Remember when Ronald Acuna Jr. was seemingly running away with the NL MVP award? A Los Angeles Dodgers star may have something to say about that.
Amazingly enough, that player is not Freddie Freeman, who has his own MVP case. Instead, it is the white hot Mookie Betts, who has surged to become the favourite for the honour according to FanDuel.
Los Angeles Angels star Mookie Betts making late MVP case
Betts had been putting together another solid season this year. He had been named an All Star yet again, posting a .277/.383/.560 batting line with 27 homers through the end of July. That performance, coupled with the Dodgers place in the standings and his slotting around the diamond, would be enough to get Betts some down ballot votes.
The narrative has changed since the beginning of August. Betts has been on fire, posting an absurd .464/.514/.814 batting line with eight homers and ten doubles. He is riding a 15 game hitting streak, and has at least one hit in all but one game this month. With that surge, Betts now leads the NL in bWAR, slugging, and OPS while hitting 35 homers and 36 doubles over the course of the season.
A lot can change over the final few weeks of the season. Betts needed a month to establish himself as the new MVP favourite in the National League. It is entirely possible that Acuna, Freeman, or another player can get white hot as well and overtake Betts. Or, an especially cold month could push him back down the pecking order. Betts is the favourite for now.
There is a new favourite for the National League MVP. Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts currently has the best odds to win the honours.
Why can’t Boston find players like this?