Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr. headed into the MLB All-Star break as the heavy betting favorite to win National League MVP, but those odds have recently shifted drastically.
Seven weeks post-All-Star Game, Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers has surged past Acuña as the favorite to win NL MVP. Hitting .464 in August will do that.
Betts is hitting .315 with 35 home runs, 93 RBIs and a .611 slugging percentage this season. Mookie’s 35 homers tied his career high — in late August! Acuña is hitting .330 with 28 homers, 74 RBIs, 59 stolen bases and a .413 on-base percentage.
Betts and Acuna are having such standout seasons that FanDuel currently lists only four players on their betting odds for NL MVP. Let’s dive into those odds.
2023 National League MVP odds*
Mookie Betts, Dodgers: -140 (bet $10 to win $17.14 total)
Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves: +125 (bet $10 to win $22.50 total)
Freddie Freeman, Dodgers: +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total)
Matt Olson, Braves: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
* as of 8/28/2023
Here are the statistics for Betts and Acuña heading into Monday’s games:
Betts
152-for-483, .315, 36 doubles, 35 home runs, 93 RBIs, .407 OBP (on-base percentage), .611 slugging percentage, 1.018 OPS (on-base plus slugging), 7.4 Wins Above Replacement (WAR)
Acuña
171-for-518, .330, 30 doubles, 28 home runs, 74 RBIs, .413 OBP, .562 slugging percentage, .975 OPS, .562 slugging percentage, 6.3 WAR
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Betts, the 2018 American League MVP with the Boston Red Sox, started the season as the second betting choice for NL MVP (+900) behind San Diego Padres outfielder Juan Soto (+550).
Acuña was in a tie for preseason third betting choice at +1000, along with Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. At the All-Star break, Acuña was the NL MVP favorite at -330, with Betts second at +600.
Do you think the Red Sox regret trading Mookie to the Dodgers prior to spring training in 2020? In the just-completed three-game series at Fenway Park, he went 7-for-15 (.467) with a homer, four RBIs and five runs scored. Betts boosted his OPS to 1.018, best in the National League.
Mookie’s success and subsequent surge is somewhat overshadowing a historic season for Acuña. The Atlanta Brave became the first player to have at least 20 homers, 40 steals and 50 RBIs before the All-Star break and is on pace to become the first 30/60 player (homers/steals — he has 59 stolen bases) in MLB history.
Do you think Betts has the NL MVP wrapped up? Or can Acuña make a late run? Stay tuned to FOX Sports to keep up with the NL MVP race and more.
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