Just one player in MLB history has won an MVP Award in both the American and National League (Frank Robinson). New Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts could easily make it two this year. Here are two props available to wager at Mybookie on Betts’ and the Dodgers’ 2020 MLB season – assuming there is one – and an overview.
Mookie Betts Awards Odds & Analysis For 2020 Season
- NL MVP Award: Betts is +350 favorite
- Odds to win NL West: Dodgers are -900 favorites
The Boston Red Sox selected Betts in the 5th round of the 2011 Major League Baseball draft with the 172nd overall pick. Betts had planned to attend the University of Tennessee, but Boston offered a $750,000 contract so he took it.
was called up for the first time by Red Sox on June 28, 2014. He debuted on June 29, recording his first major league career hit against Yankees starter Chase Whitley in the fourth inning. He hit his first home run on July 2 off the Cubs’ Carlos Villanueva. On August 29, Betts hit his first career grand slam against Rays pitcher Chris Archer. At age 21, Betts became the youngest Sox player to hit a grand slam in 49 years. Betts actually played a lot of second base at first but is now an outfielder.
became a household name in 2018 when he had a season for the ages in winning AL MVP. He.346 with 32 home runs, 80 RBIs, 129 runs scored and 30 stolen bases while slugging .640 and generating a 1.078 OPS. Betts also won a Gold Glove, a Silver Slugger and led MLB with a WAR of 10.9 while leading the Red Sox to the 2018 World Series title.
In doing so, Betts became the first American League player ever to win the World Series and earn MVP, Gold Glove, and Silver Slugger Awards in the same season. The only NL player ever to do that was Hall of Fame third baseman Mike Schmidt (1980, Phillies).
Last season, Betts slipped a bit but still hit .295 with 29 homers and 80 RBIs. He led the majors with 135 runs scored, the sixth-highest single-season total in Red Sox history. It was the most by a Red Sox player since Ted Williams set the franchise record 70 years ago (150 in 1949). Betts fell one homer shy of joining David Ortiz as the only Red Sox ever to record 30+ HR and 40+ doubles in as many as 3 seasons (also 2016, ‘18).
is one of two big-league players with at least 70 extra-base hits over each of the past four seasons, joining the Rockies’ Nolan Arenado. Betts has 20+ HR and 40+ doubles in each of the last 4 seasons and is one of five MLB players ever with 20+ HR and 40+ 2B in at least 4 consecutive seasons: Robinson Canó (5), Albert Pujols (4), David Wright (4), Jeff Kent (4).
Betts has reached 40 doubles in five straight seasons. The only other Red Sox with 40+ 2B in as many as 5 seasons are Wade Boggs (8) and David Ortiz (5).
Despite all that production, Betts was essentially dumped in a salary-related trade this offseason to the Los Angeles Dodgers along with David Price. Betts is in the last year of team control, and will make $27 million before hitting free agency. The Red Sox said they couldn’t afford Betts in free agency so they got something while they could.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has said he plans to hit Betts leadoff this year. Betts batted primarily second in the order for the first two months of the 2019 season before being moved to the leadoff slot. Only four players had more plate appearances than Betts last year — Marcus Semien, Whit Merrifield, Ronald Acuna and Jonathan Villar. Roberts did say Betts would occasionally bat second against tough right-handed starters so the team could insert a left-handed batter at the top of the order.
