Betting MLB Futures for MVP and Cy Young Awards

• Ronald Acuña Jr. has +600 odds to win NL MVP.
• Shohei Ohtani is a slight favorite over Aaron Judge for AL MVP.
• Predicting an upset for AL Cy Young and a favorite for NL Cy Young

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. – MLB Awards for the upcoming season present good value for the some of the league’s top young talent. Beginning with the NL MVP, Juan Soto of the San Diego Padres presents the shortest odds for any award at +270.

NL MVP Odds

• Juan Soto +270
• Paul Goldschmidt +330
• Bryce Harper +500
• Ronald Acuña Jr +600

Juan Soto is undoubtably one of the games best young stars, but his stats over the last two seasons don’t match up with his +270 odds at legal online sportsbooks.

Soto has struggled to stay healthy since he was the NL Batting Champion in 2020. In 52 games with the Padres last season, Soto hit for a .236 batting average with 6 home runs.

Perhaps oddsmakers believe a Soto bounce back season is in order, but I believe there’s better value in Ronald Acuña Jr at +600 odds.

Acuña Jr. is finally returning to his former self after tearing his ACL in 2021.

Back in 2019, the Atlanta Braves right fielder played 156 games and finished fifth in MVP voting with a 2.86 batting average, 41 home runs and 37 stolen bases.

Ronald Acuña Jr. has been trending upwards ever since then and has been dropping bombs in a Venezuelan baseball league all offseason.

AL MVP Odds

• Shohei Ohtani +300
• Aaron Judge +310
• Vladimir Guerrero Jr. +350
• Mike Trout +450

Shohei Ohtani is the favorite to win the 2023 AL MVP. Ohtani had a chance to win it in 2022 but Aaron Judge’s historic season outweighed Ohtani’s two-way dominance.

Aaron Judge may have another great year, but he’s not going to hit 62 home runs again.

With Ohtani’s capabilities of putting up top 10 numbers for pitching and hitting stats, his MLB betting value at +300 is very good.

AL Cy Young Odds

• Gerrit Cole +375
• Dylan Cease +600
• Shane McClannahan +750
• Robbie Ray +750

Gerrit Cole leads the AL Cy young odds at +375.

Cole led the MLB in strikeouts in 2022 with 257. Unfortunately for him, Cole also led the league in home runs allowed with 38.

Dylan Cease is my pick to win the AL Cy Young in 2023 based on his excellent odds (+600) and great 2022 season.

Cease finished third in the MLB for lowest opponent batting average and ERA in 2022. He also was fifth in the MLB in strikeouts with 227.

NL Cy Young Odds

• Justin Verlander +360
• Max Scherzer +500
• Sandy Alcantara +500
• Corbin Burnes +550

Two New York Mets pitchers headline the NL Cy Young odds.

Justin Verlander is the favorite to win his fourth Cy young and is my pick to win the award in 2023. Verlander will hope to be as dominant in 2023 as he was last year, posting an 18-4 record with a league best 1.75 ERA.

Corbin Burnes also has good value at +550 to win the NL Cy Young.

Burnes won the award in 2021 and is one of the best starting pitchers in the MLB. The Milwaukee Brewers right-hander posted a 2.94 ER with 243 strikeouts last season.