2026 MLB Awards, Best Bets, Predictions, MVP, Cy Young Odds: Ohtani vs Crow-Armstrong, Cease vs Schlittler
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There are less than 50 games remaining for each MLB team and the race for awards are coming down to the wire. Shohei Ohtani is trying to make history with a fifth MVP, but Pete Crow-Armstrong has overtaken the lead for National League MVP. In the pitching world, all eyes are on Cam Schlittler versus Dylan Cease for the American League Cy Young. Odds are courtesy of DraftKings.
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American League Cy Young:
Dylan Cease (+100) vs Cam Schlittler (-125)
Most of the arguments for Cam Schlittler versus Dylan Cease has come down to a few things. Schlittler has more starts, wins, and slightly the better numbers overall. Entering Schlittler's last start, Cease actually had the edge in some categories, but credit to Schlittler, he threw a gem in a loss to the Braves (7.0 IP, 11 Ks, 0 BB, 1 ER). Outside of that performance though, Schlittler's starts were getting rocky and making this a conversation after he failed to make it out of the fifth innings in two out of four starts — and was rocked by the Red Sox.
Here are where the two are at in stats as of August 11.
Dylan Cease
7-5 record | 126.1 IP | 2.28 ERA | 184 K | 52 BB | .179 OBA | 1.04 WHIP | 4.8 WAR | 21 Starts
Cam Schlittler
10-6 record | 146.2 IP | 2.21 ERA | 182 K | 31 BB | .196 | 0.93 WHIP | 5.9 WAR | 25 Starts
Based off those numbers alone, you'd go with Schlittler, but down the stretch there will be more in play. Schlittler is only 25-years-old and in his second season, so going wire to wire since Mid-to-late May as the favorite is hard to do versus a veteran like Cease (30-years-old) who is so close to his first-ever Cy Young — and Cease has been pitching like it.
In July, Cease had a 1.00 ERA, .125 OBA, and a 3-1 record over five starts. Cease went 36.0 innings, struck out 46, walked 11, and gave up four earned runs. Turn the page to August and Cease gave us 7.0 innings of two-hit and no run baseball, plus 10 strikeouts and one walk. Cease will face the Boston Red Sox tonight (Tuesday the 11th), then face the Yankees next, which means this is where Cease pulls ahead or drops back.
I think Cease takes advantage of the upcoming opportunities and continues pitching at an elite level putting the heat on the youngster Cam Schlittler. I'll take Cease to win his first-ever Cy Young. Schlittler has a 3.31 ERA in his last three starts and 2.89 ERA over his previous five. Those four extra starts and 20 innings may finally be impacting Schlittler and not in a positive way as he attempts to finish his first full season as a starter in the MLB.
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National League MVP:
Shohei Ohtani (+100) vs Pete Crow-Armstrong (-120)
The race between Shohei Ohtani and Pete Crow-Armstrong for NL MVP is as even as can be with under 50 games left in the regular season. If you haven't bet PCA already you have missed the boat on value, but if you haven't bet on Ohtani, it's now or never for +100 odds.
The battle between the hitters is pretty even.
Shohei Ohtani
26 home runs | 72 RB | .940 OPS | .544 SLG | .294 batting average | 69 walks | 75 runs
Pete Crow-Armstrong
26 home runs | 71 RBI | .934 OPS | .545 SLG | .287 batting average| 64 walks | 82 runs
Both players are just about as even as possible. When you factor in PCA on defense, it's hard to ague that he isn't the best center fielder in baseball this season. However, his WAR (11.2) indicates he's having an all-time great season like Barry Bonds or Aaron Judge had in MVP seasons, but I just don't see it to that extent.
Ohtani is back to pitching in practice, which is great news for his MVP odds. The two-way start hopes to be in a position to start on the mound before the regular season ends, which gives him 46 games. In 14 pitching starts, Ohtani went 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA, 95 strikeouts to 26 walks over 85.2 innings pitched. If Ohtani gets a few more starts under his belt and keeps his ERA under 2.00, that's only going to drive his case.
If Ohtani comes back and has a dud or two on the mound, it may affect him, but big picture, his numbers pitching before his minor injury were spectacular. Ohtani was easily off to his best season pitching and regardless if he hits the mound another time in the regular season, I'd say this is his best pitching season to date.
Shohei Ohtani has the second-most MVP's of all-time at 4, trailing only Barry Bonds' 7. Ohtani and Bonds are the only players in history to win three-straight MVP's. Ohtani is also one of four players to win back-to-back titles and MVP's in the same seasons. I refuse to fade a generational player like Ohtani at plus-money this time of year.
Pick: Shohei Ohtani to win NL MVP (2 units)
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