Who is looking forward to watching Bryce Harper hit another walk-off grand slam for the Philadelphia Phillies?
It has been a while, but here is a flashback:
Setting the over/under line on when it might happen again is a risky proposition. The coronavirus pandemic is keeping the 2020 Major League Baseball season in an indefinite holding pattern.
So hold off on those Harper MVP chants for now. A lot of details still need to be worked out.
MLB shared this recent update via Twitter:
Major League Baseball issued the following statement this morning: pic.twitter.com/zyjrbGICVQ
— MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) April 7, 2020
Could Harper win National League MVP?
For sanity purposes, let’s say baseball returns later this spring or summer.
The scenario will pump life back into the NJ sports betting world. And more specifically, it will start conversations about Haper’s chances of winning the National League MVP award.
Like his chances?
Well, Fox Bet NJ is adding a little intrigue to the wager. Instead of +1600, the odds are boosted to +2000.
And here is the competition:
- Mookie Betts +550
- Cody Bellinger +650
- Christian Yelich +750
- Ronald Acuna Jr. +900
- Juan Soto +1100
- Fernando Tatis Jr. +1500
Bellinger is the reigning MVP while Yelich was the runner-up. Harper won the award in ’15 as a member of the Washington Nationals.
In his first season with the Phillies, Harper hit .260 with 35 home runs and 114 RBI.
For comparison purposes. Bellinger finished with a .305 batting average to go along with 47 homers and 115 RBI. Plus the Los Angeles Dodgers won the National League West while the Phils finished 81-81, and missed the postseason.
Aaron Nola + Cy Young odds
Clearly, it will take more than a great season from Harper if Philadelphia is going to contend for the NL East or a Wild Card spot.
Aaron Nola, the team’s No. 1 starter, is expected to play a major role once again. He is coming off a 12-7 season with a 3.87 earned run average with 229 strikeouts. This is after recording a career-best 17 victories the previous year.
Nola has a career record of 53-35. But could he be a potential Cy Young Award candidate?
Fox Bet is offering customers an odds boost of +2800 (from +2200). Like Harper, Nola has some stiff competition, including favorite Jacob deGrom (+333), who is the ace of the New York Mets staff.
Here are some of the other names in the running:
- Max Scherzer +400
- Walker Buehler +750
- Jack Flaherty +900
- Stephen Strasburg +1200
- Clayton Kershaw +1600
- Yu Darvish +1800
- Luis Castillo +2000
Fox Bet is offering player props on total strikeouts, too. Nola has odds of +2200.
Gerrit Cole (+300), one of the new additions to the New York Yankees pitching staff, is the current favorite.
The big question: When will MLB be back?
While the baseball betting markets are open, we are still waiting on official word as to when and where MLB will return.
Like much of the economy, ballparks across the country remained shut down. And whether or not they reopen after the season resumes is up in the air.
There continue to be multiple restart proposals floating around, including this one:
AP sources: Major League Baseball, union discuss playing all games in Arizona as a possible way forward out of the pandemic. https://t.co/cLxlY4456w
— AP Sports (@AP_Sports) April 7, 2020
Here is another idea reportedly under consideration:
MLB considering radical realignment as one of their options for 2020 season: Grapefruit and Cactus leagues https://t.co/vLQTG4ezgu
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) April 10, 2020
Until plans are announced, ponder whether the odds boosts at Fox Bet for the Phillies, Harper or Nola are good bets.
It could be easier than trying to figure out MLB’s big return plans.