What happened: Greg Amsinger released his first-half MVP rankings, placing Shohei Ohtani, Yordan Alvarez, Junior Caminero, James Wood, Kyle Schwarber, Otto Lopez, Jordan Walker, and Miguel Vargas in the top eight. Amsinger excluded Pete Crow-Armstrong from the list, prompting challenges from Cliff Floyd and Dan Plesac.

Why it matters: The debate follows a recent power surge, as Pete Crow-Armstrong recently recorded a two-homer game. Disagreements among evaluators underscore the challenge of weighing recent hot streaks against season-long production. The top of the board is anchored by established veterans, leaving limited room for rising talents.

What to watch: Evaluations will continue to shift as the second half of the regular season approaches.