2024 MLB MVP Odds: AL & NL Favorites, Predictions

Ronald Acuña Jr. (National League winner) and Shohei Ohtani (American League winner) were both unanimous MVPs, marking the first time that had been done since the voting process began in 1931.

With Ohtani moving to the NL, how will the MVP race shake out in both leagues?

The latest MLB odds help answer that question.

AL MVP Odds: Favorites

Now that Ohtani has left the Los Angeles Angels to join the Los Angeles Dodgers, the AL MVP race is wide open. Ohtani won two of the last three MVPs, with Aaron Judge needing 62 home runs to claim the trophy in 2022.

Judge opened as the betting favorite this year, but Juan Soto has since passed him in his first season with the Yankees. Soto has been one of the best offensive players in the league to start the season, establishing himself as the clear favorite in this market.

But Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr. is also hitting the ball extremely well, which is why his odds have gone from +2000 to the second-best value in this race. He has the Royals out to a surprisingly strong start.

My favorite MLB betting pick at this time is on another third-year superstar, however.

Seattle’s Julio Rodríguez has seen his odds move from +800 to +2500 after a slow start to the season.

The hope is that Rodríguez has a similar path as last year, when he was one of the best players in baseball after the calendar flipped to July. If he can get hot a bit sooner in 2024, these odds will shorten in a hurry.

Prediction: Julio Rodríguez (+2500)

NL MVP Odds: Favorites

Based on the latest baseball odds, the NL MVP competition is expected to be more top-heavy than the AL race.

Mookie Betts has passed Acuña as the NL favorite, moving from +500 to +250. Betts is thriving in his new defensive position at shortstop and continues to put up incredible offensive numbers.

Acuña, who was +900 in the preseason last spring, is in his prime and might somehow build off a 41-homer and 73-stolen base campaign.

Ohtani, a two-way unicorn, deserves to be an MVP favorite for the foreseeable future. But because he’s unable to pitch this season, the premium on his price tag is likely not worth it, even if it’s down compared to his normal value.

As such, a wager on Elly De La Cruz offers the most tantalizing upside. 

De La Cruz became one of the most electric players in his first season with the Cincinnati Reds, swiping 35 bases and knocking 35 extra-base hits in 427 plate appearances. He struggled a bit as a switch-hitter, but there is a chance everything clicks in his second season.

I prefer placing a small wager on this long shot before taking advantage of discounted lines on the favorites later in the season.

Prediction: Elly De La Cruz (+3000)

2023 AL MVP Voting

2023 NL MVP Voting

List of AL & NL MVP Winners

List of MVP Winners

MLB Players With Most MVP Awards

Barry Bonds has won the most MLB MVP Awards (seven):

• Barry Bonds: 7
• Mike Trout: 3
• Albert Pujols: 3
• Alex Rodriguez: 3
• Mike Schmidt: 3
• Mickey Mantle: 3
• Yogi Berra: 3
• Roy Campanella: 3

MLB Teams With Most MVP Awards

The New York Yankees have the most MLB MVP Awards (23):

• Yankees: 23
• Cardinals: 21
• Dodgers: 14
• Giants: 14
• Athletics: 13

Has an MLB Rookie Ever Won MVP?

Fred Lynn and Ichiro Suzuki are only rookies to win MVP.

Lynn did it first, winning AL MVP in 1975 after guiding the Boston Red Sox to 95 regular-season wins and an appearance in the World Series. Ichiro won AL MVP in 2001 as the Seattle Mariners tied the MLB record for most wins in a season (116).