Overview
- The official MVP voting, announced Friday, awarded Pete Crow‑Armstrong the National League MVP unanimously and Yordan Álvarez the American League MVP unanimously, with Shohei Ohtani finishing second in the NL vote.
- Ohtani’s 2026 season was curtailed by left‑knee inflammation and a right biceps problem that ended his mound work after a July 3 start and placed him on the injured list in September.
- The Dodgers have said they will not pursue offseason surgery for Ohtani and team executives, including Andrew Friedman, have publicly said they expect him to pitch in 2027.
- Japanese baseball legend Sadaharu Oh urged Ohtani to quit pitching and focus on hitting, while Hideki Kuriyama expressed confidence Ohtani can rebound, intensifying public pressure on the Dodgers’ medical and roster choices.
- How the Dodgers manage Ohtani’s workload — rotation spot, days off, DH usage and throwing program — will shape their 2027 roster construction and influence Ohtani’s legacy after he moved to 5.30 career MVP award shares, placing him among the game’s all‑time leaders.