Mookie Betts Jumps NL MVP Favorite After Stellar Series Vs. Red Sox
The Dodgers superstar was 33-1 to win the hardware just two weeks ago
Mookie Betts currently is viewed as the betting favorite to win National League Most Valuable Player, and the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar can attribute it to his stellar three-game series against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.
Betts' production against his former team caused the five-time Silver Slugger to shoot up the betting board. FanDuel Sportsbook currently has Betts -140 to win NL MVP, while BetMGM has Betts -145.
Betts was 11-1 to win the award merely one week ago. Before that, Betts was 33-1 on Aug. 14 and 40-1 on Aug. 7, as shared by BetMGM. Betts jumped Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. and Dodgers teammate Freddie Freeman during the last week.
Acuña, who was -500 at BetMGM on Aug. 21, is now plus-money (+125) and Freeman is 9-1.
Betts now represents 11.2% of the handle and 6.6% of tickets, per BetMGM. The public has started firing more on Betts, who was responsible for 3.4% of the handle and 4.7% of tickets on Aug. 14.
Betts went 7-for-15 with four RBIs, two doubles and one home run during the three-game series against the Red Sox. His sixth-inning home run in Sunday's 7-4 victory marked Betts' 35th of the campaign, which tied a career-high set last season.
He's also batting .315 with a 1.018 OPS, both of which would be his best since the 2018 campaign if the season ended Monday. The Dodgers hold a 12-game lead in the NL West and are one of just four teams to have reached 80 wins at this point in the season.
Betts won the American League MVP in 2018 when he was with the Red Sox. He was the runner-up for the NL MVP in 2020 and runner-up for the AL honor in 2016. He's also finished fifth (2022), sixth (2017) and eighth (2019) in MVP voting in his career.
