By Kenny Burgess
We’re a little over one-third of the way through the MLB season and it’s a good time to look back at our preseason futures picks and see how they are looking at the moment.
Boston Red Sox – Over 78.5 Wins (-115)
Don’t be fooled by looking at the standings — the Boston Red Sox are exceeding most of their preseason expectations. Currently, the Red Sox are sitting at a record of 31-30, but are in last place in the gauntlet that is the AL East. The Red Sox are currently on pace to hit their over and win 82 games this season. While the win total probably won’t smash by any means, I like their chances of keeping up this pace.
The Red Sox feature one of the most explosive offenses in the MLB as they are top five in key offensive categories such as OPS, runs, and hits. The Sox are being led by key free agent signing Masataka Yoshida from Japan, whose transition to the MLB has been seamless as he is leading his team in AVG, OBP, SLG, and OPS. Yoshida’s current slash-line sits at .319/.393/.502/.895. The Red Sox’s offense is also getting key contributions from Alex Verdugo and another free agent acquisition in Justin Turner. Superstar Rafael Devers has yet to round into his normal form yet, but has still produced 13 home runs and has driven in 49 runs. Currently, Yoshida’s average sits at .241 and if history tells us anything, that will only rise over the course of a 162-game season.
With a potent lineup that is set to have Adam Duvall return this weekend, we don’t see any reason why the Red Sox won’t continue to rake and keep pace in the highly competitive AL East.
Chicago Cubs – Over 77.5 Wins (-115)
The Cubs aren’t looking as promising as the Red Sox, but we aren’t ready to give up on them yet. Right now, the Cubs sit at 26-34, which leaves them in fourth place in the lowly NL Central. This puts the Cubs on pace for 70 wins this season and would have them landing under their preseason win total. The reason that bettors should still be cautiously optimistic about the Cubbies is because of their exceptional starting pitching.
The rotation has been fantastic so far led by Marcus Stroman, Justin Steele, and Drew Smyly. The trio has been consistent and effective at the top of their rotation, and all have an ERA below 3.56 with 57+ strikeouts a piece. Should they keep this pace up, these pitchers will give the Cubs a chance every time one of them gets the ball.
Offensively, the Cubs have some bright spots as Dansby Swanson has lived up to his contract so far. Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ have been solid mainstays in the Cubs lineup posting .797 and .793 OPSs, respectively. Cody Bellinger has been sidelined since May 15 and the Cubs announced he will need a rehab assignment before heading back to the lineup. There’s no exact timeframe for his return, but when Bellinger was on the field, he looked closer to his former MVP self than the guy we saw in LA the past two seasons. Bellinger had posted a .271 average, .830 OPS, to go along with seven home runs. This is a good sign for the Cubs and hopefully, he will provide a boost to the lineup upon his return. Christopher Morel has been fantastic for Chicago since he was called up to the big leagues on May 8. In just 22 games, Morel has hit nine home runs and has an impressive OPS of .959. If the 23-year-old can keep this up, he can be a key cog in the Cubs lineup.
Overall, the Cubs haven’t performed as well as we would’ve hoped so far this season, but there are reasons to believe that this team can right the ship — mostly due to the fact that they play in the weaker NL Central. So don’t throw out this bet slip yet as I think there’s a chance things could turn around in the north side of Chicago.
Jacob DeGrom – Under 198.5 Strikeouts (-120)
While we never root for injuries, in this case, a season-ending injury has ensured that this futures bet will cash. It was announced on Jun. 6 that DeGrom will need to have Tommy John surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow. This will keep DeGrom out for the rest of this season as well as the beginning of next season.
With DeGrom, it’s never a question of talent but always health. When on the mound, DeGrom is simply the best pitcher on the planet. Since 2018, DeGrom has posted a league-best 2.08 ERA, but he hasn’t pitched more than 92 innings since 2019.
DeGrom’s season is officially over, which will leave his season strikeout total at 45 and, in turn, cash his under.
At this point in the season, we have already hit one of our futures bets while the others are in a well-within reach. Make sure to stay tuned for the rest of the season to follow along.
Photo credit: Texas Rangers’ Instagram
