With the MLB season in full swing, we have seen some players really step up their games in both the American League and National League. Because of this, we’ve seen some guys see their odds to win individual awards skyrocket. In this piece, we have updated MLB individual picks for 2022 season, which includes the biggest stars in the game right now.
On one side of things, Aaron Judge is the favorite to win AL MVP, as the NY Yankees slugger is in the middle of a truly incredible campaign for the AL East side. Judge is No. 1 in homers and so much more. Every time he’s up at the dish for the Bronx Bombers, people think he has the potential to leave the yard. That’s how impressive he’s been for the team.
Thanks to the strong play from Judge, the Yankees have seen their MLB World Series odds also go up. It’s been a long time since the Yankees have looked this strong, and Just has people in the city believing he can help the team get over the top and bring home another title to the Bronx. In order for that to happen, Judge will definitely have to keep mashing at such a strong level.
| MLB MVP odds |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Judge to win | +115 | +115 | +115 | +115 |
| Ohtani to win | +250 | +250 | +250 | +250 |
| Betts to win | +250 | +250 | +250 | +250 |
| Machado to win | +250 | +250 | +250 | +250 |
According to the best-rated sportsbooks, Judge holds +115 MLB odds to win AL MVP. He’s not the only guy in the mix of things, though, as Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout, Jose Ramirez, Rafael Devers and others are having strong years and they’re hopeful of pushing for the AL MVP as well. Judge holds the best odds, though, and he’s going to be a tough guy to take down.
Judge still thinks he was robbed of the 2017 AL MVP. He’s got amazing odds to wipe away those bad memories this time around and claim the AL’s top honour. Only time will tell if Judge will be able to win this race or not, but things sure are in his favor. From our chair, we think Judge will win AL MVP. He’s no question our pick to hold off Ohtani and others.
On the other side of things in the MLB, Mookie Betts and Manny Machado battling for NL MVP is a race that should last all the way until the end of the season. The two superstar players are in the middle of big years for the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres. What makes this battle even more entertaining is they’re both in the NL West.
On one hand, Betts feels like he’s got the best chance to win NL MVP, as he not only helped the Dodgers win the World Series last year but he’s got LA looking like they could potentially win it all once again this year too. Betts is a stud at the dish and he’s also a playmaker defensively too. He’s going to be a guy to watch the rest of the campaign, no doubt.
Machado is amazing at the dish too, which is why he’s in the mix to win NL MVP as well. From the moment Machado took the field for the Padres this spring, people have been hyped about his potential to get San Diego back on the right track. Machado will keep on mashing the rest of the way too, which is exciting to think about. He’s a special player.
While other players, like Paul Goldschmidt, Pete Alonso, Bryce Harper and others are in the mix of things as well, this really feels like a two-man battle between Machado and Betts. Betts feels like he’s got the upper hand, but the two have the same NL MVP odds at +250. At the end of the day, this is going to be too close to call, but we’re going with Betts as our pick.
As for star hurlers, the AL and NL Cy Young odds are incredibly close on both sides of things. In the American League, Tampa Bay’s Shane McClanahan holds the top odds, barely the favorite over Justin Verlander. McClanahan is currently 7-2 on the year with an impressive 1.87 ERA. On top of that, he’s also got 97 strikeouts on the season, which has been great to see.
Verlander isn’t going to just let him walk away with the title, though, as the Astros hurler has also been strong this season. Verlander is fully back from his serious elbow injury, and he’s reminded people why he’s one of the best pitchers in the game. It’s going to be a close AL Cy Young battle, but we’re going with the Tampa Bay hurler as our pick.
As for the National League, Sandy Alcantara holds the No. 1 odds to win the Cy Young, as he’s been set at +350. Alcantara has been nothing short of dominant and people are loving what they’re seeing out of him. From the looks of things, Alcantara isn’t going to slow down whatsoever the rest of the way. He’s our pick to win the NL Cy Young this season, no question about that.
