National League MVP Odds Shift Dramatically Following Mookie Betts Injury

The NL MVP race went through a major shake up after Mookie Betts fractured his left hand.

Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts. / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

It took just one pitch to alter the entire landscape in the chase for the National League MVP award.

Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts entered Sunday's game against the Kansas City Royals as the favorite -- at as high as +125 at some sportsbooks -- to win the National League MVP in the 2024 season.

That was until Betts took a 98 mph fastball off of his left hand, knocking him out of the game and out of the Los Angeles lineup for an extended period of time.

Mookie Betts exited the game after being hit in the hand with a 98mph fastball pic.twitter.com/lmRB3571Tt

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 16, 2024

Betts has a fracture in his left hand that will knock him out of the lineup for a significant stretch, although he doesn't need season-ending surgery on the injury.

Regardless, the injury has certainly crushed Betts' NL MVP case.

Mookie Betts has a fracture in his left hand.

- It's not season-ending. Will not require surgery.
- Could move Shohei to leadoff.
- Rojas and Kiké will takeover at shortstop.
- Mookie was the front runner to win NL MVP.

Just makes you sick.

— Doug McKain (@DMAC_LA) June 16, 2024

Betts is hitting an impressive .304/.405/.488 this season with 10 homers, 40 runs batted in and 50 runs scored for the Dodgers. Depsite that line, oddsmakers don't think Betts will play enough this season to garner attention for the NL MVP.

His odds have dropped from the favorite all the way down to +2000 since Sunday's injury.

Latest NL MVP Odds

• Shohei Ohtani: +200
• Bryce Harper: +350
• Fernando Tatis Jr.: +1000
• Marcell Ozuna: +1000
• Freddie Freeman: +1300
• William Contreras: +1500
• Elly De La Cruz: +2000
• Mookie Betts: +2000
• Ketel Marte: +3000
• Alec Bohm: +4000

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Mookie Betts' NL MVP Odds Crash After Left Hand Fracture

With Betts' odds falling, Shohei Ohtani is now the favorite to win the NL MVP award.

The two-way star hasn't pitched in 2024, but he's still dominating at the plate, posting a .309/.382/.594 slash line with 19 homers and 46 runs batted in. Ohtani smacked two homers in the matchup with the Royals on Sunday.

The odds movement for Betts is troubling for anyone holding a ticket on the star, especially now that two of his teammates (Ohtani and Freddie Freeman) are ahead of him in this market.

It's likely that Betts misses several weeks, and it's hard to see a scenario where his stats hold up to anyone else in this race.

Marcell Ozuna Undervalued in NL MVP Chase?

Atlanta Braves slugger Marcell Ozuna is having an unreal season, and with Ronald Acuna Jr. out for the year, Ozuna may have a real MVP case.

The two-time All-Star leads the NL in home runs (20) and runs batted in (62) while posting a ridiculous .322/.394/.612 slash line.

While he doesn't lead the league in batting average, Ozuna is in play for a potential Triple Crown, which would almost guarantee him the MVP award. There is still a long way to go this season, but at +1000 odds, you could do worse than betting on Ozuna to win NL MVP.

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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