The All-Star break is over, and that means it is time for teams to make their playoff runs and for players to finish up their resumes for player awards.
The second half of the season always has at least one surprise. Whether that be a team coming out of nowhere to backdoor a playoff spot, or a player having a hot end of the season, there is always something afoot after the All-star game.
Anyway, let's take a look at the updated odds for player awards, and World Series futures.
World Series Odds
(*Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook)
- New York Yankees (+300)
- Los Angeles Dodgers (+350)
- Houston Astros (+450)
- New York Mets (+700)
- Atlanta Braves (+900)
- Toronto Blue Jays (+2000)
- Milwaukee Brewers (+2500)
- San Diego Padres (+3000)
- Tampa Bay Rays (+3500)
- Seattle Mariners (+3500)
The New York Yankees started the season hot, and they are showing no signs of cooling off. Obviously, things can change after the All-break, but they are ranked first in runs (497), wRC+ (121), fWAR (22.0), wOBA (.337), EV (90.3), and their pitching staff is tops in baseball in xFIP (3.50), WHIP (1.07), and LOB% (78.3%).
The Los Angeles Dodgers, who have won the NL Pennant three times in the last five seasons, are the favorites in the NL, with the New York Mets and the defending champs, the Atlanta Braves also with top 5 odds to win it all this season.
AL MVP Odds
(*Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Shohei Ohtani (-105)
- Aaron Judge (+130)
- Yordan Alvarez (+1300)
- Mike Trout (+2000)
- Rafael Devers (+2300)
- Jose Ramirez (+4000)
While Judge leads baseball in HRs (33), runs (74), and total bases (209), Ohtani is making a furious charge to win his second consecutive MVP award. Ohtani enters the second half of the season slashing .258/.348/.486 with an OPS of .835 and an OPS+ of 135. On the mound, Ohtani has been much better this season, with a 2.38 ERA and only 23 earned runs in 87.0 IP.
Although he is striking out more this season and leads baseball in wild pitches, nobody brings the same value to the table as Ohtani does. Not only is he a legit power threat at the plate, but he is also the best pitcher on the Angeles, and he is among the betting favorites to win the AL Cy Young, just behind Justin Verlander and AL All-star starter Shane McClanahan.
NL MVP Odds
(*Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Paul Goldschmidt (+115)
- Manny Machado (+550)
- Mookie Betts (+1000)
- Freddie Freeman (+1000)
- Pete Alonso (+1200)
- Austin Riley (+1200)
It is amazing to look at how good Goldschmidt has been for the Cardinals this season. He enters the second half of the season leading the NL in BA (.330), OBP (.414), SLG (.590), OPS (1.004), OPS+ (186), and runs (54).
I would argue that there is no one even close to Goldschmidt for the NL MVP race. Even though Machado is thriving without Fernando Tatis in the lineup, and the typical names are having big seasons, no one in the NL is touching Goldy right now.
AL Cy Young Odds
(*Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Shane McClanahan (+210)
- Justin Verlander (+260)
- Shohei Ohtani (+850)
- Dylan Cease (+1000)
- Gerrit Cole (+1000)
- Kevin Gausman (+2000)
McClanahan made his debut during the 2020 postseason as he came out of the pen during Tampa Bay's pennant run, and he flashed his elite potential against some of the best hitters in the league. This season, he has exploded, and he got the start for the AL in last night's All-Star game.
He will enter the second half with a 1.71 ERA, and he leads the AL in ERA+ (212), WHIP (0.795), and H/9 (5.6).
NL Cy Young Odds
(*Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Sandy Alcantara (-130)
- Corbin Burnes (+700)
- Joe Musgrove (+1400)
- Max Fried (+1600)
- Tony Gonsolin (+1600)
- Zack Wheeler (+1900)
Even though last year's Cy Young has the second-best odds to win the award again, there is a reason Alcantara is a heavy favorite right now. The Marlins' star will start the second half leading the NL in ERA(1.76), ERA+ (233), and IP (138.1).
Unless Alcantara gets hurt, or an asteroid hits the planet, I would say he is going to run away with the NL Cy Young.
Photo Credit: Embed from Getty Images
