Bryce Harper Climbs Into Second on NL MVP Odds List
By Peter Dewey
The Philadelphia Phillies have taken over as the favorites in the National League East and superstar Bryce Harper is reaping the benefits.
Harper, who has been on fire in the second half of the season, has moved past Max Muncy and Trea Turner and into second on the odds list for the NL MVP award at +450 at WynnBET. Fernando Tatis Jr. is still the -130 favorite, but Harper is moving fast with his recent play.
In the second half (23 games for Harper), the Phillies outfield is hitting a ridiculous .370 with a .516 on-base percentage. He’s smashed five homers, driven in 11 runs, and stolen five bags over that stretch. He has raised his season slash line to .302/.413/.570 with 20 homers and 45 runs batted in.
The Phillies just swept the New York Mets to put themselves two games clear of the Atlanta Braves and 2.5 of the Mets in the division. There’s still a ways to go, but the Mets have a brutal 13-game stretch against the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants coming up, so Philly may have a chance to extend its lead.
At the moment, Philadelphia is the +104 favorite to win the division on WynnBET, but the Braves (+200) and Mets (+225) are certainly still in the race.
However, as the Phillies’ odds continue to rise, Harper’s should as well. If the superstar keeps up his hitting prowess, there’s no doubt that he will be looked at as the driving force to a Philadelphia playoff run this season.
Tatis Jr. is hitting .292 with 31 homers and 73 runs batted in, but there’s still a chance Harper could catch him this season. The Padres shortstop is leading the National League in several key categories (homers, stolen bases, OPS and slugging percentage), but he is currently on the injured list with a nagging shoulder injury.
Tatis Jr. hurt his shoulder earlier in the season, and while he’s vowed to play again in 2021, one can wonder if his production is due to take a hit while he plays through the ailment. Tatis struggled a bit at the plate in July, hitting just .273 with five homers after posting a .300 batting average with 10 homers in June.
While he’s still one of the game’s best players, Tatis will need to stay healthy, or at least be able to play, to hold off Harper for the MVP. As the Phillies star continues to lead his team towards a playoff spot, he certainly belongs in the conversation over the season’s final two months.
The odds listed in this breakdown are available over at WynnBET. Make your pick.