Diamondbacks’ Merrill Kelly feeling strong after leg cramps in previous start
Arizona Diamondbacks’ Merrill Kelly had a complication with cramping that pulled him from a game earlier in May.
The Arizona Diamondbacks have an early National League MVP candidate this year. And unlike previous seasons, it’s not second baseman Ketel Marte.
The Diamondbacks’ Corbin Carroll has turned heads with his impressive start to the season for Arizona and is climbing up NL MVP rankings and odds in the process.
Check out what some recent sites are saying about Carroll’s season so far as well as where the Arizona outfielder stands in the latest National League MVP winner odds.
Can Carroll keep putting up his impressive numbers and make a run at the MVP award for the National League this season?
MLB.com: Corbin Carroll fifth in NL MVP poll
The site had 46 experts vote for their early picks for the award and Carroll was only behind the San Diego Padres‘ Fernando Tatis Jr., the New York Mets‘ Pete Alonso, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani and the Chicago Cubs‘ Kyle Tucker.
Of Carroll, Jason Foster wrote: “Carroll has been one of baseball’s early surprises in 2025. He led MLB in homers for part of the first month, and he’s continued to rake extra-base hits all over the place, including an MLB-best four triples. In fact, Carroll’s 21 extra-base hits through Sunday were tied for second-most in baseball, and his 84 total bases ranked second only to Judge. He’s never hit more than 25 homers in a season, but he’s on pace for 43 this year. He’s also on pace for 124 RBIs, which would demolish his previous career high of 76.”
Empire Sports Media: Corbin Carroll ranked second among NL MVP candidates in 2025
The site only had Alonso ahead of Carroll.
Ryan Garcia wrote: “The Arizona Diamondbacks have a true superstar in Corbin Carroll, who has a 156 wRC+ and 10 home runs through his first 36 games of the season. While not the same baserunner he was in his rookie season, the decision to sell out for power has proved to be one of the best of his young career, resulting in an offensive resurgence after a bad first half in 2024. His defense has improved as well, and if he can keep this up, the 2023 NL Rookie of the Year winner could add some more hardware to his shelf in 2025.”
The Score: Corbin Carroll in fourth in NL MVP race
Only Alonso, Tucker and Tatis Jr. were ranked ahead of Carroll in that site’s ranking.
Tom Ruminski wrote: “Carroll is having a massive bounce-back campaign after the 2023 NL Rookie of the Year failed to meet lofty expectations in his second season. The 24-year-old sits in the top 10 in almost every significant offensive category, including hits (44), triples (four), homers (10), runs scored (29), slugging percentage (.588), and OPS (.943). What’s a little surprising is that he only has five steals despite ranking in the 98th percentile in sprint speed. He swiped a combined 89 bags across 2023-24.”
National League MVP odds: Corbin Carroll tied for fourth to win award
BetMGM Sportsbook has Carroll tied for fourth in its odds to be the National League MVP right now.
Carroll is at +500 in the odds, tied with Tatis Jr. Shohei Ohtani leads the odds, at +175, with Tucker second (+400) and Alonso third (+450).
There’s a drop off to No. 6 in the odds, with Juan Soto of the Mets at +1600, tied with Freddie Freeman of the Dodgers.
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Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
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