MLB Rookie of the Year: The Race is Going Strong

As the MLB ends into its last full week of the month of May, teams are seeing consistent play from players. 

There have been major changes to some of the frontrunners in the AL as the players who have been there since the beginning of the season are replaced by new rising rookies. Boston Red Sox outfielder/designated hitter Masataka Yoshida remains at the front of the race in the AL with no controversy. In the NL, they face the same situation of leaders falling, but the race at the top is much closer than the race in the AL.

AL Rookie of the Year Odds

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook, correct as of May 24th, 2023

NL Rookie of the Year Odds

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook, correct as of May 24th, 2023

Best MLB Betting Promotions

Among the best and most reliable MLB sportsbooks to bet with is DraftKings. DraftKings is offering a sign-up bonus of $1000 of credit for new users. There is no special promo code needed to sign up. Users will have to deposit $10 for the promo to be utilized.

Players can even be reimbursed on the first bet they may lose. For example, if the user losses $100 on their first bet, they will be given back $100 in credit. For more information about DraftKings Sportsbook, click on the link here.

AL Rookie of the Year Analysis & Predictions

Leading off the race for AL Rookie of the Year to no one’s surprise is Boston Red Sox leftfielder Masataka Yoshida. He is a player that has been consistent throughout the season and essentially become the star batter for the Red Sox. Yoshida has been at the top of the race for the AL Rookie of the Year for most of the season and intends to stay as the leader.

In the five games last week, Yoshida accounted for three runs, seven hits, four RBIs, two walks, only two strikeouts, one stolen base, a batting average of .333 and an on-base percentage of .391 in 21 at-bats. His best performance at the plate last week was in the 9-4 Red Sox’s home win over the Seattle Mariners. In the game, he accounted for two runs, two hits with one being a double-base hit and the other being a triple-base hit and three RBIs.

Following Yoshida behind a wide margin for now is Houston Astros Hunter Brown, who was been one of the most effective pitchers on the team. In 50.2 innings pitched this season, Brown has allowed 47 hits, 22 runs, 17 walks, three home runs and an ERA of 3.09 while delivering 56 strikeouts. He has been highly efficient in putting his team into great defensive situations after making the early rookie mistakes.

In the two games started last season, Brown pitched in 11.2 innings while allowing 12 hits, five runs, one walk, two home runs and an ERA of 3.09 while delivering 17 strikeouts. His best pitching performance came in the Astros’ 3-2 win at the Oakland Athletics where he allowed five hits and two runs while delivering nine strikeouts in six innings.

Brown is a player that develops a rhythm eventually which is positive to see in a young rookie pitcher already making an impact. The odds for Brown to be the AL Rookie of the Year isn’t impossible, but with the limited games played and the stellar performance of Yoshida, Brown has solid ground to make up.

Right there with Brown is a player rising from an unlikely team. Oakland Athletics centerfielder Esteury Ruiz is a player that has been gaining solid traction in the last few weeks for AL Rookie of the Year. This past week was Ruiz’s biggest jump yet.

In six games last week, Ruiz accounted for three runs, nine hits, two double-base hits, two RBIs, two walks, five strikeouts, five stolen bases, a batting of .346 and an on-base percentage of .414. Ruiz’s performance at the plate was one of the biggest reasons why the Athletics were bad to get their one last week with a 9-8 score at home over the Arizona Diamondbacks. In the game, Ruiz accounted for one run, and two hits including a double-base hit, one RBI and two strikeouts.

Seattle Mariners pitcher Bryce Miller is another player that stepped up recently in the race for AL Rookie of the Year. Miller was called up to the active roster starting in the month of May and has been excellent in his four games played. In 25.1 innings pitched this month, Miller has allowed 11 hits, four runs, two walks and an ERA of 1.42 while delivering 22 strikeouts. He had a tough performance against the Atlanta Braves on Friday, but it was expected.

NL Rookie of the Year Analysis & Predictions

Unlike the AL Rookie of the Year award race, the race in the NL has been close to the point where is any player’s game. For most, if not all of May, Los Angeles outfielder James Outman has been leading the charge thanks to his dynamic playmaking at the plate and in the outfielder.

This past week, Outman has looked more vulnerable in his ability to account for solid hits at the plate. In seven games this past week, Outman has accounted for two runs, four hits, one home, four RBIs, one walk, one stolen base, 11 strikeouts encountered, a batting average of .191 and an on-base percentage of .227. Outman has accounted for 12 putouts in five games in the fielding game.

His best performance came in the Dodgers’ 7-3 home win over the Minnesota Twins on May 17 where he accounted for two runs, two hits, one home run, four RBIs and one strikeout.

Quickly following Outman in the race is Arizona Diamondbacks leftfielder Corbin Carroll, who has been become of the most reliable players on the team. In seven games last week, Carroll accounted for six runs, six hits including a double-base hit, two home runs, five RBIs, nine walks, five strikeouts, one sacrifice fly ball, three stolen bases, a batting average of .286 and an on-base percentage of .500. As a fielder, Carroll accounted for 18 putouts.

In the Diamondbacks’ 8-3 road win over the Pittsburgh Pirates, Carroll accounted for three runs, one hit, one home run, one RBI, three walks and one RBI to start the new week. Carroll possesses a unique combination as a batter of power and patience to make the proper reads. His efficiency at the bat and his reliability in the fielding game will make him a candidate for weeks to come.

The New York Mets are starting to find themselves and become a legitimate threat in the NL East through late May. One of the biggest reasons is the rise of third baseman Brett Baty’s productivity on the team. He is another player that had become a reliable player on both ends of the field.

In five games last week, Baty accounted for four runs, four hits including a double-base hit, two home runs, four RBIs, two walks, four strikeouts, a batting average of .235 and an on-base percentage of .316. His best performance came in the Mets’ 10-9 home win over the Cleveland Guardians on May 19th when he accounted for two runs, two hits including a double-base hit, one home run, one RBI and two strikeouts. He was also a key contributor in the win through the fielding game as he accounted for three putouts, two assists and two double plays.

Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Miquel Vargas and Seattle Mariners pitcher Eury Perez both have the same odds of winning the NL Rookie of the Year award. Vargas had a consistent week as he accounted for five runs, nine hits including four double-base hits, three RBIs, two walks, only one strikeout, a batting average of .375 and an on-base percentage of .423. Perez had the best game of his major league career in his second start on May 18th in the Mariners’ 5-3 win over the Washington Nationals by allowing three hits, one run and one walk while delivering six strikeouts. 

How to Read MLB Rookie of the Year Odds

Sports statistics can be a tough language to understand as each sport utilizes special abbreviations and numbers. Sports gambling has a different set of language and context with numbers and signs.

If there is a specific award that can be gambled on such as the MLB Rookie of the Year Award, there is going to be a long list of players mentioned. How likely a player is close in odds to winning the award is determined by a + or – sign. The closer to zero a player in the negative (or positive signs depending on some sportsbooks), the more likely the player is set to be named for the award.

For the NL Rookie of the Year award, Jordan Walker is the favorite over the next player, which would be Corbin Carroll, by a close 40 points. The more a player like Walker separates himself in the race due to their consistent tremendous play, the closer to zero they get. That also means the player with the second-best odds will be distanced from the first-place recipient.

The closer to getting zero someone makes on a bet, the less they will win. The further a player is from the top odds, the more risk there is, but the reward is also higher.

Previous AL Rookie of the Year Winners

Previous NL Rookie of the Year Winners

More MLB Betting Guides

• Cy Young Odds

• 2023 MLB MVP Odds

• Home Run Leader Odds

• Hits Leader Odds

• 2023 World Series Odds