Ohtani, the holder of three MVP trophies, is one away from being one of two players with four or more MVP awards. The only other one is Barry Bonds -an astounding seven-time MVP himself. More news: Dave Roberts on Roki Sasaki Returning to Dodgers This Season: 'Anything's Possible' At this stage in the season, Ohtani is closing in on yet another 50-homer year. All of the advanced analytics seem to support his case purely as a hitter without any of the impact he's begun making on the mound as a pitcher. The other player most commonly linked with Ohtani in 2025 as a possible National League MVP candidate is soon-to-be free agent Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies.
Schwarber's three-run shot off reliever Justin Hagenman in the seventh gave the Phillies a 7-1 lead and made him the first National League player to reach 50 homers this season. Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh leads the majors with 53. The fan favorite designated hitter came out of the dugout for a curtain call for a crowd roaring "MVP! MVP!" as "50 Schwarbombs" flashed on the big screen.
Kyle Schwarber was named the MVP of the 2025 All-Star Game, despite Shane Smith's notable but non-game-related striking performance. The game saw a significant tribute to Henry Aaron's historic 715th home run, coinciding with its 51st anniversary. In a surprising move, MLB truncated Vin Scully's call of the record-breaking homer, omitting key statements about race and history. The AL team battled back impressively after initially trailing, leading to a tie declared through a home run derby shootout as the game concluded.
