Crow-Armstrong, Ohtani each hit 2 HRs; Cubs OF now MVP favorite - ESPN

CHICAGO — The National League MVP race heated up Wednesday.

Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani each hit two home runs in a wild 7-6 win for Chicago that gave it a three-game sweep of the two-time defending World Series champions.

Crow-Armstrong, who also had a double and four RBIs, acknowledged afterward the MVP talk is kind of fun.

«I would be crazy to say that I don't want to win an MVP, but if we're talking about having priorities straight, I think mine are pretty straight,» he said. «It's not on the forefront of my mind. It's fun to joke about it, and it's fun to acknowledge. And I think it's absolutely OK to pay attention to, but it's not like following me up to the plate.

»I think if you guys want to talk about all this back and forth, I really should go get in the lab and start pitching. I really should."

He might not have to because Ohtani isn't pitching either right now. That was his advantage over Crow-Armstrong, who is now the favorite to win NL MVP (-120) after starting Wednesday behind Ohtani in the race, according to DraftKings odds.

Ohtani kept up his end of the bargain Wednesday, also collecting three hits and driving in three of the Dodgers' six runs.

«He's [PCA] a great player, but I'm really focused on myself right now,» Ohtani said through the team interpreter. «On the hitting side of things and working toward getting back on the mound and working on that side of the game.»

Ohtani hasn't pitched since early July because of left knee soreness but said he is confident he'll return at some point this season while acknowledging «it's hard to tell what the schedule will look like.» His current role as a DH only has opened the door for Crow-Armstrong to win his first MVP.