Ronald Acuna Jr. Running Away With NL Rookie of the Year Race

• Ronald Acuna Jr. is the runaway favorite for NL Rookie of the Year award
• Acuna is followed by Washington’s Juan Soto and St. Louis’ Jack Flaherty
• Do the other two have any chance of knocking off the Braves’ outfielder?

As the MLB season winds down, it’s time to turn our attention to the awards. Namely, the NL Rookie of the Year.

With the season he’s had, it’s safe to say Atlanta’s Ronald Acuna Jr. is a favorite for the award. Vegas agrees with that sentiment, as sportsbooks have him at an unbelievable -225.

At this point it will be tough for the field to catch up, but there is a name that could. Juan Soto of the Washington Nationals.

2018 NL Rookie of the Year Odds

Acuna is The NL Rookie of the Year Favorite for Good Reason

For starters, it’s tough to make a case against Acuna being baseball’s top rookie.

Promoted in late April, Acuna has been a regular in the Braves’ line-up outside of a month-long stint on the DL. He has the third-best average among Braves’ regulars, and leads the team in home runs with 23.

He is one ahead of Ozzie Albies for the team lead, despite playing 40 fewer games.

It's been a pretty good August for Ronald Acuña Jr.

He has 11 HR this month, tying Mel Ott in June 1929 for the most HR by a player age 20 or younger in a calendar month. pic.twitter.com/06c7CThDWt

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 1, 2018

He’s tops on Atlanta in slugging percentage and OPS, and third in OBP. All of this while spending 81.5% of his plate appearances atop the first-place Braves lineup.

Acuna is Slugging His Way to NL Rookie of the Year Honors

The dominance carries over to the rest of the NL. He’s first in home runs and slugging percentage, and second in doubles, steals, and OPS among NL rookies.

He’s also written his name all over the history books. He became the youngest player in baseball history to homer in five-straight games. He’s hit seven lead-off homers this year, a Braves record.

.@ronaldacunajr24's seven leadoff home runs this season ties the franchise single-season record set by Marquis Grissom in 1996.#ChopOn pic.twitter.com/8N6ofJ7TLr

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) September 2, 2018

He led off both games of a double header against the Marlins with homers, becoming just the fourth player ever to do that. In total, he’s led off three-straight games with a home run.

Acuna Jr. is one of two players in the history of baseball to ever do that.

Soto the Biggest Threat in NL Rookie of the Year Race

*Standing among NL rookies included in brackets. Leader in italics.

The only player who has had a good enough year to catch Acuna is Washington’s Juan Soto.

When the 19-year-old was called up in late May, he usurped Acuna as the youngest player in baseball. He’s caught him in a couple of other categories too.

Because of Acuna’s DL stint, Soto leads him in runs scored and RBI. He also has a better average, OBP and K/BB ratio.

Juan Soto with another reminder that he wants to be ROY. pic.twitter.com/AoS9j9K0pq

— MLB (@MLB) August 30, 2018

While Acuna Jr. has accumulated his totals atop the Braves’ lineup, Soto has bounced around a bit. He’s spent at least one game in all nine spots in the batting order, but has settled into the fifth spot in 45 of his 93 games.

Age Sparks Debate in Soto Vs Acuna

Some believe that Soto has the edge in this debate. Mostly because he’s the younger player, and Acuna had an extra year in the minors.

Stepping back from it, the two are less than a year apart. Age will not play a factor here. Nor should the fact Acuna Jr. played just over 100 more minor league games than Soto.

Smart Money on Acuna in NL Rookie of the Year Race

While both Soto and Acuna Jr. have had outstanding seasons, only one will be named NL Rookie of the Year.

It will be Ronald Acuna Jr.

Hitting atop the Braves lineup, he has set records and taken baseball by storm. He’s even pissed off the Miami Marlins.

This takes nothing away from Juan Soto. His equally outstanding rookie year will be reflected in the voting, but it just won’t be enough.

Betting on Acuna Jr. at this point won’t win you much. But betting against him? That’s just throwing money away.