Dodgers President Drops Wild Shohei Ohtani Claim Amid NL MVP Race vs Kyle Schwarber

Division races are heating up, and Wild Card spots are starting to lock in. But as we head into the final month of the 2025 MLB season, all eyes are really on the National League home run battle between Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber and Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani.

Reportedly, both are tracking toward 55 homers, but the big question is: who actually gets there, and who takes the crown? ESPN’s Buster Olney is calling it for Schwarber, predicting he’ll finish on top. “Schwarber will win the title, but he’ll reach 59.” However, plenty of voices push back, arguing that even framing it as Schwarber vs. Ohtani for MVP feels disrespectful, because Ohtani’s all-around brilliance shouldn’t even need a comparison.

“I think he’s really underrated. I think Kyle Schwarber is having an unbelievable year. You know, what kind of leader he is, how fearful he is in the box… It’s just any time over the years that you say, hey, there’s an MVP debate, Shohei versus anyone, I just don’t understand it, especially in the year where he’s pitching as well… I think part of it is there’s just not enough appreciation for what he does, how difficult it is, and how he is one of one.” Dodgers’ president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said in a podcast with Jim Rome. 

Well, the one stat that keeps popping up with Schwarber is his numbers spike once September hits, he’s got a career .521 slugging percentage in the final month. So, with production like that, it’s easy to pencil him in as the favorite for the NL home run crown. But when Shohei Ohtani is in the picture, nothing’s ever that simple.

Notably, in just over 32 innings so far, Ohtani racked up 44 SOs against only seven walks. Strip away the bad luck, and his FIP is a sharp 2.25. And then there’s the bat. Ohtani’s up to 45 homers heading into Friday, with a .387 OBP and .608 slugging percentage, making him 70% better than league average at the plate.

So yes, Schwarber may have the edge in the homer race. But with those pitching numbers in his back pocket, Ohtani might just have the last laugh. And as Friedman sees it, you can’t really compare him to anyone until another true two-way star comes along.

Ohtani’s long list of records and accolades

“I can’t say that he’s underrated because in every poll, whether it’s a players’ poll, a media poll, or MVP voting, he is unquestionably the number one player. You can’t be rated any higher, so he’s not underrated.” MLB analyst Chris Rose said back in March.

So, Ohtani’s getting the recognition he deserves. But a lot of fans probably don’t grasp just how difficult what he’s doing really is. Think about it, plenty of guys, like Michael Lorenzen, have tried to be two-way players. They eventually realized that they had to pick one role. Moreover, even top prospects often struggle to stick in the majors as either a hitter or a pitcher. Shohei Ohtani? He’s elite at both.

“There are definitely arguments that could be made that he’s better than Babe Ruth,” Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo said about Ohtani. So, even the baseball community can’t have enough praise for Ohtani.

And the accolades back it up. He’s the reigning NL MVP two years running, an All-Star every season since 2021, and he’s owned both the home run crown and the Silver Slugger the past two years. So calling him underrated is probably a stretch. Still, it’s fair to say he’s one of those rare, generational talents MLB is lucky to have.