#Best MLB 2020 prop bets ahead of Opening Day

By Jason Weingarten, VSiN

Baseball returns on Thursday, and with it comes the opportunity to win some money on proposition bets for the 60-game season. Here are some selections, along with the market’s most favorable odds:

Anthony Rizzo Under 11.5 home runs (-115 at BetMGM): Rizzo has been dealing with a sore back. While he says he’s hoping to play Friday on Opening Day, this type of injury can linger all season. A quick IL trip or periodically having to sit out for extra rest would swing this toward the Under.

Trevor Bauer Over 83.5 strikeouts (-125 at BetMGM): Bauer has asked to pitch every fourth day. If this plan occurs, he would be in line for 15 or 16 starts and more than 100 innings, and easily would fly past 83.5 strikeouts. This would also very much put Bauer in play to have the most wins in the National League as well as go Over his personal win total. I am also betting Trevor Bauer Over 4.5 wins -120 and Trevor Bauer most wins in the National League at 25/1.

Nationals to win NL East (3/1 at Circa): I think this price is too high for the best team in the NL East and defending World Series champion. Extra rest is helpful coming off a long postseason run. The Nationals have two of the three best starting pitchers in their division. I think the Mets and Braves will fight for second place and a wild-card spot, while the Phillies will have some struggles with Aaron Nola potentially not being stretched out early and Zack Wheeler stepping away at some point for the birth of his child.

Most strikeouts: Max Scherzer (11/2 at BetMGM): The main competition will be Gerrit Cole and potentially Bauer, if he’s really going to pitch every four days.

Most home runs: Luis Robert (100/1 at DraftKings): Last year, Mets rookie Pete Alonso led MLB in home runs. Robert starts the season batting second for the White Sox and will get to beat up on pitchers from the Pirates, Tigers and Royals. I can see him contending for the home run title, and I like 100/1 for most home runs better than laying a short price at 3/1 or 4/1 on the AL favorite for Rookie of the Year.

AL Rookie of the Year: Evan White (16/1 at BetMGM): Everyday first baseman for the Seattle Mariners. First-round pick in 2017. Currently projected for the bottom of the batting order, but the Mariners are committed to him, having already signed him to a six-year major league contract with a buyout of his arbitration years.

AL Rookie of the Year: Nate Pearson (25/1 at Bet MGM): Has the potential to be the ace of the Toronto Blue Jays staff. As the 28th pick in the 2017 draft, he’s a 6-foot-6 right-hander who flew through the minors and finished last year with 119 strikeouts in 101 ²/₃ innings across three minor league levels. He needs to stay in the minors seven or eight more days for the Blue Jays to gain one more year of team control. Worst case, the Jays will keep Pearson down for the required amount of time and he will miss one start. Best case, they realize the collective bargaining agreement is being renegotiated after the 2021 season and service-time rules will change, so they bring him up Day 1.

NL Rookie of the Year: Alec Bohm (38/1 at FanDuel): The Phillies might decide to move Bryce Harper to third base to get Bohm into the lineup every day at first or DH. Bohm was the third-overall pick in the 2018 draft out of Wichita State. He’s a solid hitter and is vying for playing time against Jean Segura, Jay Bruce and Adam Haseley. He’s a better baseball player than those guys.

NL Rookie of the Year: Dustin May (11/1 at BetMGM): I like May’s odds at 11/1 better than his teammate and National League rookie of the year favorite, Gavin Lux, at 3/1. The Dodgers have taken some hits to their pitching with David Price opting to sit out the season and their two most reliable relievers, Kenley Jansen and Pedro Baez, reported late to training camp due to the coronavirus. May will have the opportunity to contribute this season. I’m not sure if he’ll start or pitch in high-leverage relief situations, but he will pitch meaningful innings and is worth a shot at 11/1.

Jason Weingarten, a professional sports bettor from Los Angeles, writes for Point Spread Weekly, VSiN’s digital magazine for sports bettors.