Steve Starr
- BetOnline has updated odds on which star players will win baseball’s top awards
- Mike Trout (-400) and Cody Bellinger (-125) are favorites to win the AL and NL MVP Awards
- Justin Verlander (+150) and Max Scherzer (-200) are front-runners in the Cy Young races
In what was supposed to be a celebration of the game, the MLB All-Star break went about as smoothly as the Fyre Festival with record-low ratings and yet another revival of the juiced-ball debate.
With home runs flying out of ballparks at a record pace, let’s look at the AL and NL MVP contenders swinging for the fences and the pitchers who are still somehow putting up Cy Young numbers. All odds below are from BetOnline.
2019 AL MVP Odds
| Player | Odds |
| Mike Trout | -400 |
| DJ LeMahieu | +700 |
| Alex Bregman | +1200 |
| Jorge Polanco | +1600 |
| Joey Gallo | +2500 |
Mike Trout vs The History Books
Mike Trout is having a career year. Which is even more impressive when you consider the career he’s had. The 27-year-old just appeared in his eighth-consecutive All-Star Game and has already amassed more career WAR than Hall of Famers such as Willie McCovey, Tony Gwynn and Yogi Berra.
How many more #AllStarGame selections will @MikeTrout get? pic.twitter.com/Ao2cShoPpu
— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) July 9, 2019
Leading the American League in on-base percentage (.453), slugging percentage (.646) and home runs (28), with a career-best 1.098 OPS, the Angels’ all-time great has his third MVP award in the bag.
Pick: Mike Trout (-400)
2019 NL MVP Odds
| Player | Odds |
| Cody Bellinger | -125 |
| Christian Yelich | +150 |
| Josh Bell | +1200 |
| Freddie Freeman | +1400 |
| Nolan Arenado | +1800 |
Cody Bellinger vs Christian Yelich
Given the indisputable greatness of the man mentioned in the previous paragraph, it’s pretty weird that a guy just an hour up the highway might be having a superior season. While his on-base percentage is a few ticks lower (.432), Bellinger tops Trout in batting average (.336 vs .301), slugging percentage (.646), OPS (1.124) and home runs (30).
Let’s run it back @ChristianYelich pic.twitter.com/7Tp1m0T7xN
— CodyBellinger (@Cody_Bellinger) July 8, 2019
Reigning MVP Christian Yelich is the clear runner-up right now despite having a decent shot to become the first man in Major League history to hit 50 homers with 30 stolen bases. Here’s hoping he can put his nagging back injury behind him and make a run at history.
Pick: Cody Bellinger (-125)
2019 AL Cy Young Odds
| Players | Odds |
| Justin Verlander | +150 |
| Gerrit Cole | +300 |
| Lance Lynn | +300 |
| Charlie Morton | +400 |
| Mike Minor | +500 |
Justin Verlander vs The Field
If you heard that a pitcher called the league “a f—ing joke” and accused the commissioner of intentionally implementing juiced balls, you would assume that pitcher was old, bitter and in the midst of a career-worst season.
But, nope. In pursuit of his second-career AL Cy Young Award and sleeping an incredible 10 hours a night, Justin Verlander is currently allowing the fewest walks and hits per inning (0.813 WHIP) among MLB starting pitchers for the second straight season.
Verlander got ‘chewed out’ by Torre before All-Star Game https://t.co/SuTFsD1ePa pic.twitter.com/fjJnt1cgE9
— theScore MLB (@theScoreMLB) July 10, 2019
With an E.R.A. hovering around 4.00, Rangers right-hander Lance Lynn isn’t a threat to the Astros ace, but Verlander’s teammate might be. Gerrit Cole is currently on pace to join the prestigious 300-strikeout club, leading the majors with a dazzling 13.11 strikeouts per nine innings.
Pick: Justin Verlander (+150)
2019 NL Cy Young Odds
| Player | Odds |
| Max Scherzer | -200 |
| Hyun-Jin Ryu | +160 |
| Luis Castillo | +1000 |
| Walker Buehler | +1200 |
| Zach Greinke | +2200 |
Max Scherzer vs Hyun-Jin Ryu
Forget the Cy Young. The Washington Post is busy building an MVP case for Mad Max, who posted a 2.30 ERA with a major league leading 181 strikeouts in the season’s first half.
After going 6-0 with a 1.00 ERA and 68 strikeouts with only five walks in June, Scherzer almost single-handedly raised the Nationals’ playoff chances from 28 to 78 percent.
If you’re looking for your red carpet, Brooklyn Scherzer stole it and we’re not sorry, @Indians. pic.twitter.com/mmCItlokpX
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 9, 2019
The 34-year-old will likely become only the fifth player in MLB history with at least four Cy Young awards, and before you deride me for picking all favorites, keep in mind that I picked the same four winners in my early-June update.
Pick: Max Scherzer (-200)
