Shohei Ohtani MVP Odds for World Baseball Classic

The World Baseball Classic is back after a much-too-long three-year wait. The tournament starts with Pool Play in Tokyo, where all eyes will be on Japanese mega-star Shohei Ohtani.

• The Japanese superstar and Dodgers slugger Shohei Ohtani is +1100 to win WBC MVP.

Team Japan and Ohtani are the defending champions of this tournament that has quickly become the most thrilling international baseball competition. For many competing countries, and possibly even for the U.S. participants, the WBC has become as important as the World Series.

(Photo by Gene Wang - Capture At Media/Getty Images)

Ohtani knows something about winning. Not only did he lead Samurai Japan to victory in the 2023 WBC, he's also led the Los Angeles Dodgers to triumphs in each of the last two World Series. Ohtani has also won three consecutive most valuable player awards.

DraftKings lists Team Japan at +330 to win the WBC. That nation has won the tournament a record three times. Three years ago, Japan defeated the U.S. in the final, 3-2. In that game, Ohtani emerged from the bullpen to strike out then-teammate Mike Trout to secure the win. As a result he was named WBC tournament MVP.

How Shohei Ohtani will be used in World Baseball Classic 2026

This time there will be no bullpen drama for Ohtani. The Dodgers star will only be hitting in the WBC this spring. Los Angeles' manager, Dave Roberts, confirmed so.

"He's in camp focusing on preparing his arm for the regular season," Roberts said in February. "I [expect] Shohei will be a Cy Young candidate this season. He really wants to contribute from the mound."

In the 2025 Major League Baseball season, Ohtani did not pitch until June, due to a lengthy absence following shoulder surgery. He pitched in 14 games in the regular season, posting a 2.87 ERA. The tall right-hander started four games in the postseason, winning twice.

But, this time, Team Japan will rely on Ohtani's powerful bat. In 2023, the left-handed designated hitter batted .435 in the WBC, with four doubles and a home run. In that tournament, he was the best hitter and pitcher on the field. Starting Friday, he gets to focus on just one task: hitting the ball hard and far.

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Getting a head start on the MLB season and baseball MVP betting? Ballislife has that and all future team and player bets on our website.

Which baseball betting apps have World Baseball Classic MVP odds?

Of the five sports betting apps I surveyed this week, only one has WBC MVP Odds: FanDuel

Here are pre-tourney odds for World Baseball Classic Most Valuable Player:

• Aaron Judge, USA ... +750
• Shohei Ohtani, Japan ... +1100
• Paul Skenes, USA ... +1600
• Bryce Harper, USA ... +1700
• Kyle Schwarber, USA ... +1700
• Bobby Witt Jr., USA ... +1900
• Logan Webb, USA ... +2000
• Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Dominican ... +2200
• Gunnar Henderson, USA ... +2200
• Juan Soto, Dominican ... +2700
• Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Japan ... +3000
• Seiya Suzuki, Japan ... +3000

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FanDuel has a commitment to the tournament: they have MVP odds on more than four dozen players. For example, Alejandro Kirk (Mexico) is priced at +10000.

With a tournament like this, where the winning and runner-up team will play seven games, almost any player could emerge because of that small sample size.

The 30-man rosters are stacked with great players, but every country has essentially a starting lineup, so the candidates are among those 9-10 position players each, and the starting pitchers.

Starting pitchers might pitch as many as three games, but usually only two. A pitcher, say Yoshinobu Yamamoto, would need to dominate in his limited appearances.

Which means players like Ohtani, who will be pitched carefully, can have a huge impact in baseball's best international tournament.

With Ohtani playing four games in his native country in pool play against teams not quite as talented as Japan, he should have an opportunity to perform well.

Note that the MVP is awarded following the championship game, so pool play is only the beginning of the action.

How much you can win if Shohei Ohtani wins World Baseball Classic MVP

A winning $100 bet on Ohtani to win the World Baseball Classic would be worth $1,100.

Why could Ohtani repeat as MVP? No player takes the World Baseball Classic more seriously than Shohei. For him, it's possibly even more precious than the World Series. That's because it's his chance to play for his entire country. It's also an opportunity to prove to baseball fans across the globe that Japan is the best team in the sport.

I'm tossing $50 in on Ohtani to win MVP of the tournament. It's a great way to start my 2026 baseball betting season. And if the Japanese star wins the honor, I will gladly rake in the $55o in winnings.

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