The 2021 Major League Baseball season isn’t quite over yet – the individual award winners in the American and National League will be announced next week. Here’s a quick look at each and likely winners for your MLB bets.
MLB 2021: Finalists For Major Player Awards Announced
American League MVP
Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero and Marcus Semien and the Angels’ Shohei Ohtani were the finalists and Ohtani is going to win. He had 46 home runs, 26 steals, 100 RBIs, 103 runs, 96 walks and a .965 OPS (158 OPS+) in 155 games as a hitter — and went 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA (141 ERA+) and 156 strikeouts over 130 1/3 innings in 23 starts as a pitcher. In 2021, seven players had at least a 150 OPS+ over 400-plus plate appearances, while 17 pitchers had an ERA+ of 140 or better over 100-plus innings. Ohtani did both. He became the first player in AL or NL history with at least 45 homers, 25 stolen bases and five triples in a season.
Ohtani is looking to join his teammate as an AL MVP, as Trout won the award in 2014, ’16 and ’19. The only other Angels players to win an MVP Award are Vladimir Guerrero (2004) and Don Baylor (1979). Guerrero would have won this award in most other years. Semien picked a good time to have a career season as he’s a free agent, although the Jays are hoping to bring him back.
National League MVP
This race will be much closer than the AL with outfielders Bryce Harper of the Phillies and Juan Soto of the Nationals joining Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis as finalists. Harper should win it for the second time in his career.
He hit .309 this season with 42 doubles, one triple, 35 home runs, 84 RBIs, a 1.044 OPS and a 179 OPS+. Harper led MLB in doubles, slugging percentage (.615), OPS and OPS+. He ranked second in the NL in fWAR (6.6), on-base percentage (.429) and walks (100); third in batting average and outfield assists (10); sixth in home runs and runs (101) and ninth in bWAR (5.9). Harper became just the fourth outfielder in AL/NL history to have at least 100 runs, 100 walks, 40 doubles and 35 home runs in a season. Babe Ruth, Stan Musial and Barry Bonds are the others.
AL Cy Young
This should be a close race between the Yankees’ Gerrit Cole, Blue Jays’ Robbie Ray and White Sox’s Lance Lynn, with Ray, also a pending free agent, likely to win. Toronto is hoping to re-sign him too. Ray posted a 2.84 ERA over 193 1/3 innings for the Blue Jays while striking out an MLB-high 248 batters. Ray led the league in ERA, starts, innings, WHIP and strikeouts, holding a slight edge over Cole in several pitching categories.
The 31-year-old Cole posted a 3.23 ERA in 181 1/3 innings and had 243 strikeouts, third in the Majors. He probably will finish second just as he did while in 2019 with Houston. Lynn went 11-6 with a 2.69 ERA but struggled a bit down the stretch.
NL Cy Young
The Dodgers’ Max Scherzer, Brewers’ Corbin Burnes and Phillies’ Zack Wheeler are the finalists with wither Scherzer winning it for a fourth time or Burnes the first.
Scherzer was having a solid year with the Washington Nationals posting an 8-4 record with a 2.76 ERA and 147 strikeouts in 111 innings of work. However, he really cemented his consideration for the award during his dominant run with the Dodgers after being acquired at the trade deadline. In 11 starts for Los Angeles, Scherzer went undefeated with a 7-0 record, posted a 1.98 ERA, and struck out 89 batters through 68 1/3 innings. He’s a pending free agent.
Burnes led the NL among qualified starters in fWAR (7.5), ERA (2.43), FIP (1.63), walks allowed (34), home runs allowed (7), and strikeout rate (12.61 K/9), and his total strikeouts (234) rank fifth. The only main knock against Burnes is his innings pitched. He only pitched 167 innings, compared to 213.1 by Wheeler (leads NL), and 179.1 for Scherzer.
AL Rookie of the Year
Either Tampa Bay’s Randy Arozarena or Wander Franco will win this. Arozarena really shouldn’t be considered a rookie considering he was a 2020 playoff star for Tampa Bay but he didn’t play in enough regular-season games to lose rookie status for 2021. Franco reached base in 43 consecutive games to tie Frank Robinson’s AL/NL record from 1956 for a player 20 years old or younger.
NL Rookie of the Year
The Cardinals’ Dylan Carlson, Reds’ Jonathan India and Marlins pitcher Trevor Rogers are the finalists, with either Carlson or India expected to win. In his first 162-game slate at just 22 years old, Carlson proved why he is the club’s former top prospect. He slashed .266/.343/.437 with 18 homers, missing just a handful of games due to a right wrist sprain. India batted .269/.376/.459 (113 OPS+) with 34 doubles, 21 homers and 12 steals in 150 games. He finished fifth among NL qualifiers in on-base percentage.
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Latest MLB 2021 Betting News & Rumors Jan. 14th Edition
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Okay MyBookie MLB betting faithful, with the start of the 2021 MLB regular season set to get underway on April 1, there are still a bunch of rumors and MLB happenings making its way around the league’s landscape. 10 weeks out from Opening Day, let’s find out what’s going on in the big leagues so you can start getting ready to make your bets against their MLB odds for the upcoming season..
MLB 2021 Rumors Currently Making the Rounds
Astros Sign Baez
Say what you want about Houston’s previously cheating ways, but the Astros do a great job of putting a competitive ballclub together even when they’re not stealing signs. Mid-week, Houston signed veteran free-agent right-hander Pedro Báez to a two-year deal with a third-year club option. The deal is worth $10 million plus a $500,000 signing bonus and a $7.5 million option for 2023, which includes a $2 million buyout and incentives that could increase the deal.
In The Cards For Nolan?
While it’s no secret that Colorado is looking to move talented, but high-priced veteran Nolan Arenado, one of the new teams we’re hearing being mentioned as a possible destination is St. Louis. The Cards have a handful of players coming off the books after the upcoming 2021 season that could be attractive to the Rockies, plus the young players Colorado wants as well. Arenado still has six years and a whopping $199 million remaining on his current deal and the Rockies, who are ready for a rebuild, can no longer afford the contract.
Back to The City Of Brotherly Love, Plus One?
The Philadelphia Phillies are making no bones about their desire to re-sign veteran catcher and first baseman JT Realmuto after he rejected the team’s $18.9 million qualifying offer. Realmuto is talented, but the market has been slow so far with the Mets now out of the chase and potential deals with Houston and the LA Angels slow to develop. Now, Philadelphia is optimistic they can sign a player many believe to be the best catcher in baseball. Reports say the Phillies also hoping to re-sign veteran shortstop Didi Gregorius after he hit .284 with 10 home runs in 60 games in his first season with Philadelphia a year ago.
Jerry, Jerry, Jerry!
Say it ain’t so Houston. First, longtime television host Jerry Springer saw his once wildly popular reality show come to an end after almost two and a half decades. Now, reports say the Houston Astros are willing to consider offers for power-hitting outfielder George Springer in order to upgrade other areas of their roster. I don’t see it happening unless some team blows the Astros away with an offer for the 26-year-old they can’t refuse.
Market Heating Up For Ozuna
The market is heating up in a big way for Atlanta Braves free-agent outfielder Marcell Ozuna after he hit a blistering .338 with 18 home runs and 56 RBI in 60 games last season. Reports say that teams in both, the AL and NL are thinking about acquiring the 30-year-old outfielder.
Former Staff Aces Available
Seven former staff aces are still on the open market and getting attention to varying degrees. There’s 35-year-old two-time AL Cy Young winner Corey Kluber, 37-year-old four-time all-star lefty Cole Hamels, 39-year-old right-hander Adam Wainwright, 35-year-old former AL Cy Young winner Felix Hernandez, 37-year-old left-hander Jon Lester, 35-year-old right-hander and former NL Cy Young winner Jake Arrieta and 32-year-old former AL Cy Young winner Rick Porcello. Stay tuned MLB bettors.
Yadier Molina Considering Retirement
A likely future Hall of Famer, nine-time gold glove winner Yadier Molina is reportedly considering retirement. The 38-year-old s reportedly holding out for a two-year contract, preferably with the Cardinals, the only team he’s played for in his 17-year big league career.
Multiple clubs negotiating with Semien
Reports say that multiple teams like the Phillies, Reds, Red Sox and A’s all have been involved in negotiations with Oakland free agent infielder Marcus Semien, who spent the past six seasons with the A’s.
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MLB Rumors: Reds Looking To Trade Ace Sonny Gray, Do Trade Closer
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The Cincinnati Reds expect to contend in the National League Central Division in 2021 after finishing just three games behind first-place Chicago this past season and reaching the playoffs. So why, then, are the Reds interested in trading one of their best starting pitchers this offseason in right-hander Sonny Gray? And why did they just trade closer Raisel Iglesias?
Reds Looking To Trade Ace Sonny Gray |MLB Expert Analysis
Ideally, the Reds would trade Gray for young pitching and replace him via free agency or trade at a lower cost. Gray is owed $10 million in 2021 and 2022, with a $12 million club option for 2023. Gray’s trade value may never be higher than it is right now.
In the 60-game shortened 2020 season, Gray made 11 starts. He went 5-3, 3.94 in 9 starts before he went on the 10-day injured list on Sept. 3 and two afterward when Gray wasn’t quite as good. Gray was scheduled to pitch Game 3 of the Wild-Card Series at Atlanta, but the Reds were eliminated after 2 games.
Gray did tie the club record for strikeouts over the first 3 starts (28) and 4 starts (35) of a season while establishing new club records for strikeouts in the first 5 starts (45) and 6 starts (51) of a season. All four marks would then be broken by Trevor Bauer, who went on to establish club records for strikeouts in the first 11 and 12 apps of a season (100). Bauer, who won the NL Cy Young, is a free agent and not expected to resign with Cincinnati.
If the Reds lose Bauer and Gray from their rotation, it’s impossible to imagine them coming close to replacing that productivity via free agency, and doing it for less money. Of the 9.5 total WAR all Reds pitchers accumulated in 2020, nearly half (4.2) was attributable to Bauer and Gray.
Nearly every contender is expected to pursue Gray, although you can rule out the Yankees as Gray didn’t like pitching in New York while playing for them before a trade to Cincinnati. Part of why Gray signed a long-term extension with the Reds in the first place was his familiarity with pitching coach Derek Johnson from his Vanderbilt days as well as a known affinity for the Reds from his days growing up in roughly nearby Nashville.
San Diego would make a ton of sense for Gray as the Padres’ farm system is loaded and they need pitching after losing Mike Clevinger for all of 2021 due to Tommy John surgery.
Cincinnati did make that trade Monday in shipping out Iglesias to the Angels for a prospect and player to be named. Iglesias is signed for $9.125MM this coming season and will be a free agent following the 2021 season.
George Springer Update
The best position player on the free-agent market is likely Astros outfielder George Springer. He would will a huge need for the rising Chicago White Sox, but reportedly they are not prepared to break the bank for the former World Series MVP. Plus, Springer values himself at center-field prices with the White Sox looking to add a right fielder — likely one who hits left-handed — this winter. The White Sox don’t need a center fielder, though, with the dynamic Luis Robert holding down the position.
Pale Hose right fielders ranked 19th in baseball in 2020, slashing .246/.303/.348 with four homers and an 82 wRC+. The position has been a black hole for years. The only left-handed hitters in the projected lineup as of now are switch-hitters Yoán Moncada and Yasmani Grandal.
In 51 games in the truncated 2020 season, Springer hit .265/.359/.540 with 14 homers, 32 RBI and 37 runs scored. Springer turned his season around on Sept. 3, as he posted a .341 (31×91) average with two doubles, two triples and nine homers in his last 23 games, hitting safely in 21 of those 23 contests, which included a season-long 12-game hitting streak. Over that span, Springer raised his batting average by 71 points up to .265, and his OPS by over 150 points from .719 to a club-high .899. He’s also a proven postseason stud. Expect Springer to land with either the New York Mets or Toronto Blue Jays.
The White Sox have offseason needs other than right field, too, and adding Springer could have the potential to soak up money that could be used to deepen a starting rotation. Instead, the Sox could look at someone much cheaper like Dodgers free-agent outfielder Joc Pederson.
Ex-Cub Kyle Schwarber and Eddie Rosario from the Twins are recent additions to the free-agent market after being non-tendered on December 2. Both could make sense as a DH.
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