Opening 2019 NL MVP Odds: Bryce Harper Listed as Favorite

• Who’s the better bet between Bryce Harper and Nolan Arenado to win NL MVP?
• Are there other players presenting value?
• Is it worth throwing down money on Bryce Harper now?

There’s a very good reason that the Philadelphia Phillies just got Bryce Harper to put pen to paper on his $330 million deal. It’s because he’s the best player in the game, and the latest odds available seem to reflect that reality.

2019 NL MVP Odds

*Odds taken 03/05/19

The main reason Harper is listed as top dawg is because “Chicks dig the long ball”. Seriously, last season Giancarlo Stanton came out of the gates atop a lot of boards and this time it’s Bryce’s turn. Perhaps there’s a lot of weight on the previous year’s Home Run Derby.

Bryce Harper vs Nolan Arenado

Bryce Harper finished last season with 34 dingers and 100 RBI. He also helped his Nationals to an 82-80 finish, which was good enough for second in the division, but not good enough to boost his club into the postseason.

Nolan, on the other hand, did everything his counterpart did, but better – a lot better!

Hey @Rockies fans, Nolan Arenado is our pick to win NL MVP this year. ?https://t.co/rYYdwpFhnJ

— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) March 5, 2019

Arenado finished the year with 38 HR, a .297 batting average, and 110 RBI. He also helped the Rockies make it to their first NLDS series in almost a decade. He was a difference maker and has already caught the attention of Baseball America for this season too.

Keep an Eye on Christian Yelich

Another great value choice would be Christian Yelich (+1800) out of Milwaukee. He’s coming off a fantastic season that saw him set a ton of career records with a 36 HR, .326 avg, 110 RBI and 187 hit stat line. Not to mention, Yelich also posted a 7.6 WAR (wins above replacement), which was higher than both Arenado and Harper.

Yelich posted a 7.6 WAR (wins above replacement), which was higher than both Arenado and Harper.

Another excellent choice for value goes by the name of Javier Baez (+2500). The Cubs infielder also put up more impressive stats than Harper last year and set career highs by absolute landslides. Baez posted a stat line of 34 HR, .290 avg, 111 RBI, 176 hits, and 101 runs and will be leaned on heavily in Chicago for even more production.

Is Bryce Worth the Bet?

It’s a little hard to gauge at the moment with Bryce Harper. The patient man would take his time and assess. The impatient man, however, wouldn’t cash in as heavily as possible by any means.

Things Bryce Harper is good at:

Baseball – ✅
Clapping – ❌pic.twitter.com/7ZIdnB3tUz

— Tim and Sid (@timandsid) March 5, 2019

Right now, Harper is going off at +500 and the closer the season gets to its mid and final point, the more the odds shrink. +500 is a steal for any first place candidate and you’d be foolish not to take a bite out of the action if you like Harper FTW.

+500 is a steal for any first place candidate and you’d be foolish not to take a bite out of the action if you like Harper FTW.

Now, if you think there are better candidates out there, this would still be the time to make a move. Based on the stats and belief in our value picks above, their odds will decrease sooner rather than later as well.

The big question you have to ask yourself is, are you willing to wait till Opening Day or later to make a move? Just know, though, that the odds won’t wait for you.