MLB futures bets: Best props and futures picks for the 2023 season, plus over $4,000 in bonuses

Daily News Journal

29 March 2023

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Opening Day arrives Thursday, presenting the opportune time to place some last-minute futures bets at top sportsbooks and add some juice to what should be an exciting 2023 season.

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There are countless prop bets to sink your teeth into as the 2023 MLB season swings into action, and we take an in-depth look at five of the best, including individual achievements and team props.

The Astros, Yankees, and Rays represent significant roadblocks for the Mariners in securing the AL pennant.

Nevertheless, a Seattle team that’s been progressively improving over the last few seasons could have the right combination of hitting, pitching, and defense to get over the hump.

Reigning AL Rookie of the Year Julio Rodriguez leads a versatile array of bats that includes Ty France, Eugenio Suarez, and Teoscar Hernandez, along with a promising prospect in Jarred Kelenic, that may finally be hitting his stride against big-league arms if his spring body of work is any indication.

The Mariners’ pitching staff includes Luis Castillo, Robbie Ray, and two of the best young hurlers in baseball -- Logan Gilbert and George Kirby -- serving as a highly effective complement to the offense and presenting a very thorny challenge to even the most potent lineup in a postseason series.

The Rays got 86 wins last season despite finishing the campaign on a five-game skid and with Wander Franco and Tyler Glasnow missing significant time.

While both players are dealing with minor ailments leading up to Opening Day, they’ll almost certainly benefit from much better health in 2023.

Additionally, a pitching staff that boasts Shane McClanahan, Glasnow, Jeffery Springs, and Drew Rasmussen as its top four options - and that has the likes of Zach Eflin and Josh Fleming as No. 5 starters/depth – should be worth a significant amount of wins throughout the season.

The offense should certainly make its fair amount of contributions as well. Franco, Randy Arozarena, Yandy Diaz, and a healthy Brandon Lowe lead a versatile lineup that could give pitchers plenty of trouble with a combination of power and plate discipline.

Mike Trout has played in just 155 regular-season games the last two seasons, so remaining healthy is key to cashing this prop.

However, there is little doubt about his ability to emerge as MLB home run champ if he can play at least 145-150 games. The prodigious slugger averaged a homer every 12.5 plate appearances last season, slugging 40 round-trippers in just 119 games.

That’s not far off reigning HR champ Aaron Judge’s pace of leaving the yard once every 11.6 plate appearances in 2022. With a lineup that could afford him some solid protection, Trout seems like an excellent shot to take at +1200.

Freeman laced an MLB-high 199 hits in 2022, and there’s no reason not to again roll the dice at this price on the defending champ.

One of the principal reasons is that Freeman is getting even more disciplined at the plate. The 33-year-old struck out at just a 14.4 percent clip a season ago, the second-lowest figure of his career and his sixth straight of less than 20.0 percent.

Freeman also boasted an elite 27.5 percent line-drive rate – a metric highly correlated to hitting safely – and hasn’t been under 24.4 percent in that category since 2011. In addition, he still has plenty of pop, as evidenced by his 70 extra-base hits in 2022.

With his spot in a formidable lineup and on a contending squad, Freeman shapes up as a solid value to repeat.

The Braves have plenty of firepower in their rotation, but there’s no flamethrower more intriguing than Spencer Strider.

The precocious Strider went 11-5 with a 2.67 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 13.8 K/9 over 31 appearances (20 starts) as a rookie in 2022, despite having one inning experience at the Triple-A level before arriving in the majors.

The right-hander naturally has the potential to be even better with the benefit of some solid experience under his belt and a full offseason to prepare for a surefire rotation spot.

Strider is also blessed with a fastball that averaged over 98 mph last season and should be afforded plenty of run support thanks to bats like Matt Olson, Austin Riley, and Ronald Acuna.

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