Crow-Armstrong and Alvarez Claim Unanimous MVP Awards

Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez captured Most Valuable Player honors on Thursday, with both powerhouse hitters sweeping their respective leagues in unanimous votes.

Crow-Armstrong delivered a remarkable two-way campaign for Chicago, sharing the major-league home run crown with 45 long balls while stealing 41 bases and batting .280 over 162 games. The 24-year-old outfielder topped the National League with 119 runs scored, a .570 slugging mark, and a .942 OPS, in addition to earning his second Gold Glove award. He claimed every single first-place vote from the BBWAA panel, placing ahead of Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani and Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang to become Chicago's first NL MVP since Kris Bryant in 2016.

Over in the American League, Alvarez anchored the AL West champion Astros by winning the MLB batting title with a .316 mark, hitting 42 home runs and driving in 106 runs. The four-time All-Star also paced the majors with 109 walks, a .432 on-base percentage, and a .601 slugging percentage. Alvarez is Houston's first AL MVP recipient since Jose Altuve in 2017, outpolling Tampa Bay third baseman Junior Caminero and Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. for the honor.

What to watch next: Both franchises will rely on their unanimous award winners as primary focal points for their respective lineups heading into spring training.