MLB MVP Betting: Who Challenges Ronald Acuna Jr. and Shohei Ohtani in the NL?
Time to start working a little harder to prepare for the upcoming MLB Fantasy and Betting season. Help yourself. Get your hands on the Rotoworld Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide for in depth information that can help you in your fantasy drafts and futures bets.
Here’s a taste of the betting information in the guide:
Before the first pitch of 2024, let’s have some fun and look at the Futures Markets.
Casual bettors too often love the names they know – specifically, superstars and previous winners. But are those the smart plays for 2024? We sat with NBC Sports’ Betting Analysts to find out which markets and plays offer the most value today.
The top of the current odds board reads as follows:
Ronald Acuna Jr, Atlanta Braves +550
Mookie Betts, LA Dodgers +650
Shohei Ohtani, LA Dodgers +650
Fernando Tatis, Jr, San Diego Padres +1000
Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies +1000
Freddie Freeman, LA Dodgers +1200
Before revealing NBC Sports Betting Analyst Jay Croucher’s (@croucherJD) choice lets offer his reasons to discount many of those noted above.
Frankly, there is not enough current value to back Acuna at that number. In addition, no player has won back-to-back MVP awards in either league since Miguel Cabrera of the Tigers in 2013. The drought in the National League extends a few years further back to 2009 when Albert Pujols claimed the award as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals.
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Ohtani joining the Dodgers and not pitching just makes him a mere All-Star and no different than his new teammates Betts and Freeman, and for that reason, it is quite possible that the trio chops up the vote and leaves room for another candidate.
Bryce Harper is the leader in Philadelphia. He sets the culture in the clubhouse and routinely provides the fireworks on the field, but will he be healthy enough and will Trea Turner (+2200) steal some votes considering how he performed the final few months of the season?
Croucher earlier this winter noted the availability of Fernando Tatis Jr. at +1400. Apparently, he was not alone as the Tatis for MVP campaign has grown louder with his odds subsequently dropping to +1000. The reason for the groundswell of support? In his first three MLB seasons, Tatis played at an MVP level. His power cooled off last year, but he quietly emerged as an elite defensive RF. If the power returns as expected, Tatis is the strongest threat to Ronald Acuna and should be second favorite for this award.
In order to check out the rest of the MLB betting handicaps (AL MVP, Strikeout Leader and more) from NBC Sports analysts Vaughn Dalzell, Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick have broken down in the all new Rotoworld Baseball Draft Guide, click here to buy now and use code BASEBALL24 for 10% off.
