NL MVP Odds Candidates: Acuna Jr, Trea Turner Firing Early

The National League is loaded with star power in 2023, and many candidates warrant consideration to win MVP. 

Below, we’ll look into the top five candidates using odds from FanDuel Sportsbook. 

Juan Soto continues to hold the top odds to win NL MVP, and one has to wonder why it isn’t close at the beginning of the year. Soto has started his 2023 campaign the same way he ended it with the San Diego Padres, and that’s with boos from the Friars faithful.

It’s too small of a small sample size to be overly concerned, but Soto is hitting just .190 and has an OPS slightly above .700. That’s not the Soto that’s considered a perennial MVP candidate. At what point, though, do we get seriously concerned though?

The oddsmakers haven’t shifted anything regarding his MVP chances, and that’s the right decision considering the sample size, but this isn’t a price right now that bettors should really feel comfortable buying in on. If Soto continues to perform this poorly, wait for the dip and then buy in when the odds give you more of a reason to. 

There’s a lot to like about how  Mookie Betts has started his 2023 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The talent has always been there for him to do damage, and he’s already asserting himself early on. Through six games, Betts has hit .300 and has a .440 OBP, which has continued to give the Dodgers an elite threat at the top of their batting lineup.

Betts has also compiled a .990 OPS through his first 20 at-bats, and these are exactly the type of numbers we’re accustomed to seeing the powerful slugger put up. The 2018 AL MVP hasn’t missed a beat, which makes us very comfortable in backing his current price of +950 to take home the National League hardware. 

Coming back from an injury, Ronald Acuna Jr. only managed to play 119 games in 2022. It’s early, but Acuna Jr. appears to be back to form in 2023, and that’s an excellent sign for the Atlanta Braves. Through 22 at-bats, the speedy leadoff hitter has mashed two home runs and boasts a 1.122 OPS. He’s a threat to steal 35 or more bases and club 35 home runs in any given season, and there’s a lot of promise in him doing that this time around.

Atlanta is loaded on offense, and Acuna Jr. is a massive table setter up top. His +1000 price is currently undervalued, and it’s a number that bettors should be thrilled to get behind. Buy in before the cost jumps. 

Fernando Tatis Jr. is beginning his rehab stint, and his 80-game suspension is coming to a close. The San Diego Padres need the spark Tatis Jr. provides at the top of the order, and he will be a crucial component of their offense for a long duration of this season. He has a career .965 OPS, and his hitting ability is right up there with the best in the National League. If Tatis Jr. can get back in the Padres lineup sooner than later, there’s a chance he can really create some value on the futures board with his +1000 price. 

Trea Turner will be relied upon atop the Philadelphia Phillies batting order, especially when you factor in the injuries they have to their position players. He’s been a spark plug offensively in this small sample size to begin the year, where he boasts a 1.025 OPS. Still, the team has struggled out of the gate, and it might take even more from Turner to pull them out of it. His +1100 price tag for what he’s currently responsible for in the Phillies order means there’s some sneaky value to look into at this number. 

Top 5 NL MVP Candidates Odds on FanDuel Sportsbook.