Written by: Brison Owens, Alex Becker, Anthony Hirsch
2023 MLB Season Preview:
A new MLB Season is upon us and is set to be absolutely incredible. After an offseason that saw some of the best pitchers in the game change teams, contract dramas, new rules, and an amazing World Baseball Classic there is no shortage of storylines. With that, there are going to be incredible opportunities for future bets this season. Keep reading for the DSB Crews’ Top MLB Preseason Bets.
The league is going to look a lot different this season with a whole new set of rules. One of the big ones to watch out for this season is the addition of a pitch timer. There will be a 15-second timer with bases empty, and 20 seconds with runners. Violations will lead to a ball or strike depending on the violation.
We have already seen this new rule be used to decide at-bats and games so far in Spring Training. It is going to be interesting to see who can adjust quickly.
One of the more controversial rules is the banning of the shift. Infielders are now forced to have two players on both sides of second base, and they have to have both feet on the dirt at pitch release.
In one of the worst seasons in MLB history in terms of batting average, this rule is designed to lead to more hits, and therefore more runs.
With all of that said, the rules combined with the number of star players changing teams this year has led to a new season set to amaze.
From deGrom going to the Rangers, to Correa failing to sign with two different teams and ending up back in Minnesota, a power balance in the MLB might be coming.
Continue reading for some of our favorite plays going into this season.
DSB Crews’ Top MLB Preseason Bets:
Brison’s Pick: San Diego Padres +120
The Padres had a really impressive offseason, locking up stars Manny Machado and Yu Darvish to long-term contracts, and extending Jake Cronenworth and Juan Soto to one-year deals. They will also be getting Super Star Fernando Tatis Jr. back after missing him all of last season due to injuries. Despite missing Tatis and getting Soto halfway through the season, they still made the playoffs. With the Dodgers losing some key pieces this offseason, expect the Padres to be competitive in the NL West.
Anthony’s Pick: Philadelphia Phillies +400
If you’re looking for a dog to win a division, look no further than Philly. For a team coming off a World Series appearance, they are being heavily disrespected by oddsmakers here. This team proved that they could rack up wins when needed, especially against division opponents. They proved they are a better team than the Braves, beating them in the NL Divisional Series, 4-1. With the addition of perennial All-Star Trea Turner, Philadelphia is geared up to make a division title run.
Alex’s Pick: St. Louis Cardinals -125
Lets face it. The Cardinals are the only team in the division who is not rebuilding. The Cardinals offense is loaded, especially in the outfield, as Dylan Carlson, Tyler O’Neill and Lars Nootbaar are all solid, above-average players. The Cardinals starting rotation is just good enough to get it done, with Miles Mikolas, Jack Flaherty, Adam Wainwright, Steven Matz and Jordan Montgomery all in the mix. With Goldschmidt and Arenado leading the charge, I have my money on the Redbirds to take the NL Central.
Brison’s Pick: Rockies Over 65.5 Wins +100
This pick may get laughs from some, but everyone needs to remember that the Rockies hit over this mark last season in a season where their big off-season signing Kris Bryan was basically hurt all season. Star pitcher German Marquez also had a huge down season. While they did not make any major moves in the initial start of free agency, they made sneaky good moves during Spring Training by signing Infielder Mike Moustakas, Pitcher Brad Hand, and Outfielder Jurickson Profar. One player to watch out for is young stud Ezequiel Tovar stepping into a starting role this season.
Anthony’s Pick: Chicago White Sox Over 83.5 Wins –105
Coming off an incredibly disappointing year, I think Chicago is the dark horse of the AL. With one of the better starting rotations in the division and big power bats such as Tim Anderson and Luis Robert Jr, the Sox are a threat to any team. Getting rid of Tony La Russa will help this club out tremendously. With the big off-season acquisition of Andrew Benintendi, there should be plenty of traffic on the base paths for the sluggers in the middle of the lineup. I see Chicago right around the 90-win mark and competing with the Guardians for the division.
Alex’s Pick: Cleveland Guardians Over 86.5 Wins –115
After winning 92 games last season and coming within one game of the American League Championship Series, the Guardians are primed for another successful campaign. The core of last season’s team is back in 2023 and the addition of Josh Bell should fortify the offense. There is plenty to be excited about with this Cleveland squad and with a proven manager, Jose Ramirez and Shane Bieber, they should unquestionably surpass their win total of 86.5.
Favorite Regular Season Leader:
Brison’s Pick: Aaron Judge Leads League in HRs +500
He only broke the American League Record last season and is coming back to the team that gives him the best chance to repeat and lead the league in Home Runs again. It is no secret he gets an automatic boost in his number by playing 81 games in New York, coupled with some other hitter-friendly ballparks in his division.
Anthony’s Pick: Gerrit Cole Leads MLB in Strikeouts +562
With Cole’s electric fastball and devasting off-speed, Cole ranks 7th in swinging strike percentage among qualified starters. Combining that with his great control, Cole is a strike throwing machine. Last year, Cole led all of MLB starters with 257 strikeouts, 14 more than second place finisher Corbin Burnes. All signs point to Cole having an even better season this year, a no-brainer to lead the Bigs in strikeouts.
Alex’s Pick: Bo Bichette Leads MLB in Hits +700
Bichette has played in 159 games in each of the last two seasons and racked up 191 hits in 2021 and tallied 189 hits in 2022. Bichette is as consistent as they get and should be right around the 200-hit mark again in 2023. The only player with better odds for most hits is Trea Turner at +350. The consistency of Bichette and the tremendous betting value makes this bet my favorite for any regular season leader bet.
Brison’s Pick: Spencer Strider NL Cy Young +950
Coming off his first full season as a starter, and it could not have gone much better than it did. Going 11-5 with a 2.67 ERA as a rookie is incredible. One of the things he has going for him is the fact that the Braves will be competing to be one of the best teams in the MLB, so if he can produce a similar ERA and WHIP as he did a year ago, and add five or more wins it is not unreasonable to imagine him winning the award.
Anthony’s Pick: Anthony Volpe AL Rookie of the Year +475
Rookie shortstop hailing from the state of New Jersey starting for the New York Yankees. Hmm, where have I heard that one before? Volpe will be the first rookie shortstop to start for the Yanks since Jeter in ‘96. Coming into the season, he is the #5 prospect, according to MLB.com. Volpe showcases stellar defense on the left side of the infield, while bringing a value stick with some pop. He will also be padded by a stacked Yankees lineup that should help with some of the rookie jitters. As long as he can outperform the other rookie shortstop in the AL East, Gunnar Henderson, Volpe has a great shot to bring home the hardware.
Alex’s Pick: Shohei Ohtani AL MVP +190
What can I say. This guy is not from this planet. Fresh off a spectacular World Baseball Classic, where he won the MVP and slashed .435/.606/.739 and pitched 9 2/3 innings with a 1.86 ERA and 11 strikeouts, Ohtani should pick up right where he left off once the regular season begins. After winning the award in 2021 and finishing second to Aaron Judge in 2022, Ohtani is rightfully the favorite for 2023. If Ohtani stays healthy, it will take a historic effort to take the AL MVP award from him.
Brison’s Pick: Atlanta Braves +750
The Braves come into the season with arguably one of the best pitching staffs in the MLB this season. Their rotation alone is going to compete to have the best in the league with Strider, Freid, and Morton. Even after losing star Shortstop Dansby Swanson, they still have plenty of firepower offensively to win them games.
Anthony’s Pick: New York Yankees +850
While I might catch some slack for this pick, I truly do believe the stars will align for them this year. Re-signing Aaron Judge and picking up Carlos Rodon were the defining moves of the off-season. When all their pitchers are healthy, they offer the best rotation in all of baseball. The key for this team will be to stay healthy and consistent. If they are able to, they should easily win the division and finally subdue the Astros en route to their 28th World Series title.
Alex’s Pick: Toronto Blue Jays +1300
The Blue Jays are coming off a 2022 season in which, despite making the playoffs, they underachieved, considering the lofty expectations placed on the team. However, bettors and fans should have renewed optimism around this year’s club, as it looks to be stronger than last year’s. Chris Bassitt was added to the starting rotation and Dalton Varsho will provide some lineup flexibility. The Blue Jays offense and power potential should help the pitching staff as the season rolls along. With all eyes on the Astros and Yankees in the American League, I like Toronto at 13/1 odds to win the Fall Classic.
