Happy MLB Opening Weekend!
Perhaps the most exciting day in the spring for sports fanatics: Opening Day in the MLB. It brings back nostalgic memories and a new wave of optimism for the upcoming season. The crack of the bat, the sound of the ball clearing the outfield wall, and the crowd cheering can send chills down your spine. This is baseball at its finest.
Following the Braves defeating the Astros in the World Series, fans have endured a long offseason with blockbuster free-agent signings, new rules changes, and a lockout scare until both the players and owners finally came into an agreement on the CBA. Well, now baseball is back – all 162 games per team.
While the season may seem long to some, it is not long enough for others. However, to futures bettors, the time is now to grab great value on sleeper teams who are prime to make a serious run for the playoffs – and ultimately the World Series.
Before you recline back to watch that first pitch, here are our Top 5 futures picks for which teams or players have the best value to win their division, the MVP race, or the World Series Championship:
Blue Jays (+850) to win the World Series
This team came one win away from making the playoffs last year and entered this season with the most significant upside. The Blue Jays have a dangerously potent offense. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is a legit MVP and Triple Crown contender. Bo Bichette is set to repeat his explosive 2021 season, and Jose Berrios has the potential to insert himself into the Cy Young race in his first full season in Toronto. Though Toronto plays in arguably the toughest division in the league, they have a younger, dynamic squad than an older, more fragile team like the Yankees; a far superior rotation than the Red Sox, and a more complete, all-around team than the Rays. Toronto hasn’t made this much noise since Jose Bautista’s notorious bat flip in the 2015 ALDS and could be right back there if they play up to their level this season.
Matt Olson (+2300) to win National League MVP
Matt Olson has some big shoes to fill after the World Series Champions opted to let their MVP Freddie Freeman walk in free agency. The Braves opted to trade for the younger Olson rather than sign Freeman to a long-term deal. Escaping from Oakland, Olson has the potential to thrive in the Braves lineup, where he is surrounded by heavy hitters Ronald Acuna Jr., Austin Riley, Dansby Swanson, and Ozzie Albies.
Olson slugged 39 home runs last season – his first full season since 2018. He also finished 8th overall in the AL MVP voting. We’ve seen players who starred on mediocre teams multiply that success when traded to legit contenders, and this could be the case with Olson, who should be able to put big RBI numbers batting in the Braves’ lineup.
Phillies (+345) to win the National League East
Bryce Harper is eager to get back to the playoffs even since the reigning MVP left the Nationals and then watched his former team win the World Series the following season. Now, the Phillies have the offensive lineup to do so. Their starting rotation, while questionable, should be able to pitch them into contention with Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler once he returns from injury. Though they must contend with the Braves and the Mets, the Phillies can still win the division if Harper cashes in with another MVP year and sluggers such as J.T. Realmuto, Rhys Hoskins, and new addition Kyle Schwarber can put up big numbers.
Justin Verlander (+1400) to win American League Cy Young
Even though Verlander is 39 and will be making a comeback from Tommy John surgery, you can never discount the 2x Cy Young winner and 8x All-Star. Verlander hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2020 and was limited to only six innings in his lone start. However, two years later, Verlander is back and ready to continue his dominance in his storied career. With bats in the Astros’ lineup, such as Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman, Verlander won’t have to worry about run support which should drive up his win total. And if he is even close to his prime form, opponents will have much difficulty making any significant contact at the plate.
Red Sox (+2000) to win the World Series
Yes, I am a Red Sox fan, so this pick has some bias. Still, in all seriousness, the Red Sox came within two wins of reaching the World Series last season. In fact, if the bullpen had not imploded in Game 4 of the ALDS, Boston would have taken a 3-1 series lead over the Astros and been on their way to clinching another World Series berth. This team’s offense should be even better than last season with the addition of former Rockies’ shortstop Trevor Story and the emergence of first baseman Bobby Dalbec. Of course, as with last year’s team, the rotation is a significant question mark behind Nathan Eovaldi. Ace Chris Sale is slated to begin the season on the IL, and the Sox lost Eduardo Rodriguez to the Tigers in free agency. However, if Sale can return healthy and veterans Rich Hill and Michael Wacha can turn in an above-average year, this team can make some playoff magic again. The Sox are always scary come October.
