2025 MLB MVP Odds: Ohtani Has Competition

Shohei Ohtani's odds to win NL MVP are around -250 or shorter, but that might not reflect how tight the race really is. Several players are nipping at his heels, with the likes of Pete Crow-Armstrong and Pete Alonso thriving.

Jason Wilson - Betting Analyst at Covers.com
Jason Wilson • Betting Analyst
Jun 9, 2025 • 13:21 ET • 5 min read
Shohei Ohtani Los Angeles Dodgers MLB
Photo By - IMAGN Images. Dodgers DH Shohei Ohtani is a sizable favorite to win NL MVP.

As Aaron Judge continues cruising through the American League, Shohei Ohtani has several challengers who can make noise through the summer months.

The MLB odds have Ohtani listed as a sizable favorite (though not in Judge's stratosphere) for now, but a lot can change.

Let's break down the races in this week's AL & NL MVP odds.

Odds to win AL MVP 2025

Player DraftKings FanDuel bet365
Yankees Aaron Judge -6000 -20000 -10000
Mariners Cal Raleigh  +2000 +2200 +2000
Royals Bobby Witt Jr.  +2500 +3000 +2800
Guardians Jose Ramirez  +9000 +9000 +9000
Orioles Gunnar Henderson +9000 +12000 +10000
Rangers Wyatt Langford   +9000 +15000 +12500
Tigers Spencer Torkelson +9000 +15000 +12500
Red Sox Rafael Devers +10000 +12000 +10000

Odds as of 6-9.

AL MVP odds analysis

Aaron Judge remains our betting favorite as we are rapidly approaching the market being pulled entirely. That's a bit hyperbolic, but the fact is he's putting together an all-time great season where only a profoundly unfortunate and long-term injury would derail him at this point.

Which is a shame in a way, because Cal Raleigh is thriving. The Seattle Mariners catcher has soared from around 100/1 to 20/1 in just a couple of weeks. He's slashing .272/.380/.655 with an MLB-leading 26 home runs and a 191 wRC+ that trails only Judge's whopping 246.

Raleigh also plays elite defense behind the plate, making him as well-rounded as they come. He might be more worth targeting to lead MLB in homers, where he can be had for +300 at bet365.

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Odds to win NL MVP 2025

Player DraftKings FanDuel bet365
Dodgers Shohei Ohtani -270 -250 -270
Cubs Pete Crow-Armstrong  +900 +950 +900
Padres Fernando Tatis Jr.  +1400 +1500 +1400
Diamondbacks Corbin Carroll  +1400 +1400 +1400
Cubs Kyle Tucker  +2000 +2000 +2000
Mets Pete Alonso  +3000 +2800 +3000
Dodgers Freddie Freeman  +3000 +2500 +2800
Mets Juan Soto +4000 +4000 +4000
Mets Francisco Lindor  +4000 +4000 +4000
Padres Jackson Merrill  +4500 +12000 +8000
Phillies Kyle Schwarber   +4500 +5000 +5000
Phillies Bryce Harper  +8000 +7000 +7500
Braves Austin Riley  +9000 +15000 +10000
Cubs Seiya Suzuki  +9000 +10000 +10000
Dodgers Mookie Betts   +9000 +8000 +8000
Reds Elly De La Cruz  +9000 +12000 +10000

Odds as of 6-9.

NL MVP odds analysis

I think it's too early to crown Shohei Ohtani. Obviously, beware anyone who suggests you fade the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar, but this is a tighter race than his -250 odds suggest.

There is no doubt in his skills or his results, and if he does pitch effectively when (if?) he takes the mound, then that's probably all she wrote. But, while he leads the NL in homers with 23, he's not running the table in other categories. 

Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete-Crow-Armstrong leads the Senior Circuit in FanGraphs WAR at 3.7, largely because he is about as good a center fielder as you'll ever find while also swiping 21 bases and clubbing 17 home runs. 

New York Mets 1B Pete Alonso is even with Ohtani in wRC+ (178) as he has resurrected his career after a down season in 2024 that seemed — erroneously — to suggest he had hit the downturn in his career.

Seven batters have better batting averages than Ohtani, including teammate Freddie Freeman, who is hitting .345 and appears poised to win his first batting title.

Ohtani is still the deserving front-runner because he's still the bellwether for OPS and home runs, but I simply feel the board should be a little tighter up top.

MVP betting splits

American League MVP

Highest Ticket%

  • Bobby Witt Jr., Royals - 23.4%
  • Julio Rodriguez, Mariners - 7.9%
  • Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays - 6.6%

Highest Handle%

  • Bobby Witt Jr., Royals - 26.9%
  • Aaron Judge, Yankees - 15%
  • Julio Rodriguez, Mariners - 9.7%

Biggest Liability

  • Bobby Witt Jr., Royals

National League MVP

Highest Ticket%

  • Elly De La Cruz, Reds - 14.6%
  • Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers - 13.2%
  • Corbin Carroll, Diamondbacks - 7.1%

Highest Handle%

  • Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers - 45.9%
  • Elly De La Cruz, Reds - 6.9%
  • Corbin Carroll, Diamondbacks - 4.7%
  • Juan Soto, Mets - 4.7%
  • Fernando Tatis Jr., Padres - 4.7%

Biggest Liability

  • Elly De La Cruz, Reds

Data courtesy of BetMGM.

Previous MVP winners

Here are the last 10 winners of the AL and NL MVP Award, with Shohei Ohtani leading the way as a three-time winner. Bryce Harper has won twice with two different teams and Miguel Cabrera was the last player to win back-to-back MVP awards (2012-13). Barry Bonds holds the record for most MVP awards (seven)

The New York Yankees have won the most MVPs in MLB history with 24 while the St. Louis Cardinals are second, leading all NL teams, with 21. No player for the Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Mets, or Tampa Bay Rays has ever won MVP.

Previous AL MVP winners

Year American League Winner
2024 Yankees Aaron Judge
2023 Angels Shohei Ohtani
2022 Yankees Aaron Judge
2021 Angels Shohei Ohtani
2020 White Sox Jose Abreu
2019 Angels Mike Trout
2018 Red Sox Mookie Betts
2017 Astros Jose Altuve
2016 Angels Mike Trout
2015 Blue Jays Josh Donaldson

Previous NL MVP winners

Year National League Winner
2024 Dodgers Shohei Ohtani
2023 Braves Ronald Acuna Jr.
2022 Cardinals Paul Goldschmidt
2021 Phillies Bryce Harper
2020 Braves Freddie Freeman
2019 Dodgers Cody Bellinger
2018 Brewers Christian Yelich
2017 Marlins Giancarlo Stanton
2016 Cubs Kris Bryant
2015 Nationals Bryce Harper

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MLB MVP odds explained

Most sportsbooks will display odds in the American format as listed above. When Goldschmidt ran away with the MVP award in 2022 his odds had a minus (-) sign ahead of the number for a large part of the season. 

  • Paul Goldschmidt -6,000

That means that a bettor in August had to wager $6,000 to win $100 by betting on Goldy to win MVP. Before the season starts, almost every player will have a plus (+) sign ahead of their odds.

  • Shohei Ohtani +200

That means a bettor would have profited $200 for a $100 wager on Ohtani before the season started. 

If American odds aren't your thing, simply use a tool like our odds converter to switch the odds to decimal or fractional format. Most online sportsbooks also give you the option to change the odds format that you see.

MLB MVP FAQ

Pages related to this topic

Jason Wilson Covers.com
Betting Analyst

Jason Wilson is an experienced journalist who has worked in a variety of roles within the industry for the past 18 years. Working at community newspapers in New Brunswick, Jason wore many hats as a reporter, editor, and photographer, covering everything from sports to courts to municipal politics. After shifting gears and working as an educator for a few years in the 2010s, Jason returned to full-time work in media as an MLB news editor for six years at theScore in Toronto before joining Covers in late 2021.

He has honed his editorial acumen over his years in the industry, showcasing flexibility, patience, and a strong work ethic. While he was relatively new to sports betting upon joining Covers, Jason has taken the plunge with gusto to learn the ins and outs of the industry, both as a method to improve professionally and to add an extra angle to his sports fandom.

In addition to sports, Jason is an avid film nut and former movie critic who monitors the Academy Awards betting odds for Covers. Jason holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism degree and a Bachelor of Education degree from St. Thomas University.

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