuries).
That said, Crow-Armstrong has done everything to prove that he’s been the most valuable player in the National League in 2026, especially on the offensive end.
Let’s see how the other hitters did Saturday
Andrew Benintendi (CHW): 3-4, 2B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.
The White Sox added to their lead in the Central, as they are now 4.5 games ahead of the Guardians after a South Side win and a Cleveland loss. Benintendi was key in the victory, collecting three hits and launching his 14th home run of the year. It’s been a nice August for Benintendi, who’s hitting .274 with an .808 OPS and three home runs this month.
Brandon Nimmo (TEX): 3-4, HR, R, 2 RBI, SB.
The Rangers fell short to the Brewers, but Texas fans can’t blame Nimmo, who had three hits, a homer, and a stolen base on Saturday. Nimmo now has 14 home runs and seven stolen bases this year to go along with a .262 average and .750 OPS. In his first season away from Queens, Nimmo has been more than serviceable for the Rangers, who are now 66-70 and fading a bit in the playoff race.
Josh Rojas (KCR): 2-2, HR, R, 4 RBI.
The Royals can’t lose. They have won 12 out of their last 14 games and not only took the Blue Jays series this week, but also clinched a series win against the Guardians in Cleveland with a win on Saturday. Rojas was the surprising standout for Kansas City, going 2-for-2 with a homer and four RBI. With a .247 average and .646 OPS, the Royals utility player isn’t much of a fantasy option, but it’s nice to see him earn his spot in the Big Leagues this year.
Cal Raleigh (SEA): 2-3, HR, 2 R, RBI, BB.
The Mariners are dropping out of the playoff hunt quickly at 64-72, and their loss to the Blue Jays on Saturday didn’t help. That said, a positive development in August has been Raleigh, who has eight homers and an .862 OPS. The average still sucks (.189 this month), and he’s been a tremendous fantasy disappointment, even for catcher standards (the bar isn’t that high). Conversely, maybe a strong end to the year can get him going out of the gate in 2027.
William Contreras (MIL): 2-3, HR, 2 R, RBI, BB.
It’s been a bit of a downward trend for Contreras in fantasy. After hitting 23 home runs and posting an .831 OPS in 2024, he only hit 17 home runs and posted a .754 OPS in 2025. This year? He has 13 home runs and a .740 OPS. In terms of hitting catchers, Contreras tends to be one of the more valuable options in fantasy. However, he hasn’t been trending in the right direction, and that’s something to consider during draft season this winter.
Ángel Martínez (CLE): 2-4, HR, R, 3 RBI.
Martínez was all the offense for the Guardians, as he drove in all three of Cleveland’s runs in an 8-3 loss to Kansas City. It’s been a nice improvement at the plate for Martínez this year, as he has 13 home runs, 11 stolen bases, and a .712 OPS. Is he going to be the next Roberto Alomar or Manny Ramirez? Probably not. Then again, for an offense starved for consistent producers, the Guardians could do much worse than Martinez.
Ty France (SDP): 2-5, HR, R, 2 RBI.
I see London! I see…well, you know that old children’s tale from the sea. The Padres fell short to the Rays in St. Pete, but they got a nice day from France, who had two hits and collected his 19th home run of the year. France seems primed for 20+ homers this year, and he also is hitting .287 with an .865 OPS. He may not have as big a name as other hitters in this San Diego lineup, but France has been the most consistent in 2026.
Yordan Alvarez (HOU): 2-3, HR, R, 2 RBI.
The Astros can’t pull away, but at least baseball fans get to see Alvarez every day. On Saturday against the Mets, he had two hits and launched his 37th home run of the year. For the season, Alvarez is hitting .320 with a 1.048 OPS. On a pure hitting award end, Alvarez is the favorite for the AL MVP, especially since he will be making a run toward the Triple Crown in September.
Sal Stewart (CIN): 2-4, HR, R, 2 RBI.
The Reds lost, badly. However, Stewart reminded Cincinnati fans on Saturday that the future is still bright on the position player end. Cincinnati’s first baseman is an example of that, as he has 30 home runs, 12 stolen bases, a .265 average and .821 OPS this season as a qualified rookie. Stewart winning the NL Rookie of the Year would be a nice consolation prize for Reds fans, who have some serious reflecting to do when it comes to competing for the postseason next year.
