Tag: MLB Futures

How many games will the Chicago White Sox win in 2020?

Analyzing Chicago White Sox projected wins for the 2020 MLB season.

For a team that finished 17 games under .500 in 2019, the Chicago White Sox have a lot of positive buzz heading into spring training. They undertook a three-year roster rebuild that started in 2017 and there is a growing sentiment that with the investment they made in the offseason, they’re ready to make an upward move toward the Indians and Twins in the A.L. Central.

Chicago White Sox 2019 wins

The White Sox won 72 games last year, but were hovering around .500 for the first three months of the season before collapsing in July (7-17). They finished 26-30 beginning on Aug. 1 and showed resilience as their young core players didn’t fade down the stretch.

Chicago White Sox offseason

The White Sox increased their payroll by $50 million a year with the signing of LHP Dallas Keuchel, C Yasmani Grandal and DH Edwin Encarnacion. Throw in a trade with Texas to acquire OF Nomar Mazara and the White Sox added a lot of talent without gutting the current roster or the farm system. This doesn’t look like a team that is in rebuild mode anymore.

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Chicago White Sox odds to win A.L. Central Division

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list.
Lines last updated at Saturday at 2 p.m. ET.

The White Sox are getting a lot of respect from the oddsmakers at BetMGM at +350 and, in our view, Chicago has the talent to jump past Cleveland. But the Twins are going to suffer a collapse for the White Sox to catch them because Minnesota has added even more power to a team that set the Major League record for home runs last season. Chicago is four deep in the rotation with Lucas Giolito, Keuchel, Reynaldo Lopez and Gio Gonzalez. The number here doesn’t give the return some think it should, so a small bet would make sense here because if Minnesota takes a backward step, 90-92 wins could put Chicago in position to contend.

Chicago White Sox World Series odds

At +3300, the Sox are getting nice return, but it will be gauntlet to get out of the American League, especially as a wild card. Even if they beat out the Twins in the A.L. Central, there are still the Astros and Yankees to contend with in the postseason. They went 14-19 against those three teams last season. PLACE A SMALL WAGER ON THE SOX and package it with a couple of other mid-level long shots and take your chances. Next year, this number will likely be much lower.

How many games will Chicago White Sox win in 2020?

The combination of starting pitcher depth, having three switch-hitters in the starting lineup, employing the defending AL batting champion (Tim Anderson), and adding veteran leadership in Grandal and Encarnacion is enticing. Throw in 34 games with the struggling Royals and Tigers and Chicago could start banking wins like Minnesota and Cleveland have. My over/under for Chicago is 88.5, so I’m all over their BetMGM number of 83.5 (Over -139 / Under +115). Currently bettors have to invest more (-139) in the over for the Sox than any team in MLB. It’s for a valid reason. TAKE THE OVER.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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How many games will the San Francisco Giants win in 2020?

Analyzing San Francisco Giants projected wins for the 2020 MLB season.

The once perennially contending San Francisco Giants are coming into 2020 finishing below .500 for their third consecutive season. They were third in the National League West division and are looking to make the postseason for the first time since 2016. Today, we focus on the Giants’ 2020 regular season win totals and World Series odds. Does the Giants have what it takes? Let’s analyze:

San Francisco Giants 2019 wins

San Francisco’s 77-85 record in 2019 was a four-game improvement from their 2018 performance. But 2019 was still a departure from the reputation the Giants nucleus built in the 2010s where the Giants won an MLB-high three World Series titles.

The Giants did make a slight push for a Wild Card berth—going two games above .500 on August 17—but were never contenders for the NL West crown, finishing 29 games back of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

San Francisco Giants offseason

The 2019 offseason served as the beginning of the end of an era for the Giants. Four-time All-Star and three-time World Series Champion, Madison Bumgarner, signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Bruce Bochy retired after a 13-year Giants managerial stint. San Francisco’s big offseason moves were replacing Bochy with Gabe Kapler and welcoming back Hunter Pence, who was an All-Star and two-time champion with the Giants.

Baseball season is right around the corner! Get some action on this season with an MLB futures bet at BetMGM. Bet now!

San Francisco Giants odds to win NL West division

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list.
Lines last updated at Friday at 3:45 p.m. ET.

It’s hard to fathom the Giants (+10000) contending in an NL West featuring a rich Dodgers team that got richer this offseason and three other rosters that are more talented than the Giants. 10,000-1 is juicy but not juicy enough to gamble on the Giants taking the NL West from the Dodgers, who have won the previous seven division titles.

San Francisco Giants World Series odds

You can never say impossible in professional sports, but the Giants winning the 2020 World Series is the next closest thing to impossible. The last team to win the World Series after finishing below .500 the year before was the 2014 Giants. But that core had already proven itself—winning two World Series titles in 2012 and 2010—and should the 2020 Giants prevail, there wouldn’t be a more Cinderella Story in the MLB since who knows when.

How many games will San Francisco Giants win in 2020?

BET UNDER GIANTS 68.5 (-110) REGULAR SEASON WINS. There isn’t a single Giants starting pitcher in the projected rotation that finished above .500 in 2019 and no hitter finished above a .275 batting average. BaseballAmerica.com ranked the Giants’ farm system 14th, which is to say the Giants probably can’t bank on call-ups making a difference in 2020. 

Want some action on the MLB season or other sports? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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How many games will the Detroit Tigers win in 2020?

Analyzing the Detroit Tigers projected win total for the 2020 MLB season, along with their odds to win the AL Central and World Series.

The Detroit Tigers enter the 2020 season hoping to improve on a disastrous 2019 campaign. As they continue to rebuild, Detroit lacks big names and overall talent, and it’s hard to see the Tigers competing this year.

Today, we focus on the Tigers’ 2020 regular season win totals and World Series odds. Does Detroit have what it takes? Let’s analyze:

Detroit Tigers 2019 wins

Put simply, the Tigers were the worst team in baseball last year. They ranked dead last (30th) offensively, scoring a paltry 582 runs – 33 fewer than the 29th-ranked team. They seriously lacked power (second-fewest HRs), and their .240 team batting average did them no favors. Their ERA of 5.24 was third-worst in MLB, falling well below average with just 1,368 strikeouts.

Detroit Tigers offseason

As bad as Detroit was in 2019, the front office didn’t make wholesale changes to the roster or managerial staff. Ron Gardenhire is back as the manager, and while there are new faces in the starting lineup, they aren’t players who instill much confidence.

The Tigers signed 1B C.J. Cron and 2B Jonathan Schoop as free agents, adding some power to the lineup. RHP Ivan Nova also joins the pitching staff as a back-end starter, while Austin Romine figures to be the opening day catcher.

Baseball season is right around the corner! Get some action on this season with an MLB futures bet at BetMGM. Bet now!

Detroit Tigers odds to win AL Central division

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list.
Lines last updated at Friday, Feb. 14 at 3 p.m. ET.

To no surprise, the Tigers are extreme long shots to win the division. BetMGM has them at +25000, longest in the AL Central. With as good as the Minnesota Twins figure to be again and the Cleveland Indians always looming, it’s almost impossible to see Detroit competing.

Detroit Tigers World Series odds

Miracles happen in sports, but the Tigers winning the World Series this year won’t be one of them. They’re +100000 to win it all this fall, tied for the worst odds in MLB with the Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Royals and Miami Marlins. A team simply isn’t going to go from 47 wins one year to winning the World Series the next.

How many games will Detroit Tigers win in 2020?

BetMGM’s win total projection for Detroit is 56.5, tied with the Orioles for the lowest in MLB. In order for the total to go Over, the Tigers will have to win 10 more games than they did in 2019. That seems perfectly reasonable, even if the roster is underwhelming.

The Tigers have won at least 64 games each year since 2003, with the exception of last season, of course. The pitching should be improved, and the arrivals of Cron and Schoop will add some pop. The OVER (-134) is a good bet.

Want some action on the MLB season or other sports? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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How many games will the Colorado Rockies win in 2020?

Analyzing the Colorado Rockies’ projected win total for the 2020 MLB season, along with their odds to win the NL West and World Series.

The Colorado Rockies are set to begin the 2020 MLB season with star 3B Nolan Arenado still on roster, following an offseason filled with trade rumors. They seek their third playoff berth in four seasons. Today, we focus on the Rockies’ 2020 regular-season win total and World Series odds. Do the Rockies have what it takes? Let’s analyze:

Colorado Rockies 2019 wins

As per usual, the Rockies used Coors Field to their advantage in 2019. They went 43-38 at home, but just 28-53 on the road to finish 71-91 on the year.

They were 35 games back of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the division crown and finished 18 games back of a wild-card spot. Only three National League teams scored more runs than the Rockies’ 835, but they still finished with a minus-123 run differential with 958 runs allowed.

Colorado Rockies offseason

Colorado brings back much of the same lineup for 2020 and will again be led by manager Bud Black.

While Arenado remains a part of the team to begin the season, it seems inevitable a trade will take place at some point as the Rockies head toward a rebuild.

Baseball season is right around the corner! Get some action on this season with an MLB futures bet at BetMGM. Bet now!

Colorado Rockies odds to win NL West division

The Rockies have the fourth-best odds to win the NL West at +5000.

They trail the Dodgers (-1000), Arizona Diamondbacks (+1000) and San Diego Padres (+1200), while leading the San Francisco Giants (+10000). Colorado isn’t a smart bet following a fourth-place finish in the division last season and with three better teams ahead of them in the odds.

Colorado Rockies World Series odds

Only seven teams have longer odds than the Rockies’ +15000 to win the 2020 World Series.

Colorado still hasn’t won a World Series since entering MLB in 1993 and this will be the 13th season since it was swept by the Boston Red Sox in its only World Series appearance in 2007. There isn’t much to like about any of the longshots in this tier and the Rockies are too risky with their best player cycling on and off the trade block.

How many games will the Rockies win in 2020?

The Rockies’ 2020 win total is set at 73.5, which is 2.5 wins above their total from last season.

Both the Over and Under are being given equal -110 odds, but I’m taking UNDER 73.5 (-110) with the threat of Arenado leaving part-way through the season and others likely to follow him out the door ahead of the trade deadline. It’s just too tough to see a notable improvement from Colorado in 2020 with so much that can lead to further decline.

Want some action on the MLB season or other sports? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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MLB Futures Betting: 2020 World Series odds, picks and best bets

Predicting who will win the 2020 World Series, with MLB futures betting odds, picks and best bets.

The MLB futures odds for the 2020 World Series were shaken up again last week when the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers agreed to a blockbuster trade centered upon former AL MVP OF Mookie Betts. After a lengthy delay and a reworked deal which eventually saw the Minnesota Twins acquire SP Kenta Maeda in a separate trade with the Dodgers, we’re now set for spring training to begin Friday, Feb. 21. Below, we’ll look at the 2020 World Series odds, with MLB futures betting picks and tips.

2020 World Series favorites

New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole, left, poses for photos with manager Aaron Boone at Legends Club at Yankee Stadium. (Photo Credit: Danielle Parhizkaran – USA TODAY Sports)

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list.
Odds last updated Tuesday at 1:40 p.m. ET.

New York Yankees (+350)

The Yankees, who had their 2019 season end with an American League Championship Series loss to the Houston Astros, head into 2020 as convincing favorites. They’re back to near full-health after a season that saw most regular starters spend a significant portion of the season on the injured list.

They also landed SP Gerrit Cole as the prize fish in free agency. He cements a rotation that ranked just 14th in baseball with a 4.31 ERA last season. It will be best to HOLD OFF on placing a bet on the Yankees, however, as SPs Domingo German (suspension) and James Paxton (injury) are both expected to miss the first half of the season. Hope for a poor start for the Bronx Bombers and jump on a double-digit number in May.

Los Angeles Dodgers (+400)

The Dodgers continue to retool in their quest to overcome postseason failures and win their first World Series since 1988. Betts joins a talented outfield with A.J. Pollock and Cody Bellinger, while Joc Pederson is set to open the season as the fourth outfielder following the failed trade with the Los Angeles Angels.

They’ll need a bounce-back season from LHP David Price, who was also acquired in the Betts deal. Still, he’s more than capable of being at least a steady No. 3 starter behind Walker Buehler and Clayton Kershaw. The Dodgers are the heaviest favorites of any team to win their division at -1000 to win the NL West. This may be the best number they’ll have all season.

Place a sports bet on the 2020 World Series winner at BetMGM.

2020 World Series longshots

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Trevor Bauer (27) throws against the New York Mets during the first inning at Great American Ball Park. (Photo Credit: David Kohl – USA TODAY Sports)

Cincinnati Reds (+3000)

The Reds head into the season with just the fourth-best odds to win the NL Central at +380. They trail the St. Louis Cardinals (+210), Chicago Cubs (+250) and Milwaukee Brewers (+260). These odds are likely to correct early in 2020 after the Reds went just 75-87 last season.

OF Nicholas Castellanos and 2B Mike Moustakas punch up the lineup, while SP Wade Miley and a full season of Trevor Bauer stock the rotation behind ace Luis Castillo. The bullpen should also be one of the best in baseball.

Chicago White Sox (+3300)

The White Sox have a great advantage by playing in what’s likely to be the weakest division in MLB once again. The Cleveland Indians no longer look like contenders and trade rumors continue to swirl around star SS Francisco Lindor. The ChiSox will need the Twins to fall back to Earth after an offensive explosion last season to have a shot at the AL Central crown. They’re a strong bet to win the division at +350.

On their own merit, the White Sox finally succeeded in adding some star power in free agency – 1B Edwin Encarnacion, C Yasmani Grandal, SP Dallas Keuchel – and traded for OF Nomar Mazara. Top prospects Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert are also expected to play significant roles and be top contributors this season.

Want some action the 2020 World Series? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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2020 World Series: MLB futures betting odds, picks and best bets

Analyzing the 2020 World Series betting odds, with MLB futures picks, tips and best bets.

Major League Baseball spring training is just around the corner so it’s time to dive into the 2020 World Series odds and make our picks and best bets for who’ll be crowned MLB champions in late October or early November. Here’s a look at four teams with a chance to overthrow the Washington Nationals and become 2020 World Series champs.

2020 World Series favorites

Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies. (Photo Credit: Jeff Curry – USA TODAY Sports)

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list.
Odds last updated Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. ET.

Atlanta Braves (+800)

The Braves won a second straight National League East crown in 2019, but both seasons ended in disappointing NLDS losses. Last year’s early exit can be blamed largely on an injury to star 1B Freddie Freeman hampering the team’s offensive output. While 3B Josh Donaldson was allowed to leave via free agency this offseason, OF Marcell Ozuna was added and bolsters the offense.

Cole Hamels was the marquee addition to the pitching staff. The veteran cements a rotation led by Mike Soroka (21 years old), Mike Foltynewicz (27) and Max Fried (25). It would be best to monitor the Braves’ odds over the first 1-2 months of the season in hopes of catching a higher number if they get off to a slow start.

New to sports betting? A $10 futures bet on the Braves to win the 2020 World Series would return a profit of $80 should the Braves win it all.

Minnesota Twins (+1400)

The Twins landed Donaldson in free agency, and add him to a group that led MLB with 307 home runs in 2019. Pitching will again be the biggest question mark for the reigning AL Central champs.

The Twins’ path to the division crown remains relatively clear. The Cleveland Indians have taken a step back following the departures of starters Corey Kluber and Trevor Bauer, while the Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers all have a long way to go to get into contention after finishing no fewer than 28.5 games back of the Twins last year.

Place a sports bet on the 2020 World Series winner at BetMGM.

2020 World Series longshots

Angels slugger Mike Trout. (Photo Credit: Kelley L Cox – USA TODAY Sports)

Los Angeles Angels (+3300)

Mike Trout should finally return to the postseason for the first time since the 2014 ALDS, and for just the second time in the three-time MVP’s career. Offseason additions of 3B Anthony Rendon, and SPs Julio Teheran and Dylan Bundy surround him with the best supporting cast he’s had to date.

Dual-threat Shohei Ohtani will also return to full health and has been cleared to lead the pitching staff.

San Diego Padres (+4000)

The Padres stand to be one of baseball’s most improved teams this year following additions of OF Tommy Pham and INF Jurickson Profar. Young prospects Fernando Tatis Jr. and Francisco Mejia have also graduated to full-time roles and will be big factors this season.

San Diego missed out on a much-needed top-tier starter in free agency, meaning the young Chris Paddack will lead a steady stable of veterans including Garrett Richards and Zach Davies. They’re stuck in the elite NL West, but they’ll push for a wild-card spot behind the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks.

Want some action the 2020 World Series? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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