The 2018 Major League Baseball season is reaching the midway point and MVP candidates are starting to emerge in both leagues. Below is a list of some of the players with the best odds, and other top players who have a shot of winning the award at the end of the season.
Best Odds
Bryce Harper +400
The Washington Nationals superstar is having another solid year in our Nation’s capital. Harper has hit 19 home runs and driven in 46 runs for the Nationals, who are trying to chase down the Braves in the National League East. Harper always appear to factor in the MVP race, and a solid 2nd half will have him there again.
Nolan Arenado +400
Rockies third baseman, Nolan Arenado, is the other favorite to win the 2018 NL MVP Award. The only knock on Arenado is that his team is well below .500, but there is no question that he is one of the league’s best players. Arenado has 19 home runs to go along with his .308 batting average. Arenado is also widely regarded as one of the best defensive players in the all of baseball.
Freddie Freeman +600
Freddie Freeman has quietly been one of the best players in the National League in recent years, but people are starting to take notice. Freeman leads the upstart Atlanta Braves with 54 runs batted in to go along with his astonishing .408 on base percentage. The Braves have been getting great contributions from many of their players this season, but Freeman sets the tone for that offense. If the Braves are able to reach the playoffs, this award might be his.
Kris Bryant +1000
The 2016 MVP is struggling through his worst season of his MLB career for the Cubs, but the potential is still there. The All-Star third baseman has been dealing with a shoulder injury that has landed him on the DL. Bryant remains to have great odds based on his potential to get hot and carry the Cubs to the playoffs.
Scooter Gennett +1200
The former Milwaukee Brewers utility player, has come into his own as a member of the Cincinnati Reds. Gennett leads the National League with a .336 batting average and has done his part in the recent Reds resurgence. The Reds don’t appear to be a factor in the playoff race in 2018, but Gennett is proving to be one of the best hitters in the National League.
Other Notable Players
Ozzie Albies +2000
Ozzie Albies has not only been the best rookie in the National League this season, but he is on the short list of MVP candidates. Albies has provided a spark to the Braves offense and has delivered plenty of power with his 17 home runs. Freddie Freeman is still the offensive leader for Atlanta, but Albies presence has given the Braves a boost.
Paul Goldschmidt +2500
The Diamondbacks superstar struggled through the first two months of 2018, but has come alive in the month of June. Goldschmidt leads the Diamondbacks with 17 home runs and leads the National League in the triple crown categories in the month of June. The Diamondbacks are trying to hold the Dodgers off in the National League West, and Goldschmidt is leading the charge.
Javier Baez +2500
Javier Baez has always shown flashes of greatness, but appears to be putting it all together this season. Baez has been the best player on the Cubs in 2018, and has greatly approved at the plate. The Cubs have remained in the National League Central race in large part due to Baez’s great play.
