National League MVP Odds Update: Mookie Betts Is Now the Favorite

We're coming down the home stretch of the MLB season. The playoff races are really starting to heat up in some divisions and for the wild card spots.

Another thing that still has to be decided is the individual awards. The American League MVP will almost certainly go to Shohei Ohtani, but the National League MVP is still up in the air.

It's likely a two-horse race, based on the MLB awards odds from FanDuel Sportsbook. Here's a look at what the odds look like.

All stats are from FanGraphs.com.

Mookie Betts, OF/2B, Los Angeles Dodgers

Mookie Betts has recently taken the lead in the betting market and now sits as the favorite. He would become just the second player in MLB history to win the MVP in both leagues if he's able to do it this year.

Betts is having his best season as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. He has a .426 wOBA and a 173+ wRC, and both are the best in the NL.

WAR is a critical metric in modern MVP voting. Since 2019, the winners have finished in the top four in WAR in their respective leagues.

Betts leads the NL in WAR by a considerable margin. He currently has a 7.3 WAR, with the next closest player being teammate Freddie Freeman at 6.6.

The voters are human, and Mookie Betts has a personality that most baseball fans and media like, too. That could play a factor when it comes time to vote for the award. The -140 price feels justified and maybe could be even shorter.

Ronald Acuna Jr, RF, Atlanta Braves

Ronald Acuna Jr. was the favorite when we looked at this race back in June, and he's definitely still in the race.

Acuna continues to have a fantastic season and the best of his career. He has a .415 wOBA and a 162 wRC+, which are both the best he's ever had. He also has a whopping 58 stolen bases, leading the MLB by nine.

He already has the highest WAR in his career (6.2), as well. This is well behind Betts, but it will at least keep him in the conversation, especially if he can close the gap over the last month.

The Atlanta Braves have the best record in baseball and are a virtual lock to win the NL East. This helps Acuna's case a great deal, as the voters tend to prefer voting for someone on a good team.

The one knock against Acuna's case is that he has not been a good defensive player this season. FanGraphs has his defensive value at -8.9. This is already factored into his WAR and hasn't hurt him too much there, but it is something to note.

This market is still shifting a lot, as Acuna was a -210 favorite for this award as recently as last week. You may not get a better price than this, so if you want to bet on him, the time is now.

Looking for more MLB betting opportunities? Head over to FanDuel Sportsbook to check out all of the MLB odds.

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.