Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge were named 2025 NL and AL MVP, respectively, so we take a look at where the pair of superstars fall in the 2025 MVP betting market
Shohei Ohtani ranks second behind Barry Bonds for the most MVP wins in MLB history(Image: Photo by Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
With the World Series and MLB award season now complete, it is time to start looking ahead to 2026.
On Thursday night, Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani was named National League MVP and New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge was awarded American League MVP, marking the first time in MLB history the same two players won MVP in back-to-back seasons.
In total, Ohtani has won four league MVPs (two NL, two AL), while Judge edged out Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh for his third MVP award in four seasons. To nobody’s surprise, Ohtani and Judge are the betting favorites to win NL and AL MVP, respectively, once again in 2026.
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Ohtani is the odds-on favorite at -110 to take home what would be his fourth straight MVP award, and third in three years since joining the Dodgers.
The 31-year-old can join Barry Bonds as the only players in the history of the sport to win four straight league MVPs.
Judge is the +300 favorite to win his third straight AL MVP next season, edging out Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (+500) and Raleigh (+750), who hit 60 home runs and received 13 first-place votes for the 2025 award (Judge received 17).
Simply put, Ohtani and Judge are dominating in a way that has never been seen in the 100-plus year history of the sport, and neither look to be slowing down any time soon.
Aaron Judge recorded his fourth 50-plus home run season in 2025, tied with Babe Ruth, Mark McGwire, and Sammy Sosa for most all time(Image: Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Closest in the odds to Ohtani for the 2026 NL honor are New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto (+800), Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (+1200), and San Diego Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (+1200).
It will take a historic effort to compete with Ohtani in the MVP race, much less win it.
The back-to-back World Series champion pitcher and slugger became the first athlete across MLB, the NFL, NBA, and NHL to win more than one unanimous MVP, meaning no player other than Ohtani has received a first-place vote since he joined LA.
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It is more likely that someone claims Judge’s mantle as the AL’s best player, which Raleigh nearly did in 2025.
Longer in the 2026 AL MVP odds include second-year first baseman Nick Kurtz (+900), Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez (+1000), and Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (+1200).
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