Baseball Crowns Its MVPs Tonight: Yordan Alvarez's Near-Triple Crown and Pete Crow-Armstrong's 40-40 Season Lead the Field

Baseball's awards week reaches its finale Thursday night. The Baseball Writers' Association of America will name its 2026 Most Valuable Players at 7 p.m. Eastern on MLB Network, ESPN reported, closing a week that has already produced two unanimous Cy Young winners, two Rookie of the Year winners and a brand-new award for relievers ^[2][1].

The writers voted before the postseason began, so none of October's drama counts here. What counts is the long grind of a 162-game season, and this year's six finalists ground out some remarkable ones ^[1].

The American League: A Near-Triple Crown Against an Iron Man

Houston's Yordan Alvarez put together the season of his life. MLB.com reported that the designated hitter batted .316 with a .432 on-base percentage and a .601 slugging percentage, leading all qualified hitters in all three, and set career highs with 42 home runs and 106 RBIs ^[1]. Field Level Media noted that his .316 average was the best in the majors ^[3]. ESPN's Bradford Doolittle wrote that Alvarez finished one homer and seven RBIs short of a Triple Crown, posted a 190 OPS+ and led the league in win probability added ^[2].

If there is a knock on Alvarez, it is the standings. The Astros finished 81-81, ESPN noted ^[2], which revives the old barstool argument over whether a most valuable player has to come from a contender.

Tampa Bay's Junior Caminero matched Alvarez with 42 home runs and drove in 101 runs while hitting .276 with an .884 OPS, MLB.com reported ^[1]. He played in all 162 games, and this is his first time as an MVP finalist ^[1]. In an era when so many stars spend weeks on the injured list, there is something old-fashioned and admirable about a young man who simply shows up for work every single day.

Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. rounds out the field. His bat was quieter this year, with a .281 average, a .359 on-base percentage, 18 home runs and 54 RBIs, according to MLB.com ^[1], but he still stole 45 bases, Field Level Media reported ^[3]. Doolittle's preview picked Alvarez to take the AL prize ^[2].

The National League: A 40-40 Season Meets the Two-Way Star

Pete Crow-Armstrong turned the Friendly Confines into his personal showcase. The Cubs center fielder hit .280 with a .372 on-base percentage, a .570 slugging percentage, 45 home runs and 41 stolen bases, joining the exclusive 40-40 club, MLB.com reported ^[1]. His 45 homers tied for the major league lead, and he drove in 107 runs, according to Field Level Media ^[3]. He also led the majors in Statcast's outs above average and fielding run value, MLB.com reported ^[1], and ESPN credited him with 9.8 wins above replacement by Baseball-Reference's measure ^[2].

Shohei Ohtani did what only Shohei Ohtani does, even in a season interrupted by injuries. The Dodgers' two-way star hit .275 with 30 home runs, his sixth straight 30-homer season, and stole 11 bases, MLB.com reported ^[1]. On the mound he went 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA in 14 starts, but he did not pitch after July 3, according to Field Level Media ^[3]. MLB.com reported that he struck out 95 batters in 85 2/3 innings while dealing with injuries to his left knee and right biceps ^[1].

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Milwaukee second baseman Brice Turang is the finalist from the best regular-season team in baseball. The Brewers went 103-59, and Turang hit .268 with 21 home runs, 100 RBIs, 19 steals and an .816 OPS, MLB.com reported, on top of a glove that has already earned him two Gold Gloves ^[1]. Doolittle picked Crow-Armstrong in the National League ^[2].

A Week Full of Firsts

Thursday's announcement caps a week the writers have filled with milestones. Detroit's Kevin McGonigle won the American League Rookie of the Year award with 28 first-place votes, ESPN reported, and Cincinnati's Sal Stewart took the National League honor after a 32-homer, 112-RBI debut season, according to MLB.com ^[2][1]. White Sox manager Will Venable won AL Manager of the Year after leading Chicago to an 84-78 record, two years after a 121-loss season, MLB.com reported ^[1]. Milwaukee's Pat Murphy won the NL award again ^[2].

The Yankees' Cam Schlittler and the Brewers' Jacob Misiorowski were unanimous Cy Young winners on Wednesday, and the writers also handed out their first Reliever of the Year awards to Toronto's Louis Varland and San Diego's Mason Miller, ESPN reported ^[2].

My Take

The numbers argue for Alvarez and Crow-Armstrong, and it is hard to quarrel with them. But this year's field is a fine reminder of what makes baseball the most patient of American games. Caminero never took a day off. Turang did the little things for a 103-win club. Ohtani kept grinding through injuries that would have shut down most men. Whoever wins tonight, every one of these six earned his place on the stage the old-fashioned way: one at-bat, one inning and one long summer at a time.

We will have the results and the reaction as soon as the envelopes are opened.