Best Bets for Every 2026 MLB Award, Including MVP and Cy Young

• Will Shohei Ohtani win his fourth consecutive MVP?
• Can anyone in the AL top Aaron Judge or Tarik Skubal?
• Continue reading for my best bets for the 2026 MLB Awards cycle

At the MVP and Cy Young level, 2025 was largely a repeat of 2024. Reigning MVPs Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani repeated as in 2025. On the pitching side, Tarik Skubal went back-to-back in the American League, while Paul Skenes jumped from NL Rookie of the Year to NL Cy Young winner.

Will anyone break the trend in 2026? Here are my best bets for the big six MLB awards.

2026 MLB Awards: Best Bets

AL MVP Best Bet: Julio Rodriguez (+1700 at DraftKings)

For being one of the streakiest players in MLB, Julio Rodriguez has notched three top-seven MVP finishes in four seasons. Through his career, Rodriguez has a .737 OPS in the first half and a .902 OPS in the second half. Given the floor provided by his defense and base running, Rodriguez is an MVP candidate even with inconsistencies.

However, with the ugly taste of a Game 7 loss lingering, I anticipate Rodriguez getting out to a hot start and putting the pieces together for an 8-WAR season. He could conceivably go 40-40 and win a Gold Glove. Knocking off Aaron Judge will be difficult, but Rodriguez has all the talent to usurp the three-time MVP. He’s good value at +1700 in the MLB MVP odds for the American League.

NL MVP Best Bet: Shohei Ohtani (-115 at Caesars)

Only the second player ever to win four MVPs, Shohei Ohtani will look to make it four in a row and five overall in 2026. He is the best hitter in the National League, and he pitches. Although he has thrown only 47 regular-season innings for the Dodgers in two seasons, he won the MVP award unanimously in both seasons.

While I don’t think Ohtani will pitch enough to win the Cy Young (as he is aiming to do), the combination of elite hitting and any pitching will likely push him past even the most concerted efforts from the likes of Juan Soto and Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ohtani is priced at a market-best -115 at Caesars Sportsbook. He’s as short as -145 at BetMGM.

AL Cy Young Best Bet: Dylan Cease (+3000 at BetMGM)

While I have faded Dylan Cease’s chances to lead the Majors in strikeouts, the defense behind Cease – when he isn’t striking out batters – is as good as it gets. The up-the-middle quartet of Alejandro Kirk, Ernie Clement, Andres Gimenez, and Daulton Varsho all have Platinum Glove-level upside.

Cease’s Cy Young viability has a near-perfect correlation to his BABIP. In 2022 and 2024, he finished in the top four of voting with BABIPs allowed below .270. In 2023 and 2025, Cease had an ERA north of 4.50 in large part due to a BABIP over .320.

With MLB’s best defense behind him, elite strikeout stuff, and impeccable health, Cease is a terrific value bet, priced at +3000 in the Cy Young odds at BetMGM.

NL Cy Young Best Bet: Logan Webb (+1800 at FanDuel)

Speaking of BABIP, Logan Webb surrendered an unholy .349 BABIP in 2025. As a groundball specialist, Webb trades a slightly higher BABIP for less slugging allowed, but the .349 BABIP is quite unsustainable. With a more modest BABIP and a continuation of his above-average strikeout rate, Webb could move from Cy Young bridesmaid to Cy Young in 2026.

Webb has finished in the top six in Cy Young voting in each of the last three seasons. He has led the NL in innings pitched all three years. Given the volume, if Webb’s ERA begins with a two rather than a three in 2026, he will have a sound case for the Cy Young.

AL Rookie of the Year Best Bet: Munetaka Murakami (+1000 at BetMGM)

Unlike the other five players who are +1000 or shorter in the AL Rookie of the Year odds, Munetaka Murakami is the safest bet to have a job the whole season. The likes of Kevin McGonigle, Kazuma Okamoto, Carter Jensen, Trey Yesavage, and Samuel Basallo could be integral pieces for October-bound teams. On the flip side, it would be quite logical for Detroit, Toronto, Kansas City, or Baltimore to pivot to a different option for the sake of keeping a contending team on the field in the case of severe struggles.

Murakami had huge contact issues in NPB that will likely only expand in the Majors, but the White Sox have no reason to not continue to put him out at first base or designated hitter on a daily basis. The milestones of 30 home runs and 100 RBI are not as sexy as they used to be, but Murakami is by far the best bet to hit either of these given the leash he will have.

NL Rookie of the Year Best Bet: Justin Crawford (+2500 at BetMGM)

The exact opposite of Murakami, Justin Crawford is a projection for hitting, speed, and defense in terms of winning the Rookie of the Year. A speedster like his father (former Rays left fielder Carl Crawford), the younger Crawford notched 40 steals in each of the last three seasons in the minors. He has an extreme groundball profile, but the combination of opposite field power and extreme groundball tendencies leads to a higher-than-expected batting average.

Crawford might not be a Gold Glove-level fielder in center, but he should be a solid defender. Additionally, hitting ninth in front of Philadelphia’s big boppers should provide ample run-scoring opportunities. Perhaps Crawford has a season similar to 2022 NL Rookie of the Year Michael Harris, swapping a few home runs for stolen bases.