Via Si.com
We have seen all of March, April and now 11 days of May in this 2023 MLB season. The odds are that the American League’s Most Valuable Player is already making an impact. Let’s take a look at the top five players in the running while you can still get plus money value from your favorite sportsbook.
Odds to win-American League MVP 2023 courtesy of Betfred Sportsbook
SHOHEI OHTANI – LOS ANGELES ANGELS +110
Could there be a more solid lock? Ohtani has taken baseball by storm from the first time he entered the lineup in Los Angeles. The game’s best pitcher AND hitter continues to hit milestones that we haven’t seen in our lifetime. Through 36 games, Ohtani is hitting .293 with eight home runs and 24 RBIs. Not too shabby for a pitcher.
Since the start of 2021, Shohei Ohtani is the…
6th best qualified hitter in MLB by OPS (.915)
5th best qualified pitcher in MLB by ERA (2.71)
Just absolutely insane. Soak it in, because we will likely never see this again. pic.twitter.com/DXIDnS4afb
— MLB Metrics (@MLBMetrics) May 11, 2023
MIKE TROUT – LOS ANGELES ANGELS +1000
Two MAJOR ifs are required for considering Trout at MVP. 1. IF Trout can stay healthy, then he will put together a season that you could give him the MVP. 2. IF, that is, Trout wasn’t teammates with our generation’s Babe Ruth. The Angels’ formula has been and will continue to be watching Ohtani and Trout dominate while losing. Something will have to change for Trout to truly be in the running.
VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR – TORONTO BLUE JAYS +1200
Already considered the American League’s best first baseman and one of the game’s premier sluggers, Guerrero is off to a hot start. In 35 games, Guerrero is batting .312 with seven home runs and 21 RBIs. When the Blue Jays get on their run, look for Guerrero to cement himself as an MVP finalist.
WANDER FRANCO– TAMPA BAY RAYS +1400
Is Franco the American League’s version of Fernando Tatis Jr? Flashy plays at shortstop that have had Twitter chirping for days now, and a bat to go with it. Batting .318 with seven home runs and 23 RBIs, ranking as the American League’s seventh-best hitter thus far. Playing on baseball’s best team doesn’t hurt his changes, either.
If Wander Franco keeps up his current pace, he will finish the season with these stats:
.310/.370/.552/.922
202 Hits
63 2B
32 HR
104 RBI
50 Sb(!)
11.2 bWAR
10.9 fWAR
160 OPS+MVP
— Move the Rays to tampa (@SznFranco) May 11, 2023
AARON JUDGE– NEW YORK YANKEES +1600
Judge being this high on the MVP list has more to do with what he is capable of. Off to a slower start than he would like and injuries already coming into play. Judge could go on a historic run, again, but will he?
NOTABLE WILD CARD CONTENDERS
MATT CHAPMAN– TORONTO BLUE JAYS +2500
An absolute terror at the plate to start the season. Chapman is batting .338 with 17 doubles, five home runs and 22 RBIs. The American League’s second-best hitter for the season thus far. If Chapman can keep pace and the Blue Jays climb in the East, +2500 could pay out BIG.
YORDAN ALVAREZ – HOUSTON ASTROS +2500
Houston has been a staple at the top of the standings for years now and whoever is performing the best on one of baseball’s best teams will always get consideration for MVP. Alvarez is the American League’s fifth-best hitter thus far, with eight home runs and 34 RBIs. This is the type of flier Mattress Mack could get behind.
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