As baseball ramps toward the postseason, the award races are heating up as well. Perhaps at the forefront of these races is the Most Valuable Player (MVP) race in both leagues.
While there is a little over a month left of regular-season baseball, some players present stronger cases then others for the MVP in their respective leagues.
Here are the favorites for each league and the runner-up along with odds.
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American League
|
Team |  BetRivers |
|---|---|
| Aaron Judge | |
| Shohei Ohtani | |
| Jose Ramirez | |
| Vladimir Guerrero Jr | |
| Yordan Alvarez | |
| Jose Altuve | |
| Kyle Tucker | |
| Luis Robert | |
| Rafael Devers | |
| Xander Bogaerts |
Aaron Judge (-650)
Since the All-Star break, Judge is batting .372 with 13 home runs and 30 RBIs. The most incredible stat from Judge since mid July is the .524 on-base percentage (OBP) As the Yankees enter the middle of August, Judge carries a .300 average, 46 homers and 100 RBIs.
Despite New York being 3-9 in August, Judge continues to terrorize American League pitching. In his last 15 games, Judge is hitting .360 with eight bombs.
The clear favorite in the AL with over a month left, it’ll take a significant drop in production for any other players to be considered the MVP favorite.
Shohei Ohtani (+550)
Ohtani is a modern-day marvel as he is All-Star worthy as a pitcher and hitter. A dynamic pitcher with a 10-7 record and 2.68 ERA. The Japanese phenom brings a ridiculous strikeouts per nine innings (K/9) over 12.
His home runs and RBI production dipped in 2022 from his MVP season in 2021, but his average hovers around the same. Entering the weekday series against Seattle Ohtani is hitting .254 with 26 bombs and 68 RBIs.
The dip in homers and RBIs may slide Ohtani out of favor with voters, and his record is not as impressive as the 9-2 he posted in 2021. While he is amazing to watch, he simply has not put up the offensive production.
National League
|
Team | BetRivers |
|---|---|
| Paul Goldschmidt | |
| Freddie Freeman | |
| Nolan Arenado | |
| Austin Riley | |
| Mookie Betts | |
| Trea Turner | |
| Francisco Lindor | |
| Manny Machado | |
| Pete Alonso | |
| Matt Olson | |
| Juan Soto | |
| Ronald Acuna Jr |
Paul Goldschmidt (-135)
The slight favorite in the NL, the first baseman is hitting a robust .328 with 28 homers and 89 RBIs. What is more impressive is his .413 OBP. Goldscmidt will be 35 in September, but is playing some of his best baseball in his 12-year career.
It is possible that he eclipses his season-best of 36 home runs he set in 2013, and if his .328 average hovers there for the season he will set a new best in average.
His St. Louis Cardinals hold a slim lead in the NL Central division and his play will be a huge factor in where the the team is, a wild card or division winner.
Austin Riley (+440)
Making a strong push for NL MVP is third baseman Austin Riley. After being named the NL Player of the Month for July, Riley’s odds jumped from the 600 range to 440.
With a .292 average, 30 bombs and 74 RBIs, Riley is an integral part of the defending World Series champions as the Braves fight for the division.
His OBP of .357 is a huge dip in the NL favorite Goldschmidt, but the production is comparable.
The big thing for both candidates is what team finishes where because these players will affect their respective teams standings in the next month.