With the first couple of months of the 2017 MLB season in the books, we now have a big enough sample size to have an understanding of what to expect in the MVP races. The National League MVP race is made up of the usual suspects once again. Meanwhile, the American League MVP frontrunner is a surprising newcomer that has taken the league by storm. Here is a look at the early favorites to win the 2017 MLB MVP awards according to the updated sports betting odds.
American League MVP
OF: Aaron Judge, New York Yankees -150
The Yankees newest superstar has shocked the baseball world as an obvious frontrunner to win AL MVP. Judge has hit .335 with 22 home runs, 55 runs scored and 49 RBI. Judge hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down either. After he was listed at +1800 odds to win AL MVP as recent as a month ago, Judge is a clear favorite at -150 odds. It’s quite surprising that a player can come out of nowhere like this to make such an impact. Unless he completely cools off in the second half of the season, he’s the shoe-in to win the award as of right now.
2B: Jose Altuve, Houston Astros +750
With Los Angeles Angels superstar Mike Trout injured, a pair of Astros teammates take up the 2-3 spots according to the AL MVP odds. Altuve has hit .320 with nine home runs, 43 runs scored and 32 RBI. While he hasn’t shown as much power as Judge, he has been excellent defensively at second base and he has racked up 11 stolen bases. If Judge slips or gets hurt, Altuve should be next in line to win the AL MVP. Remember that the Astros – as a team – are having a banner season. They’ve been the best team in baseball throughout the first half of the season, so a number of their players are going to get looks for major awards.
SS: Carlos Correa, Houston Astros +750
Correa is another player that could be in the MVP discussion if Judge falls off for one reason or another. Correa has hit .297 with 12 home runs, 43 runs scored and 42 RBI. While both Astros infielders should be in the discussion, it’s clear that each of them will have a more difficult time winning the award since they are teammates. If Correa has the better second half to the season, he could wind up being the 2017 American League MVP.
National League MVP
OF: Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals Even
Remember when Bryce Harper struggled last season and people were wondering if it was a one-off? Well, the answer is clearly ‘yes’. Harper is the clear favorite to win the NL MVP at even odds. The Nationals superstar outfielder has hit .314 with 17 home runs, 53 runs and 50 RBI. After struggling with lingering injuries a year ago, Harper has bounced back with outstanding numbers early on this season. It also helps that the Nationals are playing really well these days and are a near sureshot to win the National League East. As long as Harper stays healthy, he should remain the NL MVP frontrunner.
1B: Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks +500
If the Diamondbacks continue to challenge for the NL West division title, Goldschmidt could end up as a serious contender to win the MVP award. Goldschmidt has hit .323 with 15 home runs, 58 runs and 53 RBI. He has also contributed 13 stolen bases. Arizona is off to an excellent start to the year. If Goldschmidt continues to produce and the Diamondbacks continue to win, then he will definitely be in the NL MVP conversation.
1B: Ryan Zimmerman, Washington Nationals +700
The fact that Zimmerman is Harper’s teammate hurts his MVP stock a little bit. However, Zimmerman has produced an outstanding start to the season in his own right. The veteran first basemen has hit a ridiculous .365 with 19 home runs, 52 RBI and 45 runs scored. Those are absolutely ridiculous numbers. Zimmerman will have a tough time keeping up his current pace. However, if he continues to produce at such a high level then he could sneak in to the MVP conversation if something happens to Harper.
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