2022 AL MVP odds: Yankees' Aaron Judge has overtaken Angels' Shohei Ohtani as betting favorite
There's a new betting favorite for AL MVP at Caesars Sportsbook: Aaron Judge.
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The New York Yankees might regret offering star slugger Aaron Judge a seven-year contract extension worth "only" $30.5 million per season back in the spring, because Judge's value has skyrocketed ahead of his potential free agency with a spectacular start to the 2022 season for the best team in the majors. Caesars Sportsbook oddsmakers have noticed, and Judge is now the +150 favorite to win his first AL MVP Award.
Reigning AL MVP Shohei Ohtani had been the favorite for much of the season but is now +300 – the Angels' team-record 14-game losing streak obviously hasn't helped Ohtani's case; he's on the mound tonight against Boston trying to end that skid. Los Angeles was 24-13 and in first place in the AL West on May 15, but the Angels have gone 3-18 since.
While the Yankees lost Wednesday at Minnesota behind Cy Young candidate Nestor Cortes with Judge going hitless, he leads the majors with 22 homers while batting .311 with 45 RBI and a league-best 1.058 OPS. He became just the third Yankee in franchise history to hit at least 22 homers in the club's first 55 games, joining Babe Ruth (three times) and Mickey Mantle. Since 2020, the Yankees are 47-12 when Judge homers and 14-4 this year. His four multi-HR games are the most in the majors this season.
Judge is +165 to homer tonight at the Twins, which is an incredibly low price. He has three homers in 19 at-bats off of struggling Minnesota starter Dylan Bundy, who will pitch tonight. The Yankees have had an AL MVP winner 22 times (most in MLB), but the trophy hasn't come to the Bronx since Alex Rodriguez won his third and final award in 2007.
Now that Ohtani is out of the favored role for AL MVP, not a single Opening Day favorite at Caesars for the four major awards (AL/NL MVP; AL/NL Cy Young) still is in that role. Washington's Juan Soto was the +300 NL MVP favorite, but it's now the Dodgers' Mookie Betts at +250. Soto is way down at +2000.
For AL Cy Young, the Yankees' Gerrit Cole was the +350 leader – he pitches tonight at the Twins – but it's now Houston's Justin Verlander at +400. Cole is +500. In the National League, the Mets' Max Scherzer was the +500 favorite, but that belongs currently to Milwaukee's Corbin Burnes, the 2021 Cy winner, at +450. Scherzer has dropped to +6000 because he's out injured and won't be back anytime soon. Burnes, incidentally, pitches tonight vs. the Phillies.
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