Rodríguez, Strider lead latest ROY poll

For the third straight MLB.com Rookie of the Year Award poll, the leaders in both leagues have held steady.

In the American League, little has changed -- Julio Rodríguez of the Mariners has clearly separated himself from the pack and holds the No. 1 spot for the fourth consecutive poll. But in the National League, things are getting interesting. While Spencer Strider is still the favorite among voters, one of his own Braves teammates has emerged as a challenger.

A panel of MLB.com voters was asked to rank the top five Rookie of the Year candidates in each league based on what's happened so far and what they expect will happen over the rest of the 2022 season. Rookies received vote points on a 5-4-3-2-1 scale -- five points for a first-place vote, four points for a second-place vote and so on, with 31 voters participating.

Here are the results. (All stats are through Wednesday.)

AMERICAN LEAGUE

1. Julio Rodríguez, Mariners (29 first-place votes)
DraftKings Rookie of the Year odds: -320, bet $320 to win $100

Rodríguez is effortlessly holding onto his lead in the AL Rookie of the Year poll, and while none yet have been unanimous, he’s the clear favorite among MLB.com experts. The 21-year-old is holding steady with a .270/.331/.476 line on the season with 19 home runs, 62 RBIs and 21 stolen bases.

2. Adley Rutschman, Orioles (1 first-place vote)
DraftKings Rookie of the Year odds: 3.3-to-1

Confidence in Baltimore’s 24-year-old catcher is only increasing among voters – this is his highest finish in a Rookie of the Year poll to date -- and it’s easy to understand why, as he’s hitting .286 with a .510 slugging percentage in August as the Orioles continue to climb the Wild Card standings.

3. Bobby Witt Jr., Royals
DraftKings Rookie of the Year odds: 25-to-1

Despite slow going in August, Witt continues to put together a solid season, leading rookies with 23 stolen bases and coming in second behind Rodríguez in homers (15) and runs batted in (57).

4. Jeremy Peña, Astros
DraftKings Rookie of the Year odds: 30-to-1

Peña dips into fourth place in the latest poll after coming in at No. 2 in the previous three. Houston’s 24-year-old shortstop has slumped since his return from the injured list on June 26, but he got off to a hot enough start in April and May to keep his body of work looking solid – he has 15 home runs and 41 RBIs in 94 games.

5. Steven Kwan, Guardians (1 first-place vote)
DraftKings Rookie of the Year odds: 40-to-1

Kwan continues to show off his elite plate discipline and has become an ideal leadoff man for the AL Central-leading Guardians, hitting .301 with a 123 OPS+ on the season.

Others receiving votes: Jose Miranda; Reid Detmers; Joe Ryan; George Kirby; Vinnie Pasquatino; MJ Melendez; Félix Bautista; Brock Burke

NATIONAL LEAGUE

1. Spencer Strider, Braves (17 first-place votes)
DraftKings Rookie of the Year odds: -110, bet $110 to win $100

Little surprise here as Strider remains the favorite for NL Rookie of the Year. The 23-year-old is pitching to a 3.04 ERA with a 1.04 WHIP and in 94 2/3 innings and has struck out 142 batters, which has him tied for sixth most in the National League.

2. Michael Harris II, Braves (14 first-place votes)
DraftKings Rookie of the Year odds: -110, bet $110 to win $100

Strider may be the favorite, but his teammate, Harris, is making gains. Atlanta’s center fielder has taken off again after a somewhat slow July, batting .320/.359/.580 with four doubles and three home runs so far in August.

3. Christopher Morel, Cubs
DraftKings Rookie of the Year odds: 60-to-1

Morel is still very much in the Rookie of the Year conversation where MLB.com experts are concerned – while attention has drifted away from the Cubs, their 23-year-old outfielder is still an above-average hitter, with an OPS+ of 115 and 13 doubles, four triples and 11 home runs on the season.

4. Brendan Donovan, Cardinals
DraftKings Rookie of the Year odds: 100-to-1

Donovan is still showcasing his skills as a contact hitter, as his excellent on-base percentage (.395) is higher than his slugging percentage (.368). His .280 batting average ranks second among qualifying NL rookies, and despite having just two home runs, he has an OPS+ of 123.

5. Nolan Gorman, Cardinals
DraftKings Rookie of the Year odds: 100-to-1

The Cardinals, like the Braves, have two rookies in the running, and Gorman is back in the top five after finishing on the bubble in the previous three polls. On the year, the 22-year-old is hitting .242/.315/.465 with an 122 OPS+ and 13 home runs.

Others receiving votes: Oneil Cruz; Alek Thomas; Andre Pallante; Alexis Díaz; Seiya Suzuki; Hunter Greene; Juan Yepez; Joey Bart; Nick Fortes; Braxton Garrett; MacKenzie Gore; Bryson Stott