2022 MLB Futures Betting: Los Angeles Angels Teammates Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout Early A.L. MVP Co-Favorites at DraftKings

Tired: Why can’t the Los Angeles Angels make the playoffs with Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout?

Wired: The Angels are finally going to make the playoffs with Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout!

Inspired: Can Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout finish 1-2 in MVP voting for the World Series champion Angels?

OK, maybe it’s a bit early to imagine a parade in downtown Los Angeles for the Angels, who lead the AL West and have the second-best record in the junior circuit entering tonight’s games. But such daydreams are possible thanks to Ohtani and Trout, who are doing their usual superhuman feats.

Ohtani struck out 11 over seven scoreless innings against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park Thursday, when he also had two hits at the plate and knocked his own No. 17 off the iconic left field scoreboard with a 109 mph line drive. And Trout, batting .316 while ranking second in the AL in both OPS (1.118) and WAR (1.7, per Baseball Reference), appears to be back after an injury-ruined 2021.

So it’s not too early to wonder how rare a feat it would be for players from the same team to vie for the award or if the two can actually split the MVP. Per DraftKings today, Ohtani and Trout are the AL’s co-favorites at +400. Prior to Opening Day, Ohtani was the favorite at +350, followed right behind by Trout at +450.

The MVP award has been shared just once — in 1979, when Willie Stargell and future Seinfeld icon Keith Hernandez shared the NL award. And no team has placed 1-2 in the MVP balloting since 2000, when the San Francisco Giants’ Jeff Kent edged out Barry Bonds. It’s also not too early to wonder if the Angels can finish 1-2-3, since Taylor Ward has entered the MVP chat by ranking first in the AL in, you guessed it, OPS and WAR.

Alas, Ward is not yet listed on the DraftKings board. In the meantime, here’s one more AL candidate as well as three NL candidates to keep an eye on as the second month gets underway.

Aaron Judge, New York Yankees (+800 now, +1800 Opening Day)

Even in the era of advanced analytics, never underestimate the power of the #narrative shaping MVP races. Betting on himself has worked out well so far for Judge, who turned down a $230 million extension just before Opening Day but has hit nine homers — tied for the most in the AL with teammate Anthony Rizzo — for the Yankees, whose 18-7 record is the best in baseball. 

Nolan Arenado, St. Louis Cardinals (+650 now, +2500 Opening Day)

Bettors are starting to focus on Arenado, the reigning NL Player of the Month whose odds were +1600 just last week. He’s still technically second on the NL board behind Washington Nationals star Juan Soto (+600), but again, can the MVP be from a team with a real shot at 100-plus losses while Arenado helps carry the Cardinals (15-10 entering today) into the playoffs?

Manny Machado, San Diego Padres (+850 now, +3500 Opening Day)

Contending for the Triple Crown tends to vault a player into the MVP race and Machado ranks second in the NL in batting average (.374), tied for third in homers (seven) and tied for sixth in RBIs (20) while racking up a big league-best 2.5 WAR entering today for the Padres, who are 17-9.

Ronald Acuna Jr., Atlanta Braves (+950 now, +700 Opening Day)

The Braves’ slow start (12-15) gives Acuna, who returned from his ACL injury last week, a chance to surge into the race as the obvious missing piece for the defending World Series champions. Acuna is hitting just .200 through his first six games but looked as electric as ever by dancing his way out of a rundown as teammate Guillermo Heredia scored from third against the New York Mets on Wednesday.