Even though we do not have a definitive date of when the MLB regular season is going to be taking place due to the lockout, that does not mean we is can’t forecast forward and look at some season-long wagers. Runs batted in (RBI) are a great and easy statistic to track and today we will highlight the favorites and decide if they should be a good flyer to take.
Take a look at your favorite sportsbook to make sure you get the best odds for this, and all the futures in Major League Baseball. Even though March 31 is the official Opening Day for baseball on the calendar, make sure to increase your bankroll with getting some right picks from your March Madness bracket.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr (+700)
Vladimir Gurrero Jr is the favorite to lead the category and was tied for sixth in the majors last season as he drove in 111 runs during the year. The Blue Jays are a loaded lineup still, even after losing Marcus Siemian during the offseason but this lineup is going to score a lot of runs. Toronto should be able to host the entire season, despite a strict COVID situation, and provide a lot of offense.
He also plays in a lot of hitter-friendly stadiums like Camden Yards, Yankee Stadium, and Fenway Park so that will boost his numbers up a bunch as well. Throw a little bit of money on it so it will be an interesting wager and he has a decent chance as he should be among the top guys in RBIs.
Rafael Devers (+900)
Devers finished the 2021 regular season tied for fourth in the sport with 113 runs batted in and has the second-best odds in this category. He’s in an extremely hitter-friendly environment playing half the season in Fenway Park, where he can slap the ball off of the Green Monster in left field.
However, I do not like this bet because the Boston Red Sox drastically overperformed last year and that would be difficult to project once again looking at the rest of the lineup ahead of him. I would avoid betting Devers as I cannot see a scenario in which he can get to a top five level of RBI.
Mike Trout (+1000)
When you talk about the greatest baseball players of a generation, Mike Trout needs to be on that list. He has been struggling to stay on the field as he has played just 89 of a possible 222 regular season games in the previous two seasons. The lineup for the Angels looks solid with Shohei Ohtani and Anthony Rendon being in the middle of the order with him. Trout should be healthy and continue to dominate the opposing pitching staff.
The Angels are projected to be competitive and with other solid players surrounding him in the lineup, he should have a good season. I’m not going to predict injuries and if Trout can play 140+ games this season (if they end up playing 162 games) then he should be rack up a bunch of RBIs.
Conclusion
These are the top three players expected to be driving in the most runs but I want to give you a couple of “dark horses” as well that have great odds. Eloy Jimenez is sitting at +3000 and with a full season after suffering an injury at the end of spring training last season that kept him out until the second half of the year and only 55 games total.
In the American League Central, there are not many teams that are going to be competitive this upcoming season with the Minnesota Twins, Cleveland Guardians, and Detroit Tigers all not ready to be competitive or just trying to sell off significant pieces. This is one of the more intriguing future bets that you can place for MLB hitters and you need to have a few options but once it hits, you feel like a genius.
