What the odds say about Red Sox free agent targets, including Shohei Ohtani

Vegas (usually) always knows. Sportsbooks are quite good at projecting the future when it comes to games, totals and player props. And a look at one of those books might even provide a look into what to expect from the Red Sox this offseason.

With baseball season over, you can no longer bet on which MLB teams are going to win on a nightly basis. But DraftKings Sportsbook has unveiled a bunch of “Next Team” props where bettors can pick where some of the top free agents in baseball will sign this winter. The Red Sox, who have money to spend and are expected to be among the teams playing in big-name free agency, are among the favorites for some of the top available players.

Here’s where the Red Sox stand on some significant names on the open market, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. Note that these odds, which were compiled late Thursday afternoon, are subject to changing quickly.

SP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (+400 or 4-to-1; 2nd-best odds to sign him)

Yamamoto, the 25-year-old Japanese superstar, is widely considered the top starting pitching on the open market and will likely command more than $200 million. The pitching-needy Red Sox will be in on him along with many of baseball’s other big-market teams. DraftKings is rather bullish on Boston’s chances to land Yamamoto, giving the Red Sox the second-best odds to land him. The Mets are the favorites at +220 while the Dodgers (+450), Yankees (+550) and Cubs (+600) round out the top five in the mix.

SP Aaron Nola (+500 or 5-to-1; 3rd-best odds to sign him)

Nola is one of the top stateside free agent pitchers and a return to the Phillies is favored at +350. Then come the Cardinals (+450) before the Red Sox as the third-most likely team at 5-to-1. The Orioles (+700) are the only other team specifically mentioned as less than a 10-to-1 option (+700).

SP Jordan Montgomery (+550 or 11-to-2; tied for 2nd-best odds to sign him)

Montgomery is going to be a hot commodity after an excellent postseason that helped propel the Rangers to a World Series title. Texas, unsurprisingly, is listed as the favorite to sign him (+450) but the Red Sox aren’t far behind in terms of odds and are tied with the Yankees (Montgomery’s former team) at +550. The Cardinals (+650), Mets and Dodgers (+800) and Astros (+900) loom, too.

1B/DH Rhys Hoskins (+750 or 15-to-2; tied for 8th-best odds to sign him with 1 other team)

Hoskins could make sense as the big right-handed bat new chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is said to want. The Red Sox don’t have a great chance to add him, though, according to DraftKings. Boston’s +750 odds trail the Padres (+500), Mets (+600), Yankees (+650) and the Giants, Phillies, Cubs and the field (+700). The Yankees also come in at +750.

SP Blake Snell (+800 or 8-to-1; 6th-best odds to sign him)

RP Aroldis Chapman (+800 or 8-to-1; 6th-best odds to sign him)

The Red Sox could use a lefty reliever in a righty-heavy bullpen and Chapman, the former Yankees closer, could fit. The odds aren’t in their favor, though, with the Rangers (+450), Astros (+550), Dodgers (+650) and the field (+750) being more likely than Boston at 8-to-1.

SP Sonny Gray (+900 or 9-to-1; tied for 8th-best odds to sign him with 1 other team)

Gray is coming off a great year but doesn’t seem to be a top Red Sox target at this point. DraftKings lists the Cardinals (+450) as the favorite to sign him ahead of the field, which is any team not listed (+500), the Braves (+550), Mets (+650), Dodgers (+700), Twins and Astros (+750).

SP/DH Shohei Ohtani (+1000 or 10-to-1; 7th-best odds to sign him)

The biggest fish on the free agent market, Ohtani was linked to the Red Sox by ESPN’s Jeff Passan earlier in this week. The odds, though, point to a union being unlikely. The Dodgers are the clear to sign Ohtani at odds that are barely over even (+110). The Cubs (+350), Giants (+650), Yankees and Mets (+800) and Rangers (+900) have better odds than the Red Sox at 10-to-1. The Angels are +1600 to re-sign the two-way phenom.

RP Josh Hader (+1000 or 10-to-1; tied for 6th-best odds to sign him with 3 other teams)

Hader is the top relief option available this winter and will command a massive multi-year deal. DraftKings has the Rangers (+290) as the clear favorite to sign him followed by the Phillies (+600), Dodgers (+750), Angels (+800) and Yankees (+900). The Red Sox are tied with the Padres, Mets and Orioles at 10-to-1.

3B Matt Chapman and 1B/OF Cody Bellinger (not listed as options)

Neither Chapman nor Bellinger fit the Red Sox, so Boston isn’t listed among the specific teams available. Bellinger is most likely to return to the Cubs (+250) while the incumbent Blue Jays, Yankees and Mets (+350) are tied for the shortest odds on Chapman.