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The 2025 MLB All-Star Break wraps up Thursday as all 30 teams return to action Friday night to kick off the second half of the season. Before the games resume, let's take a deep dive into the current outlook for MLB futures odds and MLB best bets for the AL and NL MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year awards.

Here, we take a close look at the favorites for each of these six awards and what the odds board looks like. We also break down our MLB futures best bets and MLB futures predictions for the awards, as well. All odds are courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.

AL MVP

Favorite: Aaron Judge, -650

After winning two of the last three AL MVP awards, this was already Aaron Judge's award to lose. That was before  the Yankees captain slashed a ridiculous .355/.462/.733 in the first half, though. He's still a heavy favorite, though his odds have gotten a bit longer over the last month as one prime competitor for this award has stepped up. We'll discuss that name in just a moment. 

As for Judge, I've said it before and I'll say it again here: this is probably the best version of the star slugger that we've ever seen. Judge has always been a top masher in MLB and excelled at hitting homers and driving in runs, but he's never hit for average like he is now, and he's done so without sacrificing that elite power. Pitchers have very few answers for pitching to Judge, and many opt to just put him on first base as a result. 

Judge is the scariest hitter in baseball right now, and I'm not sure it's close.

Best Bet: Cal Raleigh, +370

There are two real contenders for AL MVP right now. One is Judge, and the other is Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh. Raleigh, also known as the "Big Dumper," is in the midst of a historic season. He hit more homers than any Mariner, switch-hitter or catcher before the All-Star break, and he's on pace for more than 60, which would set a Seattle franchise record as well as records for most bombs by a catcher and switch-hitter in a single season. Raleigh showed off that power by winning Monday's Home Run Derby, becoming both the first catcher and switch-hitter to win the annual slugfest. With AL MVP being a two-man race, back the underdog at plus odds. 

Raleigh's odds have shrunk from +10000 at the start June to +370 before the second half. That's good for second in the American League, and besides Judge, he's the only AL player with odds shorter than +8000. 

While this is Judge's award to lose, Raleigh being a catcher and playing half his games at T-Mobile Park, the hardest park to hit in MLB, helps make his MVP case that much stronger. He's on pace for the greatest offensive season by a catcher ever, and he likely will shatter Salvador Perez's catcher record of 48 homers set in 2021. He also has a shot at breaking Judge's AL record of 62 homers in one year. Raleigh is also the key player for a Mariners team that's fighting hard to continue holding a Wild Card spot. without him, Seattle likely is well under .500. 

There's also the prospect of voter fatigue, as Judge has won two of the last three MVPs in the American League. Should that matter? No. Could it? Possibly, though Judge has the benefit of playing in New York while Raleigh is out in Seattle. 

AL MVP Favorites:

NL MVP

Favorite: Shohei Ohtani, -1100

Shohei Ohtani has become essentially synonymous with MLB MVP awards having taken home those honors in three of the last four seasons, including last year, his first with the Dodgers. He was the favorite entering the season and all throughout 2025, and that was before he returned to the mount. Now, Ohtani has a dazzling 1.00 in nine innings across five outings, and at the plate, he leads the NL in homers and is flirting with a 1.000 OPS. 

With an MVP this year, Ohtani would be one of two players to win MVP four times, and one of two players to win two or more MVPs with multiple franchises, joining Barry Bonds in both categories. 

Best Bet: Kyle Tucker, +5000

The Cubs aren't hurting for outfield talent, even with Ian Happ in the midst of a down year. Kyle Tucker has been stellar in his first season in Chicago, slashing .280/.384/.499 with 17 homers, 56 RBIs and 22 stolen bases. His fellow Cubs outfielder, Pete Crow-Armstrong, has the second-shortest odds in the National League MVP race behind Ohtani, but I like the veteran here if I have to back one of the two, given his longer odds and longer track record of success. 

We don't know if PCA can have this kind of production—.265/.302/.544 with 25 homers, 71 RBIs and 27 stolen bases—over a full 162-game season. We know Tucker can be a top player in baseball over a full slate, however. Plus, Crow-Armstrong's got a lower average and doesn't work many walks, which suggests he could be more prone to a cold stretch than Chicago's right fielder. They're both great, but if I'm backing anyone besides Ohtani, give me Tucker at +5000. 

NL MVP Favorites:

AL Cy Young

Favorite: Tarik Skubal, -200

last year was a stellar year for Detroit's Tarik Skubal, who won the Triple Crown en route to unanimous Cy Young honors. All he's done this year is take his game up a notch. Skubal has lowered his ERA, WHIP, FIP and hits allowed per nine innings while increasing his strikeouts. He's the resounding favorite for good reason, and he's coming off an All-Star start. At this rate, it could be tough for others to catch Skubal.

Best Bet: Hunter Brown, +1100

Skubal is the best pitcher in baseball right now, but the top of the American League is loaded with high-profile pitchers having monster years. Boston's Garrett Crochet (+240), Texas' Jacob deGrom (+900), New York's Max Fried (+2500) and Houston's Framber Valdez (+4500) are enjoying great seasons that have them firmly in the Cy Young mix. I think Valdez, who was an All-Star snub, should be getting more love than he has, but his teammate Hunter Brown at +1100 is my target here. 

Brown has a 2.43 ERA, sub-1.000 WHIP and is striking out 10.7 batters per nine. As good as Valdez has been, Brown has been more dominant overall, even despite giving up 10 earned runs over 11 innings over his last two starts of the first half. The young right-hander has elite stuff with a high-octane fastball that no one's hitting, a hammer of a curveball and a wicked changeup. He's one of the best power pitchers in the game who's really put it all together this season, and while this is Skubal's award to lose, I like backing Brown over Crochet's much shorter odds and deGrom given his lengthy injury history, even if he appears to be back in form this year. 

AL Cy Young Favorites:

  • Tarik Skubal, -200
  • Garrett Crochet, +240
  • Jacob deGrom, +900
  • Hunter Brown, +1100
  • Max Fried, +2500
  • Framber Valdez, +4500
  • Joe Ryan, +7500
  • Kris Bubic, +7500
  • Nathan Eovaldi, +7500

NL Cy Young

Favorite: Zack Wheeler, -125

This award race will be fun to monitor. Zack Wheeler has taken his game to ridiculous levels since joining the Phillies ahead of 2020, and he's come oh so close to the Cy Young with two runner-up finishes. He enters the second half as a slim favorite over Pittsburgh phenom and NL All-Star starter Paul Skenes at DraftKings. Wheeler owns a 2.36 ERA, an NL-leading 154 strikeouts and 11.4 strikeouts per nine. Skenes is also in the midst of a stellar year and now has a career ERA under 2.00. At this rate, we may see one of the tighter finishes in history.

Best Bet: Logan Webb, +3000

Despite being one of the best and most durable starting pitchers over the last five seasons, it still feels like Giants ace Logan Webb is underrated. He has the fourth-shortest odds to win the Cy Young right now at +3000, and his track record of durability, consistency and eating innings should keep him in contention for this award the rest of the year. 

What makes Webb especially intriguing is, in addition to his MLB-leading 15 quality starts and sub-3 ERA, he's taken his strikeout game up a notch with a 10.0 K/9 clip and 139 strikeouts, the latter of which ranks fourth among all starters in the game. 

NL Cy Young Favorites:

AL Rookie of the Year

Favorite: Jacob Wilson, +110

Another back-and-forth affair, the AL Rookie of the Year has basically been between A's shortstop Jacob Wilson and Houston outfielder Cam Smith all year long, with these two swapping positions on odds lists over the last few weeks. Wilson is the current favorite over Smith (+140), but it's a slim margin. Wilson has cooled off a hair after a torrid start, while Smith has been hot for the last month. Wilson started the All-Star Game on Tuesday, which adds to his resume. 

Best Bet: Nick Kurtz, +350

This has been seen as a two-man race between Wilson and Smith, but Wilson's A's teammate Nick Kurtz is going to make this a three-man race, let me tell you. He's firmly in the mix at +350 after a monster start to his career with 17 homers and 44 RBIs in 58 games. Those numbers paced out over a 162-game slate? How about 47 bombs and 123 RBIs. Yeah, Kurtz is already one of baseball's elite sluggers you likely know little about.

Kurtz didn't crack the opening day roster like Wilson or Smith did, but his power numbers have him catching up to those two incredibly quickly. He has some whiff to his game, but he also takes his walks and let's face it, homers catch eyes more than singles and doubles do, and Kurtz has more homers than Wilson and Smith combined. 

Smith's been hot of late, but I think this award will come down to the A's two top rookies, and I like the slugging first baseman. 

AL Rookie of the Year Favorites:

NL Rookie of the Year

Favorite: Jacob Misiorowski, -210

The National League rookie class has largely been underwhelming, but one pitcher has changed that in a hurry. Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski has had about as good of a five-game start to his career as you could hope for, going 4-1 with a 2.81 ERA, sub-1 WHIP and 11.6 strikeouts per nine innings pitched. It resulted in him being named to the All-Star Game in a controversial decision, but it's not his fault. Plus, it's easy to see why MLB would want him on the national stage. 

Misiorowski owns a fastball averaging 99 mph and a wicked slider that's averaging 94 mph. He's 6-foot-7 and is every bit as nasty as he is tall. Misiorowski's first start? Five no-hit innings. His last start? How about 12 strikeouts against the defending champs? Not bad, kid. Not bad at all.

Best Bet: Chase Burns, +2000

From one nasty NL Central rookie to another, Chase Burns, the No. 2 pick in last year's draft, is worth keeping an eye on, especially with few notable rookie hitters in the National League this year. Burns' numbers look a hair rough (6.15 ERA) given he's pitched just four times and gave up five earned runs while getting just one out in his second career start, but he struck out eight Yankees in his MLB debut and features some of the nastiest pure stuff in the game. He finished the first half with 10 punchouts in six innings of two-run ball, for good measure. 

This is currently Misiorowski's award to lose right now, but there's room for someone like Burns to put together a stretch of great starts and close the gap, especially if Misiorowski goes through some rookie struggles of his own. They have nine career starts between the two, and they seem like the best of the bunch in an otherwise weak NL rookie crop.

NL Rookie of the Year Favorites: