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MLB Rumors: Cubs’ Kris Bryant & Yankees’ Giancarlo Stanton Among Favorites For MVP Awards, Per ‘Odds Shark’

By Matt Couden
Published on: 08:52 PST, Mar 21, 2018

With the new season set to start in about a week, there are MLB rumors over which players will win the American and National League MVP Awards. While there are already two frontrunners based on the available odds at Odds Shark, there are two players who aren’t the top choice with a good shot at winning this coming season’s award. They are the newest Yankee, Giancarlo Stanton, and Chicago Cubs star Kris Bryant.

The latest report from Odds Shark’s Gilles Gallant suggests that while Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels is the current American League favorite to win MVP, bettors should seriously consider Giancarlo Stanton. The newest addition to the Yankees is currently at +1200 odds to win the award, which has him ranked third behind Trout (+130) and the Houston Astros’ Jose Altuve (+600), on the MLB future odds for MVP in the American League. Altuve is the reigning AL MVP after last season’s stellar performance he put up, but now he’ll contend with the reigning NL MVP Award recipient.

The former Miami Marlins slugger makes an even more powerful lineup for the Yankees, joining the AL home runs leader and Rookie of the Year, Aaron Judge. Gallant suggests that should the Yankees win 100 games this season thanks to Stanton putting up numbers similar to 2017 with the Marlins, he’s likely to win the MVP. Last season saw Stanton produce 59 home runs, 132 RBIs, and a 0.281 batting average.

Other potential picks that bettors might consider for the AL MVP include the Orioles’ Manny Machado (+2,500) and the Twins’ Byron Buxton (+10,000). Of those two players, Machado recently made headlines for a potential “recruiting pitch” made to him by New York’s Aaron Judge. Machado is coming up on free agency at the end of the season and will most likely put up some great stats to help his case to sign for a lucrative offer.

AL MVP Top Odds

  • Mike Trout +130
  • Jose Altuve +600
  • Carlos Correa +1,000
  • Giancarlo Stanton +1,200
  • Francisco Lindor +1,200
  • Aaron Judge +1,800
  • Josh Donaldson +2,000
  • Mookie Betts +2,000
  • Manny Machado +2,500
  • J.D. Martinez +2,500

In the National League, the Washington Nationals’ Bryce Harper leads all candidates at +300, but just behind him is Kris Bryant. The Chicago Cubs star player is a +400 favorite to win the award and just ahead of Nolan Arenado (+500) of the Colorado Rockies.

If Bryant captures the NL MVP Award, it would make for his second in the past three seasons. He previously received the award in 2016 after a season that saw him hit 39 home runs, 102 RBIs, and achieve a 0.292 batting average. Most of these were career-best, with the exception of his average. Bryant’s already looking like he’s ready to go based on Spring Training results.

Odds Shark’s Gallant suggests the possible dark horse winner in the National League could be the Rockies’ Arenado, Brewers’ Yoenis Cespedes (+3,300), and the Brewers’ Eric Thames (+3,000) as a long shot. However, the Cubs are right up there in terms of projections for potential World Series winners this coming season and if Bryant helps push them to success again, the award could be his.

NL MVP Top Odds

  • Bryce Harper +300
  • Kris Bryant +400
  • Nolan Arenado +500
  • Paul Goldschmidt +800
  • Joey Votto +900
  • Cody Bellinger +1,200
  • Corey Seager +1,500
  • Anthony Rizzo +1,800
  • Freddie Freeman +1,800
  • Charlie Blackmon +2,500

While the odds are available, they are likely to change as the season is underway based on how players are performing. MLB’s Opening Day officially arrives on Thursday, March 29 with teams in action throughout the day.

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mlb Baseball Chicago Cubs New York Yankees Giancarlo Stanton Kris Bryant
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