# Ohtani's MVP race is over, and the Dodgers are fine anyway > Power rankings week: Milwaukee clinches, Judge returns, and Pete Crow-Armstrong quietly runs away with the NL MVP. - Title: Ohtani's MVP race is over, and the Dodgers are fine anyway - Summary: Power rankings week: Milwaukee clinches, Judge returns, and Pete Crow-Armstrong quietly runs away with the NL MVP. Ohtani's season went from three-peat… - Keywords: mlb, power rankings, nl mvp, dodgers, playoff race, news, entertainment, Ohtani's, MVP, race, fine, anyway - Source: California Post — https://nypost.com/2026/09/12/sports/shohei-ohtanis-mvp-hopes-dashed-but-dodgers-climb-in-post-power-rankings - Published: 2026-09-12T16:19:11+00:00 - Read time: 3 min - Topics: mlb, power rankings, nl mvp, dodgers, playoff race, news, entertainment ## Brewers punch the first ticket Milwaukee clinched a playoff spot on Friday at 92-56, their eighth October trip in nine years. The catch: two series wins and zero pennants in all that time. ## Ohtani hits the IL The Dodgers finally shelved Shohei Ohtani and admitted he likely won't reach 100% this season. They can only hope his postseason isn't too diminished. ## Eight straight without him Los Angeles has won eight in a row at 90-57, and Ohtani played in exactly one of those games. The climb to second happened without their best player. ## Braves rally three times Philadelphia nearly made the NL East interesting Friday. Atlanta came back from deficits in the ninth, 10th and 11th for a walk-off that restored a five-game lead. ## Rays return to October Tampa Bay clinched after a two-year absence, fittingly on a Junior Caminero walk-off homer. Caminero might be building a late MVP case of his own. ## Judge is back Aaron Judge rejoined the Yankees' active roster after a 99-day recovery, skipping a minor-league rehab assignment entirely. He's still finding his timing. > The long wait is over. ## Cubs get a reality check Chicago went to Milwaukee and got swept, dropping to 4-9 against the Brewers this year. That's their likely NLDS opponent. ## Luzardo's shoulder scare Jesus Luzardo was scratched Saturday with shoulder stiffness, right after a six-week run of seven starts, a 1.08 ERA and 64 strikeouts. The thin Phillies can't absorb it. ## Red Sox headed to the Bronx Boston looks locked into a wild-card trip to Yankee Stadium. The quiet worry is whether a middling stretch turns into running out of gas. ## Padres and Dbacks, to the wire San Diego won five straight to lead the NL wild card by a half-game. If it stays this tight, the two teams meet in the final series of the season. > Thanks, schedule-makers. ## Burnes returns from Tommy John Corbin Burnes threw three scoreless innings in his first outing back, arriving just in time to rescue a $210 million signing that had been a disappointment. ## Astros keep refusing to die An aging roster, a half-season of awful pitching and a GM change later, Houston leads the AL West by three games with Yordan Alvarez chasing a Triple Crown. ## White Sox running out of steam Chicago has lost four straight and seven of 10, shrinking their AL Central lead to a half-game. The Guardians, 14-7 in their last 21, are right there. ## Cruel pushes and collapses Pittsburgh won 7 of 10 to reach .500 while still 5½ back. Miami lost 12 straight after the All-Star break and got swept at home by the Mets. ## The crooked hat protest Umpire Doug Eddings told debutant Hancel Rincon to straighten his cap. The next night Cardinals players, and some Rockies, wore theirs tilted. ## A record nobody wants The Nationals blew several more late leads and now hold the MLB record with 38 blown saves in a season. At least it's memorable. ## Eliminations pile up The Giants and Athletics are out, six straight seasons for Oakland-Sacramento. The Angels extended the majors' longest drought to 12 years. ## Crow-Armstrong has it wrapped With 41 homers, a .948 OPS and a 10 to 6.8 WAR lead over Ohtani, the Cubs center fielder can now just pad his margin while Ohtani sits. > It might be time to call it. ## The most disappointing runner-up Ohtani posted 30 homers, a .902 OPS and a 1.79 ERA, and it still feels like a loss. His playoff availability and his future as a full-time two-way player are both open questions. > Never before has a likely runner-up MVP season felt so disappointing. ## Key takeaway Ohtani's season went from three-peat centerpiece to injury question mark, and the Dodgers kept winning without him while Crow-Armstrong took the MVP.