Kershaw, Sale favored for Cy Young, MVP races close
The second-half of the Major League Baseball season gets back underway on Friday, and the awards races are wide open.
Here's a look at the betting odds for the four major end-of-season awards:
AL CY YOUNG
After starting the All-Star Game for the American League, Chicago White Sox ace Chris Sale is the favorite to claim his first AL Cy Young award. The left-hander has finished in the top five in voting in each of the last three seasons and currently leads all starters with 14 wins.
| Pitcher | Team | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Chris Sale | CWS | 4/5 |
| Danny Salazar | CLE | 9/4 |
| Aaron Sanchez | TOR | 12/1 |
| Steven Wright | BOS | 12/1 |
| Chris Tillman | BAL | 16/1 |
| Cole Hamels | TEX | 16/1 |
NL CY YOUNG
Clayton Kershaw's overwhelming dominance has him on track to win his fourth NL Cy Young award and first since 2014. The only thing appearing to stand in the way of the Los Angeles Dodger winning is a lingering injury. He's currently on the disabled list with a herniated disk in his lower back.
| Pitcher | Team | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Clayton Kershaw | LAD | 11/10 |
| Stephen Strasburg | WSH | 17/4 |
| Madison Bumgarner | SF | 9/2 |
| Jake Arrieta | CHC | 5/1 |
| Johnny Cueto | SF | 10/1 |
| Jose Fernandez | MIA | 12/1 |
AL MVP
Josh Donaldson received 23 of 30 first-place votes to claim the AL MVP last season over Mike Trout, and the duo lead the pack once again this season. Trout has claimed the award once in his career, finishing second on third on other occasions, while Donaldson was a first-time winner last season. The duo are currently first and second in the majors in WAR.
| Pitcher | Team | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Mike Trout | LAA | 7/2 |
| Josh Donaldson | TOR | 15/4 |
| Jose Altuve | HOU | 5/1 |
| Manny Machado | BAL | 11/2 |
| Robinson Cano | SEA | 6/1 |
| David Ortiz | BOS | 6/1 |
NL MVP
In what's the closest race of the four, Kris Bryant tops the list as favorite just one year removed from winning the NL Rookie of the Year. Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado and reigning MVP Bryce Harper have also garnered strong consideration, while Kershaw is in the mix to win for the second time in three years.
| Pitcher | Team | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Kris Bryant | CHC | 11/4 |
| Nolan Arenado | COL | 3/1 |
| Bryce Harper | WSH | 9/2 |
| Clayton Kershaw | LAD | 5/1 |
| Anthony Rizzo | CHC | 5/1 |
| Daniel Murphy | WSH | 9/1 |
(Odds courtesy: Bovada)