What does $700M get the Dodgers? Not the NL MVP favorite

Field Level Media|published: Wed 13th December, 18:55 2023

Jul 7, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani (17) and Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts (50) talk while at second base during a play review in the fourth inning at Dodger Stadium. credits: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Dodgers remain tied to rumors they are seeking to add a marquis pitcher even after signing Shohei Ohtani to a record $700 million contract this week.

That's because the reigning American League Most Valuable Player isn't expected to take the mound for the Dodgers until at least 2025. The first year of Los Angeles' decade-long commitment to the Japanese star will be reliant upon Ohtani's powerful bat making a lasting impact.

However, he isn't even the National League MVP favorite in his own lineup. At +1000 by FanDuel, Ohtani's MVP odds are longer than Dodgers second baseman Mookie Betts (+650) and first baseman Freddie Freeman (+900).

The trio trail Atlanta's Ronald Acuna Jr., who won his first NL MVP award last month. He is being offered as the +500 favorite to repeat by FanDuel. Acuna is also the +550 favorite at DraftKings, ahead of Betts and Ohtani at +650.

Yankees slugger Aaron Judge is the +550 favorite by both books to win the AL MVP award next season. Judge is slated to move to center field following the acquisition of right fielder Juan Soto.

Soto has the second shortest AL MVP odds at +600 at FanDuel, followed by Texas shortstop Corey Seager (+800) and Houston slugger Yordan Alvarez (+900). Soto is also +600 at DraftKings, where he is followed by Alvarez (+800) and Seager (+1000).

In the Cy Young picture, Atlanta's Spencer Strider is the +500 NL favorite at FanDuel, while the Yankees' Gerrit Cole leads the way at +550 in the AL.

—Field Level Media