MLB Futures Betting: 2020 AL MVP odds, picks and best bets

Analyzing the baseball futures odds to be crowned the 2020 AL MVP, with MLB betting picks, tips and best bets.

The American League’s Most Valuable Player award will once again go through Los Angeles Angels OF Mike Trout, who has won the award three of the last six seasons. He’ll have some added competition this year following a busy MLB offseason. Here, we assess the MLB futures odds to win the 2020 AL MVP, with picks, tips and best bets.

2020 AL MVP Bets: Favorites

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Sunday, March 8 at 6 p.m. ET.

Mike Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels (+150)

Trout is heavily favored to successfully defend his 2019 AL MVP crown. The Angels’ offseason signing of 3B Anthony Rendon helps surround Trout with the best supporting cast he’s had to date. L.A. has its sights set on its first postseason berth since 2014, and Trout will be able to add that MVP credential which has eluded him each of his last two award-winning seasons.


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Gleyber Torres, 2B, New York Yankees (+2500)

The Yankees are stacked with MVP candidates. OF Aaron Judge leads the group with +900 odds to rank second to Trout. 2B DJ LeMahieu (+4000), OF Giancarlo Stanton (+4000) and SP Gerrit Cole (+5000) are also able to win the award with their respective talents. The two outfielders both have injury concerns after missing a solid chunk of last season, however, while Torres has played 267 games over the last two seasons.

2020 AL MVP Bets: Contenders

Yasmani Grandal, C, Chicago White Sox (+5000)

Grandal was named an All-Star last season during his one-year stint with the Milwaukee Brewers. He helped get the best out of a patchwork starting rotation while hitting a career-high 28 home runs. His defense and offense will have plenty of room to shine on a White Sox club with high hopes in 2020. He’ll once again need to be a steady presence behind the plate to maximize the efforts of a young pitching staff.

Matt Olson, 1B, Oakland Athletics (+8000)

Olson excelled in the second half of last season with a .282 batting average, 17 home runs and 53 RBI across the final 69 games. The A’s will again be in playoff contention this season, and Olson will garner added attention down the stretch.

2020 AL MVP Bets: Long shots


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Austin Meadows, OF, Tampa Bay Rays (+12500)

Meadows hit 21 homers over his final 67 games of 2019 to finish the year with 33. He also stole 12 bases and slashed .291/.364/.558. The Rays are the No. 2 contenders in the AL East, behind the Yankees, and Meadows will get plenty of credit if the Rays can somehow overcome New York to win the division.

Alex Verdugo, OF, Boston Red Sox (+15000)

Verdugo hit 12 home runs and stole four bases over 106 MLB games with the Los Angeles Dodgers last year. He’ll have a spotlight on him all season as the key replacement for former Red Sox MVP OF Mookie Betts. He’d be a darling in the eyes of voters if he can keep the Red Sox in playoff contention following the much-criticized trade.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Verdugo to be named AL MVP at the end of the season would return a profit of $1,500.

Want some action on the 2020 MLB season or other sports? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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How many games will the San Diego Padres win in 2020?

Analyzing the San Diego Padres’ projected win total for the 2020 MLB season, along with their odds to win the NL West and World Series.

The San Diego Padres look to finally take a significant step forward in 2020 in their quest to make the MLB postseason for the first time since 2006. Manager Jayce Tingler will lead a squad flush with young, top prospects with several notable additions made over the offseason. Today, we focus on the Padres’ 2020 regular-season win total and World Series odds. Do the Padres have what it takes? Let’s analyze:

San Diego Padres 2019 wins

The Padres struggled to a 70-92 finish in 2019 after landing prized free-agent addition 3B Manny Machado last winter. They finished last in the National League West for the third time in four years and were 19 games back of the final wild-card spot in the NL. They were 36-45 at home at 34-47 on the road.

San Diego Padres offseason

The Padres open 2020 with a new-look outfield. Tommy Pham was acquired via trade from the Tampa Bay Rays and Trent Grisham joins the Friars from the Milwaukee Brewers. Wil Myers is the only returning member expected to have a starting role.

SP Zach Davis also came over from the Brewers and RP Emiliano Pagan was part of a separate trade with the Rays. INF Jurickson Profar was brought over from the Oakland Athletics.

Machado and youngsters Fernando Tatis Jr.Francisco Mejia and Ty France will be also counted on to lead the Padres to the promised land.


Baseball season is right around the corner! Get some action on this season with an MLB futures bet at BetMGM. Bet now!


San Diego Padres odds to win NL West division

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list.
Lines last updated at Friday at 12:20 p.m. ET.

The Padres have the third-best odds to win their division at +1200. They trail the Los Angeles Dodgers (-1000) and Arizona Diamondbacks (+1000) and are well ahead of the Colorado Rockies (+5000) and San Francisco Giants (+10000). They haven’t won the division since going back-to-back in 2005 and 2006, and they haven’t even finished second since 2010.

Leave the Dodgers be as commanding favorites in the NL West. The Padres’ best route to the postseason will be via the wild-card race.

San Diego Padres World Series odds

Pitching will be the biggest question for the Padres this season after failing to land one of the marquee No. 1 starters available in free agency this winter. They’re entering the season with +4000 odds to win the 2020 World Series, putting them on par with the division-rival Diamondbacks and ahead of the Texas Rangers and Toronto Blue Jays (+6600).

The Padres will need everything to go right for their rotation to hold up through the full season, but the offense is stacked with depth at every key position. The bullpen is another strength to begin the season and will allow Tingler to get creative with his pitcher usage. The Padres are a great value pick and bettors shouldn’t be looking at longer odds.

How many games will the Padres win in 2020?

The Padres’ win total is set at 82.5 to begin the 2020 season. The 83 wins needed to hit the Over would be their most since the aforementioned 2010 campaign when they went 90-72. Still, the OVER 82.5 (-132) is the bet to make for what should be one of MLB’s most-improved teams this season.

Want some action on the MLB season or other sports? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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