The 2018 Major League Baseball regular season is quickly coming to an end. The National League Most Valuable Player race has been a fun one to watch. Baseball may not be seen as one of the main gambling sports, but in case you’re looking to place some bets here are three of the favorites to take home the National League MVP award.
OF Christian Yelich
In the beginning of the season, our own John Flanigan said Yelich was a dark horse this year. Yelich certainly hasn’t disappointed this year. In his first season with the Brewers, he is hitting .319 with 31 home runs, 93 RBI’s, 20 stolen bases, and a 152 OPS+.
In the second-half of the 2018 season, he has played a vital force in carrying the Brewers to a playoff spot. He leads the league since the All-Star break in average, home runs, extra-base hits, RBIs, slugging percentage, OPS and fWAR.
INF Javier Baez
Baez has been the best player not just on the Cubs, but in the National League in 2018. He has been making highlight plays, and smacking long balls for the best team in the National League all year. Baez isn’t just a good ballplayer, he is also a very smart ballplayer.
In a breakout year, the 25 year old Baez leads the NL with 107 RBI’s, 79 extra-base hits and 319 total bases. He’s also tied for the lead with Yelich with a .569 slugging percentage. He has set career highs in every offensive category, including his 33 home runs, 37 doubles, and .294 batting average in 2018.
3B Nolan Arenado
Arenado does just about everything well on the baseball field. He is an elite defender at the hot corner, and hits for both power and average. Arenado also produces both at Coors Field and on the road.
He has been no different in 2018, hitting .294 with 34 home runs, 101 RBI’s, and 13 stolen bases while playing Gold Glove defense. Although, Arenado has fallen behind a bit of late with a rough month of August.
Last Word
With all due respect to the season Baez is having, to me, Yelich is the favorite to take home the MVP award. He has been one of the top players in the game not just in the second half, but all year. He is carrying the Brewers to a playoff spot in a tough division race with the Dodgers. Yelich was bound to win a Most Valuable Player award some time soon, and it looks like 2018 is the year.
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