Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez and Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong were named the 2026 American League and National League Most Valuable Players on Thursday. Both players received all 30 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers Association of America.
Alvarez, 29, secured his first career MVP award after a dominant offensive campaign. He led the American League with a 1.033 OPS, a .316 batting average, and 109 walks, while also recording 42 home runs and 106 RBIs across 158 games.
The Astros slugger finished ahead of Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero and Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. in the voting. Alvarez joins Jeff Bagwell and Jose Altuve as the only players in franchise history to win the award.
In the National League, 24-year-old Crow-Armstrong claimed his first MVP title by ending the three-year reign of Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani. Crow-Armstrong played all 162 games, hitting 45 home runs and stealing 41 bases to become the seventh player in MLB history to join the 40-40 club.
Crow-Armstrong also led the National League in runs, slugging percentage, and OPS. He is the ninth player in Chicago Cubs history to win the award, following Kris Bryant, who was the last to do so in 2016.
The voting results mark a significant shift in Major League Baseball, as Ohtani and New York Yankees star Aaron Judge had combined to win every MVP award from 2021 through 2025. Both veterans struggled with injuries during the 2026 season.
Join the conversation