With spring training officially underway, it's the perfect time to look at the early favorites to win the 2023 AL and NL MVP. Last season, Aaron Judge took home the illustrious award in the AL after slashing a career-best .311/.425/.686 with a major-league-high 62 home runs and 131 RBIs, and Paul Goldschmidt won in the NL after receiving 22 first-place votes. Heading into this season, Angels SP/DH Shohei Ohtani (+200) and Padres OF Juan Soto (+550) are the betting favorites in each league, according to BetMGM.
However, those two players will have some stiff competition for the award, as Mike Trout, Julio Rodriguez, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Mookie Betts, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Ronald Acuna Jr., among others, all have the potential to carry their teams and put up monster stats.
Below, we’ll break down the latest odds on the favorites to win the MVP in both leagues and provide some sleepers to watch out for before the regular season begins.
AL MVP Odds 2023: Top 10
All odds courtesy of BetMGM
| Player | Team | Odds |
| Shohei Ohtani | Angels | +200 |
| Aaron Judge | Yankees | +500 |
| Mike Trout | Angels | +650 |
| Julio Rodriguez | Mariners | +800 |
| Yordan Alvarez | Astros | +1100 |
| Vladimir Guerrero Jr. | Blue Jays | +1500 |
| Jose Ramirez | Guardians | +1600 |
| Corey Seager | Rangers | +3000 |
| Rafael Devers | Red Sox | +3000 |
| Byron Buxton | Twins | +3000 |
AL MVP Favorite
Shohei Ohtani, SP/DH, Angels (+200). It's not surprising to see Ohtani listed as the favorite to win his second AL MVP. If it wasn't for Judge's 62 home runs, the two-way superstar might have won his second-straight Most Valuable Player last season. He continued to be one of the best players on the planet, dominating at the mound and the plate. He hit .273 with 34 home runs and 95 RBIs while posting a 15-9 record and an impeccable 2.33 ERA in 28 starts. Ohtani also posted a career-high 219 strikeouts in 166 innings pitched for an Angels squad that finished third in the AL West.
We should expect Ohtani to have another outstanding season, as he's set for a major payday and could reset the market for all players in the majors. If the former Rookie of the Year puts up similar numbers to what he did in 2021 when he won MVP (46 HRs, 100 RBIs, 9-2 record, and 3.18 ERA), it will be hard to deny him the award.
AL MVP Sleeper
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B, Blue Jays (+1500). If you are looking for a value bet for AL MVP, look no further than Guerrero. Last season, the 23-year-old first baseman hit .274 with 32 home runs and 97 RBIs. While those were solid numbers for Vlad Jr., it wasn't the same production we saw in 2021 when he finished second in the AL MVP race behind Ohtani. Guerrero slashed a career-best .311/.401/.601 with 48 home runs and 111 RBIs that year.
The Blue Jays still have Whit Merrifield, Matt Chapman, Bo Bichette Jr., and George Springer, but we all know Guerrero is the top offensive player on this team. At 15/1 odds (+1500), it's not a bad futures bet, especially since Vlad Jr. is still young and hasn't hit his prime yet.
Other sleepers to consider: Rafael Devers, 3B, Red Sox (+3000), Byron Buxton, OF, Twins (+3000)
NL MVP Odds 2023: Top 10
| Player | Team | Odds |
| Juan Soto | Padres | +550 |
| Mookie Betts | Dodgers | +900 |
| Fernando Tatis | Padres | +1000 |
| Paul Goldschmidt | Cardinals | +1000 |
| Ronald Acuna Jr. | Braves | +1000 |
| Manny Machado | Padres | +1200 |
| Trea Turner | Phillies | +1200 |
| Nolan Arenado | Cardinals | +1200 |
| Freddie Freeman | Dodgers | +1300 |
| Pete Alonso | Mets | +1400 |
NL MVP Favorite
Juan Soto, OF, Padres (+550). Soto is the betting favorite to win his first MVP in the NL. In 52 games with the Padres, he hit just .236 with six home runs and 16 RBIs. Even though he didn't put crazy numbers with San Diego last season, we should expect a better Soto, as he will play a full regular season with Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts, and Fernando Tatis.
However, there's also a chance Soto's MVP votes get split between his talented teammates. Still, at +550 odds, he's not a bad wager, as the MVP race in the National League is more wide-open than it is in the American League. If Soto starts the year fast, his odds will improve, but a slow first few weeks could bring bettors more value, as his odds would likely fall to around 10/1 (+1000).
NL MVP Sleeper
Freddie Freeman, 1B, Dodgers (+1300). With the Dodgers losing standout second baseman Trea Turner in free agency, they will need Freeman and others to pitch in to replace that lost production. In his first season in L.A., the former Braves first baseman slashed .325/.407/.511 with 21 home runs and 100 RBIs.
Even though Freeman's power numbers were down from what we saw in 2021, he hit .300 or better for the third-straight season. If Freeman stays consistent at the plate with his batting average and can potentially hit 30 home runs, it will help him win his second NL MVP in the past five seasons.
Other sleepers to consider: Pete Alonso, 1B, Mets (+1400), Kyle Schwarber, OF, Phillies (+4000)