The New York Mets paid how much to watch Bo Bichette strike out all the time? And another catcher is going to hit 60 home runs!
MLB Opening Weekend overreactions are a ton of fun. Because you know, baseball is a game all about small sample sizes.
Even so, we can still use some of those sometimes outlandish statements to attack the MLB MVP odds markets.
Here are my favorite MLB MVP predictions for the American and National Leagues, based on those early-season overreactions.
MVP overreactions and early picks for 2026
| Overreaction | Early pick |
|---|---|
 Shea Langeliers+8000 |
 Vladimir Guerrero Jr.+1600 |
 Bo Bichette+8000 |
 Ronald Acuna Jr.+1100 |
Early American League MVP pick + overreaction
AL MVP overreaction: Shea Langeliers is the new Cal Raleigh!
Cal Raleigh was 28 years old during his historic 60-home-run season.
Shea Langeliers is a catcher. He’s playing in his age 28-season. He also has ridiculous power, and he hit three home runs in the Athletics' first three games of the season!
Shea Langeliers' second home run of the night 💪
— MLB (@MLB) March 28, 2026
Tie game in the 9th! #OpeningDay pic.twitter.com/0Zuz836NmR
Raleigh also hit 64 home runs in the two seasons before last, and Langeliers had 60 combined between 2024-25.
Langeliers is in the middle of an A's lineup that seems to be swinging for the fences, and plays half of his games in a minor-league ballpark in Sacramento.
Crazier things have happened than Langeliers doing his best Raleigh impression this season.
Shea Langeliers odds to win MVP: +8000 at FanDuel
AL MVP pick: Unfinished business
Aaron Judge is the favorite to win another American League MVP for a reason. He’s put forth two of baseball's greatest hitting seasons in the last two years. But a slow start could cost him, and he’s striking out a lot.
I like the price with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at +1600. Vladdy is coming off an incredible postseason run, where he hit eight home runs and came up just short of leading the Toronto Blue Jays to a World Series title.
He could lead the AL in hits and batting average, and even a slight uptick in regular-season homers could send his numbers through the roof. All while playing for a team expected to contend for another AL Pennant.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. odds to win MVP: +1600 at FanDuel
Current AL MVP odds & favorites
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
 Aaron Judge |
+180 |
 Bobby Witt Jr. |
+450 |
 Cal Raleigh |
+950 |
| Julio Rodriguez |
+1200 |
| Nick Kurtz |
+1500 |
Early National League MVP pick + overreaction
NL MVP overreaction: Bo Bichette sucks!
It took New York Mets fans just three games to boo their new third baseman, and not without reason.
Bo Bichette signed a three-year, $126 million contract with the Mets this offseason, but his tenure in Queens has gotten off to a rocky start. The former Blue Jay went a dismal 1-14 with eight strikeouts over the opening weekend, and the fans let him have it.
Bo Bichette gets loudly booed after he struck out to end the seventh pic.twitter.com/l2937k60Eo
— Mets'd Up Podcast (@MetsdUp) March 29, 2026
The overreaction here is that this was another huge waste of money for the Mets. But this is a guy who is one of the best pure hitters in the game. He led the American League in hits twice and was on pace to do it again last season before missing a chunk of games late in the year.
This price is too long for a guy who could be an impact bat in one of the best lineups in baseball.
Bo Bichette odds to win MVP: +8000 at FanDuel
NL MVP pick: If not Ohtani, then who?
Obviously, this is Shohei Ohtani’s award to lose, and if he starts 15 games for the Los Angeles Dodgers this season, it’s a wrap.
That said, there are a ton of great talents that could normally be up for MVP awards if, ya know, Ohtani didn’t also pitch, such as Juan Soto, Ronald Acuna Jr., and Fernando Tatis Jr., to name a few.
My favorite among this trio is Acuna. A former MVP himself, the Atlanta Braves outfielder is set to have his first fully healthy season since he won the award in 2023.
Acuna is capable of putting up a 50-home run and 50-stolen-base season.
Ronald Acuna Jr. odds to win MVP: +1100 at FanDuel
Current NL MVP odds & favorites
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
 Shohei Ohtani |
-140 |
| Juan Soto |
+700 |
| Ronald Acuña Jr. |
+1100 |
 Fernando Tatis Jr. |
+2000 |
| Francisco Lindor |
+2200 |
More MLB odds and picks from Covers
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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