Aaron Judge has Replaced Shoehei Ohtani as Best Bet to Win 2022 MLB American League MVP

Dan Favale
By , Updated on: Jun 8, 2022 12:00 AM
Shohei Ohtani no longer favored to win MLB AL MVP.

Major League Baseball is fast approaching its 2022 All-Star break, a milestone marked not only by the calendar but the ever-shifting nature of betting odds on MLB. Every aspect of the game is seemingly subject to constant revision—particularly when it comes to betting MLB futures. In our never-ending quest to make sense if it all, we've already taken a look at why Manny Machado is the best bet to win the 2022 AL MVP award. Naturally, then, it only makes sense we dive in to our best bet to win the 2022 AL MVP award—a list the features Aaron Judge,  Shohei Ohtani and a whole litter of other intriguing options.

Before we cannonball into our 2022 MLB predictions, here's a look at the latest betting odds to win the 2022 AL MVP:

Pick to WinBovada
Aaron Judge-110
Shohei Ohtani+260
Mike Trout+800
Yordan Alvarez+800
Rafael Devers+1600
Jose Ramirez+2500
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.+4000
Byron Buxton+8000
Giancarlo Stanton+10000
Kyle Tucker+12500
Jose Altuve+12500
George Springer+12500
Tim Anderson+12500
Bo Bichette+12500
Xander Bogaerts+12500
Ty France+12500
Anthony Rizzo+12500

You'll notice the MLB AL MVP betting odds have fewer options than the MLB NL MVP betting odds. This is by design. The American League MVP field is currently more exclusive, with a select group of names towering over the rest of the competitions. Top sportsbooks like Bovada have deemed including many others in their MLB futures as pointless amid such a wide chasm.

Anyway, make sure you'll double-check these MLB odds prior to making your 2022 AL MVP pick. All MLB futures betting is subject to change right up until the end of the season, and our odds to win the 2022 AL MVP award are accurate entering games on Wednesday, June 8.

With so much time between now and when your MLB MVP predictions must be submitted, we strongly encourage you to go through our reviews of the top online sportsbooks. Everyone has been crafted with the goal of helping you spot the best 2022 MLB betting sites. You don't want to miss out on that opportunity.

Enough chitchat, though. Let's get to our best bets to win MLB's 2022 AL MVP award.

Should Aaron Judge be Favored to Win the 2022 AL MVP?

It's officially tough to argue against Aaron Judge (+200) as the AL MVP favorite. Not only is he clearly the best player on one of the best teams in baseball, the New York Yankees, but he's displayed a blend of power and hitting efficiency that no other player currently comes close to matching.

To wit: Judge leads MLB in on-base-plus-slugging percentage by a fairly wide margin. That's unheard of for someone so ostensibly reliant on blasting the covering off baseballs. So while he's known predominantly for his power—his 22 home runs rank first, and it's not even close—Judge has officially become the entire offensive package.

This is all in addition to improving defense in the right field. We're not sure Judge will get a Gold Glove award, but it's certainly within the realm of possibility.

Aaron Judge To win the 2022 AL MVP Award
Bovada
+200

Why Shohei Ohtani Slipped Behind Aaron Judge in AL MVP Ladder

Shohei Ohtani (+300) at one point led the MVP field. It wasn't hard to see why, either.

Yes, there's of course, the appeal attached to him being an everyday hitter who also takes part in the Los Angeles Angels' pitching rotation. Mostly, though, he was just impossible to pitch around. His knack for getting on base while hitting balls from all areas of the plate is nearly unparalleled—and truly terrifying for opposing teams.

Unfortunately, Ohtani has been laboring through a bit of a slump, just like the rest of his team. The Angels have lost 12 in a row at this writing, an unflattering streak that prompted them to fire their manager. Without a midseason renaissance, Los Angeles is unlikely to be good enough for Ohtani to finish atop the AL MVP ladder.

Shohei Ohtani To win the 2022 AL MVP Award
Bovada
+300

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is Undervalued in AL MVP Discussion

The MVP debate too often overlooks players who dominate through comprehension. This year that means Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (+1800) isn't getting nearly enough love.

Indeed, he doesn't come close to leading the majors in home runs (13), and he's seen his batting average dip a hair below .250 after his recent slump. But the kid just knows how to put pressure on opposing teams overall.

Guerrero Jr. does everything from running the bases well to forcing pitchers into walks to rattling off base hits by choosing whether to hit ground balls through the infield or fly balls into the outfield. His baseball IQ is simply off the charts. And though we wouldn't expect him to win as of now, he's a weeks-long hot streak away from party crashing the top of this discussion.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. To win the 2022 AL MVP Award
Bovada
+1800

Can Yordan Alvarez Enter MLB MVP Debate?

Yordan Alvarez (+2000) is quietly having a spectacular season, even has the Houston Astros continue to show cracks in their armor. The designated hitter who can soak up reps in left field is currently hitting .289 with a .622 slugging percentage—the latter of which is the third highest in baseball, behind only Bryce Harper and Aaron Judge.

At this point, you might be wondering why Alvarez comes in as a 20-to-1 underdog. It's not all that complicated. Voters tend to gravitate towards the best players on World Series contenders, and the Astros have only recently started staking their claim to that discussion.

Fast forward a few weeks, and it wouldn't be a surprise if Houston won enough to give Alvarez some real momentum on the MVP ladder.

Shohei Ohtani To win the 2022 AL MVP Award
Bovada
+2000

PREDICTION: AL MVP is Aaron Judge's to Lose

It's just not possible for us to pick anyone else at this stage. Aaron Judge is having a historically good season, and for the moment, it genuinely doesn't feel like anyone is going to catch him.

Failing a Yankee's implosion, Judge is in the driver's seat. And even if New York does take a few steps back, Judge has an inherent advantage over many other candidates simply because he plays both sides of the field rather than predominantly DHing. Our recommendation is to jump on him while he still pays out 2-to-1.

OSB AL MVP Prediction: Aaron Judge (+200)

Aaron Judge To win the 2022 AL MVP Award
Bovada
+200

Check out this list of the top online sportsbooks so you can find one to use for all of your MLB betting in 2022:

Meet the author

Dan Favale

Dan first began writing about sports back in 2011. At the time, his expertise lied in the NBA and NFL. More than one decade, that remains the case. But he's also expanded his catalog to include extensive knowledge and analysis on the NHL, MLB, tennis, NASCAR, college ba...

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