While under 30 stars dominate the top of the NL MVP futures leaderboard, let’s not sleep on some of the more established players in the Senior Circuit.
Nolan Arenado – Cardinals
Last Week: Winding up a grueling ten-game road trip, Arenado cooled off a tad from his hot start to the season, going 7-for-25 (.280) with a home run and two RBIs against the lowly Cincinnati Reds and Miami Marlins. Yesterday’s 0-for-4 performance against the Fish was just his second game without a hit this season. The slugging third baseman’s .364/.426/.727 line with five HRs and 14 driven in has him right there in the early MVP chatter, just outside the top 5.
This week: The Cardinals return to the friendly confines of Busch Stadium for an eight-game homestand, beginning with three against the New York Mets, including a matchup against former Cy Young winner Max Scherzer on Monday. The going gets a little easier later in the week with the Arizona Diamondbacks in town for four.
Freddie Freeman – Dodgers
Last Week: As expected, it was only a matter of time before Freddie Freeman showed off his power in Dodger Blue. The veteran first baseman launched his first three home runs of the season last week and is now hitting .322 with nine RBIs.
This Week: Freeman has owned right-handed pitching in the early going (.381 in 47 AB) and heads to Arizona, where he’s scheduled to face three right-handed starters and the D’Backs bullpen, which has yielded the fourth-highest batting average to left-handed batters (.282) in the Majors this season.
Mookie Betts – Dodgers
Last Week: While the 29-year-old Betts hasn’t celebrated his 30th birthday yet, his eight Big League seasons heading into 2022 were the same as the two players atop the MVP odds (Juan Soto & Ronald Acuna Jr.) had combined. Betts showed signs of breaking out of his early-season doldrums, going 3-for-5 with two home runs in the Dodgers’ 6-1 victory over the Padres last Friday. The former AL MVP still struggled on the week, however, going 4-for-22, lifting his average to an uncharacteristic .196. Another encouraging sign, however, is Betts’ patience in this rough patch – he’s walked five times in his last four games.
This Week: The Dodgers right fielder holds excellent career numbers against Arizona right-hander Merrill Kelly (14 AB, .333 BA, two HRs), who he faces Monday on the road in the opener of a three-game series.
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