Shohei Ohtani is still sitting alone at the top of the NL MVP race, and at the All-Star break he’s the clear favorite to win it again.
That said, the board isn’t completely frozen. There are still half a season’s worth of games left, and Ohtani’s recent left-knee inflammation has at least created a little room for the rest of the field. He missed a start and also bowed out of the All-Star Game, which is enough to make the current market feel a little less locked in than it did a few weeks ago.
DraftKings has only 10 players listed at shorter than 100-1 to win the award, and it also has a Shohei Ohtani vs. Field market with the Field priced at +650. That’s a number worth watching, especially with Ohtani dealing with the knee issue and the Dodgers’ tendency to play it safe with injuries in the second half.
If there’s a challenger who looks most interesting on the numbers, it’s Kyle Schwarber. He leads all of baseball with 32 home runs and has added 59 RBI and a .927 OPS through 93 games. Philadelphia has also steadied itself since the managerial change, and his +3500 price stands out as a long number for a slugger putting up that kind of production.
Juan Soto is in the mix more by reputation than by team context. He’s got 21 home runs and a .967 OPS, but the Mets have been one of the worst teams in the NL, which makes his path a tough one.
James Wood has been one of the more eye-catching breakout names, with 28 home runs, 64 RBI and a .984 OPS at the break. The problem is the same one that hangs over a lot of these cases: Washington is likely to waste the season with him on a rebuilding club.
Jordan Walker is another name to keep in mind after winning the Home Run Derby, but his team situation makes the climb even steeper. He’d need a huge second half to get into the MVP conversation in any real way.
For now, the best value on the board looks like Schwarber at 35-1 or the Field at +650. Ohtani is still the favorite, but the knee issue gives the race a crack, and that’s enough to make the middle of the market worth a closer look.
In Other News...
Another MLB Star Just Added To Phillies Fans' Zack Wheeler Frustration
Zack Wheelers All-Star omission has already been a sore spot for Phillies fans, and now it has picked up an unexpected layer of outside validation. Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes publicly made it clear he was disappointed Wheeler was left off the roster, pointing to the kind of season Wheeler has put together and the respect he has earned around the league.
For Philadelphia, the frustration is not just about another strong first half going unrecognized. The All-Star Game is being played in the city, which only sharpens the sting of Wheeler being left out of the showcase while his own home crowd gets ready to host it. Skenes reaction does not change the result, but it does underline how hard it is to justify the snub. [Read more 🡒]
Bryce Harper Just Floated A Wild Home Run Derby Twist
Bryce Harper has never been shy about thinking big, and his latest Home Run Derby idea fits that mold. The Phillies star has floated a proposal to MLB that would let hitters switch to aluminum bats in the final round, a wrinkle he believes could turn the event into an even louder showcase of raw power and make the derby feel more electric for fans watching at home.
It is the kind of suggestion that instantly gets attention because it pushes right up against the sports boundaries, even if the league is unlikely to embrace it. MLB would have plenty to weigh before entertaining anything like that, and the only realistic version may be one far removed from a packed ballpark, which leaves Harpers idea sitting in that familiar space between playful imagination and something the game might never actually try. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Fans Got The Schwarber Harper Derby Showdown They Wanted
Phillies fans got the All-Star Game side attraction they had been hoping for when Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper both took the stage in the Home Run Derby. It was the kind of matchup that felt tailor-made for Philadelphia, with two of the clubs biggest names trading swings under the same spotlight and giving the crowd plenty to track from the first round on.
Schwarber worked through a slow start before finishing with 10 home runs, while Harper put together some loud contact of his own but came up just short of the mark he needed to keep moving. The result sent Schwarber on to the next round and ended Harpers night early, adding another layer to a derby pairing that already carried some history for Phillies fans to remember. [Read more 🡒]