NL ROY: Can Elly De La Cruz Gain Ground on Heavy Favorite Corbin Carroll?

As we head into the final stretches of the MLB season, the National League Rookie of the Year market is largely dominated by Corbin Carroll of the Arizona Diamondbacks. From the outset, Carroll has been the favorite, and his current odds of -1000 reflect this dominance. Any other player in the field sits with 6 to 1-odds, demonstrating the considerable lead that Carroll has built

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Yet, there’s an interesting outlier in the form of Elly De La Cruz. Currently, you can get De La Cruz at 15 to 1. In fact, he’s the choice of 27% of the bettors. With Cincinnati heating up, there’s a chance that the Reds rookie could spearhead their charge.

Suppose De La Cruz stays hot in late July into August and leads the Reds to a division title while the Diamondbacks end up as a wild card. The 15 to 1 odds could become an attractive wager in that case. If De La Cruz and Carroll have similar numbers by the end of the season, one could argue that De La Cruz, a mainstay in the Reds lineup, would deserve the Rookie of the Year award.

However, we should not forget that Carroll’s numbers are awe-inspiring, and De La Cruz is unlikely to reach those heights. The only chance for the talented Dominican to overcome Carroll’s lead might be an unfortunate injury. However, Carroll’s resilience has been tested this season, and he has come right back into form without missing a beat.

Barring a long-term injury, Carroll’s dominance is likely to continue. As long as he stays healthy, he’s set to have a fantastic end to the season and potentially secure the Rookie of the Year award. Still, as in all sports, anything can happen, and that’s part of what makes baseball so thrilling. Keep an eye on how this intriguing race pans out.

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