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 Pirates' Paul Skenes was the heavy odds-on favorite to win National League Rookie of the Year at ESPN BET in late July, but Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill has steadily gained ground since to move ahead of Skenes entering Thursday's games.