Ronald Acuña Jr., Mookie Betts among top candidates to win NL MVP in close race

The Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers have dominated the National League this season.

So, it's only right that their best players are battling it out for league MVP.

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For the Braves, outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. and first baseman Matt Olson have carried the load for the highest-scoring offense in baseball. The Dodgers are close behind, though, largely thanks to contributions from outfielder Mookie Betts and first baseman Freddie Freeman at the top of their batting order.

Here's a full breakdown of the 2023 NL MVP race as the final month of the season gets underway:

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Who are the candidates to win NL MVP in 2023?

The NL MVP battle is essentially down to four players: Acuña and Olson from the Braves and Betts and Freeman from the Dodgers.

Early in the season, Acuña appeared to be running away with the award. His gaudy statistics -- both as a power hitter and a baserunner -- combined with the Braves' strong record made him an obvious choice. But his hold on the award was loosened in August as Betts and the Dodgers heated up, even after Acuña created the 30-60 club with a grand slam on Aug. 31 against Betts' squad.

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Betts, the 2018 AL MVP, hit .455 with 11 home runs, 30 RBIs and a 1.355 OPS in 28 games over the month, leading the Dodgers to a 24-5 record. Freeman was likewise crucial to the run as he hit .374 with four home runs and 16 RBIs in August.

Now, it all comes down to one final month for these four sluggers to make their case.