MLB MVP Odds 2023: Mookie Betts Overtakes Ronald Acuña Jr. as NL Favorite

For much of the 2023 season, Atlanta Braves superstar Ronald Acuña Jr. has been the presumed favorite to win the NL MVP award.

As of Monday, however, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts has overtaken him, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. Betts (-130) is now the favorite ahead of Acuña (+115) and Dodgers teammate, Freddie Freeman (+1000).

Betts, 30, has certainly provided a compelling MVP case. The Dodgers' superstar is hitting .315 this season with 35 homers, 93 RBI, 110 runs and 10 stolen bases. He leads the National League in OPS (1.018) and offensive WAR (6.6).

One reason for the change in MVP odds has been Betts' incredible August, which has seen him hit .464 with eight homers and an absurd 1.328 OPS. He's now on pace to exceed 40 homers for the first time in his career and has the Dodgers (80-49) surging.

The Braves (84-45) still have the best record in baseball, of course, and Acuña is a huge reason why. He's having an epic season in his own right, hitting .330 with 28 homers, 74 RBI, 115 runs, 59 stolen bases and a .975 OPS. He leads the National League in both runs and stolen bases.

If Acuña managed to get to 40 homers and 60 stolen bases, he'd almost assuredly win the award. No player in MLB history has ever reached the 40-50 club, let alone 40-60, and only Barry Bonds and Eric Davis have ever reached the 30-50 club. Acuña, with two more homers and one more stolen base, would be the first player ever in the 30-60 club.

Ricky Henderson came the closest, with 28 homers and 87 steals in 1986 and 28 homers and 65 steals in 1990, which earned him AL MVP honors.

One interesting wrinkle in the NL MVP odds was the inclusion of Bryce Harper (+20000), who missed the first month of the season and had his struggles after returning from offseason elbow reconstruction surgery.

He's caught fire in August, however, hitting .360 with seven dingers and a 1.166 OPS.

It's hard to imagine he could do anything epic enough in September to surpass either Betts or Acuña—his counting stats simply wouldn't be impressive enough, barring something like a 20-homer month—but perhaps his incredible second half of the season in 2021, when he won his second MVP, has enough folks putting long-shot action on him.

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