Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani is running away with the MVP race

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Until Shohei Ohtani retires or stops pitching entirely, he will likely be the favorite to win the National League MVP Award.

Already having four under his belt and winning three straight, Ohtani is the favorite to win his fourth straight MVP award in 2026.

Shohei Ohtani continues to show why he's the MVP of the National League

Also a favorite to win the National League Cy Young Award, Ohtani is not likely to win both and will ultimately lose the Cy Young race to Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski. Despite this, Ohtani was rated as the favorite to win the MVP again, as MLB.com's latest poll has him running away with the award.

In the poll, the four-time Silver Slugger had 161 total points and 30 first-place votes.

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"What Ohtani continues to do on both sides the ball is remarkable, if that's even a strong enough word," wrote Jason Foster of MLB.com. "As a hitter, his .412 on-base percentage entering Monday was best in the NL, while his .950 OPS ranked third. On the mound, his 1.58 ERA would rank second in the NL if he had enough innings to qualify. He's made 13 starts, has an 8-2 record and has struck out 86 batters in 79 2/3 innings. As a hitter, his average exit velocity is just over 94 mph. As a pitcher, his average fastball velocity is a tick under 98 mph. It all translates to a 5.4 bWAR, the highest among all MLB players. A fourth-straight MVP award -- and fifth overall -- sure feels likely."

Ohtani is not leading any of the major offensive categories, but is still showcasing his talents. To go along with his 1.58 ERA, the now six-time All-Star is batting .297 with a .546 slugging percentage, a .958 OPS and has mashed 18 home runs. He was also the leading vote-getter in phase 1 of the voting and will automatically be the National League's starting designated hitter.

With an entire second half of the season to go, in which he can accumulate more innings and plate appearances, Ohtani continues to show his greatness. Ohtani is off to a great start for the second half, batting .337 with a .437 on-base percentage, a .674 slugging percentage, eight home runs and 19 RBI in 86 at-bats in June.