Aug 31, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) watches from the dugout during the third inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Insider Details How Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani Could Lose MVP This Season

Originally posted on Los Angeles Dodgers on SI
By Nelson Espinal | Last updated Sep 2, 2025 6:30 PM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani appears on track to another MVP, but an MLB insider painted a scenario that could see him miss out on the award.

Ohtani is pitching and hitting this season, giving elite production at both positions and once again making unprecedented history.

He has 45 home runs while hitting .276/.386/.600 and bringing in 85 runs with his bat. He has a 165 wRC+, second among qualified hitters.

He moonlights as a designated hitter, limiting his ability to generate WAR due to a lack of defense, but his time on the mound has helped him yield 5.8 WAR overall, placing him fifth on MLB leaderboards.

As a pitcher, he has thrown 32.1 innings, posting an ERA of 4.18 with 44 strikeouts to his name.

Considering his two-way production, the baseball world views Ohtani as the locked-in favorite for the award, though MLB insider Bob Nightengale detailed a scenario in which he could be upset by Kyle Schwarber.

"Ohtani is the clubhouse leader in the NL, but if he struggles down the stretch, and Schwarber winds up pushing 60 homers, the dynamics could swiftly change," Nightengale wrote in a story on USA Today.

"In the NL, if Ohtani maintains his hitting pace and keeps pitching like he did in last outing – striking out nine batters in five innings – it’s over and he wins his fourth MVP in five years," Nightengale added.

"Schwarber has more homers (49-46) and RBIs (119-85), but Ohtani leads in batting average (.278-.249), slugging percentage (.607-.584) and OPS (.994-.955) and they are both DHs. Yet, Ohtani being a two-way player makes the award his to lose every single year, providing he stays healthy.

"Still, Schwarber, who tied a major-league record with four homers on Thursday, has certainly made this a legitimate race."

Ohtani is also hampered by voter fatigue since he has taken home the award multiple times. The voters on the award tend to eventually look for a shiny new player, rather than give the same player the award year after year.

If Schwarber does manage to stay hot, he could make the race close enough to win — but Ohtani is just as capable of going on a tear.