Some odds have changed drastically since late February and early March in The Game Day’s early 2021 AL MVP picks. During Spring Training, it was easy to find 2021 American League MVP Award bets. Chicago White Sox OF Luis Robert was +2500 to win the 2021 AL MVP and was having an excellent season, but now will miss several months with a torn hip flexor. Los Angeles Angels DH/P Shohei Ohtani was once +4000 to win the AL MVP but is now +850 after an impressive start to the season.
As of May, the AL has clear-cut betting favorites topping the list of MVP Futures bets. Here is a check-in of the AL MVP Futures Bets for May 2021 via PointsBet. PointsBet is offering new players 2 Risk-Free Bets of up to $2,000. Sign up to claim this offer and place more 2021 MLB futures bets.
- Read Taylor’s 2021 NL MVP Bets May Odds update.
2021 AL MVP Futures Bets
2021 American League MVP Odds: Favorites
- Mike Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels (+200)
- Shohei Ohtani, DH/P, Los Angeles Angels (+850)
- Byron Buxton, OF, Minnesota Twins (+900)
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B, Toronto Blue Jays (+1100)
- Jose Ramirez, 3B, Cleveland Indians (+1600)
- J.D. Martinez, DH, Boston Red Sox (+1600)
- Aaron Judge, OF, New York Yankees (+2000)
- Jose Abreu, 1B, Chicago White Sox (+2000)
- Alex Bregman, 3B, Houston Astros (+2500)
- DJ LeMahieu, 1B/2B, New York Yankees (+3000)
Mike Trout is the runaway favorite right now to win the AL MVP Award, and rightfully so. He leads qualified hitters in batting average. His 2.4 fWAR (tied with Byron Buxton) leads the MLB. It is an excellent start to the season for Trout, and as long as he stays healthy, he should remain the favorite to win the award.
Trout’s teammate Shohei Ohtani has skyrocketed up the list of favorites after impressing both on the mound and with the bat. If he can continue to be successful at both pitching and hitting, Ohtani could inch closer in value to Trout, but he will have to stay healthy in order to do so.
Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout sit atop the 2021 AL MVP odds as of May 11. But are they the best 2021 AL MVP bets? (Image: USA TODAY Sports)
2021 American League MVP Sleeper Bets
J.D. Martinez, DH, Boston Red Sox (+1600)
J.D. Martinez helped the Red Sox end the first month of the season atop the AL East. His production also contributed to Boston having the third-best run differential in the American League.
This has been a season of redemption for Martinez after struggling mightily in 2020. It looks as if what bothered him last season is behind him.
He is one of the few players in the AL who could potentially keep up with Trout’s offensive output, but primarily serving as the designated hitter will limit Martinez’s value in the eyes of MVP voters.
Despite that, he’s still worth the bet at +1600.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B, Toronto Blue Jays (+1100)
It appears Vlad Jr. is finally going to reach his power potential. Experts have been waiting for the raw power to turn into an explosion of home runs, and this year he is on pace for 40 home runs.
He has increased his exit velocity, launch angle, barrel rate, and hard-hit rate this season while improving his groundball, line-drive, and flyball rates. These adjustments have also resulted in an improving batting average, home run rate, and offensive production across the board. Even his defense has improved!
If he can keep this up, Vlad Jr. could be one of the best players in baseball this season.
