Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong Addresses NL MVP Race, Jokes About Pitching Like Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani

If Pete Crow-Armstrong wants to win an MVP, he joked that he'll have to start pitching.

The Chicago Cubs star told ESPN's Jesse Rogers that he wants to win an MVP, but said he has his priorities straight.

"I would be crazy to say that I don't want to win an MVP but if we're talking about having priorities straight, I think mine are pretty straight," Crow-Armstrong said. "It's not on the forefront of my mind. It's fun to joke about it and it's fun to acknowledge. And I think it's absolutely okay to pay attention to, but again, it's not like following me up to the plate. And yeah, I think if you guys want to talk about all this back and forth, I really should go get in the lab and start pitching. I really should."

Crow-Armstrong has put together a tremendous season, hitting 26 home runs and 69 RBI while slashing .288/.386/.552. He has also stolen 28 bases and has the second-best OPS in baseball (.938).

"I think it's fun watching Pete have this season. How that all happens, who knows," Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. "I think it's fun watching a player have this season. It's a season you remember. You remember seasons like this. You cherish seasons like this. That's the best part."

For much of the season, Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani was a heavy favorite to win MLB's most coveted individual award, but Crow-Armstrong has managed to gain some ground on him over the last month or so.

Ohtani and Crow-Armstrong currently have the same odds (-110) to win NL MVP on FanDuel Sportsbook.

Ohtani has also had another great year, posting 26 homers and 70 RBI while also hitting .298/.400/.556. What could give Ohtani an edge is the fact that he also pitches. He's made 14 starts this year, recording an 8-2 record with a 1.79 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP, on track for a career year on the mound.

Both Ohtani and Crow-Armstrong had a pair of homers in Wednesday's game, which was a 7-6 win for the Cubs.

An MVP for Ohtani would be his fifth overall and fourth in a row, but the 24-year-old Crow-Armstrong will look to finish the season strong to win his first.