Padres’ Jackson Merrill is new favorite for NL Rookie of the Year

In late July, Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes was the runaway favorite to win National League Rookie of the Year at sportsbooks around the nation, with odds so overwhelming that one Las Vegas bookmaker halted betting on the award altogether.

A month later, the odds to win NL Rookie of the Year have shifted dramatically, and Skenes is no longer the favorite as he prepares to take the mound against the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday.

San Diego Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill has emerged as the consensus favorite this week. He overtook Skenes overnight Wednesday at ESPN BET, becoming the odds-on favorite for the award at -170. Skenes is now +120. On July 24, Skenes’ odds were as short as -5,000.

The Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas took the extreme step of halting betting for the award ahead of the All-Star break because Skenes was such a heavy favorite. But the Pirates are 2-3 in Skenes’ starts since the break and have fallen out of playoff contention.

Merrill was a 50-1 long shot in June at ESPN BET and BetMGM, but his consistent play and the Padres’ success have moved him to the top of boards. Merrill is hitting .291 with 18 home runs and 71 RBIs for the Padres, who are tied with the Arizona Diamondbacks atop the NL wild-card standings and trail the Los Angeles Dodgers by four games in the NL West.

Since the All-Star break, 58.2% of the bets — and 61.8% of the money wagered — on the odds at ESPN BET to win NL Rookie of the Year have been on Merrill.

Baltimore Orioles left fielder Colton Cowser on Thursday was a -650 favorite at ESPN BET to win American League Rookie of the Year.