Pitchers and catchers will be reporting to Spring training any day, so it’s a great time to take an early look at the American and National League MVP contenders for the 2023 season.
So let’s preview the MLB MVP odds and spotlight the favorites, as well as some other intriguing players on the board, and also show you the best sportsbooks to bet on each player.
Let’s dive in!
MLB MVP Betting Odds (Courtesy of Bovada)
American League MVP Odds
- Shohei Otani – Angels DH/SP (+300)
- Aaron Judge – Yankees OF (+310)
- Vlad Guerrero Jr.- Blue Jays 1B (+350)
- Mike Trout – Angels CF (+450)
- Jordan Alverez – Astros DH (+700)
- Jose Ramirez – Guardians 3B (+800)
- Wander Franco- Rays SS (+1200)
- Kyle Tucker – Astros OF (+1400)
- Bo Bichette – Blue Jays SS (+1600)
- Corey Seager – Rangers SS (+1600)
- Rafael Devers – Red Sox 3B (+1600)
National League MVP Odds
- Juan Soto – Padres OF (+260)
- Paul Goldschmidt – Cardinals 1B (+330)
- Bryce Harper – Phillies OF (+500)
- Ronald Acuna- Braves 2B (+650)
- Mookie Betts – Dodgers OF/2B (+900)
- Freddie Freeman – Dodgers 1B (+900)
- Trea Turner – Phillies SS (+1200)
- Pete Alonso – Mets 1B (+1400)
- Nolan Arrenado – Cardinals 3B (+1400)
- Manny Machado- Padres 3B (+1400)
- Austin Riley – Braves 3B (+1600)
- Fernando Tatis Jr. Padres OF (+1600)
- Francisco Lindor Mets SS (+1600)
>> Click here to lock these odds at Bovada
The American league favorites feature the last two AL MVPs.
Do-it-all sensation Shohei Otani is the AL favorite at +300, but reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge BARELY trails at +310.
Not far behind them are Toronto’s Nepo-Baby Vlad Guererro at +350 and the only current player with three MVPs to his name, Mike Trout.
In the National League, only 6 teams with players are listed among the favorites. What’s impressive is that each of those teams has two or more players from their squad in the MVP mix.
The Padres actually have THREE MVP candidates (at least on the board), including the overall favorite to bring home the trophy, outfielder Juan Soto +260.
The only other National League player with odds under +500 is St. Louis Cardinals First Baseman Paul Goldschmidt at +330.
Although pitchers and catchers are the first to report to spring training, there are no pitchers OR catchers amongst the leaders, proving that in baseball the early bird gets NOTHING!
MLB MVP Award Info
- Finalists: TBA
- Date: TBA (Sometime after the end of the playoffs)
- Time: TBA
- Location: TBA
- Channel: MLB Network
- Odds: Check here
MLB MVP History
The American and National league Most Valuable Player award has been given to the “most valuable” player in each league every year since 1931.
The first players to be deemed “Most Valuable” were The Philadelphia Athletics’ Pitcher Lefty Grove in the AL and St.Louis Cardinals second baseman Frankie Frish.
The award is determined through a vote by members of the Baseball Writers Association of America.
The voting is based on regular season statistics, and the winners are announced after the conclusion of the World Series.
Beyond the term “most valuable,” there are no parameters for voters to consider, which has always led to controversy and debate over the winners.
All Major League players are eligible for the award, though the frequency of pitchers winning the award has decreased since the introduction of the CY Young award in 1956.
The last pitcher to win the Award in the National League was Clayton Kershaw in 2014. The last pitcher to win the Award in the American League was Justin Verlander in 2011.
For those who like to quibble: Yes, Shohei Otani won the AL MVP in 2021 as a two-way player. We consider him an amazing outlier with no comparisons in the era of the MVP.
Speaking of notable outliers, the all-time leader in MVP awards is Barry Bonds, with SEVEN NL MVPS, some of them from before he had a gigantic head (literally).
Ten players are tied for the second most with 3 MVPs, including current Anaheim Angels’ center fielder Mike Trout.
Detroit Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera is the last back-to-back winner of the award, taking home AL MVPs in both 2012 and 2013.
Only three teams in Major League Baseball have never had an MVP. The Tampa Bay Rays and Arizona Diamondbacks both entered baseball in 1998, and despite both franchises making it to the world series, neither has had an MVP winner.
What’s slightly more incredible (Amazin’?) is that the New York Mets, who joined the National League in 1962, have NEVER had an MVP.
They do have two players listed this year and might have a few more guys on this list by the end of the season if their owner has his way. Time will tell.
>> Click here for the latest MLB MVP odds
AL and NL MVP Betting Favorites
With an entire season ahead of us, it is literally anyone’s game, but barring injury, you can be pretty sure the following players will be in the MVP hunt right until the end.
Unlike most other American sports, baseball doesn’t put as much of a premium on winning when it comes to the MVP.
The two generational talents toiling away in Anaheim are proof of this. Shohei Otani won the AL MVP in 2021 on a team that went 77-85.
Mike Trout has an MVP trophy for every playoff game he’s played in, with three of each.
Ok, let’s break down the favorites in each league.
AL MVP Odds
Shohei Otani – Angels DH/SP (Betting Odds: +300 at Bovada)
The term “do it all player” can no longer be applied to any other major leaguer, thanks to Otani.
The first natural two-way baseball player of the last hundred years won the AL MVP in 2021 and finished second last year.
In those two years, he has hit 80 home runs, driven in 195 runs, scored 193, stolen 37 bases, and 14 triples, and incredibly, that’s only half of the story.
Otani also finished 4th in American League Cy Young voting after going 15-9 as a starting pitcher, with 219 strikeouts, a 2.33 ERA, and a dazzling 1.01 WHIP.
If you were thinking of taking the Otani double, his Cy Young odds for this season are +950 at BetOnline.
No other player can offer the combination of skills that Shohei Otani can.
If he can match his performances over the last two seasons, it will take a historic season by one of his competitors to beat him.
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Aaron Judge – Yankees OF (Betting Odds: +310 at Bovada)
Becoming the American League’s single-season Home Run leader would be the type of historic performance we were referring to.
That’s what Judge did last season, and it was enough for him to win AL MVP.
Back-to-back 60 HR seasons don’t happen without the help of PEDs. So unless Aaron Judge comes into spring training at seven feet tall and 350 lbs, we don’t see him matching last year’s Home Run output.
But because he’s the franchise player on the New York Yankees, he may not need to reach last season’s numbers to contend.
If Judge can lead his squad to a division title, it could be enough to sway the voters who are desperate to find a reason to vote for a Yankee.
Vladamir Guerrero Jr. – Blue Jays 1B (Betting Odds: +350 at MyBookie)
Vladamir Guerrero Jr.’s dad won the AL MVP in 2004 with the Angels. Can Vlad Jr. make it a family tradition?
He’ll have a much better chance if he returns to his 2021 form when he finished second in AL MVP voting after putting up 48 HR and 111 RBI.
Last season his numbers were down across the board. He still ended up 16th in MVP voting and added the first gold glove of his career.
If he can get his bat and his glove in top form simultaneously, it might be enough to make the Guerreros the first father/son MVPs ever.
For the record, we still feel that Dale Berra was robbed of the 1983 NL MVP when he led the national league in intentional walks with 19.
Mike Trout – Angels CF (Betting Odds: +450 at BetOnline)
We promise, this article is in no way connected to the Los Angeles Angels (of Anaheim).
It just so happens that they have a proud history of MVPs, including Trout, baseball’s only active three-time winner.
He’s also finished second in MVP voting four times and has only finished outside the top 5 twice in his career.
Of course, those two times are the last two seasons, as injuries have robbed Trout of more than an entire season’s worth of games in that time.
In only 119 games last year, Trout hit 40 HR and ended up finishing 8th in MVP voting.
If he can somehow play 140 games, it could be enough to put him alone in second place all time, with 4 MVP trophies.
Click here to view the latest AL MVP odds at Bovada
NL MVP Odds
Juan Soto – Padres OF (Betting Odds: +260 at Bovada)
Juan Soto already has three top-10 MVP finishes in his career, and he’s only 24, making him a prime contender to win NL MVP.
It seems like a near certainty that he will win multiple NL MVP awards before his career is over. Will this be the year he wins his first?
His numbers dropped from “staggering” to just “good” when he got to San Diego last year after a trade from the Washington Nationals.
Now that he’s acclimated to the team, we expect him to return to his usual self.
The Padres’ offense is going to be bonkers this season, and Soto could end up with some monster numbers; the question is, will they be surpassed by one of the other sluggers on his own team?
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Paul Goldschmidt – Cardinals 1B (Betting Odds: +330 at BetOnline)
Goldschmidt took home his first National League MVP last season after finishing second twice and third another time when he played for the Diamondbacks.
He’s very quietly been one of the best hitters in the game for the past decade, and now that he’s nailed down his first MVP, will there be more to follow?
There hasn’t been a back-to-back MVP in the National League since 2008-09, but that MVP was a first baseman for the Cardinal…
Bryce Harper – Phillies OF (Betting Odds: +500 at MyBookie)
Bryce Harper had Tommy John Surgery this off-season, and while he recently got a good prognosis about his recovery, there’s still an expectation that Harper will miss at least the first few months of the season.
With so much talent in the National League, he’ll have a lot of ground to make up to stay in the NL MVP race.
Still, Harper currently has the third-best odds to win the award, which is why he is listed here and not in our “Bettor Beware” section. We still urge you to beware.
Ronald Acuna- Braves OF (Betting Odds: +650 at Bovada)
The Braves slugger has only played 201 out of a possible 324 regular season games the past two seasons, so injuries could be a concern.
Acuna is only 25 years old and may still have untapped potential. If he can stay healthy, he will be hitting in a stacked lineup with the opportunity to put up impressive numbers.
Now that the DH is universal, Atlanta may be able to rotate Acuna into the spot in an effort to preserve his health.
If Acuna can play 150 games, a 30-30 steal season is within reach, and a 40/40 season isn’t out of the question. Maybe this will be more than enough to help him win MVP.
Lock the best NL MVP odds by joining Bovada today
MLB MVP Predictions
We’ve expressed our concerns with Bryce Harper, but there are a couple of other names who don’t have our unabashed enthusiasm.
Here are other cautious MLB MVP predictions.
AL MVP Fades
Jose Ramirez – Guardians 3B (Betting Odds: +800 at Bovada)
Did you know Jose Ramirez has four top 5 AL MVP finishes in the last six years? And he finished sixth another year? Pretty impressive.
So why do we have him listed here? Simply put, popularity.
While Ramirez is an incredibly consistent, highly productive player, there are just too many superstars with higher profiles who will draw the voters’ eyes.
Another top 5 MVP finish is possible, if not probable, but we think he will come up short once again.
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Bo Bichette – Blue Jays SS (Betting Odds: +1600 at BetOnline)
Much like Ramirez, Bichette will have to step out of the shadow of some bigger names to win the MVP.
In his case, it’s from his own teammate and fellow second-generation major leaguer Vladamir Guerrero Jr.
The Blue Jays share a division with the Red Sox and Yankees, who tend to dominate the coverage.
We just don’t think the voters have enough bandwidth to keep TWO Canadian candidates in their crosshairs.
NL MVP Fades
Fernando Tatis Jr. Padres OF (Betting Odds: +1600 at Bovada)
Tatis is suspended until April 20 as he finishes his 80-game ban for performance enhancers. He hasn’t taken the field since his motorcycle crash before the 2022 season.
And while we suspect he’ll be highly motivated to prove himself, over a year away from baseball is a long time to just come back at peak levels.
There’s also one other compelling reason to be wary of Tatis Jr’s chances for the MVP.
If you haven’t been paying attention, baseball voters don’t tend to like voting for PED users.
Despite playing on an offensive juggernaut, we can’t imagine a scenario where Tatis Jr. can overcome the writers’ bias.
MLB MVP Odds Betting Guide
Spring Training will soon be underway, and bettors will be able to get a look at all the candidates on the field.
Once the regular season begins, there will be 162 games from there until MVP voting, so we’re bound to see a lot of movement in these lines.
There may even be some players who emerge that are currently off the board.
Even though the AL and NL favorites both feature multiple MVP winners, we like a few players further down the list who could be in for big seasons.
Some of them may not have odds this good for the rest of the year.
With all that in mind, here are some potential value bets courtesy of Bovada:
AL MVP Dark Horses
Wander Franco- Rays SS (Betting Odds: +1200 at Bovada)
This pick involves a little bit of projection and trust in the Tampa Bay scouting department.
The Rays signed Franco to a 3.85 million contract as an international free agent when he was 16 years old.
For a team that usually spends that much money on their entire roster (more slight exaggeration), they obviously had a lot of faith in the shortstop.
He rewarded them by quickly becoming the #1 prospect in baseball.
Though he hasn’t yet put up MVP numbers, he just turned 22(March 1) and has the talent to make a huge jump.
Both Bryce Harper and Mike Trout won their first MVP trophies at 22. Can Wander join them?
Tampa Bay isn’t a media darling, but they ARE the only American League team without an MVP winner in their history. Baseball writers do love making history.
If Franco hits his projected ceiling and wins the MVP, we fully expect the voters to go back to ignoring the Rays for the rest of time.
Rafael Devers – Red Sox 3B (Betting Odds: +1600 at Bovada)
When you think about all the talent Boston has parted with in the past few years (Mookie Betts, Xander Boegarts), they must really think highly of Devers.
Especially after they signed him to a 10-year, 313.5 Million dollar contract this offseason.
We happen to agree. The Red Sox may not boast the firepower of other lineups, but when Devers is on his game, he’s a one-man wrecking crew.
If he can live up to that contract, the Boston fans will be screaming MVP so loudly the voters might choose him just to shut them up.
NL MVP Dark Horses
Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman LA Dodgers (Both +900 at Bovada)
Each of these Hall of Famers to-be has won a Most Valuable Player trophy already and are contenders every year. Last season they finished 4th (Freeman) and 5th(Betts) in the NL voting.
The Padres look to be the favorite for the division, but we’ve heard that song before.
The Dodgers front office (and checkbook) will keep the team competitive, and if the past is prologue, the Padres will be looking up at the Dodgers come season’s end.
If that’s the case, you can be sure Freeman and Betts had a lot to do with it, and they won’t go unnoticed by the voters.
Pete Alonso (+1400) and Francisco Lindor (+1600) at Bovada
The Mets head into the season with Championship aspirations, as the clock is ticking on Steve Cohen’s “title in five years” promise he made after purchasing the team before the 2021 season.
In the wake of the failed pursuit of Carlos Correa, the offensive load will rest on Alonso and Lindor.
Both players are in their prime, with Alonso entering the season at 28 and Lindor at 29.
After a disappointing first-round playoff exit last season, they should be motivated to prove the doubters wrong.
And Cohen could use the money he didn’t spend on Correa to mount million-dollar MVP campaigns for Alonso and Lindor. Steinbrenner would have…
Based in the US? Here are some state-specific betting guides:
- Online Sports Betting in Texas
- Best Louisiana Sports Betting Sites
- Best Mississippi Sports Betting Sites
- Best Sports Betting Sites in Tennessee
Get a $750 Welcome Bonus for Betting on MLB MVP Odds at Bovada
The AL and NL MVPs are the most prestigious individual Awards in Major League Baseball.
The list of past winners is filled with Hall of Famers, and you can be sure some of the players listed amongst the favorites for this year’s MVP will end up in Cooperstown too.
Bovada wants to drum up as much interest in this wager as they can, which is why they’re currently running a special in which you can get a 75% crypto match bonus up to $750 to bet on sports such as baseball.
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We doubt that you needed another excuse to bet on this Award, but Bovada just provided you with one anyway.
Where to Bet on MLB MVP Odds
You can bet on the AL and NL MVPs at a number of online sportsbooks or even at your local brick-and-mortar establishment.
We’d recommend spending your money at a big, established online bookie like BetOnline or Bovada, though.
These sites have been around for years, building up a reputation for treating players fairly. That’s far from the only reason to bet with them, though:
- They’re Convenient: You can get the most up-to-date lines anytime you want, simply by refreshing the page.
- They Reward Players: We’ve already mentioned the special that Bovada is running, but that’s just one of the many rewards these sites offer new and existing players. They’re always looking for ways to get you into the action — other sportsbooks simply can’t compete with that.
- They Offer Round-The-Clock Action: You can bet on most sports matchups right up to the start time, and then you can get live bets during the game.
Why Bet on the MLB MVP Awards?
The MLB MVP is the highest individual honor a player can achieve in baseball. As one of the oldest trophies in the sport, it offers prestige that no other award can match.
Here are some reasons why betting on the AL and NL MVP represents unique value:
- Great Odds: Once the season starts, you might not get odds close to what’s being offered right now.
- Murderer’s Rows: There are some stacked lineups in both leagues this year (Astros, Padres, Blue Jays, Braves, etc.). We could be in for some explosive offensive performances. If you think you know who will lead one of these powerhouse offenses, lock them up before they hit 15 home runs in April, and the odds go down to +101.
- Just Bet NO: Did you know you can bet that one of these players WON’T win the MVP? The odds aren’t as juicy as betting someone to win, but just like with the claw machine at the arcade, it’s easier to pick a loser than a winner.
AL and NL MLB MVP Odds: FAQs
What is the MLB MVP?
The AL and NL Most Valuable Player awards are presented to one player in each league by the Baseball Writers Association of America, based on a vote of their members.
When are the AL and NL MVPs Awarded?
The 2023 AL and NL MVP winners are announced sometime after the conclusion of the World Series.
Who were the Most Valuable Players last season?
New York Yankees Outfielder Aaron Judge won the American League MVP.
St.Louis Cardinals First Baseman Paul Goldschmidt won the MVP in the National League.
It was the first MVP win for both players.
Still Searching for the Best MLB MVP Odds?
With so much talent in both leagues, it’s impossible to say who the winners will be with any certainty.
The favorites in each league, Shohei Otani (+300) and Juan Soto (+260), are worthy of those spots.
If you are looking for more baseball betting value, we think Rafael Devers (+1600) in the AL and Mookie Betts (+900) in the NL represent good odds and are primed for big seasons.
You can bet on these players at Bovada and BetOnline, two top MLB betting sites. As you do so, remember to wager responsibly.
DISCLAIMER: As we’ve always emphasized, gambling is a risky entertainment form. With this in view, you should never take this path to resolve financial difficulties as there’s nothing assured. Remember, at any given point, the “house always wins.”
Do you feel as though you’re approaching problem gambling, or do you know someone with a similar issue? Without further ado, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700. Also, gambling sites are 18+ only.
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