Here Are Some MLB Long-Shot MVP Bets

Pitching coach Pete Woodworth #32 talks with George Kirby #68 of the Seattle Mariners during Kirby's MLB debut against the Tampa Bay Rays at T-Mobile Park on May 08, 2022 in Seattle, Washington.

Through close to one-fifth of the 2022 MLB season, a few familiar names are favored to win the MLB MVP awards. Los Angeles Angels stars Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout have the best odds in the American League. Manny Machado and Nolan Arenado have the best odds for National League MVP.

A few players are having MVP-caliber seasons in the early going, though their odds don’t reflect how well they’ve played. Do any of them have a real chance to win the AL or NL MVP award?

Here are three long-shot MVP bets to consider for the 2022 MLB season. Betting odds come from BetMGM.

Ty France, Seattle Mariners: 50/1

A 34th-round pick in the 2015 MLB Draft, France has turned himself into one of MLB’s best hitters. The first baseman has played in all of Seattle’s first 32 games, leading the league with 41 hits. In addition to a .325 batting average, France is on pace for 25 home runs and 122 RBI. Only two AL position players have a higher WAR than France.

France has picked up where he left off in 2021, indicating that his hot start to the 2022 season is no fluke. After last year’s All-Star Game, France hit .321/.393/.480. In order for France to stay in the MVP race, the Mariners might have to challenge the Angels in the AL West.

Tim Anderson, Chicago White Sox: 80/1

Anderson leads the AL with a .347 average. He won the 2019 batting title by hitting .335. Anderson also hit .325 in the truncated 2020 season, making him a good bet to win the 2022 AL batting title. Injuries prevented Anderson from receiving MVP votes in 2019, but he did finish seventh in the 2020 MVP race. Anderson hit .309 in 123 games last season.

Anderson’s .377 on-base percentage and .535 slugging percentage are both career highs. Anderson’s MVP candidacy will depend on him staying healthy and the White Sox winning the AL Central, as expected.

Jazz Chisholm, Miami Marlins: 100/1

With 100/1 odds, Chisholm is a major long shot to stay in the MVP race. A recent poll at MLB.com, however, suggests that those who cover the sport believe Miami’s young star can keep up this pace. Chisholm finished in fifth place in a mock MVP vote, which projects how well players will do for the rest of the season.

Chisholm is fifth in OPS (.947) and WAR (1.7) among NL position players. Chisholm is fourth in RBI (24) and tied for 11th in home runs (6). The 24-year-old leads the NL with three triples and is second with six stolen bases. If the Marlins stay competitive, Chisholm can continue to lurk as a dark-horse MVP candidate.