Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. is coming off a 41-homer season with 101 RBIs at the tender age of 21. Now, he’s the favorite in the just-updated National League MVP odds.
Here’s a look at the current top-5 favorites at the Winning Poker Network Sportsbooks.
1. Ronald Acuna Jr, Braves (400)
2. Mookie Betts, Dodgers (+550)
3. Christian Yelich, Brewers (+775)
4. Juan Soto, Nationals (+825)
5. Cody Bellinger, Dodgers (+850)
One of the questions that bettors have to consider is how will a shortened season affect the odds? There is talk about the season being as short as 48 games (if the owners get their way) and as high as 89 games (if the players get their way). Owners say they are losing money with every game played and want to keep it as short as possible.
If the season is 48 games, then there is a great opportunity for someone far down the odds-list to get hot and steal this award. For example, a player could easily hit over .400 or have a major surge in power. So there could be a player now with +2000 or +2500 odds who is actually a lot more attractive that he currently appears.
Betts is in his first year with the Dodgers are spending six years with Boston. He won the AL MVP back in 2018 with an OPS of 1.078. The question for Betts is whether there will be an adjustment period in getting used to new pitchers.
Yelich is another outfielder and he won the NL MVP back in 2018. Soto is a left fielder for the defending-champ Nationals who is another great young player at just age 21. Bellinger won the award last year and now shares a superstar outfield with Betts.
