The 2026 MLB MVP race has entered a fascinating new chapter, with the latest voting results producing a major shake-up in the National League while the American League remains firmly controlled by one dominant star.
When the season began in March, few would have predicted that neither Aaron Judge nor Shohei Ohtani would be sitting atop their respective MVP races this late in the year. Yet with the regular season entering its final stretch, the latest MLB.com MVP poll suggests that the award races could look very different from what many expected on Opening Day.
A total of 37 MLB.com experts participated in the fifth MVP poll of the season, with 33 different players receiving at least one vote. Voters ranked their top five candidates in each league using a 5-4-3-2-1 points system. The voting considered both what players have already accomplished and how voters expect the remainder of the season to unfold.
American League
1. Yordan Alvarez — Astros
Yordan Alvarez continues to dominate the American League MVP race, collecting 181 points and 34 first-place votes. Despite having a relatively quieter August by his own extraordinary standards, Alvarez remains one of the most productive hitters in baseball.
His 138 wRC+ in August is actually his lowest monthly mark of the season, yet it still means he has been 38% better than the league-average hitter during the month. That remarkable consistency explains why he has maintained such a commanding advantage in the MVP voting since Aaron Judge suffered an injury in late May.
Alvarez is also chasing one of baseball’s rarest accomplishments: the Triple Crown. He currently leads the American League in batting average at .320, home runs with 36, and RBIs with 90. If he maintains those leads through the end of the season, his MVP campaign could become one of the most memorable individual performances of 2026.
2. Junior Caminero — Rays
Junior Caminero remains firmly in second place with 117 points, repeating his position from the previous MVP poll. Although he did not receive a first-place vote this time, his strong support across the remaining ballots kept him comfortably ahead of the other challengers.
The 23-year-old has been one of the biggest reasons Tampa Bay has remained in the thick of the AL East race. Caminero is enjoying a career-best .895 OPS and has significantly improved his plate discipline, raising his walk rate to 11.8%.
He is also closing in on another 40-home-run season, further establishing himself as one of the most dangerous young power hitters in the league.
3. Bobby Witt Jr. — Royals
Bobby Witt Jr. sits third with 89 points and three first-place votes, and he may be Alvarez’s strongest all-around challenger.
Witt leads the American League in both FanGraphs WAR and Baseball-Reference WAR, sitting at 6.2 in each category. Alvarez, meanwhile, has 5.8 fWAR and 5.7 bWAR.
Beyond his offensive production, Witt has been outstanding defensively. His AL-leading 18 Fielding Run Value demonstrates just how much value he has provided at shortstop. Combined with an .822 OPS and elite athleticism, Witt continues to make a compelling case as one of baseball’s most complete players.
4. Willson Contreras — Red Sox
Willson Contreras has returned to the MVP top five with 49 points after becoming one of the central figures in Boston’s impressive turnaround.
His offensive production has been particularly impressive. Contreras has already established a career high with 26 home runs and recently launched a spectacular 452-foot shot over the Green Monster.
His 156 wRC+ is tied with Chicago’s Pete Crow-Armstrong for the second-best mark in the Majors, trailing only Alvarez’s remarkable 185. If Boston continues its push toward the postseason, Contreras’ importance to the club could strengthen his MVP case even further.
5. Ben Rice — Yankees
Ben Rice rounds out the American League top five with 43 points. For the first time since the opening MVP poll, Rice did not receive a first-place vote.
A second-half decline has slowed his momentum, with Rice posting a .602 OPS during that stretch. Still, his overall season remains impressive, particularly because of his power. He has already launched 34 home runs and has helped keep the Yankees within striking distance of Tampa Bay in the AL East.
With Aaron Judge still working toward his return, Rice’s production has been especially valuable for New York.
Other AL players receiving votes included Dillon Dingler, Kevin McGonigle, Pete Alonso, Miguel Vargas, Cam Schlittler, Munetaka Murakami, Dylan Cease, Yandy Díaz and Ceddanne Rafaela.
National League
1. Pete Crow-Armstrong — Cubs
The biggest development in the latest poll comes from the National League, where Pete Crow-Armstrong has surged into first place for the first time.
The Cubs star earned 177 points and 29 first-place votes, moving ahead of Shohei Ohtani after an extraordinary rise to superstardom.
Crow-Armstrong currently leads MLB in WAR and has taken full advantage of Ohtani’s absence from the mound. Since Ohtani’s last pitching start on July 3, Crow-Armstrong has produced a 171 wRC+, compared with Ohtani’s 149. He has also hit 14 home runs during that span compared with Ohtani’s 12, while holding a 1.014 OPS compared with Ohtani’s .948.
His defensive value has made the case even stronger. Crow-Armstrong leads MLB with 24 Fielding Run Value in center field, giving him elite contributions on both sides of the ball.
He has also provided some unforgettable moments, including a game in which he hit both a leadoff home run and a walk-off homer against the White Sox. With the Cubs battling for postseason positioning, his emergence has transformed the NL MVP race.
2. Shohei Ohtani — Dodgers
Shohei Ohtani remains firmly in contention, but he has slipped to second place with 154 points and eight first-place votes.
The two-way superstar could quickly reclaim the top position if he successfully returns to the mound. Ohtani is reportedly approaching a pitching comeback, with his next potential start expected during the Dodgers’ upcoming homestand.
Before his pitching season was interrupted, Ohtani had gone 8-2 with a spectacular 1.79 ERA across his first 14 starts. He has also continued to produce at an elite level offensively, ranking second in the NL in OPS at .935, tied for fifth with 30 home runs and tied for sixth with 80 RBIs.
If Ohtani returns to pitching and performs anywhere near his previous level, the MVP race could swing dramatically once again.
3. Kyle Schwarber — Phillies
Kyle Schwarber remains in third place with 46 points as Philadelphia continues its impressive surge.
The Phillies have won nine consecutive games and are closing the gap in the NL East while also strengthening their position in the Wild Card race. Schwarber has played a major role in that run, hitting four home runs during the winning streak.
Two of those homers came during the MLB at Field of Dreams Game, adding another memorable chapter to his already remarkable season.
Schwarber currently leads MLB with 39 home runs and appears destined to reach the 40-homer mark for the fourth time in his career. While the NL MVP race is increasingly becoming a battle between Crow-Armstrong and Ohtani, Schwarber’s power keeps him firmly in the conversation.
4. Jacob Misiorowski — Brewers
Milwaukee pitcher Jacob Misiorowski continues to make history while putting himself in the middle of an MVP conversation that is usually dominated by position players.
Misiorowski has posted a remarkable 248 ERA+, more than 50 points better than the next-highest pitcher, Cam Schlittler, who sits at 194. He has also struck out an MLB-best 216 batters.
Pitchers rarely win the MVP award, with Clayton Kershaw being the last traditional pitcher to do so in 2014. Ohtani’s two-way accomplishments are a unique exception, but Misiorowski’s numbers are strong enough to make voters seriously consider breaking from the usual pattern.
5. Matt Olson — Braves
Matt Olson has returned to the National League’s top five after narrowly missing the cut in the previous two polls.
Olson has been the most consistent offensive force on an improving Atlanta team and is once again approaching the 40-home-run milestone. At the same time, he continues to provide Gold Glove-caliber defense at first base.
His .864 OPS is on pace to be his best mark since his extraordinary 2023 season, when he posted a .993 OPS and hit 54 home runs.
Olson’s durability is another major part of his value. He continues to play virtually every day, giving Atlanta a dependable middle-of-the-order presence as the Braves fight to remain relevant in the postseason race.
Other NL players receiving votes included James Wood, CJ Abrams, Jordan Walker, Brice Turang, Cristopher Sánchez, Corbin Carroll, Jake Bauers, Otto Lopez, Andy Pages, Bryce Harper, Fernando Tatis Jr., Chris Sale, Gabriel Moreno and JJ Wetherholt.
With the regular season approaching its decisive stages, the MVP races are becoming increasingly compelling. Alvarez remains the overwhelming favorite in the American League, but the National League has become a completely different story. Crow-Armstrong’s emergence at the top, Ohtani’s potential return to the mound and the continued production of stars such as Schwarber and Misiorowski could make the final weeks of the season especially dramatic.
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