MVP, Cy Young & the Breakout Stars to Beat at the All‑Star Turn

As the dust settles on the All‑Star break, MLB’s biggest individual awards—the MVP and Cy Young—are shaping up into thrilling showdowns. Let’s break down where things stand, who’s in the mix, and what to watch in the season’s home stretch.

MVP Spotlight: Judge vs. Ohtani

It’s still a two-man race at the top. Aaron Judge is absolutely locked in—leading the AL in batting average (.355), OPS (1.195), home runs (38), and RBIs (82) through July 17 Wikipedia. On the NL side, Shohei Ohtani is carrying the Dodgers with a powerful .987 OPS, 32 homers, and 91 runs scored . Both received the most fan All-Star votes and dominate merchandise sales—Judge sitting second only to Ohtani himself Pinstripe Alley+15AP News+15Diario AS+15. But the race isn’t over; say one slip-up or injury, and the award becomes anyone’s game .

Cy Young Clash: Skubal, Skenes, Wheeler & Crochet

On the mound, Tarik Skubal of the Tigers remains the AL standout—2024’s Cy Young winner, still dominant with a sub‑3.20 ERA and league-leading strikeouts AP News+15Wikipedia+15MLB.com+15. NL All-Star Paul Skenes, entering his sophomore season, boasts a 2.01 ERA and piles strikeouts at an astonishing rate MLB.com+7Wikipedia+7Pinstripe Alley+7. Both are clear frontrunners, but Zack Wheeler and Garrett Crochet lurk just behind in the stats sheets ESPN.com+2Wikipedia+2Wikipedia+2. With several strong arms pushing hard, the Cy Young races remain wide open.

All‑Star Game Highlights & Context

Tuesday’s All‑Star Game gave us a jaw‑dropper: the first-ever swing‑off tiebreaker, with Kyle Schwarber’s three‑home‑run show lifting the NL to a 7‑6 win over the AL ESPN.com+3Reuters+3Wikipedia+3. Standout pitching moments featured both Skubal (AL starter) and Skenes (NL starter)—a rare duel of rising aces on that stage Reuters+10Pinstripe Alley+10Diario AS+10.

Why Second‑Half Form Is Everything

We’ve passed Game 81, but baseball’s a marathon, not a sprint. Injury, regression, or a hot streak can flip these races fast . Plus, underperforming teams (like Bullpen‑plagued Rockies or Pirates) could shift spotlight back onto players whose votes depend on overall team success .

Bottom Line

• MVP: Judge and Ohtani are entrenched, but don’t count out emerging challengers if the current leaders cool off.
• Cy Young: Skubal and Skenes headline the race—but Wheeler, Crochet, deGrom and others are breathing down their necks.
• What to Watch: Stay alert to second‑half surges or slumps, the playoff picture, and how All‑Star showdowns might tip voter sentiment.