Paul Skenes is competing with Shota Imanaga for the National League Rookie of the Year award.
The Pirates firethrower is one step away from knocking Imanaga, who has been in a tailspin after a hot start with the Cubs, out of the running for the BetMGM Sportsbook award.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Skenes is +165, just behind Imanaga at +155, who has remained atop the odds board for over a month.
Skenes started just six major league games and looked dominant but his game was ruined.
The 2023 No. 1 draft pick has posted a 2.43 ERA with 46 strikeouts in 33 1/3 innings, living up to the expectations that have been building for him since his time with the Louisiana State University Tigers.
Skenes’ emergence comes after struggles for Imanaga, who had a historic start in his first MLB season.
National League Rookie of the Year Odds
| player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Shota Imanaga | +155 |
| Paul Skenes | +165 |
| Yoshinobu Yamamoto | +350 |
| Joey Ortiz | 10/1 |
| Jared Jones | 16/1 |
| Machine Win | 25/1 |
Imanaga’s ERA was below 1.00 in six starts but has now risen to 1.96, still second-best in the National League among qualified pitchers.
This race is shaping up to be a three-way battle, with Dodgers pitcher and preseason favorite Yoshinobu Yamamoto just behind those two at +350.
No one else is better than 10/1.
However, Skenes has become a popular choice among bettors.
Everything you need to know about MLB betting
The right-hander had attracted 20.1% of the money wagered and 23.1% of the volume at BetMGM as of Tuesday morning, both of which were clear leads in the field.
After a dominant performance against the Cardinals on Tuesday afternoon, that number is likely even higher.
Skenes did not allow five hits over 6 1/3 innings, striking out eight Cardinals batters and walking none, the second-best outing of his young career behind a six-inning no-hitter against the Cubs a month ago.
