MLB Betting Picks for August 16: Best Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook

A look at betting odds for 3 ROY candidates

This week, we focus on all the up-and-coming rookies who are in contention for the American and National League Rookie of the Year Award. Our panel has put in their votes and we're going to discuss three of those players, alongside their DraftKings Sportsbook odds to take home this prestigious title.

Julio Rodriguez

While Rodriguez is still the overwhelming favorite, he has lost some steam of late. A stint on the injured list has shifted the odds a bit, as he's now -320 to win the award. If we're being honest, with over a month worth of games left, -320 is still a very big number. That said, Rodriguez hasn't exactly found his groove since returning to action. We're talking about a very small sample size, but he's hitting just .207 through 30 plate appearances since being activated on Aug. 11. He has hit a home run and knocked in five runs over that span, but it's been a slower-than-expected return.

Overall, Rodriguez has very solid numbers and is rightfully the favorite despite missing some time. Through 102 games, Rodriguez is slashing .266/.327/.470 with 19 home runs, 62 RBIs, 59 runs scored, and 21 stolen bases. He also still has a chance of being a 30/30 player. If you're holding a Rodriguez ROY ticket, I wouldn't be worried yet, but his lead isn't as comfortable as it was in July when he was over a -500 favorite to claim the award. If you're starting to get nervous, we do have a hedging opportunity with the next player we're going to talk about.

Adley Rutschman

Rutschman is showing why he was the top prospect in the Orioles' system. After a slow start to his Major League career, Rutschman has really turned it on recently. Since the beginning of July, the rookie catcher is slashing .279/.417/.475 with four home runs, 14 RBIs, and 28 runs scored through 37 games. While they don't pop as much as Rodriguez, the overall contributions that Rutschman has made have been nothing short of phenomenal.

Since Rutschman was called up to the big leagues on May 21, the Orioles have gone 45-31 and are 1 1/2 games out of an AL Wild Card spot. The Orioles' pitching staff has a 3.95 ERA (4.02 FIP) over that span. So, while his offensive stats aren't as high as Rodriguez's, the overall contributions from Rutschman will not be overlooked. At his current number, I think putting some on Rutschman is worth your while. There is some legitimate concern that Rodriguez could lose some of his pop after suffering a bone bruise to his wrist after getting hit in a game against the Astros. With the odds at +330, it wouldn't take much to offset some of the potential losses with Rodriguez if we get an upset in this category. If anything, we're going to get a fun sweat in this category that seemed all but wrapped up a few weeks ago.

Michael Harris II

If you were able to place a bet on which team would have the Rookie of the Year, the Braves would be a strong contender. Both Harris and teammate Spencer Strider are -110 to win the ROY Award. As it stands, I'm going to lean with Harris to eventually take it. For as good as Strider has been, he has a very tough schedule for the rest of the season. He'll be facing teams like the Astros, Mariners, and Phillies. If he performs well, that'll be a huge reason he could win. However, if we're being honest, that's a challenging obstacle to overcome. Thus, I'm giving the nod to Harris.

Fresh off his eight-year contract extension, Harris has been a big part of this Atlanta offense, slashing .288/.327/.498 with 12 home runs, 39 RBIs, 47 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases. His second half has been very impressive, as he's already on pace to top his first-half numbers. Through 24 games, Harris has hit four home runs, with 13 RBIs and 17 runs scored. It's even more impressive because he's been hitting in the No. 9 spot for most of the season. Of his 72 games played, only eight of them have seen him hit above that spot. With these impressive numbers in mind, I think Harris starts to pull away from Strider and become the favorite to win this award.

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