What happened: ESPN's Jeff Passan spotlighted the five best pitchers in the National League this season, and the numbers are staggering. Shohei Ohtani leads with a 0.82 ERA and a .447 OPS against, followed by Cristopher Sánchez (1.47 ERA, 44.2-inning scoreless streak), Jacob Misiorowski (1.83 ERA, 100 strikeouts in 64 innings), Chris Sale (1.89 ERA, 38% chase rate) and Chase Burns (1.96 ERA, 34% whiff rate).
Why it matters: A cluster of sub-2.00 ERAs this deep into the season is rare, and it sets up a crowded NL Cy Young race alongside the MVP chase, where Ohtani currently sits atop the latest poll. The run Passan first flagged in late May has only intensified, with multiple arms sustaining elite swing-and-miss and contact-suppression rates.
By the numbers: Ohtani: 0.82 ERA, .447 OPS against. Cristopher Sánchez: 1.47 ERA, 44.2 scoreless IP. Jacob Misiorowski: 1.83 ERA, 100 K in 64 IP. Chris Sale: 1.89 ERA, 38% chase rate. Chase Burns: 1.96 ERA, 34% whiff rate.
What to watch: Watch whether Sánchez can extend his scoreless streak in his next outing, and whether Ohtani sustains his dual-threat pace as he stays in the NL MVP conversation.