Shohei Ohtani Snubbed as Charles Barkley Predicts $79M Star to Steal NL MVP Crown

Well, nearly 70% of the MLB season has vanished in the rearview. And the grind of the 162-game marathon has morphed into a two-month sprint toward October, where every at-bat feels heavier, every inning sharper. Post-All-Star break, after the dust of the trade deadline settles, the storylines crystallize — and few shimmer brighter than the National League MVP race. Yes, we’ve got enough time to think about who’s leading this race!

If you can recall this, the conversation leans on the obvious megastars. Shohei Ohtani’s name from the NL rolls off the tongue as naturally as Aaron Judge’s does in the AL. But this year? The field feels wider, the suspense sharper. More contenders have muscled into the spotlight, each staking a claim to baseball’s most prestigious individual crown. So yeah, a good change…

And then, from a completely different arena, NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley lobs in his own pick. A choice so unexpected it might just rattle the Ohtani faithful and ignite one of the most intriguing MVP debates we’ve seen in years. “I think my boy Kyle Schwarz is going to steal the National League MVP, definitely.” Barkley is clear about his choice this year, as reported by Awful Announcing.

So, what Aaron Judge is facing from Cal Raleigh, Ohtani is facing the same from Schwarber.

Reportedly, Shohei Ohtani has pretty much been the face of the NL MVP race from Opening Day on. The Dodgers’ once-in-a-generation talent is doing it all, leading the league with a 1.015 OPS and smashing 42 HRs heading into Friday’s games. And that’s just with the bat. On the mound, Ohtani has made a strong return after elbow surgery, easing back into action with shorter outings but still dominating hitters with a 2.37 ERA over eight starts.

So, it’s the kind of two-way excellence that’s become his trademark, and it’s hard to imagine anyone keeping pace.

However, Kyle Schwarber is giving it a real shot. The Phillies’ biggest offensive weapon has been a model of consistency all season. He sits second in the NL with a .951 OPS and actually leads the league in homers with 42. Moreover, he isn’t just hitting for power, but on pace to shatter his own career highs in nearly every key category: hits, home runs, RBIs, OPS, and even stolen bases.

So, for a player long known mostly for his raw power, it’s a breakout season in every sense. And it’s starting to put him squarely in Shohei Ohtani’s rearview mirror in the MVP race.

Kyle Schwarber is giving Shohei Ohtani a run for his money

So, compared to Ohtani’s massive $700 million deal, Schwarber’s current contract feels like a bargain. A cool $79 million over four years, and he’s blown past expectations. Notably, Schwarber has already had seasons with 46, 47, 38, and 42 home runs, and with 44 games still to go this year, 50 homers is well within reach. Not bad for under $20 million a year. And it’s safe to say there’s going to be a serious bidding war for him once he hits free agency after the season.

But can Schwarber actually catch Shohei Ohtani in the MVP race? That’s the tricky part.

The one category where Ohtani has a truly massive lead is runs scored. Schwarber sits fifth in the NL with 81 runs; Fernando Tatis Jr. is second with 83. Ohtani? He’s already crossed home 112 times—that’s more than Schwarber has ever scored in a single season.

So, if Schwarber were flat-out outhitting Ohtani, this might be a different story. But the reality is, Schwarber’s already having the best year of his career, by a lot, and it’s still not enough to close the gap.

However, for Ohtani, this kind of production is just par for the course. He’s actually hitting a little worse than in his last two MVP seasons—and he’s still the front-runner. That’s why only Aaron Judge has managed to beat him for an MVP in the last four years.

While it is still too early to conclude, at the end of the day, it’s still tough to win the award when all your value comes from the bat and you’re up against a guy who’s producing at an elite level in multiple ways.