Best MLB Futures Bets to Lock in at the All-Star Break: Expert Picks & Odds for the 2026 Season

Following the 2026 MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday night, MLB fans and bettors can shift complete focus to the second half of the season. There are several tight award races and hard-fought battles for playoff positioning. With the trade deadline just a couple of weeks away, we are likely to see the MLB landscape shift. Let’s dive in and discuss my favorite MLB futures betting angles for MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year and a bonus divisional winner!

You can also get our expert MLB picks for every single matchup throughout the rest of the 2026 season.

2026 MLB MVP Best Bet: Bobby Witt Jr. (KC) to win AL MVP (+500)

Odds widely available at time of publishing

Shohei Ohtani once again is putting together a remarkable season as both a hitter and a pitcher, all but locking in the NL MVP as long as he stays healthy. I will focus on the AL race for the purpose of this writeup. In the preseason, my favorite bet for MVP in either league was by backing Bobby Witt Jr. at +500 odds. Witt Jr. is still priced at +500 on FanDuel Sportsbook, trailing only Junior Caminero at +450 and Yordan Alvarez at -165 odds. Despite being third in odds, Witt Jr. paces the American League with 4.8 fWAR -- 0.4 fWAR above Alvarez and 1.6 fWAR above Caminero. Alvarez is baseball’s best hitter so far this season, but he is a designated hitter -- which reduces his overall value.

Neither the Astros nor the Royals are playing that well in 2026, which chips away at the team narrative. Houston has the better shot at making the postseason due to its weak division, but I truly don’t expect to see either team play in October. Caminero is on a winning team and is one of the main reasons why, but his fWAR is negatively affected by his defense. Witt Jr. had seen his OPS climb each month before a poor start to July. If he can hit the ground running following the all-star break, I believe there is still some value at his +500 price tag.

2026 MLB Cy Young Best Bet: Dylan Cease (TOR) to win AL Cy Young (+145)

Odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing

My preseason Cy Young winner in the American League was Hunter Brown, but Brown dealt with injury and has made only 7 starts in 2026. As we enter the second half of the season, we have tight battles for the award in both leagues and we could see very close final voting. In the National League, Jacob Misiorowski holds a lead over Cristopher Sanchez thanks to an ERA a full run lower and excellent team success. I believe he holds on to that award as long as he stays healthy. The American League is where I will focus for the purpose of this writeup. 

Drew Rasmussen appeared to enter the AL Cy Young race before limping into the all-star break with 11 earned runs allowed in his final 2 starts. He sits third in American League odds behind Dylan Cease and Cam Schlittler. Both arms have been truly elite in 2026 for their respective AL East ballclubs. We are picking hairs by choosing between these guys, but I do expect to see Cease have the stronger close to his season. 

Cease has 3 fewer starts than Schlittler this season, resulting in 20.1 fewer innings pitched. Despite this, Cease has recorded 11 more strikeouts than Schlittler -- posting a 99th-percentile strikeout rate at 36.9%. He struck out the side to open the 2026 MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday night, and he entered the break in elite form with 15.0 scoreless frames against the Giants and Mariners. Schlittler did allow 7 home runs in his last 4 outings, and his batted-ball profile is shakier than Cease's in general. While a close battle so far, I do favor Cease to win this award at current pricing.

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2026 MLB Rookie of the Year Best Bet: Esmerlyn Valdez (PIT) to win NL Rookie of the Year (+2000)

Odds available at Bet365 Sportsbook and DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing

Before the season started, I felt confident that the National League Rookie of the Year would come from the NL Central. JJ Wetherholt was my pick for the award, but I mentioned Sal Stewart, Konnor Griffin and Moises Ballesteros as potential contenders. Wetherholt is pacing the field currently, priced at -160 odds at the time of publishing. Stewart is second in odds at +280. Behind them are several youngsters with long odds. I am content sitting on my Wetherholt position without adding any Sal Stewart stock given current pricing. I will add a small stab on another NL Central stud, however, as Esmerlyn Valdez of the Pirates is making serious noise.

Among all MLB hitters with 100 or more plate appearances this season, Yordan Alvarez paces baseball with a 186 wRC+. Valdez is tied with Alvarez atop that leaderboard, also posting a 186 wRC+. Valdez didn’t begin the season with the major-league club, but upon injuries there was an opening for the right-handed slugger. Marcell Ozuna has underperformed for Pittsburgh, and injuries to Oneil Cruz, Spencer Horwitz and Konnor Griffin have opened the door for everyday playing time. Valdez has responded in a massive way, slugging 10 home runs with 27 RBI in his first 105 plate appearances.

Pittsburgh is having its best season in a decade, and it is currently pacing MLB in runs scored. If the Pirates continue their strong form and compete for the postseason, Valdez will have a strong chance at winning this award from the cleanup spot in the lineup. I do not expect him to perform like Yordan Alvarez for the rest of the season, but he has already accrued 1.4 fWAR in just 28 games played. If you already have a Wetherholt position from spring training, I would consider taking a small stab on Valdez for protection.

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MLB Division Winner Best Bet: Seattle Mariners to win AL West (-110)

Odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing

There are tightly contested divisions across the MLB landscape as we enter the second half of the MLB season. All 3 American League divisions are close battles, with the second-place team within 3 games of first. The National League East is also a close fight between the Braves, Phillies and Marlins. Like the NL East, several divisions have more than 2 teams jockeying for position, and we should be in for an amazing close to the regular season.

My focus for the purpose of this writeup is in the AL West, as I believe the Seattle Mariners will eventually catch fire. Seattle is still priced as the second-best team in the American League behind the Yankees in World Series odds. The M's enter the second half 1.5 games behind the Rangers for first place in the division, with Houston another 1.5 games behind Seattle. The Mariners have a stable of pitching depth and Kade Anderson is eventually going to force his way to the major leagues. If Seattle can find a trade partner for Luis Castillo and offload his salary, they could then reallocate some resources to add another bat to their lineup. Seattle has shown aggressiveness at the trade deadline in the past, and I expect it to be a buyer once again given the wide-open landscape of the American League. I am also not sold on the Rangers nor the Astros, as they hold unique weaknesses that in my opinion will prevent them from true contention.