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2024 MLB MVP power rankings: Who is leading the AL, NL races 20 games into the season?

Jon Hoefling, USA TODAY
·3 min read
10
Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) is congratulated by designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) after hitting a solo home run for his 1500th career hit in the third inning against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium.
Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) is congratulated by designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) after hitting a solo home run for his 1500th career hit in the third inning against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium.

Just 20 games into the MLB regular season, the league's best players are already starting to differentiate themselves from the rest of the pack. While the standings at the end of the year may look very different than what we're seeing at the moment, the stats leaderboards are filled with All-Stars and MVP candidates.

Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, Juan Soto, Jose Altuve, Shohei Ohtani, and plenty more superstars have already put a stamp on the 2024 season. But of those big names, which seems to be the most likely to win the MVP Award? While we're still much too far removed from the end of the season to know the answer, the early odds can often give us a peek into the future. Just last year, National League MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. had +1000 odds to win prior to the season and American League MVP Shohei Ohtani had +220 odds to win.

Here are the latest odds for the MVP in both leagues. Odds courtesy of FanDuel.

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AL MVP odds:

  • No. 1 - NYY Juan Soto (+300)

  • No. 2 - KC Bobby Witt Jr. (+700)

  • No. 3 - LAA Mike Trout (+750)

  • No. 4- BAL Gunnar Henderson (+950)

  • No. 5 - HOU Yordan Alvarez (+1000)

  • No. 6 - NYY Aaron Judge (+1200)

  • No. 7 - TEX Corey Seager (+1800)

  • Tied at No. 8- HOU Kyle Tucker (+2500)

  • Tied at No. 8 - HOU Jose Altuve (+2500)

  • No. 10 - SEA Julio Rodriguez (+3000)

Early on, it seems the Yankees' trade for Juan Soto is paying off. Although Soto has been the favorite for the award ever since the trade was made in December, he has pulled himself away from the rest of the pack with a stellar start to the season, slashing .324/.447/.500.

Of all players on this board, Mike Trout might be the best bang for your buck. Not only are the Angels playing surprisingly well without Shohei Ohtani, sitting at second in the AL West, just a half game behind the first-place Texas Rangers, but Trout is also mashing right now.

He's tied for the MLB lead with seven home runs and has been rather unlucky in the RBI department. Seven home runs, but only ten RBI. That will surely start to lean in his favor moving forward. Given Trout's insistence that he is playing fully healthy, he could be in for a massive bounce back season after 2023 was one of his most disappointing.

NL MVP Odds:

  • No. 1 - LAD Mookie Betts (+270)

  • Tied at No. 2 - ATL Ronald Acuña Jr. (+700)

  • Tied at No. 2 - SD Fernando Tatis Jr. (+700)

  • Tied at No. 3 - LAD Shohei Ohtani (+1400)

  • Tied at No. 3 - ATL Matt Olson (+1400)

  • Tied at No. 3 - PHI Bryce Harper (+1400)

  • No. 7 - LAD Freddie Freeman (+1800)

  • No. 8 - NYM Pete Alonso (+2100)

  • No. 9 - ATL Austin Riley (+2500)

  • No. 10 - ARI Corbin Carroll (+3000)

Very early in the season, Mookie Betts led the National League in every feasible category it seemed. He's since cooled off, but not as much as you'd expect. He's still top-five in MLB in batting average, home runs, and RBI.

Among all players in the top-ten, anyone on the Dodgers is likely a great bet. This Dodgers team is practically guaranteed for 100 wins and although Shohei Ohtani isn't playing the field, which will hurt his MVP chances, MVP voters are very subject to bias. Ohtani is the sport's biggest star and just moved to one of the best teams in baseball. If he has a solid season at all, voters could be inclined to give him the award just because of how often we're going to see his name this year. He already has 15 extra-base hits in 20 games, meaning he's on pace for 120 extra-base hits, which would be the most ever in a single season. In fact, nobody has even reached 100 XBH since 2001.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2024 MLB MVP: Power ranking top NL, AL MVP candidates by odds