MLB Best Bets to Make Before Spring Training: Futures Bets Involving Yankees, Dodgers & Blue Jays
Spring training is only a day away, with the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers getting the action underway on Thursday.
We're doing some last-minute odds shopping to deliver our MLB best bets to make before spring training with baseball nearly here. I've scoured the various futures markets we've covered across our MLB picks and found the three that deserve your attention before a single pitch is thrown.
MLB win totals
MLB win totals is definitely my favorite MLB futures market to bet on before spring training.
If you bet on a player to win a specific award, finish as a statistical leader, or record a certain statistical benchmark, a long-term injury to that player kills the bet completely.
However, say that same important player gets hurt. Well, the true impact on the number of wins a team can manage is, naturally, much smaller of a blow. Therefore, we're betting on a market that features what should be less variance.
Additionally, the top projection models have had the entire offseason to deliver their win totals data, and rarely are those numbers affected by spring training results. We already offered some early MLB projected win totals predictions, but let's narrow it to one with spring training just a day away.
Best MLB projected win totals bet
Toronto Blue Jays Over 78.5 wins (-110 via BetMGM)
Of course, all of the talk surrounding the Blue Jays right now is the recent failure to sign franchise cornerstone Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to a long-term extension. Is it possible the Blue Jays trade Guerrero ahead of the deadline in an effort to get anything for him rather than lose him to free agency? Sure. Does it hurt this bet? I don't think so.
The Blue Jays have regular-season win projections of 82 (FanGraphs) and 85 (PECOTA) with Guerrero.
However, Toronto still has plenty of obvious weaknesses in its lineup, and one has to assume it'd get a very nice return in a potential Guerrero trade even if he is just a rental. He would quite easily be the best player available ahead of the deadline.
Therefore, we're getting value based on these projections, and I think the Blue Jays could actually be even better down the stretch if they ship Guerrero (and/or Bo Bichette) for multiple talented players.
Terms and conditions apply.
MLB Rookie of the Year
My favorite baseball futures market has quickly become the MLB Rookie of the Year odds, and attacking it before spring training allows us to get more strategic with our wagers.
Now, I do generally side with information over sheer "value," as I think true value comes from being able to dig into enough data to find any pricing mistakes across our best sports betting apps.
However, one way in which we can essentially manufacture value by using a lack of information to our advantage is by betting on MLB Rookie of the Year odds before major league rosters are finalized or certain players shine during spring training.
If you really like a dark-horse contender now, bet on them before they potentially tear it up in these early games. Similarly, if you think a contender is likely to begin the season in the minors, you may want to bet on another player atop the oddsboard who's more of a lock to make the major league roster.
This market will also swing more wildly from game to game versus awards markets featuring veteran players, so you can avoid the headache by betting on it now.
Best MLB Rookie of the Year bet
Jasson Dominguez to win AL Rookie of the Year (+475 via bet365)
This isn't even necessarily a bet on Dominguez to win AL Rookie of the Year, but it's rather a bet on these being the best odds we'll get on him to win for the foreseeable future.
It's widely expected that Dominguez will make the Yankees' Opening Day roster, while his closest competitors on the AL Rookie of the Year oddsboard will likely begin their season in the minors.
The Boston Red Sox duo of Roman Anthony and Kristian Campbell don't really have anywhere to play on the major league roster to open the campaign after the team added Alex Bregman. That reality is reflected in their projections.
Steamer projects Dominguez to play 136 games in the majors this year, with relatively impressive numbers that include 18 homers and 18 steals, and 2.2 fWAR. Meanwhile, it projects Anthony to log just 87 games in the majors and Campbell to play even fewer at only 47.
Therefore, once the Red Sox announce that Dominguez's two closest contenders will begin the season in the minors, this price will shorten. We've already seen that happen at FanDuel, which has Dominguez trading at +300 to win AL Rookie of the Year.
Terms and conditions apply.
World Series Odds
This comes down to one simple question: how are you approaching the Los Angeles Dodgers when it comes to the World Series odds?
Do you want to bet on them now at +300, hope they start the season slow and bet on them at a potentially better number, or fade them altogether? I wouldn't advise option No. 3, as it feels irresponsible at this point to not have a bet on arguably the greatest baseball team ever assembled.
Therefore, if we're deciding between betting them now or simply hoping they stink to start the season, I'll take these +300 odds.
I'm not in the business of "gambling" in the traditional sense of the word. I don't want to guess whether the Dodgers will lose their first couple of series. I want to look at the information in front of me and calculate whether I believe we're getting good value on this price.
Best World Series bet
Dodgers to win the World Series (+300 via DraftKings)
Here's how I look at it:
- DraftKings is the only one of our best sportsbooks offering this price, as the rest are +250 or shorter
- These +300 odds carry an implied probability of 25%
- Do I believe right now, with spring training about to begin tomorrow, that the Dodgers have better than a 25% chance of winning the World Series?
The answer to that question is yes. Now, between that and the fact that we're getting an additional $5 of potential profit on every $10 wagered by betting on this rogue price at DraftKings, I want to get my money in on this now before the Dodgers hype train picks up even more speed.
MLB betting odds pages
Here are some of our best MLB odds pages ahead of the 2025 MLB season. Be sure to follow the rest of our MLB picks as we approach Opening Day on March 27.
Best MLB betting sites
Looking to bet on a specific MLB team or player before spring training? Here are our best sports betting sites for betting on baseball as determined by our Sportsbook Review experts, along with the best sportsbook promos currently available right now.
- Caesars Promo Code: SBRBONUSDYW | Read our Caesars Review
- BetMGM Bonus Code: SBRBONUS | Read our BetMGM Review
- bet365 Bonus Code: SBRBONUS | Read our bet365 Review
- FanDuel Promo Code | Read our FanDuel Review
- DraftKings Promo Code | Read our DraftKings Review
(21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER)
* Bonuses not applicable in Ontario.
Not intended for use in MA.
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