AL MVP Future Odds: Tough to Bet Against Shohei Ohtani

Shohei Ohtani (+200) is the favorite to win AL MVP at SI Sportsbook.

Ohtani is the rightful favorite to take home his second MVP award in 2023. The league’s only two-way player pitched to a 2.33 ERA (sixth in MLB) with 15 wins (T-4th) while also smashing 34 home runs (T-8th) and batting .270 in 2022. That’s awfully hard to top. It took Aaron Judge (+500) 62 home runs and putting the Yankees on his back to make it to the postseason to edge out Ohtani in 2022. That scenario seems unlikely to repeat itself, and Ohtani looks like a good bet even at 2-to-1 odds. Quite simply: No one can do what he can do.

Ohtani’s teammate, Mike Trout, comes in with the third-best odds at +650. Trout still has the power, but he has a chronic back injury that will potentially cost him playing time. It would take the Angels making it to the postseason for Trout to have a real shot, but the three-time AL MVP should never be discounted.

Julio Rodriguez at +800 has the chance to take a step forward in 2023. Now on a long-term deal with the Mariners, the young outfielder who hit 25 home runs and stole 28 bases in 2023 will be looking to lead the Mariners to another postseason berth. Rodriguez set a record last season when he hit the most home runs by a rookie (32) in the Home Run Derby, and he’s only 22 years old.

Yordan Alvarez (+1100) is good value for a player that has all the skills of Aaron Judge – and he plays in a better lineup, so he should be more protected. He also could benefit this year from the ban on the shift alongside lefty teammate Kyle Tucker (+2000), who is in a contract year. Both young outfielders for Houston could be worth a flier.

Should the Texas Rangers make it to the postseason, Corey Seager (+3000) will likely be a big part of that. The team has certainly invested in success, adding starting pitcher Jacob deGrom this offseason season, and Seager is another player that could benefit greatly from the new bans on the shift.

There are plenty of fantastic players including Jose Ramirez (+1100), Jose Altuve (+5000) and Jose Abreu (+6600) that offer nice payouts, but the trick will be getting in front of the modern-day Babe Ruth, Shohei Ohtani.

Shohei Ohtani +200Aaron Judge +500MIke Trout +650Julio Rodriguez +800Yordan Alvarez +1100Jose Ramirez +1600Kyle Tucker +2000Byron Buxton +3000Rafael Devers +3000Corey Seager +3000Adley Rutschman +3500Carlos Correa +3500Wander Franco +3500Bo Bichette +4000Alex Bregman +4000Luis Robert +4000Giancarlo Stanton +5000Jose Altuve +5000George Springer +5000Marcus Semien +6600