Henry Roldán
Ready to swing for the fences? With the Major League season right around the corner, JefeBet is stepping up to the plate to bring you the latest and greatest on who’s favored to clinch the MLB MVP award in both the American and National Leagues. We’ve got our eyes glued to the action in Las Vegas, so you don’t have to miss a beat leading up to the start of the regular season. Don’t get caught off base, trust JefeBet to keep you in the know on all things MVP.
Thus, don’t miss out on our analysis of each of the top contenders for the Most Valuable Player award, as well as our prediction for who will come out on top in both leagues.
Predictions, Odds, Betting Preview, and Favorites to win the MLB MVP in the American League and National League in 2023
[the_ad_placement id=”sports-baseball”]
Odds are provided by DraftKings.
American League
Favorites
Shohei Ohtani (+200) – Los Angeles Angels
Last season, the Japanese sensation came razor-close to clinching back-to-back MVP titles in the American League, but Aaron Judge’s colossal 62 home runs stole the show.
Fast-forward to 2023, and the Angels’ star player is once again the odds-on favorite to take home the trophy. Widely regarded as the best player in the game today, he boasts an unparalleled offensive skill set and formidable presence on the pitcher’s mound, a rarity in baseball history.
Over the past two seasons, Ohtani has racked up an impressive 80 home runs, 195 RBIs, 56 doubles, 14 triples, 37 steals, 188 walks, an OBP of .364, and an OPS of .918. Not too shabby for a guy who also happens to start games on the mound every five days for his team.
Aaron Judge (+450) – New York Yankees
With his future secured on the Yankees’ roster, Aaron Judge can focus on the task at hand, which is securing a second MVP award in the American League.
The New York outfielder delivered a historic performance in 2022, finishing first in the majors in home runs (62 – a record for the AL), RBIs (131), runs scored (133), total bases (391), OBP (.425), SLG (.686), OPS (1.111), and OPS+ (211).
Let’s not forget that in 2021, when Ohtani took home the trophy, Judge placed fourth in the voting, and in his 2017 Rookie of the Year campaign, he finished second in the MVP race. With his sights set on the top prize, Judge is sure to bring his A-game and leave everything on the field this season.
Mike Trout (+450) – Los Angeles Angels
In the sportsbooks of Las Vegas, Mike Trout, Ohtani’s teammate, is seen as one of the strongest contenders for the MVP award.
Despite suffering from injuries in recent seasons, the three-time American League MVP winner was back to his old self last year, finishing eighth in the voting after belting 40 home runs, driving in 99 runs, and registering an OPS of .999.
If he can stay healthy, there’s no doubt that Trout, who also represented the United States in the World Baseball Classic, could add another MVP season to his already impressive career.
Sleeper Picks
Julio Rodriguez (+700) – Seattle Mariners
Dominican player, Rodríguez, has caused such a stir in Major League Baseball that in just his second season in the league, he’s already among the favorites to win the American League MVP award.
Let’s not forget that Rodríguez missed out on winning the Rookie of the Year award unanimously last season by just one vote, after hitting 28 home runs, tallying 73 RBIs, and stealing 25 bases in his first experience with the Seattle Mariners.
Now, in his second stint in the majors, Las Vegas sportsbooks are expecting to see a more mature player capable of developing more power at the plate.
Yordan Alvarez (+1100) – Houston Astros
The Cuban slugger from the Astros has earned the respect of rival pitchers and is now considered one of the most dangerous hitters in the game.
Since winning Rookie of the Year in the American League in 2019, this power hitter has been wreaking havoc at the plate. After finishing third in last year’s MVP race, he’s now a top candidate for the award in 2023.
Over the past two seasons, he’s hit at least 30 homers with Houston, and in 2022 he came just three RBIs shy of three straight seasons with 100 or more. Not only can this lefty slugger hit for power, but he also boasts an impressive .306 batting average and a 1.019 OPS.
Dark Horse
Jose Ramirez (+1500) – Cleveland Guardians
It has become customary to see the name of the Dominican player among the top contenders for the American League MVP award in recent seasons.
In the last six seasons, the third baseman for the Guardians has finished among the top six players voted for the MVP, and even in the shortened 2020 season, he finished second in the voting behind Cuban José Abreu.
Last season, Ramírez hit 29 home runs, after hitting 36 in 2021, and set a personal record for RBIs with 126. Additionally, he led the American League in doubles with 44 and was first in all of baseball in intentional walks received with 20.
National League
Favorites
Juan Soto (+550) – San Diego Padres
In Las Vegas, they’re feeling pretty confident that San Diego Padres outfielder Juan Soto will win his first MLB MVP this season.
After finishing second in the National League voting last year while playing for the Nationals, the Dominican will be a key player for San Diego and surrounded by other top hitters who could make pitchers think twice about pitching around him.
Soto arrived in San Diego last year in a blockbuster trade from Washington and led all of MLB in walks for the second straight season with 135. While his numbers were slightly down in 2021, Soto is still widely considered the best pitch selector in baseball and led the league in batting average, OBP, SLG, and OPS in 2020.
Ronald Acuña Jr. (+850) – Atlanta Braves
After a couple of slow seasons due to injuries, Ronald Acuña Jr. seems ready to recreate his first two performances with the Braves in MLB, and Las Vegas is expecting just that.
In 2018, the Atlanta outfielder finished as the National League Rookie of the Year, and in 2019 he finished fifth in the MVP voting after joining the 30-30 club with 41 home runs, 37 stolen bases, and 101 RBIs.
In 2021, the Venezuelan was on his way to a great season, but a mid-season injury caused him to miss the rest of the action. In 2022, he hit 15 home runs and stole 29 bases in 119 games, numbers that are expected to improve this time around thanks to the talent he has demonstrated on the diamond.
Mookie Betts (+850) – Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers’ player is a regular resident on the list of the best players in Major League Baseball, which is why he’s always among the favorites to take home the top awards.
Betts already knows what it takes to win an MVP, having done so in 2018 while playing for the Boston Red Sox. In that season, he hit 32 home runs, drove in 80 runs, and led all baseball in runs scored (129), batting average (.346), and slugging percentage (.640).
Last season was the best for the outfielder since joining the Los Angeles team in 2019, as he finished first in the National League in runs scored with 117, hit .269 with the bat, and added 40 doubles with 35 home runs.
Sleeper Picks
Fernando Tatis Jr (+900) – San Diego Padres
Despite missing nearly the first month of the season due to suspension, Fernando Tatis Jr. of the Padres is still considered one of the favorites to win the National League MVP.
His return is scheduled for April 20th, and he is expected to be a major contributor alongside Manny Machado and Juan Soto in one of the most feared lineups in the MLB.
Tatis Jr. finished fourth in the MVP voting in the 2020 season, while in 2021 he finished third after leading the National League in home runs with 42, producing 97 RBIs, and stealing 25 bases.
Trea Turner (+1200) – Philadelphia Phillies
Trea Turner joined the Phillies this winter with a massive 11-year, $300 million contract as one of the best shortstops in the game.
The 29-year-old finished fifth in the 2021 National League MVP voting, leading all of MLB with 195 hits and a .328 batting average while playing for the Nationals and Dodgers.
Last season in LA, he hit 20 homers for the second year in a row and drove in 100 runs for the first time in his career, a performance that’s expected to continue as he becomes a superstar for the Phillies. He’s already showing off his skills with a stellar performance in the World Baseball Classic.
Dark Horse
Austin Riley (+1500) – Atlanta Braves
Austin Riley has been a victim of being underrated by analysts in the last two seasons, as his impressive statistics with the Braves have not translated into higher MVP votes.
The Atlanta third baseman finished seventh and sixth in MVP voting in 2021 and 2022, respectively, despite hitting more than 30 home runs and driving in more than 90 runs in each season. In addition to his power, Riley has shown to be a skilled contact hitter, batting .303 in 2021 and leading the National League in total bases with 325 last season. Don’t underestimate Riley’s potential to be a dark horse MVP candidate this year.
JefeBet Prediction
Shohei Ohtani is the undisputed frontrunner for the American League MVP award. Unless something out of the ordinary happens, Shohei Ohtani is expected to once again be the top contender for the American League MVP award.
The Japanese superstar is currently the best player in the league and is showing his top form at the World Baseball Classic while representing Japan. Over the years, Ohtani has become a better batter, and with Trout and Rendon healthy, he’ll be facing many more hittable pitches in 2023.
On the National League side, it’s surprising to see that Paul Goldschmidt, the reigning MVP who also played for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, isn’t in the top five favorites according to Las Vegas.
This could be due to the strength of the two frontrunners, Soto and Acuña Jr., as well as other candidates like Trea Turner. In the past two seasons, Turner, who now plays for the Phillies, has found his sweet spot at the plate and, combined with his incredible speed, makes him a force to be reckoned with for opposing teams.
Fueled by his new contract and playing on a team in Philadelphia that is expected to contend for big things this year, Turner is poised to have the best season of his career.
Prediction: Shohei Ohtani (American League) and Trea Turner (National League).
Bet on the above prediction or the one of your choice, and get a FREE instant bonus by clicking on the banner below.
Offer for US Residents:
[the_ad_placement id=”articles-draftkings”]
Offer for Residents in Chile:
[the_ad_placement id=”articles-jefebet-chile”]
Are you neither in Chile nor in the USA? Play now!
[the_ad_placement id=”articles-jefe-predicciones”]
