If you enjoy betting on MLB player awards, now is the time to pounce on some markets that are piping hot. There are fresh Cy Young odds up at most sportsbooks, and you can also bet on the latest MLB MVP odds, among other markets.

The race to win the AL and NL MVP awards takes center stage in this post, as we’re breaking down the top players who have a shot at claiming the hardware. Some huge names are poised to nab the trophy for their respective league, but with more baseball to be played, nothing is set in stone just yet.

My suggestion is two-fold; shop around the best pricing at your favorite MLB betting sites, and then read through this guide for a breakdown of the best options. Should we back the current MLB MVP favorites, or does it make more sense to target some value?

I’ll point you in the right direction with a look at the latest odds and my top MLB MVP picks.

Who Won The American League MVP?

When betting on MLB MVP winners, the players you’re betting on don’t have to be in play when it comes to the MLB Pennants races, but it certainly helps.

Last year’s winner, Aaron Judge, obviously got a lot of steam due to smashing 58 home runs and hitting for a cool .322 batting average. It didn’t hurt that his New York Yankees were one of the best teams in baseball, won the AL East, and went on to play in the World Series.

Who Won The National League MVP?

On the other side, there was the NL MVP, with Los Angeles Dodgers Shohei Ohtani coasting to a big win. Ohtani was god-level in his first season in L.A., crushing a career-high 54 dingers with 130 RBI, 59 stolen bases, and a crisp .310 batting average.

Much like Judge, Ohtani didn’t have empty stats. His Dodgers won the NL West, but were the victors in the end, triumphing over the Yanks in the 2024 World Series.

MLB MVP Odds

Check out the latest MLB odds for the MVP Award:

The 2025 MLB MVP odds are not that exciting, as we’re probably looking at the two winners already. Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani stand out as obvious betting favorites, coming in with alarming -550 and -700 MVP odds.

If you want knee-jerk MLB MVP picks, though, I think Cal Raleigh stands out as a legit contender to keep Judge from the trophy this season. I’ll dive more into why I think that is, as well as make cases for Judge and other AL MVP contenders, but if things break just right, he looks like the best path to actual value for this market.

Nobody is dethroning Ohtani, though. We could go back and forth – and I’ll still analyze his “contenders” – but he appears to be in a league of his own in the National League. He’s already the best hitter in all of baseball, but add his return to pitching to it, and it’s game over.

Of course, every single betting market deserves a deep dive. Before you bet on who will win the MLB MVP this year, join me as I look at the most likely threats.

For more advice, check out the top sports betting handicappers money can buy.

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AL MVP Odds

• Aaron Judge (-550)
• Cal Raleigh (+275)
• Tarik Skubal (+6600)
• Bobby Witt Jr. (+12500)
• Jose Ramirez (+12500)
• Jeremy Pena (+12500)

Aaron Judge (-550)

New York Yankees star outfielder Aaron Judge is the runaway favorite to win the AL MVP award. Change the record, am I right? Judge won this same award in 2024, and he’s now collected the trophy in two out of the last three seasons.

Judge is on a similar path once again in 2025, as he clubbed 35 home runs prior to the MLB All-Star break. He hasn’t just crushed as a slugger, though. He’s also gotten on base regularly even beyond his power, as he boasts a staggering .355 batting average and a .462 OPS.

It’s not all for nothing, either. Judge is a legit MVP candidate based on his personal accomplishments, but he also has his Yanks in contention for first place in the AL East. This is quite the calling card considering many expected New York to take a dip once stud pitcher Gerrit Cole was ruled out for the year.

Judge doesn’t need to win the AL East crown to earn the MVP award, though. He just needs to keep his power and efficiency numbers going in the second half of the year so he can fend off his only realistic challenger.

Cal Raleigh (+275)

That’d be none other than Seattle Mariners masher Cal Raleigh, who is fresh off of a magical Home Run Derby win, and is pacing all of baseball with a mind-boggling 38 bombs. His power isn’t coming up empty in the win column, either, as his team still has a shot to finish first in the AL West.

Raleigh’s team success might be a bit more important for his AL MVP case, as Judge is far ahead of him in terms of efficiency and consistency, and doesn’t trail him much in the long ball department. The Seattle slugger dubbed “Big Dumper” is only batting .255 on the year, and has just three more dongs than the AL MVP favorite.

Naturally, Raleigh’s best path to the upset is Seattle enjoying more success than the Yanks, while he undeniably needs to hold off Judge for the home run lead in the majors. It’s not an impossible task, of course, and his +275 odds suggest the top online sportsbooks at least think he has a chance.

More than that, though, Judge’s -550 price tag is a huge waste of time. I’d rather go down swinging with Raleigh at +275 or simply go find another MLB prop bet to chase after.

Tarik Skubal (+6600)

Raleigh is probably the only realistic contender to dethrone Judge for the MVP in the American League, but if you want one YOLO bet to target, consider betting on a pitcher to win it.

The only one that makes sense is Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, who is enjoying a career year and quarterbacking his squad to the best record in the American League. That naturally has the Tigers poised to run away with the AL Central crown, but team success aside, Skubal is a really good bet to win the Cy Young for the AL side.

Skubal’s 2025 season has been insane, as he’s so far posted a stout 10-3 record with a blistering 2.23 ERA and 153 strikeouts. This is worth noting, as he was already showing his superstar potential with a 2.39 ERA in 2024, but he somehow managed to get even better this year.

Pitchers don’t often win MLB MVP awards. If you look at the last decade, Shohei Ohtani is the only one who qualifies, and he’s known more for his hitting. It’d be quite the upset and I doubt it happens, but considering the season he’s having – and how good Detroit has been – Skubal as a +6600 flier isn’t insane.

Bet: Cal Raleigh (+275)

NL MVP Odds

• Shohei Ohtani (-700)
• Pete Crow-Armstrong (+600)
• Juan Soto (+1600)
• Kyle Tucker (+5000)
• Francisco Lindor (+6000)
• Ketel Marte (+6000)

Shohei Ohtani (-700)

Are the MLB MVP voters suffering from Ohtani fatigue? If so, pick your favorite contender and swing for the fences. Not convinced that’s the case? Then there’s not much reason to bet against baseball’s biggest star.

Ohtani continues to be the phenom everyone dresses him up to be, as he claimed the NL MVP trophy in his first year with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024, and won in his final season with the Los Angeles Angels the year before.

No longer forced to contend with Aaron Judge in the American League, Ohtani really doesn’t have much competition in the NL. His absurd -700 price tag isn’t met with eagerness just because you’re not getting great value, but that doesn’t make him any less likely to win.

Going into the MLB All-Star break, Ohtani was as good as ever, keeping pace with the best power hitters the game has to offer with 32 long balls to his name. Ohtani is about more than just power, of course, as he’s also hit a solid .276 and has 12 steals to his name.

Ohtani can and probably will win the NL MVP award on hitting alone, but that little added wrinkle of pitching can’t be ignored. He hasn’t toed the rubber a ton in 2025, but he holds a 1.00 ERA across nine innings of work so far.

Pete Crow-Armstrong (+600)

The race to win the 2025 NL MVP is likely already over, but let’s throw a bone to Chicago Cubs breakout star, Pete-Crow Armstrong. He’s still not a household name, but he’s been a major catalyst for Chicago’s rise to the top of the NL Central, and has clubbed 26 home runs along the way.

The Milwaukee Brewers are nipping at Chicago’s heels as we speak, but Crow-Armstrong’s production has been a big reason for their success. He’s brought more than power to the table, though, as he’s hit a respectable .265 and has also proven to be a terror on the bases with 27 steals.

Crow-Armstrong isn’t just an interesting bet because of his gaudy stats and team success, however. He’s also an interesting NL MVP candidate due to the meteoric jump he’s enjoyed in just one season. He had a grand total of 10 homers a year ago, while he’s already matched last year’s stolen base count in almost 30 fewer games.

Chicago has a loaded offense with other guys who could toss their ring in the hate (here’s to looking at you, Kyle Tucker), so it’s tough for Crow-Armstrong to truly stand out. But if you’re seeking out some value for this market, he’s the first guy to consider.

Juan Soto (+1600)

I am not super keen on Crow-Armstrong’s chances of garnering a ton of votes, so if I was going to bet against Shohei Ohtani, I’d go with Juan Soto at this crazy +1600 price, instead.

Soto’s shift from the New York Yankees to the New York Mets didn’t go quite as expected at first, but the power eventually came back to his bat and he has his team within arm’s reach of winning the NL East.

The Mets are a legit title contender with Soto on the roster, but it’s obviously good that he’s also producing like an MVP candidate. Soto was crushing with the pinstripes in 2024 – and it’s not a given he matches that production this year – but he’s really been about as good with his new squad.

Soto is halfway to last year’s home run total (23), has more stolen bases than he had in all of 2024 (11), and has enjoyed some clutch moments. His WAR is way down and his batting average could be better, but overall, he’s offering enough numbers to keep his name in the conversation.

It’s all about the second half if you want to bet on an NL MVP sleeper like Soto, though. His first half numbers have been fine enough, and his Mets are one of the better teams in baseball. If he can be a bit more efficient and keep picking the power up, he could end up being a darkhorse candidate to upset Ohtani.

That said, I just don’t see Ohtani losing. He’s simply too good.

Bet: Shohei Ohtani (-700)

MLB MVP Winners

The following is a list of the most recent MLB MVP winners: