"Pulling for Jackson Merrill, but it's gonna be Paul Skenes" - MLB sportscaster explains Pirates ace's advantage over Padres slugger to win NL ROY

The NL Rookie of the Year showdown is down to Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes, San Diego Padres slugger Jackson Merrill and Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio. The winner will be announced on Monday at 6 p.m. ET on MLB Network.

All three had incredible seasons, so analysts are divided while picking the winner between Skenes and Merrill. Both rookies earned All-Star selection, with Skenes even starting for the NL team in the Midsummer Classic. As for Merrill, his .292, 24 home runs and 90 RBIs season should sway some voters his way.

MLB Network's Adnan Virk discussed Merrill's chances of winning Rookie of the Year on Marty Caswell MartyTimeTV show.

"It's been amazing, Marty—his journey this season," Virk talks about Merrill's impact. "I think it was neck and neck for much of the season. Early on, it felt like Skenes was the projected favorite, whether it was the betting line or word of mouth. Obviously, he burst onto the scene like a supernova—he was amazing. But I think Merrill overtook him.

"In August and early September, everyone looked at Skenes' innings, and he wasn’t as much of a major impact in the pennant race," he added.

"Pittsburgh had fallen off considerably, and Merrill was a guy who played virtually every day for San Diego, a key position defensively, and hit a ton of home runs, especially late in games, which was so critical for San Diego.

Adding more to the conversation, Virk said that while he thinks Jackson Merrill should be the winner, he predicts Paul Skenes to take the coveted award home, highlighting his eye-popping numbers (11-3, 1.96 ERA).

"If you look at his numbers overall, they’re still pretty eye-popping—a sub-2 ERA. So, I hate to say it. I’m pulling for Jackson Merrill—he’s a great kid. I got a chance to interview him. But I think it’s going to be Paul Skenes who wins Rookie of the Year," Virk concluded.

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NL Rookie of the Year odds suggest Paul Skenes winning over Jackson Merrill

As per betting odds via Oddspedia, Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes is the favorite. Skenes is -220 in the books, compared to Jackson Merrill, who's a +170 betting favorite. Meanwhile, Brewers' Jackson Chourio has a long shot to win the Rookie of the Year with +5000 odds.

For those not aware about betting scenes, it means:

Skenes at -220 means you would need to bet $220 to win $100. These odds imply a strong likelihood (about 68.8%) that Skenes will win, as the negative number indicates that he's the favored option.

Merrill at +170 means a $100 bet would win you $170. These odds imply a lower likelihood (about 37%) that Merrill will win, as the positive number indicates that he’s the underdog.

On Monday, the winner will be announced. It remains to be seen if Merrill's stock beats the odds and gets crowned the NL Rookie of the Year.