By Larry Rupp
Here’s a look at three teams in good shape to either outperform expectations or fail to live up to the hype during the 2022 MLB season.
The wait is finally over for baseball fans across the country. The MLB lockout may have delayed the start of the regular season, but the first pitch will be thrown in just a few days. Soon enough, sportsbooks will be taking on tons of cash on anything from moneylines, totals and player props.
Diving into the win totals released on FanDuel Sportsbook is one way to get in on the futures betting action right away. Teams either fail to live up to the hype or exceed all of the experts’ expectations every year. Here’s two teams to trust and one to fade for the upcoming season.
Seattle Mariners Over 83.5 Wins (-122)
This number simply seems too low for a Mariners squad that finished with 90 wins in 2021. The fact that their run differential was minus-51 just goes to show how clutch they were when the score was close. Not only that, but Seattle rode that momentum into the offseason and inked American League Cy Young winner Robbie Ray to a deal in free agency. The 30-year-old posted a career-low 2.84 ERA last summer and bolsters a starting rotation filled with capable arms.
The Mariners took advantage of a fire sale in Cincinnati by adding power bats like Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suarez to the lineup as well. While Seattle may not have a true superstar, it could end up with multiple All-Stars in July. Throw in the fact that the Mariners finished with the eighth-best bullpen ERA last season (3.88) and it’s no wonder they are a trendy World Series sleeper. Back the M’s in a subpar AL West division.
San Diego Padres Under 88.5 Wins (-110)
There’s no denying that the Padres fell apart down the stretch last season as they failed to make the playoffs with just 79 wins. San Diego then made close to zero offseason moves and will be relying on some unproven players to step up. That’s especially the case given shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr.’s wrist injury. Playing in a division with the odds-on favorite to take home the Commissioner’s Trophy in the Los Angeles Dodgers (+470) won’t be easy, either.
As you can tell, there isn’t much positivity surrounding the Padres right now. It’s certainly possible that new manager Bob Melvin is able to turn things around, but keep in mind San Diego ranked outside the top 10 teams in both ERA (4.08) and runs per game (4.50) in 2021. This one could very well come down to the health of starting pitchers Yu Darvish and Blake Snell. That’s not a great basket to put all of your eggs in.
Detroit Tigers Over 77.5 Wins (-116)
The Tigers have become synonymous with mediocrity throughout the midst of their current seven-year playoff drought. That should no longer be the case, though. Detroit owns one of the youngest rosters in the league and is coming off a season in which they racked up 77 wins. The Tigers also made sure to address their lack of depth in the offseason by signing starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez (45-19 record since 2018) and shortstop Javier Baez (Two-time All-Star).
The important thing to remember here is that Detroit has two of the league’s top five prospects waiting in the wings. Outfielder Riley Greene has been praised for his contact rate and third baseman Spencer Torkelson has the power to hit 40 home runs one day. The Tigers have the third-best odds to win the AL Central, which shows they are not messing around any longer. Banking on a .500 or better finish is a smart idea here.
Picture Credit: Soulofsurf
