MLB MVP Ladder: Who's leading the AL, NL races a month into the 2024 season?
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – APRIL 30: Juan Soto #22 of the New York Yankees hits a home run against the Baltimore Orioles during the sixth inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 30, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776096041 ORIG FILE ID: 2150894449
The 2024 Major League Baseball season is more than a month old now. With enough of a sample size to begin squaring up award leaders, BetFTW is beginning with MVP candidates to give bettors a good idea of where their money should be going.
We’ll follow up at a later date with Cy Young candidates.
Below is a look at my top five candidates for MVP in both the American League and National League, along with their odds to win the award at BetMGM.
American League MVP Ladder
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1. Juan Soto, New York Yankees (+250)
The AL leader in on-base percentage and OPS, Soto has been everything the Yankees hoped he could be for them, leading a stacked lineup in hits, home runs, RBI and batting average.
2. Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals (+400)
The Royals are off to a surprisingly strong start and no one has been a bigger catalyst than Witt, who’s batting over .300 and scoring a ton once he’s on base. He leads the AL in runs scored and is second in stolen bases.
3. Gunnar Henderson, Baltimore Orioles (+350)
Henderson is tied for the AL lead in home runs with 10, and he should take sole possession of the lead soon with Mike Trout now injured. Leading the O’s in RBI, he’s part of the reason they look like one of the very best teams in baseball.
4. Kyle Tucker, Houston Astros (+1600)
The Astros have plenty of players getting on base at a high clip, including Tucker, but nobody is bringing them around like the hard-hitting outfielder. Tucker leads Houston in RBI and home runs, and he’s sixth in the AL in OPS.
5. Salvador Pérez, Royals (+6600)
I don’t expect Pérez to maintain top-five status in this race throughout the season, but it’s hard to argue with an AL-leading 30 RBI and a top-three batting average. Combined with Witt’s ability to round the bases, it’s a lethal combination for the Royals.
National League MVP Ladder
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1. Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers (+140)
After coming so close to a second MVP yet again last season, Betts is right back at the top of the ladder, taking advantage of his spot at the top of a stacked Dodgers lineup. Betts is top three in the NL in batting average, RBI and OPS.
2. Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers (+450)
Like last season, one of Betts’ closest MVP competitors is his very own teammate, but this time it’s Ohtani instead of Freddie Freeman. Even as a full-time DH, Ohtani is a leading candidate because he’s just so damn good hitting the ball. He’s tied for the major league lead in home runs and leads everyone with in OPS.
3. Alec Bohm, Philadelphia Phillies (+1800)
Only the two Dodgers have a better batting average than Bohm in the NL, and Atlanta’s Marcell Ozuna is the only player with more RBI than Bohm’s 32. The Phillies are an unexpected leader over Atlanta in the NL East, and he’s been the best hitter in that lineup.
4. William Contreras, Milwaukee Bucks (+3000)
Contreras leads the Brewers in batting average, RBI and wins above replacement, all from the catcher position. Fourteen hits in his last 11 games help explain why he has a top-six OBP in the NL and a top-four WAR.
5. Elly De La Cruz, Cincinnati Reds (+1200)
With seven doubles, a triple and eight home runs, it’s no wonder why De La Cruz has a .551 slugging percentage that ranks top seven in the NL. His .271 batting average is only top-30, but the damage he does within those hits — combined with 19 stolen bases — more than makes up for it.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: MLB MVP Ladder: Who’s leading the AL, NL races a month into the 2024 season?