2018 MLB MVP Odds Tracker
By Ryan Murphy
Updated:
- Look back at each player’s odds of winning the 2018 AL and NL MVP awards
- View past winners and examine each top contender individually or by division
- Looking for current NL MVP and AL MVP odds?
The 2018 AL MVP Award went to Boston outfielder Mookie Betts, who led the Red Sox to the team’s fourth World Series title since 2004 and a franchise best 108 wins in the regular season. NL honors went to Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich, who led the league in batting average, slugging percentage and OPS during his first season in Cream City.
We tracked the MVP odds of all top contenders throughout the 2018 season and have included their average odds across a number of top online sportsbooks in the graphs and tables below. You’ll also find the odds for other top contenders and can view how their fortunes fluctuated throughout the year.
American League MVP Odds
2018 AL MVP Finalists Odds
Mookie Betts, Mike Trout, and Jose Ramirez were named the finalists for the 2018 AL Most Valuable Player Award. The winner was announced on November 15th at 6 p.m. ET on MLB Network.
2018 AL MVP Finalists & Odds
| Player | Final 2018 AL MVP Odds |
|---|---|
| Mookie Betts (Red Sox) | -1250 |
| Mike Trout (Angels) | +450 |
| Jose Ramirez (Indians) | +800 |
Odds taken on 11/07/18.
Mookie Betts finished second in MVP voting in 2016, but he became an obvious choice in 2018 after he led the American League in runs, batting average, and slugging percentage while also playing Gold Glove defense in right field.
AL MVP Preseason Favorites
Altuve’s odds of repeating as AL MVP are nearly as short as he is. The current frontrunner is Angels outfielder Mike Trout, who won the award in 2014 and 2016 and has finished first in WAR in four of the last five seasons.
AL MVP Odds for Previous Winners
National League MVP Odds
2018 NL MVP Finalists Odds
2018 NL MVP Finalists & Odds
| Player | Final 2018 NL MVP Odds |
|---|---|
| Christian Yelich (Brewers) | -1250 |
| Javier Baez (Cubs) | +600 |
| Nolan Arenado (Rockies) | +600 |
Christian Yelich had quite a year in his first season with the Brewers. The 26-year-old made his first All-Star team and led the National League in batting average, total bases, slugging percentage, OPS, and OPS+.
NL MVP Preseason Favorites
NL MVP Odds for Previous Winners
Kershaw is one of only four players to win the NL MVP and NL Cy Young awards in the same season. The others are Don Newcombe (1956), Sandy Koufax (1963), and Bob Gibson (1968).
MLB MVP Winners by Position
AL MVP Winners by Position
| Position | Number of MVP Winners |
|---|---|
| Outfield | 31 |
| First Base | 14 |
| Pitcher | 12 |
| Shortstop | 9 |
| Catcher | 8 |
| Third Base | 8 |
| Second Base | 5 |
| Designated Hitter | 1 |
It should come as no surprise, but outfielders have won the most American League MVP awards since 1931. Not only can three outfielders play at all times, but outfielders can also sneak in a little rest by DHing.
NL MVP Winners by Position
| Position | Number of MVP Winners |
|---|---|
| Outfield | 32 |
| First Base | 15 |
| Pitcher | 10 |
| Third Base | 10 |
| Catcher | 8 |
| Shortstop | 7 |
| Second Base | 6 |
Just like in the American League, second baseman have won the fewest MVP awards. The only players to buck the trend are Frankie Firsch (1931), Jackie Robinson (1949), Joe Morgan (1975, 1976), Ryne Sandberg (1984), and Jeff Kent (2000).
MLB MVP Winners by Team
AL MVP Winners by Team
| Team | Number of MVP Winners |
|---|---|
| New York Yankees | 20 |
| Detroit Tigers | 11 |
| Oakland A’s | 11 |
| Boston Red Sox | 10 |
| Texas Rangers | 6 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 5 |
| Minnesota Twins | 5 |
| Los Angeles Angels | 4 |
| Chicago White Sox | 4 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | 3 |
| Cleveland Indians | 2 |
| Seattle Mariners | 2 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 2 |
| Kansas City Royals | 1 |
| Houston Astros | 1 |
New York has produced the most American League MVP winners since 1931. Yankees greats Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle both won it three times, and recently retired Yankee Alex Rodriguez won it twice during his time in Gotham.
NL MVP Winners by Team
| Team | Number of MVP Winners |
|---|---|
| St. Louis Cardinals | 17 |
| San Francisco Giants | 13 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 12 |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 11 |
| Chicago Cubs | 9 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 7 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 7 |
| Atlanta Braves | 6 |
| Colorado Rockies | 1 |
| San Diego Padres | 1 |
| Houston Astros | 1 |
| Miami Marlins | 1 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | 1 |
| Washington Nationals | 1 |
St. Louis had a stranglehold on the National League MVP award during the 1930’s and 40’s thanks to legendary players like Dizzy Dean, Joe Medwick, Stan Musial, and Mort Cooper. The last Cardinal to win the award was Albert Pujols, who won the honor in 2008 and 2009.
Former Sports Writer
Ryan worked as an Editor and resident Lead NBA and MLB Writer for SB from 2017-19. He has authored his own weekly columns for Fox Sports and AskMen, and has created successful campaigns for the WWE, the NHL, and the NFL. Ryan's critically acclaimed stories have been published in 20 books.
