The National League Most Valuable Player Award has been given annually to the best player on the Senior Circuit since 1931. Outfielders have won six of the last 10 NL MVPs, with two first basemen, a pitcher, and third baseman rounding out the recent honorees.

After multiple close calls in the voting, St. Louis 1B Paul Goldschmidt won the NL MVP in 2022 despite being as high as +5000 prior to the season. He earned 22 of 30 first-place votes. Manny Machado finished a distant second. Goldschmidt, 35, was the first member of the Cardinals to win the award since Albert Pujols in 2008 and '09. Goldschmidt dominated at the plate, leading the NL in OPS (.981) and slugging (.578). He smashed 35 HR, drove in 115 runs and hit .317 in his 17th MLB season.

Will Goldschmidt repeat in 2023? Will Juan Soto win it as the preseason favorite? Can Mookie Betts of the Dodgers join Hall of Fame great Frank Robinson as the only player to win MVP in both leagues?

With the 2023 season getting underway, here's a look at where things stand in the NL MVP race:

NL MVP Odds

Odds via BetMGM and current as of publication (visit our BetMGM Sportsbook Review).

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Top NL MVP Contenders

Juan Soto, Padres

Odds: +550 at BetMGM

Juan Soto joined the Padres last season. Despite a mild oblique muscle strain suffered on March 20, Soto tore up pitchers in both spring training and the World Baseball Classic. The Padres lineup is loaded and includes Xander Bogaerts, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado backing up Soto.

He has an edge over his Padres teammates in this market in part because of his higher spot in the batting order and his ability to get on base. With the bigger bases and fewer pick-off moves allowed to first base, Soto and his teammates will be driving opposing pitchers nuts all season.

Look for Soto's MLB futures odds to win the MVP award at many sports betting sites to soften a bit if he struggles early because of the fierce competition in this market.

CHECK OUT: AL MVP Award Odds & Top Contenders

Mookie Betts, Dodgers

Odds: +900 at BetMGM

Betts has been among the MLB odds favorites in this market since he first joined the Dodgers in 2020. Betts won the AL MVP award with Boston in 2018.

LA lost both Trea and Justin Turner, plus Cody Bellinger, this offseason. Betts will have to carry more of the offensive load. His former Red Sox teammate J.D. Martinez joins Betts as the Dodgers' first-ever full-time DH. Betts can drive the ball anywhere and will benefit from the end of the shift and the game's push toward more balls in play. Betts' price is solid here given how quickly it will tighten with any sort of a strong start.

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Paul Goldschmidt, Cardinals

Odds: +1000 at BetMGM

Fernando Tatis, Jr., Padres

Odds: +1000 at BetMGM

Ronald Acuna Jr., Braves

Odds: +1000 at BetMGM

These three candidates all sit at +1000 at the start of the season. But they're far from equal options. Goldschmidt is up to repeat as NL MVP, always an attraction for voters. Tatis is coming off a PED suspension. That usually means a "no" with the stuffy Baseball Writers' Association of America membership. Acuna is in position to be a leader on a team - the Braves - that has won the NL East five times in a row and could well make it a sixth. Of the three, we like Acuna if he stays healthy. He has the potential for some monster numbers.