MLB Betting: Our Early Betting Reactions From Baseball’s Opening Weekend

The MLB opened up the 2024 season with a ton of great games. We saw some powerhouses struggle and some small teams surprise, giving up our first real taste of what to expect this year when wagering on betting apps. 

Below, we will share the three biggest betting takeaways from our USA Legal Betting Experts. We’ll share insights into each, allowing you to boost your chances at the top US betting sites.

Odds to win AL East: +180 at FanDuel Sportsbook

A lot of people thought the Yankees didn’t do enough in the offseason to compete in a great AL East. That has changed after the Bronx Bombers swept the Astros in Houston to open the season. The addition of Juan Soto has boosted the entire offense. The former MVP posted a .529 batting average, one home run, and four RBIs in their opening four-game sweep.

Soto is slotted in the second spot of the lineup, protected by Aaron Judge. That could lead to the veteran posting yet another MVP-worthy campaign. There are a lot of talented bats in the Yankee lineup, but Soto gives them an edge that they were missing last season. Plus, if Judge is hit with injuries again, Soto will help lessen the blow.

The biggest question is how the Yankees pitching rotation will hold up. Gerrit Cole began the season on the 60-day IL, and the team lacks another ace to take over. Their improved offense will help, but New York will need their other starters to find their groove early this season.

Odds to win NL Central: +600 at BetMGM Sportsbook

While it has been just three games, the Brewers have already looked better than many expected. They swept the Mets in New York, with their lineup looking far better than last season. The team got strong performances from their rotation and bullpen, covering for the loss of Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff well. 

The biggest change the team saw in the offseason was at manager. Long-time Brewers’ skipper Craig Counsell stunned the fanbase by moving to the rival Cubs, and the Brewers replaced him with longtime bench coach and legendary college coach Pat Murphy. 

Pat brings a new mentality to the team, and it showed in the first three games. He named a top prospect, Jackson Chourio, as the team’s leadoff man, allowing Yelich to move back into the third spot. That move has sparked the lineup, along with strong starts from William Contreras and Willy Adames. If Chourio and Yelich continue to perform in their new lineup spots, this Brewers team could again contend in the NL Central.

Odds to win AL MVP: +1000 at BetRivers Sportsbook

While Seattle’s 2-2 start to the season wasn’t awful, it did bring back some unwelcome flashbacks to the 2023 season. The Mariners came into last season with hopes of winning the AL West, but a slow start and underperforming offense led to them missing the playoffs altogether. 

The team added a couple of bats in Jorge Polanco and Mitch Haniger, but the loss of Teoscar Hernandez has been felt. His absence has been amplified early by another slow start from Julio Rodriguez. The MVP candidate is expected to be a generation of talent, but it took him a few months to get going in 2023. He finished strong, but J-Rod is 3-16 to begin this year.

J-Rod struggled to hit for average for a good chunk of last season, and he is doing so again early in 2024.