MLB Player Awards – Angels' Ohtani Headlines Popular Parlays to Target (or Not Target)

With the MLB regular season in full swing, we look at popular futures parlays with odds from the FanDuel Sportsbook.

Odds courtesy of the FanDuel Sportsbook. 

Shohei Ohtani to Win AL MVP and AL Cy Young (+750)

The shortest odds of any five of these revolves around Los Angeles Angels’ two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani. The Japanese star is off to a great start at the plate on the mound, leading to his odds to win the AL Cy Young and AL MVP parlayed together listed at +750. If we’re looking at the awards individually, Ohtani is at +105 to win the AL MVP and +480 to win the AL Cy Young. He has a 2.74 ERA through eight starts and a .884 OPS at the plate. Ohtani had a stronger start to the season on the mound but is coming off some challenging starts, which raised his ERA. With his ability on the mound and in the batter’s box, there’s merit in backing this number at +750. If anyone can do it, it’s Ohtani. 

Ronald Acuna Jr. to Win NL MVP & Spencer Strider to Win NL Cy Young (+800)

This might be our favorite of the five parlays listed to target. Outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. and pitcher Spencer Strider play integral roles for the Atlanta Braves. These stars are the current favorites in their respective award categories, with Acuna Jr. the NL MVP top dog at +175, while Strider sits in a tie as the odds-on favorite to win the NL Cy Young at +230. Acuna Jr. has done a great job separating himself from the pack in the NL MVP race, while Strider remains a strikeout phenom. Get this number at +800 before it rises. 

Corbin Carroll to Win NL Rookie of the Year & Zac Gallen to Win NL Cy Young (+900)

Corbin Carroll looks very much like the next face of the franchise for the Arizona Diamondbacks. That shouldn’t overshadow the year Zac Gallen is having on the mound, who’s carried over his high-end stuff to 2023. Carroll has a .842 OPS and ten stolen bases, with his speed being a significant factor at the top of the D-Backs batting order. Gallen has posted a 5-1 record on the mound, along with a 2.36 ERA. He’s emerged as an elite starter for Arizona, and D-Backs Duo is listed at +900, parlayed to each win their respective awards. Carroll is priced at +200 to win the NL Rookie of the Year, the second-shortest odds, while Gallen is tied with Strider as the odds-on favorite at +230. 

James Outman to Win NL Rookie of the Year & Clayton Kershaw to Win NL Cy Young (+2700)

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been on fire in May and are back on top of the NL West. James Outman has been a significant contributor in his rookie year, while Clayton Kershaw has continued to defy Father Time and be right there in the NL Cy Young race. Outman is the odds-on favorite to win the NL Rookie of the Year at +170, and it appears to be a two-horse race at this point of the year. Kershaw has the third-shortest odds in the pitching department to win the NL Cy Young at +1000. Even though Outman looks like a solid bet to win the NL Rookie of the Year, it’s hard to see Kershaw stay healthy for a full 162 for him to remain in the mix for the Cy Young. Even at this age, we do not doubt his ability, but it just feels unlikely with his well-known injury history. 

Aaron Judge to Win AL MVP & Gerrit Cole to Win AL Cy Young (+5500) 

It’s been a puzzling start to the year for Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees. Let’s be real for a second. Judge was never going to repeat the historical season that he put together last year. Still, he’s dealt with injuries early on and hasn’t been his usual self at the plate. On the other hand, Gerrit Cole has been strong on the bump, boasting a 5-0 record, a 2.22 ERA, and 62 punchouts. Judge can always go on a tear and re-insert himself in the AL MVP picture, but it’s hard to see him unseating Ohtani if he stays healthy. As a result, this is a huge longshot, so it’s listed at +5500. At that number, it’s hard to get excited about the prospects of this parlay transpiring.