NL MVP Betting Odds 2023: Juan Soto Current Front-Runner for Star-Studded San Diego Padres

Can Paul Goldschmidt be First Back-to-Back NL MVP Since Albert Pujols in 2009?

After Missing the Entire 2022 Season, Tatis Is Back in the MVP Conversation

There has been quite a bit of buzz in baseball thanks to the World Baseball Classic and more than a little talk about pitching clocks, no-shift rules and larger bases.

The MLB regular season schedule is set to begin on March 30th, so what better time is there to take a look at the odds to win the National League Most Valuable Player award?

There are familiar names at the top of the list with Juan Soto of the San Diego Padres, Ronald Acuna Jr. of the Atlanta Braves and Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers the current front-runners when it comes to the NL MVP betting odds 2023.

Looking to Bounce Back

After hitting .351 and .313 with the Washington Nationals during the 2020 and 2021 seasons, former National League batting champion Juan Soto was hitting just .246 when he was traded to the San Diego Padres.

Soto’s batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage fell after the trade. He did hit two home runs in the National League Championship Series against Philadelphia. However, he hit just .222 in the five games against the Phillies. In 12 postseason games with the Padres, Soto hit just .236.

Soto is too good of a hitter to have another season hitting under .250 so expect a bounce-back season in his first full season with the Padres.

Soto only played in five spring training games due to taking part in the World Baseball Classic. He hit .571 with four of his eight hits going for extra bases and he looks ready to go.

Soto is priced at +550 to win the MVP, according to the NL MVP betting odds 2023.

In It for the Long Haul

The one season the Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. appeared in more than 150 games, he finished fifth in MVP voting.

Getting through an entire season has been a bit of a challenge. He missed 43 games last season and if his numbers were projected over 162 games, he would have finished with 97 runs, 33 doubles, 20 home runs, 68 RBIs and 39 stolen bases. He is expected to put up even better numbers in 2023.

Could Acuna make a run at a season with 40 stolen bases and 40 home runs after coming three stolen bases shy of that mark in 2019?

According to the NL 2023 MVP betting odds, he is second to Soto at +750 in the MVP odds.

Checking On The Former Champs

Among former Most Valuable Players, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts, who was the AL MVP award in 2018 when he was with the Boston Red Sox, has the best odds. He is followed by 2022 winner Paul Goldschmidt of the St. Louis Cardinals as he comes in at +1000 when looking at the National League opening odds.

Trea Turner, who joined the Philadelphia Phillies in the offseason and was a star for the U.S. at the World Baseball Classic, also is priced at +1000 in the MVP odds. 2020 NL MVP Freddie Freeman, now in his second season with the Dodgers, isn’t far behind at +1200. New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso and third baseman Manny Machado are both at +1400 with Austin Riley of the Atlanta Braves and Nolan Arenado of the St. Louis Cardinals at +1600.

Betts is hitting just .133 in spring training even if both of his hits have been home runs so keep that in mind as the regular season is fast approaching. Freeman is hitting over .300 in the spring. Four of Alonso’s first 10 hits in spring training were home runs, Turner hit .500 in his first six games in spring training.

Bryce Harper will miss time this season and that is why he is well back at +4000 in the MVP odds.

Christian Yelich of the Milwaukee Brewers, the 2018 NL MVP, is priced at +6600 while 2019 winner Cody Bellinger, who has moved from the Dodgers to the Chicago Cubs, is well back at

Making Up For Lost Time

An offseason injury cost Fernando Tatis the entire 2022 season. That was a bitter pill to swallow as the Padres fell just short of reaching the World Series without Tatis’ big bat in the middle of the batting order.

Tatis, who has moved from shortstop to right field with the hope of keeping him healthy, has hit .300 with three extra-base hits and three stolen bases in 15 games in spring training.

Tatis has finished in the top five in the MVP voting in both 2020 and 2021 and he comes in at +1000 heading into the 2023 season.

Pitching In

The last pitcher to win the National League Most Valuable Player was Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2014. Before that, the last time it happened came in 1968 when the legendary Bob Gibson accomplished the feat.

Reigning National League Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara of the Miami Marlins, who was 14-9 with a 2.28 ERA, is the current leader among pitchers at +5000. Justin Verlander, a three-time American League Cy Young, joined the New York Mets. After spending each of his first 17 seasons being spent in the American League, he comes in at +6600 in the MVP odds as he is set to make his National League MVP.
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