The 2022 MLB season has just come to an end, but fans are already beginning to look ahead to next April and wondering if the 2023 season will bring as much excitement. 2022 brought us huge performances from unexpected teams like the Baltimore Orioles and Cleveland Guardians, and a record-breaking collapse from the LA Angels. Will those teams be putting in the same performances next year, or will we return to business as usual?
Many baseball fans love to make predictions about the outcomes and placing bets can make this even more exciting. If you think the Yankees were robbed, why not put your money where your mouth is? MLB odds for 2023 are already available at online sportsbooks, so you can see what the experts expect to happen. Of course, a lot can happen over the next few months and those odds are going to change, so keep an eye on the news and see if you can grab a bargain.
Free Agency Predictions
You don’t need to wait until there are actual baseball games to make a bet, there’s plenty of actions happening behind the scenes. 2022 saw some surprising names deciding to reject their contract renewals and strike out as free agents, and you can place your bets on which team eventually snags them. Here are some of our top predictions for where the free movers will end up.
Aaron Judge
Judge made 62 home runs last season which was a phenomenal achievement. The Yankees have already offered him a new contract worth more than their original renewal offer, but that’s by no means going to be the only option on the table. Judge is at the height of his career and will have all number of teams falling over themselves to add him to their roster, including a number of west coast teams.
Could Judge be tempted to move across country? Maybe if his childhood favourites the San Francisco Giants put an offer on the table, which is why they’re currently the odds-on favourites to sign the outstanding outfielder for 2023.
Carlos Correa
There are a few big-name shortstops on the free agency list for 2023, but none bigger than Correa. He won the world series in 2017 with the Houston Astros before becoming a free agent in 2021. While that might seem like a mistake, as he missed out on celebrating when the Astros won in 2022, he tripled his salary at the Minnesota Twins and still put in a fantastic season.
The LA Dodgers have lost Trea Turner and will be looking for a replacement, so we could see Correa batting on the west coast. Alternatively, the Seattle Mariners have just finished one of their best seasons and Correa would make an excellent addition to their offence. It looks like the Mariners are at the start of a good run and by adding the right player to their team they could find themselves in contention for the title – Correa certainly has the credentials to get them there.
Teams to Watch Out for
2022 offered up plenty of surprises for baseball fans and managers alike, with a total of three being replaced before the All-Star Break. The new managers at the Blue Jays, Phillies, and Angels will now have the chance to reorganise their teams, so we could see better performances from these clubs in 2023. The current odds are showing clear favourites based on their performances in 2022, so who could be a good choice?
St Louis Cardinals
The Cardinals looked sharp in 2022 and have enough top players on their books to challenge the Astros for next year’s title. Despite suffering from a catastrophic number of injuries they still managed to find 93 victories and win the NLC by 7 games. They’ve already got a number of MVP candidates on their roster but add a couple of the top free agents give a few spots to some of the excellent young players coming up the ranks, and they could be a real contender.
LA Dodgers
Just ahead of the Astros to take back-to-back wins, the Dodgers are currently the bookie’s favourites with odds of +500. They have the reputation and the finances to attract top talent and most of their current players were part of the squad that made the final three times out of four between 2017 and 2020. They have a couple of players turning free agent this year and will need to either resign them or grab a decent replacement, but they should definitely have the quality to make a decent showing in 2023.
Arizona Diamondbacks
No one is saying the Diamondbacks are suddenly going to win the World Series next year, but the direction the team is taking is an exciting one. From the worst NL record ever in 2021 at 52 wins, to 71 in 2022, the team have made a huge effort to improve, and if they continue at that rate, they could be in contention for a playoff spot, and anyone who bets on that could see really good returns on their stake. The team have announced another year with manager Torey Luvello and pitching supercoach Brent Strom, so there’s no reason to think they can’t keep improving.
Conclusion
Early odds don’t take into account the movement of free agents or how pre-season training impacts performance, so now is a good time to get a great deal if you fancy backing one of the outsiders. Even a small bet could see great returns on a team with long odds, so why not take a chance on one of these and add a bit of excitement to next season?
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