Shohei Ohtani has won the last two NL MVP awards, and his two-way production as a pitcher and hitter gives him a leg up on the competition in the race for what could be his third.
FanDuels National League Most Valuable Player Odds shows Ohtani (-370) as the easy favorite to repeat amid an emerging field of rising stars. Ohtani is striking out 10 batters per 9 innings and posting a sub-1 WHIP. He remains an excellent hitter who has drawn the most intentional walks, but he is slugging just .454 and is overcoming a genuine slump, going hitless in four consecutive games for the first time in his career.
Even a small weakening of Ohtani’s star could contribute to voter fatigue as members of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) look to reward more of the game’s incredible talents. Despite the long odds of overtaking dual-threat Ohtani, there are some early contenders who could see their stock rise significantly with another impressive month of production.
Corbin Carroll (+1700) finished tied for sixth in NL MVP voting last season, and is returning from a broken hamate bone by drawing more walks and extra-base hits at a historic rate.
Matt Olson (+1700) leads the league in WAR after the first month, hitting 11 home runs and posting a league-leading 31 RBIs while hitting .299/.380/.650.
Elly Dela Cruz (+2200) is already in his third season in the professional at only 24 years old. After playing with a quadriceps strain for much of last season, he’s back on pace for a potential 40/40 season, and just a fraction behind the league lead in WAR.
Ronald Acuña Jr. (+2200) was the last non-Ohtani NL MVP winner, and he has produced MVP-caliber numbers whenever healthy. His health is another big reason for the Atlanta Braves’ league-leading win total, but he’ll need to recover quickly from a recent passage through the IL.
juan soto (+3000): Finished third in NL MVP voting last year and is starting to rebound for a Mets lineup that’s desperate for a star to step up. His first game back in the lineup marked the end of a 12-game losing streak.
James Madera (+4000) has a huge frame and a short swing that shoots through contact. He strikes out quite a bit, but he’s also walking more this season (a 19.9% walk rate leads the National League) and has made some stand out play in right field.
Drake Baldwin (+5000) won the 2025 Rookie of the Year award, and if the left-handed catcher continues his pace to surpass last year’s 19 home runs, he could emerge as Atlanta’s brightest star.
Jordan Walker (+6000) is stealing more bases and has already surpassed last season’s HR total, showing that the 23-year-old could be comfortable in his 6’6″, 250-pound frame.
