MLB MVP Award: Winners, odds, trophy, when is it awarded?

All you need to know about MLB's MVP Award, including past winners, when the award is announced, and more.

Jump ahead here:

• American League MVP odds
• National League MVP odds
• Past winners

American League MVP odds

Aaron Judge	+325
Bobby Witt Jr.	+500
Yordan Alvarez	+700
Gunnar Henderson	+750
Kyle Tucker	+1000
Jose Ramirez	+1200
Corey Seager	+1600
Mike Trout	+1600
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.	+1800

Reigning AL MVP and New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge is the early favorite to be the repeat winner of the award in the 2025 season. Judge led MLB in home runs (58), RBI (144), walks (133) and OPS (1.159) in the 2024 season.

In 2025, he will not have Juan Soto protecting him in the batting order, meaning he may well shoulder even more offensive responsibility than he did in 2024.

Second in the AL MVP odds is Bobby Witt Jr. at +500. Witt developed into a superstar last season, more than doubling his 2023 WAR rating of 4.4 to a 2024 rating of 9.4. He led the majors with a .332 batting average, and in 64 games after the All-Star break, he produced 16 home runs, 46 RBI, a 35-29 K/BB ratio and a 1.054 OPS.

Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez is third in the market at +700. Alvarez had to step up since star teammate Kyle Tucker played just 78 games in 2024, and Alvarez did just that with 35 home runs and 86 RBI with a .959 OPS. Of his 170 total hits, 71 were for extra bases.

Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson is fourth in the odds, and he's coming off his age-23 season in which he posted 9.1 WAR. Henderson slashed .281/.364/.529 in 2024 with 37 homers, 92 RBI, 21 stolen bases, 31 doubles and 78 walks in just his second full MLB season, but his 25 errors led the AL.

Kyle Tucker, the aforementioned Astros outfielder, is fifth in the odds at +1000. Tucker was limited to just 78 games in 2024, but he still finished with the second-most WAR, third-most home runs and second-most walks of his Astros teammates. Tucker will be 28 years old on Opening Day 2025, and his name has been circulated in trade rumors as his team looks to make its roster more well-rounded.

Further back in the AL MVP market, between 12/1 and 18/1, are Cleveland Guardians 3B Jose Ramirez, Texas Rangers SS Corey Seager, Los Angeles Angels OF Mike Trout and Toronto Blue Jays 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

National League MVP odds

Shohei Ohtani	+200
Juan Soto	+500
Fernando Tatis Jr.	+750
Mookie Betts	+1200
Bryce Harper	+1400
Francisco Lindor	+1600
Ronald Acuna Jr.	+1600
Elly De La Cruz	+2000

Shohei Ohtani signed an unprecedented contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers before the 2024 season and won his third MVP Award and his first World Series. He posted a 9.2 WAR value solely from playing offense, and he led the NL in home runs (54), RBI (130), on-base percentage (.390) and slugging percentage (.646).

In 2025, he'll be back on the mound after he didn't pitch in 2024 due to Tommy John Surgery. His best season on the mound was 2022, when he posted 6.2 pitcher WAR with a 15-9 record, 2.33 ERA, 1.012 WHIP, and 4.98 strikeouts per walk while finishing fourth in Cy Young voting and second in MVP voting. He may not reach those levels post-surgery, but a few good starts with a similar offensive output as he had in 2024 will give him a great shot at winning a fourth MVP Award.

Second in the odds is newly-signed New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto. Soto joined the Mets for a record-breaking contract after a career year on the other side of New York, with the Yankees. He posted 7.9 WAR and slashed .288/.419/.569 in 2024, while producing 41 HR, 109 RBI and a 129-119 K/BB ratio in his lone season in the Bronx.

San Diego Padres OF Fernando Tatis Jr. is third in the odds at +750. The Padres had a great end to the season, and Tatis played a major part of it with seven homers, 13 RBI, 14 runs scored, 24 total hits and a .868 OPS as his team went 14-8 in September.

LA Dodgers superstar Mookie Betts is fourth in the market at +1200. Betts won an AL MVP with the Boston Red Sox back in 2018, and he played at an MVP level with 8.3 WAR in 2023 to earn a second-placed MVP voting finish. In 2024, he posted a low (by his standards) WAR of 4.8 with a .863 OPS, and he played less than 120 games for the first time in his career (except for his rookie season and the shortened 2020 season). He'll look to bounce back to his peak levels in 2025.

Fifth in the odds is Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper. Harper won his last MVP in 2021, and that season was his most recent with a batting average above .300, and OPS above 1.000, and over 30 home runs. He hit exactly 30 homers with a .285 average and .898 OPS in 2024, but it wasn't enough to match the likes of Ohtani.

Tied for sixth in the market, each at +1600 are New York Mets SS Francisco Lindor and Atlanta Braves OF Ronald Acuna Jr.

Lindor will form a strong duo with Soto in the middle of the Mets lineup, and the infielder got a few MVP shouts toward the end of 2024 when he and his team went on a hot streak. The 31-year-old shortstop had a .844 OPS for the season with 33 homers and 91 RBI, but in the Mets last 16 games, he hit five homers with 12 RBI and a .989 OPS.

Acuna missed almost all of 2024 after suffering a torn ACL early in the season. Entering his age-27 season in 2025, the 2023 NL MVP will look to reach those heights again. He posted a 1.012 OPS with 41 homers, 106 RBI and a whopping 73 stolen bases in his MVP campaign.

Further back in the odds, from 20/1 to 25/1, are Cincinnati Reds SS Elly De La Cruz, Arizona Diamondbacks OF Corbin Carroll, Los Angeles Dodgers 1B Freddie Freeman, Arizona Diamondbakcs 2B Ketel Marte and Philadelphia Phillies SS Trea Turner.

MLB MVP Award past winners

Year	American League winner	National League winner
2024	Aaron Judge	Shohei Ohtani
2023	Shohei Ohtani	Ronald Acuna Jr.
2022	Aaron Judge	Paul Goldschmidt
2021	Shohei Ohtani	Bryce Harper
2020	Jose Abreu	Freddie Freeman
2019	Mike Trout	Cody Bellinger
2018	Mookie Betts	Christian Yelich
2017	Jose Altuve	Giancarlo Stanton
2016	Mike Trout	Kris Bryant
2015	Josh Donaldson	Bryce Harper
2014	Mike Trout	Clayton Kershaw
2013	Miguel Cabrera	Andrew McCutchen
2012	Miguel Cabrera	Buster Posey
2011	Justin Verlander	Ryan Braun
2010	Josh Hamilton	Joey Votto
2009	Joe Mauer	Albert Pujols
2008	Dustin Pedroia	Albert Pujols
2007	Alex Rodriguez	Jimmy Rollins
2006	Justin Morneau	Ryan Howard
2005	Alex Rodriguez	Albert Pujols
2004	Vladimir Guerrero	Barry Bonds
2003	Alex Rodriguez	Barry Bonds
2002	Miguel Tejada	Barry Bonds
2001	Ichiro Suzuki	Barry Bonds
2000	Jason Giambi	Jeff Kent
1999	Ivan Rodriguez	Chipper Jones
1998	Juan Gonzalez	Sammy Sosa
1997	Ken Griffey Jr.	Larry Walker
1996	Juan Gonzalez	Ken Caminiti
1995	Mo Vaughn	Barry Larkin
1994	Frank Thomas	Jeff Bagwell
1993	Frank Thomas	Barry Bonds
1992	Dennis Eckersley	Barry Bonds
1991	Cal Ripken Jr.	Terry Pendleton
1990	Rickey Henderson	Barry Bonds
1989	Robin Yount	Kevin Mitchell
1988	Jose Canseco	Kirk Gibson
1987	George Bell	Andre Dawson
1986	Roger Clemens	Mike Schmidt
1985	Don Mattingly	Willie McGee
1984	Willie Hernandez	Ryne Sandberg
1983	Cal Ripken Jr.	Dale Murphy
1982	Robin Yount	Dale Murphy
1981	Rollie Fingers	Mike Schmidt
1980	George Brett	Mike Schmidt
1979	Don Baylor	Keith Hernandez & Willie Stargell
1978	Jim Rice	Dave Parker
1977	Rod Carew	George Foster
1976	Thurman Munson	Joe Morgan
1975	Fred Lynn	Joe Morgan
1974	Jeff Burroughs	Steve Garvey
1973	Reggie Jackson	Pete Rose
1972	Dick Allen	Johnny Bench
1971	Vida Blue	Joe Torre
1970	Boog Powell	Johnny Bench
1969	Harmon Killebrew	Willie McCovey
1968	Denny McLain	Bob Gibson
1967	Carl Yastrzemski	Orlando Cepeda
1966	Frank Robinson	Roberto Clemente
1965	Zoilo Versalles	Willie Mays
1964	Brooks Robinson	Ken Boyer
1963	Elston Howard	Sandy Koufax
1962	Mickey Mantle	Maury Wills
1961	Roger Maris	Frank Robinson
1960	Roger Maris	Dick Groat
1959	Nellie Fox	Ernie Banks
1958	Jackie Jensen	Ernie Banks
1957	Mickey Mantle	Hank Aaron
1956	Mickey Mantle	Don Newcombe
1955	Yogi Berra	Roy Campanella
1954	Yogi Berra	Willie Mays
1953	Al Rosen	Roy Campanella
1952	Bobby Shantz	Hank Sauer
1951	Yogi Berra	Roy Campanella
1950	Phil Rizzuto	Jim Konstanty
1949	Ted Williams	Jackie Robinson
1948	Lou Boudreau	Stan Musial
1947	Joe DiMaggio	Bob Elliott
1946	Ted Williams	Stan Musial
1945	Hal Newhouser	Phil Cavarretta
1944	Hal Newhouser	Marty Marion
1943	Spud Chandler	Stan Musial
1942	Joe Gordon	Mort Cooper
1941	Joe DiMaggio	Dolph Camilli
1940	Hank Greenberg	Frank McCormick
1939	Joe DiMaggio	Bucky Walters
1938	Jimmie Foxx	Ernie Lombardi
1937	Charlie Gehringer	Joe Medwick
1936	Lou Gehrig	Carl Hubbell
1935	Hank Greenberg	Gabby Hartnett
1934	Mickey Cochrane	Dizzy Dean
1933	Jimmie Foxx	Carl Hubbell
1932	Jimmie Foxx	Chuck Klein
1931	Lefty Grove	Frankie Frisch

When are MLB MVP Awards announced?

The MVP Award winners are announced around two weeks after the World Series concludes as part of MLB's awards season. In 2023. the winners were announced on Nov. 16.

Who votes on the MLB MVP Award?

The Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) votes on the winners of the MVP Award. Two writers in each MLB city get to vote, and votes must be submitted before the postseason begins. Voters get first- through 10th-place votes worth 14 points for first place, nine for second, eight for third, seven for fourth, six for fifth, five for sixth, fourth for seventh, three for eighth, two for ninth and one for 10th. The player with the most points, regardless of the number of first-place votes, wins the award.

MLB MVP Award trophy

Winners of the MVP Award receive a plaque with a black background and a gold baseball diamond with the winner's name and team in a gold rectangle within the baseball diamond. The league they won the award in - either the American League or National League - is across the top of the plaque, while "Most Valuable Player" is across the bottom of the plaque.

Odds mentioned in this article were correct at the time of writing and are subject to change.