Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber looming in National League MVP race as Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani struggle

A new contender is creeping into the 2025 National League MVP race. 

After sitting atop the odds board all season, Shohei Ohtani suddenly has some competition in Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber, who has been red-hot of late.

Ohtani is down to -400 to win the award at FanDuel Sportsbook – the lowest he’s been in months – while Schwarber is lurking at +300. 

Schwarber has 15 home runs in his last 30 games, which is three more than any hitter in baseball in that span, catapulting him into the award race. 

Overall, this season, Schwarber has an NL-leading 40 long balls – two more than Ohtani – while hitting .256/.379/.585. 

Schwarber’s dominant stretch – and the Mets’ struggles – have helped boost the Phillies to the top of the NL East, holding on to a 2.5-game lead before Wednesday’s slate. 

Meanwhile, Ohtani hasn’t been his otherworldly self over that same 30-game stretch, hitting nine homers while slashing .233/.346/.491, which is a significant step down from his first half of the season. 

Ohtani has also made just two starts on the mound since the All-Star break after leaving his last start in late July with cramping, although he is scheduled to toss four innings against the Cardinals on Wednesday. 

Perhaps most importantly, the Dodgers haven’t played well of late. 

Since July 1, they are just 13-16 and are hanging on to just a three-game lead in the NL West over the Padres despite coming into the season with some of the highest expectations for a team in recent history.

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Last week, we pointed out Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong as a potential challenger to Ohtani for the NL MVP. 

But award races can change quickly, and oddsmakers have Schwarber as the one most likely to threaten Ohtani’s chances at a fourth MVP in five seasons.

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Dylan Svoboda is a versatile writer and analyst across many sports. He’s particularly knowledgeable about the big three — MLB, the NFL and the NBA.