PCA overtakes Ohtani as NL MVP favorite in Cubs sweep
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Pete Crow-Armstrong went 3-for-4 with a double, two home runs, and four RBIs in the Cubs' 7-6 win over the Dodgers, completing a three-game sweep of the two-time defending World Series champions at Wrigley Field.
- Pete Crow-Armstrong moved to -120 as the NL MVP favorite per DraftKings odds, overtaking Shohei Ohtani after starting Wednesday behind him in the race.
- Pete Crow-Armstrong hit his 25th home run of the year, becoming the first player in Cubs history to post consecutive 25-homer, 25-steal seasons, and reaching 67 career homers before age 25 — second-most in franchise history behind Ron Santo.
- Shohei Ohtani matched Crow-Armstrong with two home runs of his own while going 3-for-4 with three RBIs; both players hit leadoff homers, only the second time that's happened at Wrigley since 1913.
- Shohei Ohtani hasn't pitched since early July due to left knee soreness but said he's confident he'll return this season, a status that's opened the door for Crow-Armstrong's candidacy while Ohtani plays DH-only.
- The Dodgers scored five runs in a furious eighth-inning rally before going down in order in the ninth — their sixth straight loss — and now head to Arizona for a weekend series against the second-place Diamondbacks.
Why it matters: The Dodgers have dropped six straight and now travel to face the second-place Diamondbacks, putting real pressure on a stretch that could reshape the NL standings race. Ohtani's continued absence from the mound — with only his own assurance of a return this season — keeps the door open for Crow-Armstrong, who is also the majors' top-rated fielder at any position by outs above average.
