Rocio Robles
There are just a few days left until we say goodbye to April and welcome May in Major League Baseball action, and although there have been only three weeks of games played this month, the performances of some players have caused the market of favorites for the National League MVP to undergo some changes.
We’ll look at some of the baseball players who have emerged as candidates in the first few weeks, as well as some who have fallen short, and we’ll also look at the quotas for each of them at the conclusion of the month. Before getting into context, let’s start with the odds so as to get a full picture of where the market stands .
We also have opinions about the outlook regarding the American League MVP: and if you want to know about them you can read about it here.
National League MVP odds market
| Player (Team) | Odds |
|---|---|
| Juan Soto (WAS) | +400 |
| Ronald Acuna Jr (ATL) | +850 |
| Francisco Lindor (NYM) | +1000 |
| Freddie Freeman (LAD) | +1200 |
| Bryce Harper (PHI) | +1200 |
| Nolan Arenado (STL) | +1400 |
| Trea Turner (LAD) | +1600 |
| Mookie Betts (LAD) | +1800 |
| Manny Machado (SD) | +2200 |
| Matt Olson (ATL) | +2500 |
| Pete Alonso (NYM) | +3000 |
| Ozzie Albies (ATL) | +3000 |
| Austin Riley (ATL) | +3000 |
| Tyler O’Neill (STL) | +4000 |
| Seiya Suzuki (CHC) | +4000 |
| Max Muncy (LAD) | +5000 |
| Christian Yelich (MIL) | +5000 |
| Max Scherzer (LAD) | +5000 |
| Nick Castellanos (PHI) | +5000 |
| Fernando Tatis Jr (SD) | +6000 |
| CJ Cron (COL) | +7500 |
| Kris Bryant (COL) | +7500 |
| Paul Goldschmidt (STL) | +7500 |
| Marcell Ozuna (ATL) | +7500 |
| Starling Marte (NYM) | +7500 |
| Rhys Hoskins (PHI) | +7500 |
These First Weeks’ surprises
Nolan Arenado (+1400)
They say he’s overrated and only bats because he plays in Colorado. Perhaps this could be the case. Nolan Arenado had long been thought to be a guy who hit more at home than away, and his move to the St. Louis Cardinals in 2021 would put that theory to rest. While his first year was fairly consistent, this 2022 has reminded us that Arenado is indeed an elite hitter.
The Newport Beach, California native ranks sixth in the National League in batting average at .339, is tied for third in hits connected (20), is second in homers (5) and fourth in RBIs (14). This has helped the Cardinals find themselves as leaders in their division.
As usual, his superb defense at the hot corner should strengthen his case for National League MVP, but it remains to be seen if he can keep up this pace for the rest of the MLB season.
Francisco Lindor (+1000)
Upon his arrival with the Mets in 2021, there were a lot of expectations placed on Francisco Lindor, but the player — as well as the entire team — were very disappointing. He had a batting average of.230/.322/.412 with 20 home runs and 63 RBIs and he missed several games due to injuries. The beginning of the season seems to have brought back the Lindor we all know, but we will have to wait to see if he can keep up the level.
In 19 games in 2022, the Puerto Rican had a.282/.373/.507 batting average with four home runs and 12 RBIs, demonstrating flashes of his potential. In addition, his prowess at shortstop remains intact, and the bookmakers seem to have realized this by lowering Lindor’s odds to +1000, which positions him as the third favorite for the award.
Some disappointments
Mookie Betts (+1800)
It’s fair to say that the Dodgers’ early-season success would have happened with or without Mookie Betts. Even if he leads the league in runs scored, Betts has looked awkward in the batter’s box, and his .203 batting average is uncharacteristic of him. However, at least he continues to take several base on balls, which helps him to have a high OBP of .347 despite this poor average.
He’s swinging at a lot of terrible pitching, with 16 strikeouts in 59 at-bats, and his contact isn’t as great as it typically is, which doesn’t help his case. Moreover, he is not the only Dodgers player in contention for the National League MVP, with Freddie Freeman and Trea Turner also being possible candidates, and who could eclipse Betts throughout the season.
Yes, the Dodgers have so much roster depth that they can afford a subpar year from one of their best players.
Juan Soto (+400)
As in the American League, the leading candidate for the National League MVP title has not lived up to expectations in these first few weeks, and the Washington Nationals have had to turn to Josh Bell in search of the offensive production that Juan Soto should give them.
It’s too early to judge, and besides, the team, which ranks last in the NL East division, hasn’t been helping the Dominican, who is averaging .250/.422/.453. His 18 tickets traded thus far are outstanding, but he needs to improve in other areas if he doesn’t want to cause issues for people who bet on him to win the National League MVP award this season.
