MLB Betting: With Shohei Ohtani Gone, Who Will Take Over as the AL MVP?

No player has loomed larger of the AL MVP race over the last few years than Shohei Ohtani. The former Angel is a generational talent that seemed destined to win many more AL MVP title, but that changed when he joined the Dodgers. Now the AL MVP race is wide open, making the odds from betting sites far more appealing than in years past. 

Below, we’ll share the three MVP candidates our USA Legal Betting experts love heading into the 2024 season. We’ll share insights into each to help boost your bankroll this MLB season. 

Odds to win 2024 AL MVP: +550 at BetMGM Sportsbook 

The only player to steal an AL MVP away from Ohtani is Aaron Judge. While it took a historic campaign to do so, Judge has shown he is one of the league’s top players when healthy. His 2023 season was cut short by injury, but he showed the same power that won him the MVP the year before.

One of the biggest factors working against Judge was the rest of the Yankee lineup. New York was a major disappointment in 2023, but they made some upgrades heading into this year. That includes Juan Soto, who is also a viable MVP candidate. His presence in the lineup will mean for RBIs for Judge, setting him up for a monster season.

If Judge can stay healthy, this could be his award to lose. New York sportsbooks have already seemed a lot of bets on the hometown hero, so expect his odds to drop soon.

Odds to win 2024 AL MVP: +1000 at FanDuel Sportsbook 

If you are looking for an MVP bet with better odds, Corey Seager is a great choice. The Rangers short stop started the season on the IL but played at an MVP level when he returned. The shortstop finished the season with a 3.327 batting average, 33 home runs, 96 RBIs, and a 1.013 OPS over 119 games. If he were healthy all season, he could have very well overtaken Ohtani for the MVP.

Health is the biggest risk for betting on Seager to win the AL MVP. He has not played in 120+ game in three of the last four seasons. He managed to stay healthy in 2022 but had the worst season of his career.

The Rangers lineup is loaded with talent, and we believe Seager is set to break some career records in 2024.

Odds to win 2024 AL MVP: +1000 at BetRivers Sportsbook 

After an impressive rookie campaign, J-Rod had a rough start to the 2023 season. However, the 23-year-old was incredible in the second half of the season. He raised his batting average by over 30 points, finishing the season at .275.  The outfielder also added 32 home runs, 103 RBIs, and 37 stolen bases.

His strong finish helped the Mariners make a late run at the AL West title, while also showing just how good he can be. J-Rod’s ability to contribute in multiple categories is a recipe for an MVP, as we saw with Ronald Acuna Jr do last year. We don’t see the Mariner being quite to Acuna’s 2023 level, but we do think he can come close enough to capture an AL MVP in his third MLB season.