Baseball writers did not need much debate this year. Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez were named Most Valuable Players of the National and American leagues on Thursday night, and both won every first-place vote.
It is only the third year that both MVP awards were unanimous, following 2023 and 2024, the Associated Press noted.
Crow-Armstrong’s breakout season
Crow-Armstrong played all 162 games and hit .280 with 45 home runs, 107 RBIs, 119 runs and 41 stolen bases. He became just the seventh player in major league history to have a 40-homer, 40-steal season, CBS Sports reported. His 45 homers tied Kyle Schwarber for the major league lead, and he led the National League in runs, slugging percentage (.570) and OPS (.942).
He did it with his glove, too. He won his second Gold Glove and led the majors in Outs Above Average and Runs Prevented, the AP said.
Crow-Armstrong finished with 420 points in the voting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, a four-time MVP, was second with 264 points, and Milwaukee’s Brice Turang was third with 190, CBS Sports reported. Ohtani had a strong two-way season, but injuries and Crow-Armstrong’s late surge changed the race.
He is the first Cubs player to win NL MVP since Kris Bryant in 2016, joining a club that includes Ernie Banks, Ryne Sandberg, Andre Dawson and Sammy Sosa. Even so, he sounded hungry. “Success in my eyes is being called a winner,” he told reporters, adding he is “not necessarily there yet.”
Alvarez completes his comeback
Alvarez missed most of last season with injuries, then returned to lead the majors in batting average, walks (109), on-base percentage (.432) and slugging percentage (.601), according to the AP. He finished second in the American League in RBIs and tied for second in home runs, both behind Pete Alonso, and made a run at the Triple Crown.
Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero, who hit .276 with 42 homers and 101 RBIs, finished second, the best MVP finish in Rays history. Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr. was third. Alvarez is the first Astros player to win AL MVP since Jose Altuve in 2017.
The awards cap baseball’s awards week, which earlier saw Cam Schlittler and Jacob Misiorowski sweep the Cy Young Awards unanimously.
Why it matters for families
- Crow-Armstrong is a great example for young players that defense and hustle count. His speed and fielding were as important as his power.
- Alvarez’s comeback from a lost season is a reminder that setbacks are not the end of the story.
- The hot stove season is next: trades and free-agent signings will shape whether both stars get back to October in 2027.
What to watch next
With the awards finished, attention turns to free agency and the winter meetings. Upstormed News will follow the biggest moves.
Read more: Commanders stun Giants 24-21 on late Diggs touchdown
Who was your MVP this season, and should Ohtani have finished closer? Tell us in the comments.
Sources: Associated Press via WSLS, “Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong wins NL MVP award and Astros’ Yordan Alvarez gets AL honor” (Nov. 13, 2026); CBS Sports, “Cubs superstar Pete Crow-Armstrong wins National League MVP unanimously” (Nov. 12, 2026)
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