It’s no surprise when looking at the favorites to win the 2021 AL and NL MVP awards that the majority of candidates come from teams that are projected to contend for a World Series.
Best MLB Betting Sites for 2021
The Los Angeles Dodgers will defend their World Series title with former NL MVP Cody Bellinger and last year’s World Series MVP Corey Seager in the mix. They are a just a few of the stars heading up this year’s best bets to win MVP awards.
2021 MLB American League MVP Prediction
The best player in MLB is Mike Trout. He can hit for power. In nine seasons, Trout has 302 home runs. He hit 45 in 2019. He can hit for average. Trout is a career .304 hitter.
He can run. Trout has five seasons in which he stole at least 22 bases. Plus, he’s outstanding in the field where he earned the 2012 Wilson Defensive Player of the Year award. He’s been to eight All-Star games and already has three AL MVPs to his credit (2014, 2016, and 2019).
The Angels have a lineup that now has Anthony Rendon (+1600) in it to take some pressure off of Trout and allow him to face better pitches. At +300, Trout is the favorite to capture his fourth MVP award.
The Chicago White Sox have quietly built one of the more impressive rosters in the majors. Luis Robert hit .298 last year as a rookie and wound up winning a Gold Glove for his play in center field. He is powerful hitter and the type of player that could have a breakout year in 2021. That’s why he is listed at +800, the only other AL player listed under +1000 to win the MVP.
If there is a sleeper or two that could surprise the field and capture this year’s AL award, one could be Trout’s teammate Shohei Ohtani. The AL Rookie of the Year in 2018, Ohtani has struggled through some injuries the past two seasons. So far in spring training, Ohtani looks like the superstar everyone thought he would be.
He is 7-for-13 (.528) at the plate with a monster 468-foot homer and his fastball has been topping out in the 101-mph range. In other words, Ohtani is back. That said, his former three-time AL MVP teammate is still the best player in the game.
AL MVP PICK: MIKE TROUT
Professional MLB Handicapper Picks
2021 MLB American League MVP Odds
Mike Trout +300
Luis Robert +800
Aaron Judge +1200
Shohei Ohtani +1200
Alex Bregman +1400
Jose Ramirez +1400
Anthony Rendon +1600
Matt Chapman +1800
D.J. LeMahieu +2000
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. +2000
2021 MLB National League MVP Prediction
The race for the NL MVP might be even more interesting. Last year’s winner, Atlanta’s Freddie Freeman is given longer odds at +1200 along with 2020 World Series MVP Seager and 2018NL MVP Christian Yelich.
Freeman’s teammate in Atlanta, Ronald Acuna Jr. (+1000) is surely capable of a 40-homer, 100-RBI season as is new St. Louis Cardinals 3B Nolan Arenado (+1000). But, this race is going to come down to a battle between the two best teams in the NL – the Dodgers and Padres.
Yes, the favorite is one of the game’s great young players, Juan Soto of Washington. Soto, who is given +650 odds to win, won the NL batting title in 2020. He hit .277 with 5 homers and 14 RBI as the Nationals won the World Series in 2019.
As good as Soto is, the NL MVP race comes down to L.A.’s Cody Bellinger and San Diego’s Fernando Tatis Jr. Bellinger was the NL Rookie of the Year in 2017 and the MVP in 2019. He is one of just five Dodgers to ever win a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger award in the same season (2019).
Tatis could be the next Trout. Before the new season, Tatis signed a 14-year, $340 million contract with the Padres. He hit .277 with 17 homers last year and he hit .317 with 22 homers in 2019 despite playing in just 84 games. A back injury ended that season prematurely.
With San Diego pushing the Dodgers all season long, it will be Tatis who comes out of the race with his first of what could be many MVP awards.
NL MVP PICK: FERNANDO TATIS JR.
2021 MLB National League MVP Odds
Juan Soto +650
Cody Bellinger +750
Mookie Betts +750
Fernando Tatis Jr. +800
Nolan Arenado +1000
Ronald Acuna +1000
Christian Yelich +1200
Corey Seager +1200
Francisco Lindor +1200
Freddie Freeman +1200
Read our pay per head reviews and expert sports handicapper reviews next to get ready for the MLB season.
