2026 MLB MVP Award Odds and Predictions

MLB MVP futures are already worth tracking, especially before the market tightens deeper into the season. This is one of the cleaner awards boards on the baseball calendar because you can still find difference between the most likely winner and the best betting price.

The American League looks top-heavy but still open enough to attack. The National League is much more concentrated around one clear favorite, which makes the value conversation very different from one league to the other.

Below, we’ll look at who won the awards last season, where the current AL and NL MVP markets stand, and which futures actually make sense right now if you want price and path to line up.

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?

Aaron Judge won the 2025 American League MVP for the New York Yankees. It was a tight race, but he still edged Cal Raleigh after pulling 17 first-place votes to Raleigh’s 13.

Judge’s case was easy to understand. He led MLB in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS, while also hitting 53 home runs. The Yankees also went 94-68 and reached the postseason, which gave his profile the team-success support voters usually like.

Who Won The National League MVP?

Shohei Ohtani won the 2025 National League MVP for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The vote was unanimous, and it marked his third straight MVP overall and fourth in five years.

Ohtani’s case was even stronger than the award result suggests. He hit .282/.392/.622 with 55 home runs and an MLB-best 1.014 OPS, then added a 2.87 ERA over 14 starts after returning to the mound. The Dodgers also won the NL West and the World Series, which only strengthened the case.

MLB MVP Odds

Check out the latest MLB odds for the MVP Award:

The AL market is strong at the top, but it is still playable. Judge is the favorite, but he is not priced like an untouchable runaway leader, which leaves room for a real value discussion behind him.

The NL market is different. Ohtani sits at -145, which tells you the board is heavily tilted toward one player before the season even gets going. That makes him the most likely winner, but not automatically the best bet.

That is the main split between the two leagues. In the AL, the value case can come from the next tier. In the NL, the whole question is whether you want to pay the premium on Ohtani or pivot to a longer number with a real path.

The top names still deserve most of the attention, but there are a few secondary options worth discussing if you want more leverage.

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AL MVP Odds

• Aaron Judge (+215)
• Bobby Witt Jr. (+500)
• Cal Raleigh (+1100)
• Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (+1300)
• Roman Anthony (+1400)
• Nick Kurtz (+1500)

Aaron Judge (+215)

Judge is the clear favorite for a reason. He is the defending AL MVP, he has won three AL MVP awards in four years, and his 2025 production gave voters everything they typically reward in this market.

The case is simple and very strong. He hit .331 with 53 home runs, led MLB in OBP, slugging, and OPS, and did it on a Yankees team that won 94 games and reached the playoffs. That is the best baseline on the AL board.

The only real issue is price. +215 is fair, but it is not a bargain. He is still the most likely winner, though, and that matters when the rest of the league is chasing his standard.

Bobby Witt Jr. (+500)

Witt is the main challenger and the cleanest value play in the league. He finished fourth in AL MVP voting in 2025 and brought the kind of all-around profile that gives a voter case multiple paths.

He had 184 hits, 47 doubles, 23 home runs, 38 steals, and a 7.1 WAR season while playing shortstop. That matters because he does not need to win with only one category. He can build a case through power, speed, position, and overall production.

The risk is team context. Kansas City finished 82-80 and missed the postseason, so Witt likely needs both another individual jump and more team relevance. Still, at +500, the number gives him much more betting appeal than the favorite.

Cal Raleigh (+1100)

Raleigh is not a fake longshot. He finished second in AL MVP voting last season and got 13 first-place votes, so voters already showed they are willing to put him right in the middle of this race.

His 2025 season was historic, with 60 home runs and 125 RBIs. That kind of power from a catcher is a real separator, and Seattle winning the AL West gave his profile even more weight.

The problem is that the price now asks you to believe a lot of that peak carries over. He is viable, but +1100 is not quite cheap enough to ignore how hard it is to repeat a season like that.

Nick Kurtz (+1500)

Kurtz is the upside swing in this market. As a rookie, he posted 5.4 WAR in 117 games and hit 36 home runs with a .290/.383/.619 slash line.

That gives him a legitimate bat-first breakout path, and +1500 is long enough to make the upside worth a look. The downside is clear too. The Athletics went 76-86, and a first baseman usually needs monster offense plus meaningful team relevance to win this award.

He is the speculative flier in the AL section, but at least the ceiling is real.

Bet: Bobby Witt Jr. (+500)

NL MVP Odds

• Shohei Ohtani (-145)
• Juan Soto (+900)
• Ronald Acuna Jr. (+1000)
• Fernando Tatis Jr. (+1900)
• Elly De La Cruz (+2500)
• Bryce Harper (+2500)

Shohei Ohtani (-145)

Ohtani is the rightful favorite, and the case is obvious. He is the defending unanimous NL MVP, he is a four-time MVP overall, and his 2025 season gave him both an elite hitting profile and real value on the mound.

He hit 55 home runs with an MLB-best 1.014 OPS, then added a 2.87 ERA over 14 starts. On top of that, the Dodgers won the NL West and the World Series. That is the strongest total case in baseball.

The issue is not whether he deserves to lead the market. The issue is whether you want to pay -145 on a preseason MVP future. He is the most likely winner, but the price is steep enough to make bettors think twice.

Juan Soto (+900)

Soto is the best non-Ohtani pivot on the board. He finished third in NL MVP voting last season and still put together the kind of offensive year that keeps him firmly in the race entering 2026.

He hit 43 home runs, stole 38 bases, and played 160 games. That gives him volume, star power, and enough category strength to put pressure on the top of the market if things break right.

The concern is team success. The Mets went 83-79 and missed the playoffs, so Soto likely needs either a better team year, some Ohtani slippage, or both. Even so, +900 is a much more attractive betting number than the favorite’s price.

Ronald Acuna Jr. (+1000)

Acuna still carries real respect in this market because the ceiling is already proven. He is a former MVP, and the board still prices him as one of the first serious challengers behind Ohtani.

The number is not bad, but it comes with more volatility than Soto. Atlanta went 76-86 in 2025, and Acuna’s season was not a full dominant platform year. That makes the path a little less clean than the price suggests.

He is credible, but not my favorite way to attack the board.

Fernando Tatis Jr. (+1900)

Tatis is the most interesting longer shot in the NL group. He played 155 games in 2025, scored 111 runs, hit 25 home runs, stole 32 bases, and posted 5.9 WAR for a 90-win Padres team.

That is enough to make the case that he is live if the bat takes another step. He already has the star profile, and the team context is much better than some of the other names in this range.

At nearly 20-1, the number is at least tempting. He still needs a bigger offensive push to get into the Ohtani-Soto conversation, but this is the kind of longer price that makes sense for bettors who want upside.

Bet: Juan Soto (+900)

MLB MVP Winners

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