Who will win MLB MVP in 2024? Shohei Ohtani and Ronald Acuna Jr. took home the honors last year. Now, we look ahead to the 2024 season with an outlook analyzing the National League and American League candidates for the MLB MVP race.
Major League Baseball is the only American professional sport that wards two MVP awards, one to each conference. It allows two players to take home a prestigious honor, joining some of the best players in MLB history with the coveted award on their trophy case.
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Bookmark this page for updates on the MLB MVP race throughout the season, including the latest odds and analysis. Let’s evaluate the field of 2024 MLB MVP candidates with the help of AL and NL MVP odds.
Before breaking down our favorite NL and AL MVP candidates in 2024, here are the current MLB MVP odds 2024 courtesy of BetMGM. The right side of our table is NL MVP odds and the left side is AL MVP odds.
Player | Odds | Player | Odds |
Ronald Acuña Jr | +525 | Aaron Judge | +550 |
Mookie Betts | +650 | Juan Soto | +600 |
Shohei Ohtani | +900 | Yordan Alvarez | +900 |
Fernando Tatís Jr | +1000 | Corey Seager | +1000 |
Freddie Freeman | +1100 | Julio Rodriguez | +1200 |
Bryce Harper | +1200 | Adley Rutschman | +1600 |
Matt Olson | +1400 | Gunnar Henderson | +1800 |
Corbin Carroll | +2000 | Kyle Tucker | +1800 |
Trea Turner | +2200 | Bobby Witt Jr | +2000 |
Austin Riley | +2500 | Vladimir Guerrero Jr | +2200 |
Shohei Ohtani will be picked by many to win MVP in the National League, but he isn’t pitching this year. With the assumed restrictions to playing designated hitter, someone else on one of the best teams in baseball will get those votes. Not only will Mookie Betts post MVP-caliber numbers at the plate, but his defensive excellence at second base and in the outfield could ultimately earn him MVP.
Bryce Harper had a delayed start to the 2023 season, not playing until May due to elbow surgery. It then took time for the two-time MVP award winner to rediscover his power. However, we saw the best of Harper late in the year – .299/.425/.641, 179 wRC+, 16 home runs in the final 53 games – and replicating those numbers for one of the best teams in the National League will make Harper a front-runner for MVP honors.
The reigning National League MVP award winner has the highest odds in 2024, but we’d suggest betting against Ronald Acuña Jr doing it. While he should have some of the best MLB stats in 2024, a player hasn’t won consecutive MVP awards since Miguel Cabrera (2012-’13). While the decades-long stretch may end this year, it seems unlikely based on the loaded pool of candidates.
Newcomers get more attention than players who have been with a team for years and that is especially true for the New York Yankees. Juan Soto is the fresh face at Yankee Stadium and if New York wins the AL East in 2024, Soto will be one of the biggest reasons for it. He should put up numbers that will rival Aaron Judge’s statistics and there will also likely be MVP voters wanting a first-timer to take it home.
A big part of winning a second MVP comes down to health for Aaron Judge. A prolonged absence in 2023 cost him, but everyone saw what he was capable of – .291/.404/.674, 187 wRC+, 19 home runs – prior to that season-altering injury. If there’s one advantage Judge will hold over Soto, it’s the added value of playing center field for the Yankees this season.
Never sleep on Yordan Alvarez as an MVP candidate. Entering July of 2022, the Houston Astros slugger slashed .316/.412/.653 with a 200 wRC+, 23 home runs and 56 RBI in 67 games. Then, a right-hand injury put him on the IL and then bothered him through August. In 2023, Alvarez hit 17 home runs with 55 RBI and a .277/.388/.589 slash line in his first 57 games. Unfortunately, an oblique strain in June sidelined him until 26. When he returned, Alvarez slashed .308/.425/.577 with 14 home runs and 42 RBI in his final 57 games. If the Astros can even get 145 games out of Alvarez, he’ll have the numbers to win MVP.
Mookie Betts and Juan Soto are our current front-runners in the MLB MVP race for the 2024 season before Opening Day.
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Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr (+525) is favored to win NL MVP, followed by Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts (+650) and Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (+900) in the latest NL MVP odds.
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Aaron Judge is favored to win AL MVP in 2024 (+550) followed by New York Yankees teammate Juan Soto (+600) and Houston Astros outfielder Yordan Alvarez (+900).
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Our current 2024 MLB MVP picks are Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts for National League MVP and New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto for American League MVP.
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Here’s everything you need to know about the MLB MVP awards, including its history and when it is announced by Major League Baseball.
Fred Lynn (1975) and Ichiro Suzuki (2001) are the only players in MLB history to win Rookie of the Year and MLB MVP in the same season. Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll has the opportunity to join the exclusive club in 2023.
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There are two MLB MVP awards because Major League Baseball provides awards for both the American League and the National League. Just like with MVP, there are AL & NL honors for the Cy Young Award, Comeback Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Manager of the Year and Reliever of the Year.
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Barry Bonds won seven MLB MVP awards during his career. The San Francisco Giants icon holds the MLB record for most MVPs, winning them in 1990, ’92, ’92 and 2001-’04.
Johnny Bench is the youngest player to win MLB MVP. The former Cincinnati Reds catcher won MVP in 1970 at the age of 22 years and 26 days old, just surpassing Vida Blue (22 years, 3 months and 30 days in 1971). During that 1970 season, Bench hit 45 home runs with 148 RBIs a .293 batting average and a .932 OPS.
The Baseball Writers Association of America votes for MLB MVP. There are 60 total voters for MVP honors, with 30 voting for the National League MVP and another 30 voting for the American League MVP.
There have been 11 players in baseball history to win three MVPs. Most recently, Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout became the latest player to win his third AL MVP. Before that, Albert Pujols and Alex Rodriguez became the first players to do it since Barry Bonds.
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Pos: | Player | AVG/OBP/SLG | OPS | HRs | RBI | wRC+ | fWAR | bWAR |
1 | Ronald Acuña Jr | .337/.416/.596 | 1.012 | 41 | 106 | 170 | 8.3 | 8.1 |
2 | Mookie Betts | .307/.408/.579 | .987 | 39 | 107 | 167 | 8.3 | 8.4 |
3 | Matt Olson | .283/.389/.604 | .993 | 54 | 139 | 160 | 6.6 | 7.4 |
4 | Freddie Freeman | .331/.410/.567 | .976 | 29 | 102 | 163 | 7.9 | 6.6 |
5 | Corbin Carroll | .285/.362/.506 | .868 | 25 | 76 | 133 | 6.0 | 5.4 |
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Pos: | Player | AVG/OBP/SLG | OPS | HRs | RBI | wRC+ | fWAR | bWAR |
1 | Shohei Ohtani | .304/.412/.654 | 1.066 | 44 | 95 | 180 | 10 | 10.1 |
2 | Corey Seager | .327/.390/.623 | 1.013 | 33 | 96 | 169 | 6.1 | 6.9 |
3 | Julio Rodriguez | .275/.333/.485 | .818 | 32 | 103 | 126 | 5.9 | 5.3 |
4 | Marcus Semien | .276/.348/.478 | .826 | 29 | 100 | 124 | 6.3 | 7.4 |
5 | Kyle Tucker | .284/.369/.517 | .886 | 29 | 112 | 140 | 4.9 | 6.3 |
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New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge won AL MVP in 2022, becoming the first Yankees’ player since Alex Rodriguez (2007) to win MVP honors.
Here’s a breakdown on how I would’ve voted in the MLB MVP races 2022, starting with AL MVP followed by NL MVP.
Pos: | Player | AVG/OBP/SLG | OPS | Home Runs | RBI | wRC+ | fWAR | bWAR |
1. | Aaron Judge | .311/.425/.686 | 1.111 | 62 | 131 | 207 | 11.4 | 10.6 |
2. | Shohei Ohtani | .273/.356/.519 | .875 | 34 | 95 | 142 | 9.4 | 9.6 |
3. | Yordan Alvarez | .306/.406/.613 | 1.019 | 37 | 97 | 185 | 6.6 | 6.8 |
4. | Andres Gimenez | .297/.371/.466 | .837 | 17 | 69 | 140 | 6.1 | 7.2 |
5. | Jose Altuve | .300/.387/.533 | .921 | 28 | 57 | 164 | 6.6 | 5.6 |
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge is the AL MVP. While Shohei Ohtani put up a phenomenal fight this season, Judge delivered a caliber of historical greatness that will rightfully go down as one of the best seasons in MLB history.
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Use whatever stats you want. Judge is the first player in MLB history with 60-plus home runs, 90-plus walks and 15-plus steals in a season. He entered Saturday with the ninth-highest FanGraphs’ Wins Above Replacement (10.7) since 1950.
There is also so much more to consider from the star who is on the verge of becoming just the fifth Triple Crown winner in the last 75 years. Judge hit 60 home runs in a season when no other player sniffed 50. All of this in a contract year, betting on himself and delivering in historic fashion. If all of that isn’t enough, a 266 wRC+ in the second half (no other player above 185), 20.3% walk rate and 27 home runs in the second half solidify Judge as MLB MVP.
Shohei Ohtani wins AL MVP in any other season. The two-way phenom delivered a season like we’ve never seen before. He is the first player since 1900 to face 600 batters and have 600-plus plate appearances (Sarah Langs). He struck out 200-plus batters this season and was part of the 30-homer club, something no other player in MLB history has ever come close to approaching.
Incredibly, Ohtani saved his best stuff for the second half. Entering September 24, Ohtani boasted a .291/.374/.612 slash line with 15 home runs and a 170 wRC+ since the All-Star Break. On the mound, Ohtani sports a 2.59 ERA with a 10.91 K/9, 29.6% strikeout rate and .229 batting average allowed in the second half.
AL MVP ballots should be relatively close, Judge shouldn’t be a unanimous selection. Ohtani’s exceptional play both on the mound and in the batter’s box makes him the best player in MLB. Ultimately, it just isn’t enough to win a second consecutive AL MVP award in a year like this.
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Pos: | Player | AVG/OBP/SLG | OPS | Home Runs | RBI | wRC+ | fWAR | bWAR |
1. | Nolan Arenado | .293/.358/.533 | .891 | 30 | 103 | 151 | 7.3 | 7.9 |
2. | Paul Goldschmidt | .317/.404/.578 | .981 | 35 | 115 | 177 | 7.1 | 7.8 |
3. | Manny Machado | .298/.366/.531 | .898 | 32 | 102 | 152 | 7.4 | 6.8 |
4. | Freddie Freeman | .325/.407/.511 | .918 | 21 | 100 | 157 | 7.1 | 5.9 |
5. | Austin Riley | .273/.349/.528 | .878 | 38 | 93 | 142 | 5.5 | 6.5 |