The NL Rookie of the Year race has tightened into a clear two-man fight at the All-Star break, with St. Louis Cardinals infielder JJ Wetherholt holding a slim edge over Cincinnati Reds slugger Sal Stewart.
Wetherholt came into the season with plenty of Rookie of the Year buzz, and he’s lived up to that billing so far. He’s hitting .259 with 13 home runs and a .755 OPS. Those numbers are solid, but they don’t exactly scream a -155 favorite.
Stewart has made this a real battle. He’s batting .256, but he’s separated himself with power and production, piling up 19 home runs and 65 RBI to lead all NL rookies. His .812 OPS also stands out during a strong first half.
There are a couple of other names in the mix, though the path gets narrower from here. Carson Benge is hitting .263 with 11 home runs, but he has just 37 RBI on a Mets team that is underperforming, which could hurt his case.
TJ Rumfield is the more intriguing long shot. He leads all NL rookies with 99 hits and has 12 home runs, while batting .296 with an .855 OPS, both of which top the rookie class.
The catch, of course, is that he plays half his games at Coors Field, something some voters may hold against him.
If you’re looking for the best betting angle right now, Stewart and Rumfield are the two names that stand out, depending on how much risk you want to take on. Stewart has a real shot to finish with at least 30 home runs while keeping his average close to Wetherholt’s. Rumfield, meanwhile, could force the issue if he pushes his average above .300 and finishes with 20 to 25 home runs.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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