This article is part of our MLB Picks series.
Woohoo! We have baseball starting Thursday and a few weeks ago this start to the season was in serious jeopardy. However, the owners and players were able to come to an agreement and now we'll get the opportunity to wager on some season-long props before the games begin. A few tips before dropping down some before-the-season bets. First, always shop around the lines as they'll differ site-to-site and in every area where betting is legal, there's more than one site or place to check out. It's also not the worst idea if you're betting a team to win the World Series to set aside some of that overall wager to place on them at some point of the season. Many teams see their odds improve at some point of the season (perhaps after a run of losses) and you can get better odds then than you can right now. Never wager more than you can afford to lose; the betting sites have done a great job of trying to be socially conscious about not putting people in a rough financial position but ultimately it's up to the bettor. Finally, have fun with it. Betting on baseball isn't intended generally as a way to earn a living but more of a way to have a little more fun for the general observer. All of that being said, let's take a look at some wagers to consider before the first pitch is thrown!
*All odds are a general mark, again, shop them around to find the best odds available to you!
Joey Gallo wins the home run title +1400
Once again the Yankees have a really good offense that should score a lot of runs. Gallo was signed for over $10 million in the offseason and should hit in the middle of the lineup. Gallo has been consistent with a 40-home run pace over the last few seasons and will get a full season of home games with a short right-field porch this season. Gallo has been in the top-5 multiple times over the years and while he seems like he's been around forever, he'll only turn 29 this season -- putting him in his prime. His over/under for home runs this season is at 38.5 so he's definitely in the running to win the title according to the oddsmakers. Fun fact: Gallo had six stolen bases last season, a number I'd love to take the under on if I could find it.
Luke Voit wins the home run title +5000
Did you realize in the shortened 2020 season that Voit was the leader for home runs with 22? He looks completely healthy after an injury-plagued season last year and is in one of the better lineups in baseball. Voit should get consistent playing time and this should be one of the better long shots to win the title provided he stays healthy and sees his way to over 500 plate appearances.
Eugenio Suarez UNDER 34.5 Home Runs (-120)
Here is my favorite season-long prop bet. Suarez leaves the hitter-friendly confines in Cincinnati to Seattle and changing leagues doesn't help either. Suarez will see new pitchers and typically those battles favor the pitcher over the hitters. He only had 31 home runs last season and saw his strikeout rate increase to just under 30 percent while his walk rate dropped below 10 percent for the first time in the last five seasons. All of these reasons put me on the under here.
Bobby Witt OVER 20.5 Home Runs
This prop seems to me that it'll easily go over or be horrifically under. I'll gamble on the over here as it seems more optimistic and like any over, once it hits, you win. Witt had 33 home runs over last season in the high minors and pitchers may not have the "book" on how to pitch to him yet. A strong season in the Cactus League has earned him a roster spot with the Royals so initially there isn't a concern about him being sent to the minors. He's also going to be a strong candidate for ROY honors and could potentially be one of the better values in redraft fantasy leagues where he's going in the middle rounds.
Philadelphia Phillies 
win the NL East +330
The Phillies finished second in the division last season missing out on beating the Braves by 6.5 games. Ranger Suarez was one of the better stories from last season and the Phillies should get more innings out of him. Kyle Gibson and Zack Eflin are decent middle-of-the-rotation options and should be solid innings eaters. Philadelphia also added "as there's a drive into deep left field by Castellanos and that'll be a home run" this offseason to bolster the lineup and Kyle Schwarber got $79 million to hit 30-plus home runs. That Bryce Harper guy is only 29 and coming off an MVP season should eclipse a 1.000 OPS once again. Putting all of these facts together, I like this wager considering the +330 odds.
Julio Urias Wins Leader +2000
This seems like grabbing the low-hanging fruit, but is it really? He's getting 20:1 odds and if you look over the other pitcher odds it seems like there are red flags everywhere. Jacob deGrom is hurt already and will miss time. Adam Wainwright is 40(!) years old and pitchers like Framber Valdez and Shane Bieber haven't logged over 150 innings yet. Urias has an excellent hitting lineup behind him and with Urias on only a one-year deal, there's no reason for the Dodgers to limit his innings and worry about his future. Urias is only 25 and all of his numbers last season support the fact that he's one of the best starting pitchers in baseball.
The New York Yankees 
Win The Championship +900
The Yankees appear poised to make the playoffs again and will easily be a contender to win the division despite tough opponents including the Blue Jays. Somehow Toronto had a +183 run differential and finished fourth in the division. That's tough to do. Full disclosure, I am a Yankees fan so this is a very homer pick by me. The lineup is full of power with Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge leading the way. Josh Donaldson, Anthony Rizzo and the aforementioned Joey Gallo all will contribute as well. They have a legit ace in Gerrit Cole and there's upside in the rotation if Luis Severino, Jordan Montgomery and Jameson Taillon hit close to their upsides. This is a pick I'm doing with my heart, which in the betting world is almost always a bad idea, but it's fun nonetheless at +900.
