Let’s Take a Look at the Updated 2021 MLB MVP Odds
The 2021 MLB is just over 2 months into the season now and we have seen drastic shifts in team futures odds. Both the AL and NL MLB MVP odds have seen changes in the past few weeks, based on recent performances and trends. Let’s take a look at the top five candidates for each league, with odds from Vegas Insider.
MLB MVP Odds for AL
- Shohehi Ohtani (Los Angeles Angels) — +120
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr (Toronto Blue Jays) — +230
- J.D Martinez (Boston Red Sox) — +2000
- Xander Bogaerts (Boston Red Sox) — +2000
- Byron Buxton (Minnesota Twins) — +2000
The current favorite is without a doubt Shohei Ohtani. He has jumped up to the number 1 spot because of his vast success at the plate and on the mound. Many people were very hesitant about Ohtani coming into the league as a two-way player, however, he has shined at both positions this season.
He is currently batting just over .260 with 17 home runs, which ties for second-most in the majors. However, more people are interested in looking at his pitching stats, which have drastically changed for the better.
He is now posting an ERA of 2.76 in just 8 starts. He is still allowing a lot of walks but has dropped his H/9 and HR/9 numbers down a lot.
One player I would bet highly on to win is Vlad Guerrero Jr. He has been incredible this season ever since he dropped 40 pounds in the off-season. His numbers are just insane and he leads the league in a majority of the batting categories.
The three most impressive categories are slugging percentage, total bases, and homeruns. If he continues to set the league on fire he has a very good chance of stealing this award from Ohtani.
MLB MVP Odds for NL
- Ronald Acuna Jr. (Atlanta Braves) — +300
- Fernando Tatis Jr. (San Diego) — +300
- Jacob deGrom (New York Mets) — +700
- Kris Bryant (Chicago Cubs) — +1300
- Nick Castellanos (Cincinnati Reds) — +1300
The NL MVP race is much closer than the AL because of all the incredible seasons these 5 players are having. Ahead of the pack is Ronald Acuna Jr., who has been an MVP candidate ever since he stepped into the majors.
He has been an absolute STUD for the Braves this season posting a .284 BA and a career-high .612 slugging percentage, not to mention that he also leads the majors in home runs with 18.. As the leadoff man, his incredible speed and power has allowed him to become one of the most feared hitters in all of baseball.
The man with the same odds as Acuna is arguably the 2nd most electrifying player in baseball right now, Fernando Tatis Jr. Although he missed a few games due to COVID protocols, he has picked up where he left off and has been smashing the baseball at an alarming rate.
The 22-year old who finished 4th in MVP voting last year, has seen a dip in batting average since his rookie season, but has increased his OPS and SLG by a substantial amount. He is also one of the best shortstops in the game, making a crazy amount of highlight plays, however his routine ground balls are something he struggles with for some reason.
My pick for MVP this year is going to be Jacob deGrom. This guy is the best pitcher in baseball right now and will, not can, shut down any offense he faces. He has posted an INSANE .062 ERA and .0569 WHIP this season.
Things like this will never be replicated and I think his success is the main reason why the Mets are even a franchise still. If you want to take a chance and put your money on one guy, this is him.
Akshay is a rising senior at the University of Miami. He is studying Marketing with a minor in Sports Administration. He is joining Knup Solutions with hopes of being able to contribute to the team at a high level, with his high attention to detail and perfectionist personality. Has done recreational freelance work for online gaming and sports previously, and is excited to use his skills in the real world
