AL MVP Opening Odds: Angels Pace the Field
Aaron Judge Opens Behind Ohtani, Trout
The 2023 AL MVP opening odds have a pair of Los Angeles Angels at the top of the odds list in Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout. Ohtani is the solid favorite, while Trout is second in the odds. Last year’s MVP, Aaron Judge, is the third choice in the betting. While there’s no rule that states the MVP has to come from a playoff team. But it certainly never hurts a player to be from a team than finishes high in the MLB standings when it’s time to count the votes. There are odds available on dozens of players and here we’ll look at the AL MVP opening odds on the top choices.
The Favorites
Shohei Ohtani (+200)
Shohei Ohtani comes in as a solid favorite, which is a bit surprising considering the year Judge just had. It also doesn’t help that his teammate is the second choice in the betting odds. But Ohtani is going to give you the dual threat you won’t get from anybody else. He’s proven the last two seasons that his pitching is top-notch. In 2022, he was 15-9 with a 2.33 ERA and 219 strikeouts in 166 innings. At the plate, Ohtani hit .273 with 34 home runs and knocked in 95 runs. Ohtani won the MVP award in 2021 and is a definite candidate to do so again this year. But the odds are pretty low and we can’t blame anybody if they shop for a player with higher odds.
Mike Trout (+550)
Trout is a three-time MVP winner who is the best player in the game – when he’s healthy. But that’s been a problem recently, as he hasn’t played in more than 140 games since 2016. A bet on Trout is a bet that he’ll stay healthy and that he’ll put up some strong numbers, enough to overshadow Ohtani. In 119 games last season, Trout hit 40 home runs and knocked in 80 runs. But he’ll have to do more to capture his first MVP since 2019.
Aaron Judge (+600)
Judge had a dream season last year, batting .311 with 62 home runs, 131 RBI and 133 runs scored. He wouldn’t be the first player to have a down season after signing a massive contract. But he’s a threat to win back-to-back MVP awards even without his best season. The Yankees are in a tough division, with Toronto, Boston and Tampa Bay, so a solid season by Judge to get the Yankees back into the playoffs could be enough.
The Contenders
Julio Rodriguez (+800)
Those hoping to cash in on Rookie of the Year Julio Rodriguez are looking at odds a little lower than hoped for. His rookie season didn’t go unnoticed by sportsbooks and bettors. It may not be easy for Rodriguez to duplicate last season’s .284 batting average with 28 home runs and 75 RBI. Rodriguez does have natural talent but Seattle isn’t a big market and he might not get the votes he deserves. You’re better off looking elsewhere.
Yordan Alvarez (+1200)
Alvarez finished third in the MVP voting last season and has to be given consideration once again. He can hit for average and hit for power. That’s what the MLB voters like to see. The Astros will be one of the favorites in American League betting this season. Houston is the biggest favorite to win its division this season. Alvarez cut down on his strikeouts and drew more walks last year, a key reason why his batting average jumped to .306. With the AL MVP opening odds at +1200, you could do a lot worse than taking Alvarez.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (+1200)
Guerrero had a down year by his 2021 standards, seeing his home runs, RBI and batting average all drop. His season wasn’t bad by any means. Very few players wouldn’t be happy with his 32 home runs and 97 RBI, but Guerrero set his standards in 2021, when he finished second in the MVP race. Anything less than those numbers have to be considered a disappointment. A talented player but it’s probably asking too much for him to beat out several of the other players.
Jose Ramirez (+1600)
Ramirez had finished in the top four in MVP voting four times, so he’s a good candidate for another solid season. The problem so far is that there’s always been somebody a little better each season. This season should be no exception for the Cleveland infielder. The Guardians are slight favorites to win their division, which should help a little bit. Another solid player whose best probably leaves him just short of an MVP award.
The Longshots
Rafael Devers (+2200)
The AL MVP opening odds on Rafael Devers are a bit on the low side at +2200. Devers hasn’t finished in the top 10 in MVP voting, but does have three finishes in the top 15. He missed 20 games last season or he would likely have finished higher than No. 14. Devers isn’t a great fielder, although he’s not quite as bad as some make him out to be. He showed decent improvement last year, although he’s in the line-up for his bat. He’ll have decent numbers again but it’s unlikely he’ll post MVP-type stats.
Corey Seager (+2500)
Corey Seager’s first season in Texas saw a huge increase in power but a huge decrease in batting average. Seager hit just .245 for the Rangers but did break the 30-home run barrier for the first time in his career. Still, the only way Seager walks away with the MVP award is to get his batting average back over .300 and keep the home runs coming. Seager is a talented hitter but expecting him to out-perform the likes of Trout, Judge and Alvarez is simply asking too much.
Wander Franco (+2500)
Franco will have a tough time living up to his AL MVP opening odds of +2500. There’s no doubt he’s a talented player but has yet to put up anything resembling MVP numbers. He doesn’t hit for power, which is a major strike against him. Franco doesn’t strike out too much, but he doesn’t draw many walks. His batting average dropped slightly to .277 last year and his power was non-existent. There are plenty of MLB players who are more enticing than Franco.
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