American & National League MVP Odds

Major League Baseball is a popular betting option in the United States, generally ranking a little behind the NHL and the NBA. The game of baseball has long captured the hearts of American fans and has solidified itself as a part of many households and communities across the nation.

As the regular season comes to an end and the MLB playoffs start, a new discussion topic heats up, and it’s not which team is going to win the World Series. Instead, fans begin to chatter about the performances of the best players in each league in relation to the following question: Who is going to win the American League and National League MVP awards?

This question also gets plenty of attention in sportsbooks. Here in Ohio, you can wager on which player you believe will be the next MVP of either the American or National league — or both. Read on for more information.

This year’s MLB MVP race

Even in seasons with a clear favorite, you’ll still find multiple players having good years and vying for the MVP nod in both leagues. This year is no different. Looking to place a bet on this year’s MLB MVP winner at Ohio’s top MLB betting sites. Here are some of the top candidates in each league:

American League

• Shohei Ohtani, Angels: What can’t Ohtani do? That’s not a rhetorical question. We’re starting to think he could play any position in just about any sport and be stellar at it. With his ability on the mound and ability at the plate, plus some speed on the bases, we can’t see any other player stacking up to him at this point. What an amazing time to be a baseball fan.
• Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays: A quality player with so much talent that even non-Blue Jays fans are impressed. If he were in the National League, we’d likely rank him first on this list. The future is extremely bright, however, and he’ll likely be in the conversation for many more MVP awards.
• Marcus Semien, Blue Jays: It may seem strange to see two players from the same team as candidates for the same award, but Semien has put together a season right up there with the best the American League has to offer.
• Cedric Mullins, Orioles: It feels like it has been a while since we were discussing a player from Baltimore when it comes to the AL MVP. In fact, if Mullins were to win it (a distinct long shot), he would be the first since 1991 when none other than Cal Ripken Jr. took home the honor.
• Salvador Perez, Royals: A dependable and respected name, Perez put up some eye-opening power numbers this year, particularly for a catcher. While he isn’t likely to overtake the players above him on this list, he’s at least in the discussion.

National League

• Bryce Harper, Phillies: Unlike the American League, there is definitely a much closer race on the NL side of the MVP discussions. While some may argue that Harper doesn’t belong in the top spot, we respectfully disagree. He plays on a much better team, which means he gets intentionally walked a lot less than Juan Soto does. So the latter’s on-base percentage might be higher, but all around we would pick Harper.
• Juan Soto, Nationals: It can’t be easy being the player that teams intentionally walk just so they don’t have to face you while they go about striking out your teammates. Soto’s talent level is so high that he doesn’t get the opportunity to put the ball in play as much as other players on this list. His team is struggling, too, which dampens some of the discussion surrounding Soto’s MLB MVP odds. But if you think about it, that just makes him that much more of an interesting pick because he has to carry the load on his own so often. What’s more valuable than that?
• Fernando Tatis Jr., Padres: There are plenty of baseball pundits who would say Tatis belongs in the top spot on this list. He has the talent, that’s for sure. His play at shortstop is impressive and showcases why he is such a valuable player, and he is no slouch at the plate, either. If anyone outside of Harper and Soto is in the running for NL MVP, it’s definitely Tatis.
• Paul Goldschmidt, Cardinals: Truth be told, the chances of Goldschmidt winning the NL Most Valuable Player award aren’t all that great, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t in the discussion for several reasons. First and foremost, he’s just insanely good and reliable at his job. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s been in the running multiple times in the past, even finishing second in the voting twice.
• Trea Turner, Dodgers: It’s kind of weird talking about Turner as a Dodger instead of a part of the Nationals organization, but his arrival on the West Coast has coincided with some really impressive play. Since his trade, Turner has been one of the most dangerous hitters in the league, which is what has landed him in the discussion for the top award. If he keeps playing the way he has for the Dodgers, he’s unlikely to be wearing a different uniform anytime soon.

Last year’s MVP voting results

So how did the voting go in the 2021 MVP races for the American and National leagues? Below we break it down by league:

Who chooses the MVPs in baseball?

Members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America choose the MVP winners for both the National and American leagues. Voting takes place after the end of the regular season and prior to the start of the postseason. The announcement of who has won, however, does not happen until the World Series has concluded.

For each league’s award, two BBWAA writers from each city with a team in that league get a vote. That makes a total of 30 voters each for the AL and NL MVP. Each voter ranks 10 players on a ballot, and players receive points depending on where they rank, with a first-place vote providing the most points and then declining from there.

The BBWAA does not define what a “most valuable player” technically is, so that leaves it up to the discretion of the voting members to determine who they think is worthy of the award, and why.

When are the MLB MVP awards announced?

While the voting for baseball’s MVP awards takes place prior to the start of the postseason, the awards’ finalists are not announced until after the World Series is over.

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Soon after, the BBWAA will announce the finalists for the MVP races and other awards. Over the span of the next few days, we’ll learn who has won each award via sports networks such as ESPN and MLB Network.

How many Cleveland players have won an MVP?

Cleveland has had three players win the award over the decades, though it has been a while since that has happened.

In 1926, first baseman George Burns became the first Cleveland player to win an MVP. It took 22 years before the next one, with shortstop Lou Boudreau earning the votes in 1948. Five years later, third baseman Al Rosen won the MVP in 1953. Since then, there have been no Cleveland winners of the MVP award.

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How many Cincinnati Reds have won an MVP?

Cincinnati has had more luck than its sister MLB city in Ohio when it comes to MVP winners. Starting in 1938, the Reds had three separate players claim the award in three straight years: catcher Ernie Lombardi in 1938, pitcher Bucky Walters in 1939 and first baseman Frank McCormick in 1940.

After that, outfielder Frank Robinson won the NL MVP in 1961. Then came a string of wins for the stars of the Big Red Machine: catcher Johnny Bench (1970 and 1972), Pete Rose as an outfielder (1973), second baseman Joe Morgan (1975 and 1976) and outfielder George Foster (1977).

Since then, shortstop Barry Larkin won the MVP in 1995, and first baseman Joey Votto took it in 2010.

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