2022 AL MVP odds update: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (now favored), Luis Robert taking heaviest early-season MLB betting action

Last year, Caesars Sportsbook didn't keep updated individual MLB player awards odds active every day of the season but apparently will do so in 2022. So, with the new campaign about two weeks old, there's a new favorite to win American League MVP and that's Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero. The book is a bit exposed on Baby Vlad because he's taking a ton of action but even more so on longer-shot White Sox outfielder Luis Robert.

After tying for the big-league lead last year with 48 homers and finishing second for AL MVP, Guerrero Jr. had the third-lowest AL MVP odds on Opening Day at +550, behind reigning winner Shohei Ohtani at +325 and three-time winner Mike Trout at +450. Guerrero Jr. is now +325 with Ohtani at +350 and Trout +700 and Trout currently dealing with a hand injury that has kept him out this week and may again Wednesday in Houston.

Guerrero Jr. leads the AL with five homers and is third with 10 RBIs while batting .317. He already has a three-homer game last Wednesday at the Yankees.

"I'm trying not to get too wound up early in the year, especially with MVP markets since it's such a long season," said Eric Biggio, Head Baseball Trade at Caesars Sportsbook. "Cy Young is a different animal, each guy gets 30 or so starts, so every start is a pretty big deal. But after Vlad's three-homer game, we cut his MVP odds pretty sharply. Then a couple days after he hit another home run, that's when we made him the sole favorite."

Since the season began, Guerrero by far is taking the most money to win AL MVP at 33 percent as well as the second-most tickets at 13 percent. The biggest in-season wager on Guerrero Jr. was an Arizona bettor laying $2,500 when he was at +400 for potential winnings of $10,000.

"Vlad's just been so good, and you also have to take the team into account," Biggio said. "The Blue Jays still look like a legit AL pennant favorite, and he's a big part of that. Everybody knew Vlad's potential, it's always been the injury question marks. He looks fit and has been ultra-impressive. I think people are trying to get ahead of any big run that the Blue Jays go on, because then Vlad's MVP odds would drop even more. Some people just want to grab a piece of that and add it to their portfolio."

The White Sox's Robert is off to a bit of a slow start in batting .194 with two homers and three RBIs, although he has been playing terrific defense in the outfield and has five steals already – his career high is nine as a rookie in 2020. Robert is +2000 to win AL MVP but taking the highest number of tickets at 22 percent and the second-most money at 16 percent. The Sox have had back-to-back games this week in Cleveland rained out and will play a doubleheader there Wednesday.

Minnesota outfielder Byron Buxton (+1500) also has been a popular early bet in taking the third-most tickets (12 percent) and co-third-most money (12 percent). Buxton is hitting .250 with three homers and four RBIs and hasn't played since Friday due to a knee injury. It's not quite clear when he may return, but it shouldn't be much longer.

Cleveland's Jose Ramirez is off to a scorching-hot start at .457 with three homers and an AL-best 15 RBIs. He's down to +1800 for AL MVP and taking the co-third-most money at 12 percent but not in the top four of tickets. 

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