Who gave the media this talking point? Sure, he's probably the favorite to win the Cy Young, but MVP? Does his season seem special?

Lets compare him to the last 2 pitchers who have won the MVP
2014 Clayton Kershaw

• 1.77 ERA
• 1.81 FIP
• 198.1 IP
• 7.9 fWAR
• 24 QS
• 6 CG
• 2 Shutouts
• 239 SO

2011 Justin Verlander

• 2.40 ERA
• 2.99 FIP
• 251.0 IP
• 6.5 WAR
• 28 QS
• 4 CG
• 2 Shutouts
• 250 SO

2026 Cam Schlittler

• 1.95 ERA
• 2.57 FIP
• 184.2 IP
• 5.9 WAR
• 19 QS
• 0 CG
• 0 Shutouts
• 228 SO

I know the game has changed, but the fact that he's near the league leaders in innings pitched yet has zero complete games and has only completed 7+ innings 7 times all season long screams that starting pitchers, in general, are less valuable than they were just 10-15 years ago. If the position is less valuable, then it makes it hard for me to believe he's the most valuable player in the American League.

"But, Farmer, he's not competing against the legends of the past. He's got the 2026 AL field." You would be correct, my point is that it takes a special, special season from a pitcher to win the MVP, and I don't think this is it.

Here is his AL competition.

• Yordan Alvarez - 175 wRC+, 5.8 WAR, 38 HR, 95 R, 96 RBI, .310 BA, .427 OBP, .589 SLG
• Junior Caminero - 145 wRC+, 4.9 WAR, 40 HR, 91 R, 95 RBI, .279 BA, .364 OBP, .532 SLG
• Bobby Witt Jr - 121 wRC+, 6.5 WAR, 18 HR, 84 R, 54 RBI, .280 BA, .360 OBP, .448 SLG
• Randy Arozarena - 148 wRC+, .4.8 WAR, 25 HR, 100 R, 75 RBI, .278 BA, .374 OBP, .478 SLG
• Ben Rice - 146 wRC+, 3.7 WAR, 38 HR, 96 R, 92 RBI, .263 BA, .359 OBP, .529 SLG

It is a pretty weak field overall. Yordan's, the clear leader of this pack, is limping to the finish as he deals with injury. He also has to overcome the DH knock (which is fair IMO). He still leads the American League in BA, OBP (.040 points!), SLG (.057 points!), and OPS (.112 points!). Offensively, no one is really close. The gap between Yordan and Caminero is 30% in wRC+. Caminero and Luke Keaschall.

Does anyone think Cam deserves the MVP over Yordan?

It would be ridiculous for a Triple Crown performance to not get the MVP

Ornithopter said:

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It would be ridiculous for a Triple Crown performance to not get the MVP

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Agreed but he's slipped a little. He still leads in BA, but he's a few behind in RBI and HR now.

Maybe I mislabeled the thread. Now it seems the media thinks it's Junior's MVP.

The Junior Caminero MVP helium is real, particularly with Yordan not living up to his usual power over the last two months

— Mike Petriello (@mike_petriello) September 16, 2026

Within the span of five days, Junior Caminero has hit two walk-off homers, including one to clinch a playoff berth. He leads the AL with 41 homers and has done his best to mount a late run at stealing the AL MVP award away from the favored Yordan Alvarez. pic.twitter.com/R0lSGm4HnW

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) September 16, 2026

"Take Caminero off the Rays, and the Yankees win the division. I don't even know if Houston gets in."@JimBowdenGM explains why his AL MVP is Junior Caminero over Yordan Alvarez... 👀 pic.twitter.com/6OL5zyH1Ha

— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) September 14, 2026

Hopefully, facts win out over late season feelings.

Yordan Alvarez vs Junior Caminero -- 2026 season

BA: Yordan
OBP: Yordan
SLG: Yordan
OPS: Yordan
wRC+: Yordan
WPA: Yordan
RISP: Yordan
Men on base: Yordan
High leverage: Yordan
fWAR: Yordan
bWAR: Yordan
Better teammates: Caminero

Can't wait to see who wins the MVP!

— nugget chef (@jayhaykid) September 16, 2026

The media still needs a story. They don't sell ads when clicks don't come because both MVP races are sewed up. They have to generate a story.

We don't hate the media enough.

True. PCA pulled away so they had to generate something.

Alvarez provides zero value defensively or on the base paths so I think it is fair to look at alternative candidates.

However, Alvarez has also absolutely carried a very mediocre team.

Junior and the Rays sit a top of the toughest division in baseball...by a lot. He also plays defensive.

Junior is the AL MVP this season.

Give it to Schlittler.

Junior's .277 average would be the lowest for an AL MVP in almost 60 years.

And I have a hard time awarding an MVP to a DH, even though Yordan is clearly the best hitter in the AL this year.

Yeah, Caminero wouldn't be the one I'd argue for against Yordan because he's essentially a DH that plays the field and who also adds no value on the base paths. That's basically a DH vs DH discussion and Yordan leads that discussion comfortably.

For me, the only argument that exists is for Bobby Witt. But it's a weak argument because you have to believe that the defense and base running is so valuable (WAR does believe this) that it can help him bridge the gap offensively between him and Yordan. I tend to think of Witt hadn't missed a couple of weeks he'd have a much better shot, but as is his argument is just too flimsy to overcome Yordan's impressive slash line.

If Bobby's offense was like Junior's, Randy's, Rice's, etc. then I could get on board. But as of now, Bobby is sitting at 119 wRC+. No defense and baserunning take a top 20-25 hitter and turn them into the MVP.

Yordan seems to have pulled away from Junior. The offensive gap is just too large. I have come around a little on Cam. He doesn't deserve the MVP over Yordan, but his season is fairly special too.

WAR
1. Witt - 6.8
2. Alvarez - 6.6
6. Caminero - 5.2

OPS
1. Alvarez - 1.032
4. Caminero - .882

.150 gap. About the same gap between Caminero & Brandon Nimmo. Would anyone consider those two similar hitters this season?



Last 10 Seasons (min 190 IP) ERA-
1. 2018 deGrom - 45
2. 2026 Schlittler - 47
3. 2017 Kluber - 49
4. 2025 Skubal - 54
5. 2022 Alcantara - 55
6. 2019 Cole - 55
7. 2017 Scherzer - 57
8. 2019 Verlander - 57
9. 2025 Sanchez - 57
10. 2022 Manoah - 58

I'll be curious how the voters weigh the "Most valuable" piece if the Astros miss the playoffs....they are WILDLY inconsistent with that depending on how much they like the players involved

I know they have given the MVP to pitchers before, but I feel like since we have a Cy Young award, it is redundant to give them the MVP also.

And yes, Yordan should win because his bat has been elite all year, but that will make him one of the most one dimensional MVPs in history. Ohtani won it as a DH, but he also has value as a runner.

If by "one dimensional" you mean the best hitter in the league by a mile, sure he's one dimensional.

Mathguy64 said:

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If by "one dimensional" you mean the best hitter in the league by a mile, sure he's one dimensional.

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I'm confused by your comment. I said he should win the MVP and his bat is elite, what else needs to be said?

He also gives you nothing defensively or as a runner. Out of the 5 tools for a baseball player he's an 80 grade on 2, (Power and Average) but like a 20 on the other 3. (Speed, Arm, Defense)

If you really are a math guy you could take emotion out of it and realize that he's a great hitter that doesn't give you much else.

So if Yordan was a bad defender and played out of necessity instead of a DH that would be more value?

He's a pure hitter that also hits for power. He's the best pure hitter in the AL and has the best power in the AL. He's a hair away from a triple crown and if every manager hadnt gotten terrified in July and started walking him over and over he might have won it. Thats not one dimensional. A slap hitter with no power is one dimensional. Joey Gallo was one dimensional. HR or K. A defender with a plus arm and plus speed that can't get on base at all is getting sent to AAA.

I think you're still not getting it. A guy who is so bad defensively that he must occupy the DH spot hurts his own team by taking away some flexibility. A guy who can't score from 2nd on a single hurts his team.

When you look through the years at guys who have won the MVP it's hard to find many that fit this profile. Miguel Cabrera is maybe the closest example, but he at least played the field when he won his MVP awards.

And as I said, go look at the stats. This isn't a personal attack on Yordan, just a purely statistical observation that Yordan will be a unique MVP winner.

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/yordan-alvarez-670541?stats=statcast-r-hitting-mlb

Batting value he's the best player in the league.

Running value he's the worst player in the league

Fielding value he didn't qualify because he DHs.


For comparison PCA rates out as almost the best in the league in all 3 categories.

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/pete-crow-armstrong-691718?stats=statcast-r-hitting-mlb

Also your example of a slap hitter being one-dimensional completely ignores the potential defensive and base running value that player could bring to a team.

Sure one dimensional offensively, but are we going to say Ozzie Smith was one dimensional because he was a slap hitter?

Final #s for the 2026 AL MVP

6.8 fWAR (2nd, 7.0 for Witt)
181 wRC+ (1st, 151 or 2nd place)
217 wRC+ with RISP (1st)
.429 wOBA (1st)
.316 BA (1st)
.432 OBP (1st)
.601 SLG (1st)
1.033 OPS (1st)
179 Hits (1st)
34 Doubles (5th)
42 Home Runs (2nd)
105 Runs (3rd)
106 RBI (2nd)
109 Walks (1st)
120 Strikeouts (36th most)
6.80 WPA (1st)
75.43 RE24 (1st)

One had a pretty special playoff effort, the other disappeared.

I still think Jim Leyritz should have won the MVP over Juan Gonzalez back in '96

South Platte said:

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One had a pretty special playoff effort, the other disappeared.

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Update ?