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 using odds from FanDuel Sportsbook.
1. Ronald Acuna Jr. +140 (Last week: +220)Coming back from an injury, Ronald Acuna Jr. only managed to play 119 games in 2022. The Braves elite slugger is back to his pre-injury form and is now the odds-on favorite to win the National League MVP.
If people thought Acuna Jr. would take a step back from his superstar potential because of a poor year for his standards, boy, were they wrong. The Braves outfielder has performed above and beyond the field, tallying a 1.041 OPS, ten home runs, and 17 stolen bases. Acuna Jr.’s dominance at the dish, on the base paths, and in the outfield has led to his odds getting bet down again from +220 to +140.
2. Fernando Tatis Jr. +1200 (Last week: +1100)After returning to the big leagues, Fernando Tatis Jr. quickly and quietly enters the National MVP race. It didn’t take long for the Padres superstar to rise up the ranks, where he now finds himself with the second-shortest odds.
Despite missing the start of the year for the Padres, Tatis Jr. has already compiled a 1.3 WAR. He’s mashed five home runs and is really starting to get going at the plate, which is exactly what it will take to make him cut into the lead Acuna Jr. has created at the top. Tatis Jr. has climbed to the second-shortest odds but still saw his number drop over the last week from +1100 to +1200.
3. Mookie Betts +1500 (Last week: +1400)There’s much to like about Mookie Betts and what he provides a baseball team. He gives you an honest effort every time he takes the field and is a big reason why the Los Angeles Dodgers are back on top of the NL West and streaking.
In saying that, maybe we’ve just been spoiled with his production over the years, but we expect more from him at the plate. Betts is now up to nine home runs but has an OPS of .847, below his career average. If the Dodgers’ star outfielder wants to get back in the NL MVP race, he’ll need to get hot at the dish. Betts has seen his odds drop slightly from +1400 to +1500.
4. Pete Alonso +1600 (Last week: +800)The New York Mets are positioned amongst the World Series favorites, and Pete Alonso is a big headliner on their roster. Alonso put together a strong April but has fallen off in May and has thus seen a downswing in his odds of winning National League MVP.
Alonso still leads the league in home runs with 14, but his overall numbers have taken a hit, specifically his batting average, which now lands at .233. The Mets’ issues can’t all be pointed his way, but it’s not a coincidence that they’ve been struggling overall when he has, for the most part. Alonso has seen his odds of winning the NL MVP double over the last week from +800 to +1600.
5. Juan Soto +2000 (Last week: +1600)We must raise the curious debate about Padres star Juan Soto again, as he’s back in the top five for the third week in a row. Is this a sign of positive things for Soto, or are we about to get sucked into him as a pretender for the NL MVP?
The data of late has been of the positive variety for Soto, meaning we have to be at least semi-bullish about how to approach him with his current odds. Soto had a slow start to the year but quietly now boasts a .891 OPS. We see signs that he’s back to being a real MVP candidate, even if his odds remain long at +2000. As the number continues to fall, it appears to be an excellent time to buy into the dip in his price.
| Player | Team | Odds |
| Ronald Acuna Jr. | Atlanta Braves | 140 |
| Fernando Tatis Jr. | San Diego Padres | 1200 |
| Mookie Betts | Los Angeles Dodgers | 1500 |
| Pete Alonso | New York Mets | 1600 |
| Juan Soto | San Diego Padres | 2000 |
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