Patrick Jay, senior vice president and head of sportsbook for ESPN BET, said a combination of Skenes’ strong performances, betting interest and starting assignment for Tuesday’s All-Star Game triggered the big odds movement. As of Friday, there were more bets on Skenes to win the NL Cy Young than there were on any other pitcher at ESPN BET.

Randy Blum, baseball oddsmaker for the SuperBook in Las Vegas, had Skenes’ odds to be named NL Rookie of the Year at -500 before Thursday’s start and would have moved him to -1,000 but elected to instead take an even more extreme measure.

“I closed the pool after yesterday,” Blum said of his NL Rookie of the Year betting market. “Unless he gets hurt, he’s a lock to win. He’s that good from what we’ve seen so far.”