Nolan Arenado reportedly wanted a trade from the Colorado Rockies this offseason but didn’t get it. Now he’s probably stuck there this year. Here are two props available to wager at Mybookie on Arenado’s 2020 MLB season – assuming there is one – and an overview.
Nolan Arenado MLB Awards Odds & Analysis For 2020 Season
- Most home runs of any batter: Arenado is +2000
- NL MVP Award: Arenado is +1800
Arenado could go down as arguably the best player ever for the Colorado Rockies … if he stays there his entire career. That’s far from a sure thing. It looked like that would be the case in February 2019 when Arenado and the Rockies agreed on an eight-year, $260 million extension. That kept Arenado from becoming a free agent after the 2019 season but also included an opt-out after 2021.
However, the Rockies stunk last year even with another big season from Arenado and now reportedly would like to shed that massive salary as they cut payroll. Because of all the trade rumors, Arenado’s relationship with GM Jeff Bridich became toxic and Arenado wanted out. Even an in-person meeting with Rockies owner Dick Monfort didn’t cool tensions.
After Bridich told the Denver Post, “We have listened to teams regarding Nolan and really nothing has come of it. We are going to move forward pretty much as we expected — with Nolan in the purple and black and as our third baseman. So we can put this to bed.” Arenado reacted via with this text: “There’s a lot of disrespect from people there that I don’t want to be a part of. You can quote that.”
But no trade was completed and Arenado came to spring camp vowing to play his hardest and to “not be a distraction.” With the 2020 season going to be hugely shortened, it’s likely he will stay put through this year but could be on the move next winter ahead of his opt-out year. Arenado has been linked to the Cardinals, Rangers, Braves and Cubs.
Arenado is quite simply one of the five best players in baseball and might go down as the best third baseman in MLB history. Last year, he finished the season among NL leaders in hits (185-3rd), total bases (343-3rd), RBI (118-T4), batting average (.315-5th), slugging percentage (.583-5th), home runs (41-T5), and OPS (.962-5th). His batting average and on-base percentage were both career highs.
Arenado became the second Rockies player in franchise history to have three seasons with at least 40 home runs, joining Vinny Castilla (1996-98). Arenado, Castilla, Mike Schmidt and Eddie Mathews the only third baseman (min. 75% of games at the position) to have three 40-home run seasons.
Arenado hit 12 home runs in the month of August. It was the third time in his career he had hit 12 home runs in any single month (June & Sept., 2015). The 12 dingers were tied for the second-most in any month in franchise history, trailing only Troy Tulowitzki’s 15 home runs in September 2010. It was Arenado’s fifth career month of 10 or more home runs, which is the second-most in Rockies franchise history (Larry Walker, six).
Not only can this guy rake, he has no peer defensively as Arenado won a Gold Glove for a seventh straight season. His seven total Gold Gloves are the fourth-most by a third baseman in Major League history, trailing Brooks Robinson (16), Mike Schmidt (10) and Scott Rolen (8).
Arenado led National League third basemen in fielding percentage (.980), total chances (457), putouts (111), assists (337), double plays (43), zone rating (.827), ultimate zone rating (10.3) and defensive runs above average (12.5). He joined Schmidt and Robinson as the only third basemen to win at least seven consecutive Gold Glove Awards. Robinson won 16 consecutive awards from 1960-1975 and Schmidt won nine straight from 1976-1984.
Nolan Arenado was the 16th infielder (1B, 2B, 3B, SS) to win at least seven Gold Gloves Awards and the ninth infielder to win at least seven consecutive Gold Gloves (sixth in the National League). The last National League player to win seven consecutive Gold Gloves was Ryne Sandberg, who won nine straight awards at second base from 1983-1991.
