The NL Rookie of the Year Race Tightens

With two months remaining in the MLB season, the race for the National League Rookie of the Year award is heating up, with Paul Skenes and Jackson Merrill emerging as the frontrunners.

In early August, Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates was a runaway favorite for the NL Rookie of the Year award, with odds of -5000. However, Skenes's odds have since shifted to -130, and Jackson Merrill of the San Diego Padres has surged to -105.

Merrill has impressed with his offensive performance, notching 18 home runs on the year. The Padres are currently 4.5 games back of the first-place Dodgers in the National League, which could give Merrill an edge over Skenes if the Pirates fall out of playoff contention.

Skenes, the No. 1 pick of the 2023 MLB Draft, has also had a standout season. Since being called up on May 11, he has started 15 games for the Pirates and boasts an 8-2 record, 2.16 ERA, and 130 strikeouts.

Rounding out the top three in the NL ROY race is Jackson Chourio of the Milwaukee Brewers at +5000.

In the American League, Colton Cowser of the Baltimore Orioles is the clear frontrunner, with odds of -550. Cowser has been impressive both at the plate, with 16 home runs, and defensively, where he has been one of the best outfielders in baseball by outs above average.

Austin Wells of the New York Yankees is second on the AL ROY betting board at +450, followed by Wilyer Abreu of the Boston Red Sox at +1200.

Luis Gil, who was second on the board last week, has seen his odds lengthen to +1800, dropping him to fourth place behind Wells and Abreu.

The NL and AL Rookie of the Year awards will be awarded at the end of the regular season. As the race for both awards continues to heat up, it will be interesting to see who emerges victorious.