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MLB Rookie of the Year Race: Jackson Merrill narrowing gap to Paul Skenes for the 2024 NL crown

The race for the National League Rookie of the Year Award is continuing to heat up. It once seemed like Pittsburgh Pirates sensation Paul Skenes was going to walk away with the award, however, another promising young star is making a case for himself.

San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill has not only continued to excel at the major league level, but he has thrown his hat in the race for the NL Rookie of the Year Award. The 21-year-old has been a revelation for the Friars this season and made a significant jump in the NL ROY odds.

According to betting website DraftKings, Paul Skenes remains the favorite to win the award as he sits with -130 odds. That being said, Merrill's continued success on the field has helped him dramatically improve his odds, pushing them to +100.

"It's Merrill Madness in San Diego. Jackson Merrill clears the bases for the @Padres" - @MLB

If Merrill can continue to shine in all facets of the game, he could eventually find himself neck and neck with the Pirates flamethrower. Despite Merrill's excellent season, there is no denying the impact that Skenes has made during his first year in the majors.

The first overall pick of the 2023 MLB Draft, Skenes has been a dynamo for the Pirates. Through 98.0 innings this year, Skenes has posted an impressive 7-2 record with a 2.30 ERA and a whopping 121 strikeouts. This elite level of play not only led to Skenes making the All-Star team but starting the game for the National League.

All that being said, only two other rookies made the All-Star team in 2024: Shota Imanaga of the Chicago Cubs and San Diego's Jackson Merrill. Entering Tuesday's action, Merrill owns a .290 batting average with 17 homers and 69 RBIs.

Paul Skenes' health might be the only thing that holds him back from the Rookie of the Year Award

Even though the Pittsburgh Pirates are on the outside of the playoffs looking in, they said that they have no plans of shutting Paul Skenes down. This will be massive as he looks to lock down the NL Rookie of the Year Award. One of the ways that Padres outfielder Merrill could overtake Skenes is if the Pirates ace saw his usage drop dramatically.

Since the club has already come out and said that this will not be the case, Skenes will need to remain healthy and on the field if he hopes to add some Rookie of the Year hardware to his trophy room. At this point, Skenes remains one the top pitchers in the game, so Merrill's late-season push could be for not if the Pirates ace does not slow down.

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