Sports
MLB MVP odds, picks, predictions: Best bets for AL, NL MVP awards in 2026
There are but a handful of certainties in life — death, taxes, and Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani winning MVP awards. Both have won the award in each of the last two seasons, and at least one has claimed MVP honors in every season since 2021. This isn’t surprisingly considering Ohtani might be the best baseball player in the history of the game and Judge has a penchant for racking up home runs like its child’s play, but it can make betting on the MVP race tricky and potentially less lucrative.
Judge and Ohtani are once again the favorites to win each league’s MVP award, but does that make them the best betting options? Is there better value with other players? Below, I’ve identified my best bets for each league’s MVP award as well as two longshots and two players to fade with the 2026 season getting underway on Wednesday, March 26. All odds are from DraftKings, and those looking to bet on the AL and NL MVP can visit the DraftKings promo code page to take advantage of the latest offer.
AL best bet: Bobby Witt Jr. (+500)
A player’s MVP case is always strengthened if they can power their team to a playoff spot. The Kansas City Royals have been trendy picks to claim the AL Central for a few seasons now, but this is the year it could actually happen. The Detroit Tigers added an impressive piece in Framber Valdez and will welcome infielder Kevin McGonigle, one of the top prospects in baseball, to the Show. But even with Valdez in the fold and McGonigle entering the fray, do the Tigers really have the offensive firepower to beat out the Royals? Full seasons of Carter Jensen and Jac Caglianone (who looked good at the World Baseball Classic) will help K.C.’s case, and Isaac Collins could prove to be a sneaky good addition.
Then, of course, there’s Bobby Witt himself. A true five-tool player, Witt should be entering his prime in his age-26 season. There may be even more power to unlock in his bat, and if he gets the Royals to a division title, he’ll get serious MVP consideration.
The biggest road block here is Judge. The greatest slugger of his generation, Judge has only seemed to get better with age. We’ll need a bit of a stumble (or a prolonged injury) from the best right-handed hitter since Albert Pujols for Witt to get over the line. But this is baseball we’re talking about — stranger things have happened. And from a betting perspective, Witt is worth a sprinkle.
NL best bet: Juan Soto (+900)
Ohtani is a ridiculous -145 favorite to win NL MVP at DraftKings and rightfully so. The most talented baseball player of all time will be both pitching and hitting for the best team in the sport this year, and should probably be viewed as the penciled-in MVP until a shocking dip in performance or a long-term injury prevents him from being so. But in the event Ohtani does miss a chunk of time (he’ll be pitching again this year and has a history of arm trouble), who is best positioned to step into the void?
That would be Juan Soto, who somehow went under the radar in his first year in Queens despite finishing third in MVP balloting. A noticeably slow start (which was lambasted in the loud New York media) likely contributed to the narrative that Soto underperformed, but on the whole Soto still managed a 156 wRC+ — he was 56% better than league average at the plate, for the uninitiated.
The less said about his defense the better, but Soto remains a monster with the bat. If he performs like himself right out of the gate and keeps it up into October, he’ll be in contention for the MVP award … if Ohtani misses time. Or, perhaps, is abducted by aliens. It’s going to be hard to dethrone the best player in the sport.
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AL longshot: Nick Kurtz (+1500)
What Nick Kurtz accomplished in his rookie season was downright scary. In just 117 games, he launched 36 homers (including four in one game, and he narrowly missed a fifth), knocked in 90 runs and hit a hilarious .290/.383/.619. He immediately established himself as one of the preeminent sluggers in the sport, and with the A’s still marooned in their minor-league launching pad in Sacramento, he’ll have plenty of chances to keep hitting bombs.
The sophomore slump cliche doesn’t scare me here. First basemen are rarely first-round picks these days, but the A’s took Kurtz fourth overall for a reason — he’s a born hitter. He is the centerpiece of this offense moving forward, and if John Fisher’s merry band of exiled sluggers mash their way to the playoffs, he’ll be a driving force. I expect Kurtz to start the All-Star Game and get MVP votes again after he finished 12th last year. He could just win the thing this time with a full season’s worth of plate appearances.
NL longshot: Paul Skenes (+2800)
A full-time starting pitcher (read: not Ohtani) hasn’t won an MVP since 2014, when Clayton Kershaw rampaged his way through the NL with a 1.77 ERA. It takes a special effort like that, along with a relative down year from the league’s hitters, to earn a pitcher an MVP. For example, even with how good Tarik Skubal has been in his back-to-back Cy Young Award campaigns, he’s only finished seventh and fifth in the balloting.
If anyone’s going to pull it off, it’s Skenes. The young phenom is only getting better, and he’ll also have the narrative factor on his side if the Pirates manage to stumble into the playoffs, as some prognosticators are projecting them to do. Pittsburgh’s pitching staff is excellent, and the team added a few bats (for once). Throw in a potential gangbusters rookie campaign from rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin, the consensus top prospect in the sport, and Skenes could sweep the hardware if he turns in a monster campaign and gets the Pirates back into the playoffs.
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AL fade: Cal Raleigh (+1100)
With all due respect to the Big Dumper, it’s hard to imagine him replicating his ridiculous 2025 season. Cal Raleigh should still be one of the best backstops in the game and will be central to whatever degree of success the Mariners enjoy this season — and a return to the playoffs should be the bare minimum expectation in Seattle. Raleigh is still a worthy centerpiece for a playoff contender, but MVP-level catchers are rare for a reason. He’s unlikely to reach 60 home runs again and given his previous season totals, even reaching 50 would be considered a big accomplishment.
NL fade: Shohei Ohtani (-145)
Ohtani is the best player in baseball and will be the presumptive favorite for at least the next four or five NL MVP awards. However, the issue here is the price point.
It’s a ridiculous price for an MVP future. For example, Aaron Judge is +215 to win the AL award and he’s won three of the last four. A minus price for an awards future is bonkers and yet it’s hard to quibble with it in Ohtani’s case. I just can’t seriously endorse investing at that price.
There’s more value to be had with an option like Soto even if Ohtani is likely to win short of the MonStars taking his talent away.
Daniel Dubois secured a phenomenal victory over Fabio Wardley at the weekend, but one of the most viral moments of the bout came in-between rounds, when ‘Triple D’ was slapped by lead trainer, Don Charles. Reflecting on his performance, Dubois revealed how Charles’ approach helped him in the fight.
Dubois was dropped in round one and three, looking set to become the latest to succumb to the power of Fabio Wardley, who had knocked out all 19 of his opponents since his 2017 debut until that point.
Additionally, Dubois has been accused of ‘quitting’ in the past, due to him taking a knee in defeats to both Joe Joyce and Oleksandr Usyk. Although, after being dealt a slap from his cornerman, Charles, the 28-year-old showed no such weakness and instead rallied to an extraordinary win to become a two-time world champion.
DUBOIS CORNER JUST SLAPPED HIM 👀😅
🎟️Buy WARDLEY vs DUBOIS HERE –>https://t.co/FoiaUucafv#WardleyDubois | Live NOW on DAZN pic.twitter.com/qeXugfWo0w
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) May 9, 2026
Speaking in the post-fight press conference, Dubois admitted that Charles’ two-slap combination helped him to focus and ‘stay in reality’, as captured by iFL TV.
“I needed that slap just to wake up and stay in reality, you know. I’ve got to dig deep, as a warrior, you have to dig deep. You have to go to that dark place and come out on top.”
Now in possession of the WBO heavyweight world title, ‘Triple D’ has proven that he is amongst the heavyweight elite and that any lack of mental fortitude has been extinguished.
For Dubois, Moses Itauma is expected to be named as his mandatory challenger, but it remains to be seen whether the 21-year-old will pursue the WBO crown or a seek an alternate route to world honours.
Sports
IPL 2026 | ‘You die from that cramp’: Ex-CSK star’s remark on Krunal Pandya sparks fan outrage | Cricket News
NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru all-rounder Krunal Pandya battled cramps on a difficult Raipur surface where stroke-making remained challenging throughout the thrilling IPL 2026 clash against Mumbai Indians in Raipur. Krunal anchored RCB’s tense chase with a fighting 73 while wickets kept falling regularly at the other end. Battling cramps in the latter half of his innings, the left-hander combined resilience with calculated aggression to keep RCB alive before Bhuvneshwar Kumar sealed the tense chase with a six in the final over.His innings was applauded by many fans, cricketers and former cricketers as well.
But former Chennai Super Kings and India batter Subramaniam Badrinath grabbed attention for a comment he made during the RCB vs MI match.As Krunal struggled in pain due to cramps and fell to the ground holding his leg during the game, Badrinath jokingly remarked that he would have thought about “letting him die”.“Look there, he already had a cramp in his leg… it’s as if the opposition said, ‘Hey, you die from that cramp!’ – but even then, it’s okay (Rickleton helped him),” Badrinath said while watching Krunal fall due to cramps.Badrinath’s commentary during the match did not go down well with fans, with the former cricketer facing criticism on social media.After RCB’s win, Krunal also spoke to the broadcasters.“Obviously, later on, cramps were very, very painful. I mean, it started from calf, hamstring, glutes and both legs. I was cramping,” Krunal said after the game. “But again, I was very clear that I’m not going to go out. I’ll fight through that pain, and I’ll make sure that whatever I can contribute for the team, I’ll do it.”“Plus, this was a very, very crucial game for us. Especially at the fag end of the tournament, every game matters,” he said.“So it was very clear that I’ll fight through that pain and make sure that whatever and whichever way I can contribute, I’ll contribute in that.”
Poll
What was the most impressive aspect of Krunal Pandya’s performance?
When asked how he managed to continue despite severe cramps, Krunal said it came down to mentality and his ability to remain focused in pressure situations.“I mean, sheer willpower, I’ll say,” he said. “Again, if you see over a period of time how I’ve played my cricket, I’ve always played without giving up, and I always cherish those tough situations. It was sheer willpower and courage that I did not want to give up,” he added.
Sports
IPL 2026: ‘Bhuvneshwar Kumar should be back in India colours’- Ex-India cricketer urges selectors for recall | Cricket News
It has been four years since Bhuvneshwar Kumar last played for India in a T20I, a quiet outing against New Zealand in Napier that came soon after India’s semi-final exit in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia. Following that tournament, he was phased out during India’s transition in the shortest format and has not featured since.However, his performances in IPL 2026 have reopened the debate about an international return. Now leading the Purple Cap race, Bhuvneshwar has taken 21 wickets in 11 matches at an average of 15.28 and an economy rate of 7.46, underlining a remarkable resurgence at the age of 36.
His most recent standout performance came against Mumbai Indians, where he produced a match-winning spell of 4/23, dismissing key batters including Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton and Suryakumar Yadav. He also contributed with the bat, hitting a crucial six that helped his team recover in a tense phase of the innings.Former cricketer Aakash Chopra has strongly backed a recall, pointing to both form and consistency. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he said, “Bhuvneshwar Kumar, you have been absolutely outstanding. I am saying a place should be made for him again in the Indian T20I team. He picked up four wickets. He has taken three or more wickets six times this season. Before this, in the 19-year history, only one bowler had taken three wickets six times. That was Harshal Patel in the 2021 season. Bhuvi has already done that here. He is bowling at an economy of less than eight.”Chopra also highlighted India’s busy T20I calendar, suggesting that consistent domestic form should be rewarded with opportunities at the international level.With sustained performances, match-winning spells, and elite economy control, Bhuvneshwar’s IPL 2026 season has forced selectors to at least revisit a conversation that once seemed closed.
Spectators take out their phones as Antoine Huby of 7-Eleven Roadbike Philippines zooms past during Stage 12 of the MPTC Tour of Luzon.–CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
MANGATAREM, Pangasinan—Antoine Huby ruled Stage 12 of the MPTC Tour of Luzon at mountainous Daang Kalikasan here to move into second behind overall leader Nikita Shulchenko.
The French rider of local team 7-Eleven Roadbike Philippines crossed the finish line in three hours, 17 minutes and 37 seconds to register his second lap win after topping the punishing Stage 10 that ended at Bessang Pass in Cervantes, Ilocos Sur.
Shulchenko of LCW UAE Cycle placed second by 1:20 while Dreyna’s Erickson delos Santos was third, 1:41 behind Huby.
READ: Antoine Huby wins Stage 10, Shulchenko widens overall lead
Huby leapfrogged LCW’s Ibrahiem Alrefai, who finished by 2:02, to close in on Shulchenko with two stages remaining.
Shulchenko remains on top with an aggregate of 36:16:21, but Huby narrowed the gap to 2:30 following his victory that came after breaking away from six riders in the lead pack during the ascent to the mountainous area of the country’s cycling hotbed.
Alrefai dropped to third in the standings, trailing Shulchenko by 4:29 and Huby by 1:59.
The last two stages will be an individual time trial in Lingayen before the Tour concludes on Wednesday with a decider from Lingayen to Baguio through Kennon Road.
Stage 12 began in Agoo, La Union, exactly at the landmark Eagle of the North, before entering Pangasinan, including twice in Urbiztondo, after also going to Tarlac.
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Sabres’ Jordan Greenway draws ire for penalty killing without a stick originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Buffalo Sabres were down a man when they allowed the Montreal Canadiens goal that put the Habs in front on Sunday night.
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But they weren’t just on the penalty kill. One of their players on the ice, Jordan Greenway, was without his stick.
It didn’t take long for social media to all share their takes on that. Yes, sticks can break, but then there are options for what can happen next.
Usually when it happens on the penalty kill, the player without a stick stays on the ice and just tries to put his body in the way however he can.
On this particular goal, it made Greenway pretty much a traffic cone to be navigated around by Lane Hutson:
MORE: The Mitch Marner irony of Auston Matthews’ future with the Maple Leafs
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The reality is that there’s an alternative option here where Greenway sprints to get a new stick from the bench and, in the meantime, the Sabres have to deal with a 5-on-3 for a short period.
But maybe taking a brief 5-on-3 is worth it if the rest of the penalty kill can happen with everyone armed with a stick.
Obviously, there’s risk in taking another skater out of the play.
But there’s also clear risk in leaving the guy out there with no stick.
This isn’t Greenway’s fault. He just happens to be in the middle of this debate for Buffalo hockey fans at the moment.
Odds are, nothing will change about this approach. But it’d be fascinating to see a team try the alternative route here, because it probably has merit.
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Former England spinner Kirsty Gordon is set to make her first Scotland appearance in almost nine years after being named in their squad for the T20 World Cup.
Gordon, 28, played 60 times for Scotland before pursuing a full-time career in the English professional system.
Born in Huntly, Aberdeenshire, she played in five matches at the 2018 Women’s T20 World Cup as England finished runners-up and also played a Test match against Australia in 2019.
She committed her future to Scotland last December, but has only recently recovered from a back injury.
Kathryn Bryce captains a group that has three changes from the World Cup qualifier in Nepal earlier this year.
Young seam duo Gabriella Fontenla and Maisie Maceira are both included, along with Gordon, as Niamh Robertson-Jack, Mollie Parker and Hannah Rainey – who left the squad in Nepal because of injury – miss out.
Robertson-Jack and Ellen Watson will join a wider squad for a pre-tournament tri-series against the Netherlands and Bangladesh, before the Scots travel to Manchester for their opening World Cup match against Ireland at Old Trafford on 13 June.
Scotland also play England, West Indies, New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Group B.
May 10, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke (45) skates with the puck against Vegas Golden Knights during the second period in game four of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Corinne Votaw-Imagn Images Beckett Sennecke and Alex Killorn both netted one goal and one assist to pace the host Anaheim Ducks to a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday night and even their Stanley Cup playoff series.
Mikael Granlund and Ian Moore also scored for Anaheim, which tied the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal at 2-2.
Goaltender Lukas Dostal made 18 saves and Cutter Gauthier collected three assists.
“We’ve got momentum and things are going good as long as you can keep it,” Ducks coach Joel Quenneville said. “That’s better than chasing it.”
Pavel Dorofeyev, Brett Howden and Tomas Hertl scored for the Golden Knights, who will host Game 5 on Tuesday.
Goalie Carter Hart stopped 19 shots, Mitch Marner collected three assists and Jack Eichel contributed two assists.
The score was tied 2-2 late in the second period when Killorn gave Anaheim its third lead with its second power-play tally of the tilt. Killorn gained the puck at the bottom of the right circle and squeezed a shot into the net with 2:02 remaining in the second period.
The Ducks failed to score on the power play in the first three games of the series, blanked during 11 opportunities.
Moore extended the Anaheim lead with his first career playoff goal. Shortly after Anaheim killed a penalty, Moore found the twine with a point shot at 3:43 of the third period.
“Going down a couple of goals is always tough to come back,” Vegas forward Colton Sissons said. “We’ve done a pretty good job throughout the year and playoffs, too. Yeah, it’s tough.”
Hertl snapped a 29-game goal drought dating back to early March by tucking into the cage a loose puck with 64 seconds remaining in regulation to make it a one-goal game, but the Golden Knights could not complete the comeback.
After losing the last game, the Ducks were looking to have a strong early pushback and were rewarded when Sennecke opened the scoring by unloading a shot from the top of the right circle for the power-play goal at the 8:43 mark. “That was a big focus for us. … It was nice to see a couple of those go in and get our power play rolling again,” Sennecke said.
Dorofeyev responded with a power-play goal of his own just past the period’s midway point. Dostal could not catch the point shot and Dorofeyev pounced on the loose puck.
Granlund made it a 2-1 game five minutes later when a turnover resulted in him gaining the puck in the slot and his shot ricocheted off a defender’s stick and bounded past Hart.
Vegas tied the game again when William Karlsson slipped a nifty pass to the front of the net for Howden, and it was easily converted at 4:04 of the second period. The Golden Knights were without captain Mark Stone, who suffered an undisclosed injury late in the first period of Game 3. Brandon Saad drew into the lineup.
“I have zero worry about this team, as far as how we’re going to go about the next few games here,” Vegas coach John Tortorella said. “Wherever it goes to, I have total trust.”
–Field Level Media
Indian boxing’s preparations for the 2026 Commonwealth Games and Asian Games have been thrown into uncertainty after the escalating conflict between the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) forced the suspension of the final selection trials for the national squad.
With elite boxers awaiting clarity on selection procedures, evaluation standards and national camp participation, the dispute has created fresh instability in a crucial season for the sport.
SAI halts BFI’s selection trials
The latest confrontation between the two sports authorities emerged after SAI directed the BFI to halt the proposed assessment tests for the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games squads, citing concerns over transparency and fairness in the evaluation process.
SAI raises objections over evaluation framework
The latest communication from SAI to the BFI highlighted multiple concerns regarding the federation’s proposed assessment mechanism for the national camp and final team selection.
In a letter issued by the office of TOPS CEO NS Johal, SAI stated that the federation had failed to provide adequate details regarding the technical and tactical evaluation matrix that would be used during the assessments.
SAI accuses BFI coaches of favouritism
The authority also sought clarification on the composition of the High Performance Unit (HPU), including the qualifications and credentials of officials responsible for evaluating athletes during the camp. Apart from the evaluation framework, SAI questioned the proposed list of coaches and support staff and asked the BFI to explain the criteria adopted by the Coaches Commission while recommending appointments.
Another key issue flagged by SAI was the possibility of coaches associated with the national camp being directly involved in the selection process, something the authority had earlier advised against to prevent favouritism and conflicts of interest. SAI further informed the federation that all expenses related to the conduct of trials or assessments would have to be borne entirely by the BFI.
BFI defends process amid growing disagreement
The BFI has maintained that the proposed procedures and evaluation policies had already been discussed with SAI during the Annual Calendar for Training and Competition (ACTC) meetings. Federation officials believe the assessment process was designed to streamline selections and ensure a performance-based pathway for boxers ahead of the major international events.
However, the continuing disagreement between the two bodies over selection norms, trial structures and staffing appointments has delayed the start of preparations for the upcoming multi-sport competitions. The standoff has also left several boxers uncertain about their participation in the national camp and their chances of representing India.
COAS Cup controversy deepens selection dispute
The dispute has also revived controversy surrounding the 2nd Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Cup, conducted in Pune from March 30 to April 5. The BFI had recognised the event as an official qualification route to the national camp, with gold and silver medallists across 20 categories earning eligibility for the final trials.
SAI, however, refused to acknowledge the competition and termed it a “closed-door” tournament. The decision has effectively left nearly 40 medal-winning boxers outside the selection pathway despite their performances at the event.
Several affected athletes are now preparing to move the Delhi High Court seeking inclusion in the trials and a fair opportunity to compete for national selection.
Boxers seek clarity over national selection
The uncertainty has triggered frustration among several leading Indian boxers, including 2021 World Championships silver medallist Deepak Bhoria and reigning Asian champion Sanjeet, both of whom secured medals at the COAS Cup.
In a joint statement, the two boxers expressed disappointment over the absence of clarity regarding the status of COAS Cup medallists and the selection process for the national camp. They stated that the federation had earlier informed athletes that gold and silver medallists from the tournament would become part of the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games pathway, but no official confirmation has yet been provided.
The ongoing administrative deadlock has now stalled the selection process at a time when Indian boxing was expected to intensify preparations for two of the biggest sporting events of the cycle.
Commonwealth Games and Asian Games 2026 schedule
The 2026 Commonwealth Games are scheduled to be held in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 2. The 2026 Asian Games will take place in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4.
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