Cam Schlittler vs. Yordan Alvarez: The important thing stats it’s good to know in 2026 AL MVP debate

Cam Schlittler vs. Yordan Alvarez: The important thing stats it’s good to know in 2026 AL MVP debate initially appeared on The Sporting Information. Add The Sporting Information as a Most popular Supply by clicking right here.

In all chance, a place participant is not going to be successful the AL MVP this yr.

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In various forms of down years for names like Bobby Witt Jr., Aaron Choose and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the race to be named the perfect participant within the American League was extra open than anticipated in 2026. Solely two AL groups received at the very least 90 video games, and of the top-10 leaders in Fangraphs WAR, seven got here from the Nationwide League.

Whereas Rays slugger Junior Caminero additionally seems prone to end on the high of most ballots, it seems to be a two-player race for AL MVP with the postseason now underway. The Astros’ Yordan Alvarez was the perfect slugger in baseball for many of the yr, whereas the Yankees’ Cam Schlittler was far-and-away the perfect pitcher within the AL by most measures.

Alvarez often is the favourite, searching for to turn into the primary full-time DH to win an MVP award, however there’s instances to be made for each gamers.

Listed below are the important thing numbers for the AL MVP race between Alvarez and Schlittler.

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MORE: The Sporting Information’ workers predictions for the 2026 MLB postseason

Yordan Alvarez case for AL MVP

Alvarez has been thought-about the favourite for AL MVP practically all season, opening the season with a red-hot spring (17 HRs, 32 RBIs in April and Might mixed) and basically single-handedly preserving the Astros in postseason rivalry at instances.

For months, “Air Yordan” was on monitor to turn into the primary AL hitter since Miguel Cabrera in 2012 to win the triple crown, main his league in batting common, house runs and RBIs — and no matter how you’re feeling about extra conventional stats like batting common, it will have been a feat that just about locked an MVP season. Alvarez did not fairly accomplish the triple crown, although, as Pete Alonso’s 43 house runs and 113 RBIs beat him out in these respective classes.

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Nonetheless, Alvarez’s uncooked numbers had been excellent, making an argument as essentially the most feared hitter in baseball in 2026:

Alvarez led all of baseball in batting common, walks, intentional walks, on-base share, slugging share and OPS.

If there was ever a season for a delegated hitter to win MVP — one thing that has by no means occurred earlier than outdoors of Shohei Ohtani’s 4 awards whereas additionally usually pitching — it is Alvarez in 2026. Regardless of not enjoying within the discipline, loads of metrics nonetheless graded Alvarez as one of the vital invaluable gamers to his group within the American League. Whereas David Ortiz had 5 top-five MVP finishes throughout his profession, he by no means received one. Alvarez had a really Ortiz-like 2026 marketing campaign, one through which the star bats throughout the AL largely dissatisfied.

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Whereas Choose missed many of the season with an damage, Guerrero managed simply 9 house runs and a .688 OPS, and Witt had his lowest OPS (.800) since his rookie yr whereas lacking the playoffs, Alvarez was an offensive drive. His bat alone was sufficient to make him one of the vital consequential gamers within the AL.

Alvarez’s “worth” argument for the award can be clear. The Astros made the postseason regardless of successful simply 81 video games, the bottom whole for a division winner in MLB historical past. With out Alvarez, Houston possible would not have even come near taking the AL West crown.

Alvarez did not fairly safe the triple crown, however it might not matter. He was the batting champion and a dominant slugger for a group that scraped its strategy to the postseason. Voters traditionally have not favored gamers who solely hit, however Alvarez seems like an exception to that pattern in 2026.

Cam Schlittler case for AL MVP

Then again, the dearth of star-level place gamers within the American League this season can be a bonus for Schlittler, who’s a near-lock to win the AL Cy Younger award. Solely 21 beginning pitchers have received an MVP, the latest of which was Clayton Kershaw in 2014.

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For comparability functions, Kershaw (21-3, 1.77 ERA, 239 Ks in 27 begins) had 18 first-place votes in 2014, whereas the Marlins’ Giancarlo Stanton (.288 common, 37 HRs, 105 RBIs) completed in second with eight first-place votes. Equally, it was a down yr for star NL place gamers, one thing that led to Kershaw successful.

Schlittler possible faces harder probabilities than Kershaw did, although. Not solely had been Kershaw’s numbers higher than the Yankees star in 2026 (14-6, 1.95 ERA, 239 Ks in 33 begins), however Alvarez’s offensive numbers additionally actually high Stanton’s in 2014. If the 25-year-old starter goes to take house AL MVP, voters should be swayed by Schlittler’s mixture of dominance and sturdiness this season.

Schlittler, after breaking onto the scene within the 2025 postseason for New York, completed tied for second within the AL in begins (33), ranked second in whole innings (193.2) and third in strikeouts (239) whereas main the league in ERA (1.95). By the low requirements of the trendy recreation, he was the closest factor to a workhorse ace.

Here is a have a look at his full stat line:

Each time Schlittler stepped onto the mound this season, he gave the Yankees a terrific probability to win a ballgame. Per ESPN, he allowed one or fewer earned runs in 24 begins this season, tied for the second-most in a season within the final 100 years, trailing solely Sandy Koufax in 1963.

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When factoring in his age, solely Pedro Martinez’s 1997 season might match as much as Schlittler’s by most requirements:

Schlittler must be both a unanimous AL Cy Younger award winner, or come near such. The true query will probably be whether or not the AL MVP voters suppose his 33 dominant begins had been extra invaluable to the Yankees than Alvarez’s slugging all yr for the Astros.

MORE: Full MLB playoff schedule for 2026 postseason

Yordan Alvarez vs. Cam Schlittler: Who’s higher?

It could be a shock if Schlittler winds up main AL MVP voting — all indications all through 2026 had been that Alvarez would win his first. However that does not imply it isn’t possible, on the very least, {that a} group of voters are swayed extra by dominant pitching than slugging, not fairly prepared to call the primary non-Ohtani DH to win an MVP award.

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It is a troublesome race to find out contemplating there are not any place gamers concerned, assuming Caminero does not surprisingly win. There are not any uncooked numbers to make use of to check Schlittler and Alvarez; basically, the query is whether or not Schlittler’s 33 begins had been extra invaluable than Alvarez’s 692 plate appearances.

As a result of WAR is the one stat that accounts for place and can be utilized to check pitchers and hitters’ worth, it is a vital knowledge level within the AL MVP race. Here is how Fangraphs, Baseball Reference and Baseball Prospectus in contrast Alvarez and Schlittler in WAR this season:

FanGraphs and Baseball Prospectus’ model of WAR each charge Alvarez because the extra invaluable participant, whereas Schlittler had a slim lead in Baseball Reference’s model.

These numbers appear to replicate the sentiment round MLB on the AL MVP race. Previous to the ultimate week of the common season, MLB.com’s MVP ballot had Alvarez because the chief with 29 of 38 first-place votes, whereas Schlittler had one, trailing Caminero (7) and Witt (1).

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As offensive numbers have fallen in MLB, seasons like Alvarez’s in 2026 have turn into extra of outliers. It’ll possible be sufficient for him to take house the AL MVP, making historical past for designated hitters.