World Series MVP Predictions: Can Betts Rise Above Heavily Favored Ohtani?

We're diving into our World Series MVP predictions for the Fall Classic, a series that features the defending champion juggernaut Los Angeles Dodgers on one side, and the feisty Toronto Blue Jays on the other.

The Dodgers enter as significant -215 favorites in the World Series opening odds, so it's not surprising to see so many of their core players listed high up the World Series MVP odds. That includes Shohei Ohtani, who's the overwhelming favorite.

However, I'm eyeing one of his superstar teammates, in addition to an appealing long shot in the other dugout.

📊 World Series MVP odds

The latest World Series MVP odds are updated in live in real time.

🌴 Dodgers World Series MVP contenders

⚾ Shohei Ohtani (+165)

Holding the narrative power goes a long way toward winning this award, as there are times when a key home run or two stand out more in the mind than a series of steadiness. But Ohtani does everything, including slugging, pitching, and combining both narrative and statistical brilliance.

A prime example is how his home runs have come during the playoffs. He's hit five over 10 postseason games this year, contributing to a .967 OPS. Two came in one night though when the Dodgers were en route to easily knocking off the Cincinnati Reds in the wild-card round, and the other three came in the series-clinching NLCS win over the Milwaukee Brewers. Oh, and the latter evening was the same game when he tallied 10 strikeouts.

Get in on these +165 odds quickly through FanDuel with an implied probability of 37.7%, as the prices at our best sports betting sites are bound to plummet fast if Ohtani gets hot. He's clearly central to the star power our Dustin Saracini outlines for the Dodgers in his World Series predictions.

⚾ Freddie Freeman (+1600)

If voter fatigue exists, Freddie Freeman could encounter an uphill battle after taking this honor last year. But that shouldn't be a real thing ever, and instead a masher from the left side should be appreciated for any continued baseball throttling he does.

So far this postseason, that's included five extra-base hits, and Freeman's ability in the Fall Classic is well-established after he clubbed four homers against the New York Yankees last year.

Throwing $10 down on him to repeat could lead to a $160 profit through Caesars, with an implied probability of 5.88%.

⚾ Teoscar Hernandez (+1700)

Mr. Seeds first rose to prominence as a member of the Blue Jays, and he's still riding high as a source of power now after just turning 33. His OPS dipped from .840 last year to .738 during this past regular season, but Hernandez still posted his fifth straight campaign with 25-plus homers. The power may not have been as consistent this season, but it's still very much there for Hernandez, and he can sizzle over a short series.

A $10 bet on him using these +1700 betting odds from Caesars could translate to a $170 payout, with an implied probability of 5.56%.

🍁 Blue Jays World Series MVP contenders

⚾ Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (+600)

The ALCS MVP earned the honor through his repeated heroics during that series. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. already tied the Jays' record for home runs in a posteason with six, three of which came during an eventual series win over the Seattle Mariners.

He started out silently in that series without a hit during the first two games. Then the eruption began when he went 4-for-5 at the plate in Game 3 with two doubles and a home run. The Blue Jays would win four of the final five games against Seattle, with Guerrero hitting three of his playoff dingers. Incredibly, he's posted a 1.098 OPS this postseason with a .442 average.

He's unsurprisingly getting the shortest odds among Blue Jays players at the best sports betting apps. A $10 wager on him through Caesars could end up with a $60 payout, with an implied probability of 14.29%.

⚾ George Springer (+1000)

George Springer added to his already shining playoff legacy with a three-run deep shot that would eventually stand as the winning runs to send the Blue Jays to the World Series.

If the Blue Jays upset the Dodgers as massive World Series odds underdogs, it would be surprising if Springer isn't a significant factor given his playoff pedigree. So it's equally curious there's so much of a gap by the odds between him and Guerrero. He's clubbed 23 playoff home runs, including three this postseason, en route to a .929 OPS.

Betting $10 on the heroics from Springer continuing could lead to a $100 profit, with an implied probability of 9.09% through these odds from FanDuel.

⚾ Ernie Clement (+4000)

The recent history of World Series MVP winners reveals plenty of superstars like Freeman, Springer with the Houston Astros, Corey Seager (twice), and a pre-injury Steven Stasburg. But scattered among them are names like Steve Pearce, Ben Zobrist, and David Freese, all of whom soared brightly but briefly at the perfect time.

If you're eyeing a long shot for a small sprinkle, Ernie Clement could be the ideal candidate to join that list. He's already produced a standout October while tallying six multi-hit games across 11 contests, translating to a .429 average and 1.063 OPS.

🏆 World Series MVP best bet

💣 Mookie Betts (+1600)

Like Springer, Mookie Betts has logged plenty of postseason experience over 385 plate appearances and 84 games. His .809 OPS this postseason is currently his second-best in the playoffs, and he can use his experience to tee off on a struggling Blue Jays bullpen that enters with a woeful 5.52 postseason ERA, which has ballooned mostly due to a playoff-worst 11 homers allowed.

We've seen lots of playoff surges from Betts before, including just last season when he posted a career-best .565 postseason slugging percentage. A similar uprising now could result in a $10 bet paying $160 through these +1600 odds from FanDuel, with an implied probability of 5.88%.