Gearing up for the 2023 MLB season there is nothing more wide open than the future bets. With that said I'm going to be giving you my 2023 MLB Futures for the American League.
Optimism is at its highest level in March for baseball and I'm looking for some good value.
The pitch clock is winding down so let's get to it and check out the MLB Futures for the American League.
(All odds pulled from Draftkings Sportsbook)
MLB Futures: American League
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AL Central Winner Odds
Embed from Getty Images
Cleveland Guardians +135
Minnesota Twins +225
Chicago White Sox +240
Detroit Tigers +2200
Kansas City Royals +3000
Analysis:
Cleveland is the betting favorite and rightfully so. The young Guardians were able to win 92 games last year when most pundits were expecting a race between the White Sox and the Twins. Boasting the best manager in the division and a huge pitching edge, the feisty Guardians should only get better with age. Barring the injury bug Cleveland probably has the best value in the American League.
My Pick: Guardians +135
AL East
New York Yankees +110
Toronto Blue Jays +215
Tampa Rays +380
Boston Red Sox +1700
Baltimore Orioles +2200
Analysis:
The AL East was easily the most entertaining division last year. The Yankees got off to a blistering, almost historical start and then went in the complete opposite direction. The biggest thing the Yankees and the Rays will be 'can they stay healthy?' Now with the news that Vladimir Guerrero Jr.(1st Baseman, Toronto Blue Jays) will be sitting out of the World Baseball Classic the Blue Jays may start to ask that question of themselves.
If you're a long shot lover the Orioles at 22:1 will entice you but I think this is a three-man race still and I'm going to lean toward the Rays. It all banks on if Tyler Glasnow (Starting Pitcher Tampa Rays) can return healthy, but I think they are the better defensive team and last year was just an off-year for the Rays due to injuries. Head to Head the Rays are 30-23 v the Yankees in the last three years which I think will play a significant role in deciding the division this year.
My pick: Rays +380
AL West
Houston Astros -180
Seattle Mariners +310
Texas Rangers +850
Los Angeles Angels +850
Oakland Athletics +20000
Analysis: The Houston Astros …are just too good. The Mariners have a puncher's chance because of the phenom that is Julio Rodriguez(OF, Seattle Mariners) but the Astros are to baseball what the Curry era Warriors are to the NBA. The core stays intact, the front office seems to always make the right move to make a great team even better, and they somehow keep finding young talent that contributes in a massive way. The pitching may be a little more shaky than years past for Houston but fading them is basically betting on them to have a Championship hangover.
Normally I would take that angle but I've attended a couple Astros games since the cheating scandal and there's no way they'll have a hangover. Rangers at +850 have some long shot value with the addition of Jacob DeGrom(SP, Texas Rangers) but the bats just have not been where they need to be to dethrone Houston.
My Pick: Drinking the juice with The Houston Astros -180
AL Season Awards
Rookie of the Year
Gunnar Henderson (3rd/SS/2nd, Baltimore Orioles) highlights another highly touted prospect coming in from Baltimore. Their whole farm system is ready for the bigs and I think Gunnar picks up where Adley Rutschman (Catcher, Baltimore Orioles) left off. Adley is probably rookie of the year last year if Julio Rodriguez (OF, Seattle Mariners) wasn't so pivotal in getting the Mariners into the postseason with similar numbers.
My pick: Betting favorite Gunnar Henderson +225
Gunnar Henderson
✅Near-elite 23.2% chase rate
🔥Elite EV on FB/LD - No. 8 at 98.1 mph (50 BBE)
👀Patient approach w/ 41.2% Swing%
😬74.8% Ct%
✅Solid defenderHaving a hard time finding reasons to fade him with 20-25+ HR & double-digit SB being a probable outcome. pic.twitter.com/0BUVS4kmkQ
— Corbin (@corbin_young21) March 1, 2023
MVP
In real-time as I was thinking of a way to say someone other than Shohei Ohtani (SP/DH Los Angeles Angels) I got an alert of him hitting a three run homer off one knee in Japan. The only thing that kept him from winning it last year was Aaron Judge (OF, New York Yankees) made history and again unless history is made or he gets hurt, I do not see how anybody can compete with the big guy. He truly is a special athlete.
My pick: Betting favorite Ohtani +200, Long shot Yordan Alvarez +1100
SHOHEI OHTANI TO DEEP CENTER FOR A 3-RUN BOMB!!!! pic.twitter.com/sox3cKr08u
— Soto ⚾️ (@SotoP_23) March 6, 2023
Cy Young
I promise I'm not being biased but Shohei Ohtani is +1200 for Cy Young and that is ridiculous. I watched Shoehi teach himself a pitch in practice, debut it in a game without telling his coaches, throw it at an elite level immediately. It was a sinking fastball with 2-3 inches more break than the MLB average for 97 mph sinking fastballs. He literally just got up one day and was like " hey I want to try this pitch.' I can't stress how scary he is as a baseball player and considering how well he did last year I am betting on the year of Shoehi.
It is also important to note that I think Shoehi is a better pitcher than he is a hitter so if I'm playing him to win MVP at 2:1, you better believe I love him to win a Cy Young at 12:1!
My pick: Ohtani-San +1200
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