How Pete Crow-Armstrong's 3-homer day, Shohei Ohtani injury could help Cubs star pull ahead in NL MVP race

Here's how the Cubs and Dodgers' stars stack up in the intriguing NL MVP race after each making news -- in much different ways -- on Saturday.

Crow-Armstrong is in the midst of a historic output in the month of August

Crow-Armstrong doesn't pitch like Shohei Ohtani, but his elite production has made him the front-runner for the award.

Pete Crow-Armstrong homers 3 times as the Chicago Cubs pound the Cincinnati Reds 17-5  Toronto Star

Pete Crow-Armstrong homered three times and drove in six runs, helping the Cubs beat Sal Stewart and the Cincinnati Reds 17-5

Crow-Armstrong bolsters NL MVP case with 1st career 3-HR game  ESPN

The Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong already had a pretty good case for National League Most Valuable Player. He made it even stronger Saturday, hitting three home runs for the first time in his career. Crow-Armstrong went deep twice against Reds starter Andrew Abbott, and then off Cincinnati's Tony Santillan in the seventh.

Each week, the California Post will power rank MLB’s 30 teams and check in on one intriguing awards race.

Cubs Bullpen Implosion Continues in Dramatic 10-8 Loss to Cincinnati Reds  Sports Illustrated

The Cubs would have gone up 1-0 had a balk been called in the sixth inning on Wednesday. Instead, they ended up losing 2-0.

‘It’s obvious to anybody’: Umpires’ missed balk call costs Chicago Cubs in 2-0 loss to Arizona Diamondbacks  Chicago Tribune

Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong let the umpiring crew hear it after they missed a balk call in their loss Wednesday.

Pete Crow-Armstrong livid at umpiring crew after Cubs loss to Diamondbacks  USA Today