2020 National League MVP odds: Betts becomes clear favorite

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Mookie Betts is poised to take the National League by storm - at least in the eyes of oddsmakers.

Shortly after his trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the outfielder's 2020 NL MVP odds were listed at 10-1. They've since shortened significantly, and Betts is now the clear favorite to claim the honor.

Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers (+290)

The 2018 American League MVP experienced a down season in 2019 by his lofty standards, producing fewer home runs, doubles, RBIs, and stolen bases despite playing in 14 more games. Additionally, Betts' slash line dropped significantly from .346/.438/.640 to .295/.391/.524.

But 2019 was also a lost season for the Boston Red Sox, so the change in scenery should help, especially with Betts being thrust into arguably the league's best lineup that offers a ton of protection. Last season's numbers should be the outlier - not the norm - for the Dodgers' new outfielder.

Ronald Acuna Jr., Atlanta Braves (+550)

After being pegged as the early favorite when MVP odds were posted in January, Acuna has since lengthened from +300 to +550. The outfielder will be 22 years and 284 days old on the final day of the regular season, which would make him the youngest MVP in MLB history if he comes out on top.

The fact that Acuna is so young means we likely haven't seen the best of him, which is scary to think about when you consider he posted 41 home runs and 37 stolen bases in 2019.

Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres (+1100)

Tatis is almost a full year younger than Acuna and also has his sights set on making history. Despite missing close to half of his rookie season due to injury, the Padres shortstop couldn't be slowed down. He recorded 22 home runs, 53 RBIs, 61 runs, and 16 stolen bases while slashing .317/.379/.590.

At just 21 years old, Tatis will only get better, but he might need to take his lumps first. Last season, he owned the largest difference between BA and xBA and between wOBA and xwOBA of any qualifying batter. He also had the fourth-largest difference between SLG and xSLG, while his .410 BABIP was the highest among all qualified hitters, suggesting some regression is looming.

Jacob deGrom (+4000)

It's hard to imagine what more deGrom can do to thrust himself into the running for NL MVP. The two-time reigning NL Cy Young Award winner has been lights-out to the tune of a 1.70 ERA (2018) and a 2.43 ERA (2019) in the last two seasons with a combined 524 strikeouts.

The Mets missing the playoffs both years certainly didn't help his cause, nor did the lack of run support he received (deGrom was bottom eight in that category among all starting pitchers in each of the last two seasons). Just one pitcher has been named NL MVP since 1968, and it's hard to see deGrom bucking that trend without posting some truly unheard-of numbers.

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.