2023 MLB win totals: Rebuilding Pittsburgh Pirates up from 61.5 to 67 victories due to heavy early Over action

The Pittsburgh Pirates have been in a state of rebuild since last making the playoffs in 2015, and they have finished miles under .500 each of the past three seasons. Caesars Sportsbook give the Pirates an over/under win total of 67 this season, and bettors in a surprise have been crushing Pittsburgh's Over unlike any other team so far this spring. Then again, optimism always blooms this time of year.

Pittsburgh's original win total was 61.5, better than only Oakland (59.5), but there has not been an MLB win total bet that has drawn more money than the Pirates' Over. The Over has generated 93.5% of the tickets and 99.6% of the handle. It's the most lopsided MLB win total bet by handle, and it's the second-most lopsided by tickets (the Twins Over is at 94.5%). Thus, the total is up to 67.

"All this Pirates action has surprised me," said Eric Biggio, lead MLB trader at Caesars Sportsbook. "We had a few customers last year who bet on the Under at whatever number we put up for the Pirates. So I wanted to make it a low number this year. I see the argument on the Over with Oneil Cruz and a few of the other young guys, and the division isn't the toughest either."

There have been an MLB-leading 17 bets of at least $1,000 on the Pirates' Over, with the next-closest being 13 on the Twins' Over (82.5), Dodgers' Under (96) and Mariners' Under (88).

Perhaps a turnaround is coming, as the Pirates are widely considered to have one of the best farm systems in the majors. Spectacular young shortstop Oneil Cruz graduated from that group last year, batting .233 with 17 homers, 54 RBI and 10 steals in 87 big-league games. Cruz said he is eyeing a 30-homer, 30-steal season in 2023. He is +5000 to win NL MVP.

The team's current best position player, outfielder Bryan Reynolds, remains on the trade market. The Pirates offered Reynolds a six-year, $80 million extension in November. His camp countered with eight-year, $134 million request. Pittsburgh said no and Reynolds demanded a trade. As a free agent after this season, he'll like be gone by the July 31 trade deadline -- if not sooner. Reynolds led the team last year in average (.262), hits (142), homers (27), RBI (62) and OBP (.345).

The penny-pinching organization signed a few veteran free agents this offseason in veterans Rich Hill, Carlos Santana and Andrew McCutchen, who was a five-time All-Star and the 2013 NL MVP with the Pirates back in his prime. At 36, he's not that player any longer. Manager Derek Shelton is entering the fourth and final season of his original contract and could be an early goner if the team struggles out of the gate. Pittsburgh is set to have the third-lowest payroll in the majors, which is nothing new.

The Pirates are +1100 to finish with the fewest wins in the majors. DraftKings also offers a prop on Pittsburgh's longest winning streak this season: over/under 5.5 games, with the Under a slight favorite.