Seven weeks after the previous Awards Watch, leaderboards still feature many familiar names, but several races have shifted. In the National League MVP race, Pete Crow-Armstrong has overtaken Shohei Ohtani as the AXE system’s current front-runner. AXE moved Crow-Armstrong ahead on July 21, and betting markets flipped on Aug. 5 after an intense matchup at Wrigley Field. Ohtani has been out of the pitching rotation due to an injury and has served as a designated hitter for the past seven-plus weeks.
In the American League, Yordan Alvarez sits atop the AXE leaderboard with a 148.1 rating and is the front-runner for AL MVP. Alvarez reclaimed the lead a few days after the last Stock Watch and has held the daily AXE lead since July 11. AXE ratings and statistics cited here are based on results through Aug. 22.
Alvarez has homered only once in August but still leads the American League in batting average, home runs and RBIs. His advantage in homers over Junior Caminero has narrowed during a slow month, yet Alvarez remains the statistical leader in many non-speed offensive categories and carries a significant edge in win probability added. The Astros’ tight playoff push also adds context to his production.
Second in AXE at 143.0 is Bobby Witt Jr., who missed time with a knee injury but has performed strongly since returning. Witt outhit Alvarez in August, has provided elite impact on the bases and high-level defense, and has shown renewed power over the past week. Kansas City’s standing near the bottom of the division contrasts with the Royals’ recent hot stretch.
The Awards Watch will continue to compare the top two AXE-rated players in each category and note where AXE diverges from DraftKings odds, with none of the major awards races fully decided with roughly five weeks remaining in the regular season.
