With just three days left before the 2021 MLB season unofficially begins with pitchers and catchers reporting to Camelback Ranch for the start of Spring Training, we take a look at some White Sox specific future bets with odds that you’ll find at the BetRivers sportsbook and on the BetRivers mobile sportsbook app in the near future.
World Series Winner
- Los Angeles Dodgers +350
- New York Yankees +550
- San Diego Padres +800
- Chicago White Sox +850
- Atlanta Braves +1000
For all the worry about the White Sox roster — and some of it, particularly when it comes to depth, is warranted — the Chicagoland’s hometown sportsbook has the White Sox with the fourth-best odds to win the World Series in 2021.
The Los Angeles Dodgers — who just added Trevor Bauer to their rotation and re-signed veteran third baseman, Justin Turner — are the heavy favorites at +350 to repeat as World Series Champions. The New York Yankees and the offseason champions in San Diego follow the Dodgers with +550 and +800 odds respectively.
Then comes the White Sox just behind the Padres at +850 to win it all this season. Apparently, the oddsmakers feel a bit better about the White Sox on paper today than many close observers and pundits do, but hey, I’ll take that action personally as well.
Like I said, I’ll take that action. The White Sox’s success in 2021 will hinge on health among the bulk of the regular Opening Day roster, and that’s a lot to ask, especially following a truncated 60-game campaign in 2020, but I’ll throw a few bucks on it because if things pan out the way the front office is hoping it does, they’re legitimate World Series contenders.
American League Winner
- New York Yankees +230
- Chicago White Sox +380
- Minnesota Twins +750
- Tampa Bay Rays +850
- Toronto Blue Jays +875
The White Sox check in right behind the Yankees (+230) at +380 in the odds to win the American League in 2021. Not too shabby, eh?
The Minnesota Twins, who recently re-signed Nelson Cruz and also added Andrelton Simmons and J.A. Happ to the mix this winter are third in these odds, but not really close to the White Sox and Yankees at +750.
The defending American League Champions, the Tampa Bay Rays, and the darlings of the winter on the American League side of things, the Toronto Blue Jays, round out the top-five with +850 and +875 odds respectively.
Like I said before, the White Sox will go as far as their health takes them in 2021. The team lacks proven depth beyond the top-three spots in the starting rotation, right field is occupied by a player who has been banged up in recent seasons, and the bench and go-to replacement guys at the Triple-A level lack the punch that usual contenders would be satisfied with.
Nonetheless, if the team can navigate the season healthy, and they receive positive performances from largely unproven players like Dylan Cease, Michael Kopech, and Andrew Vaughn, they’re legitimate contenders.
Most Home Runs – Individual Player (Excluding Postseason)
- Eloy Jimenez – 15/1
- Jose Abreu – 30/1
Eloy Jimenez has 15/1 odds to lead baseball in home runs this season, and considering I’ve been vocal about my feeling that a 40-plus home run season is on the horizon for Jimenez, I’m smashing that bet.
Jimenez has 45 home runs in a combined 681 MLB at-bats under his belt, and during the truncated 2020 season, he was mashing home runs at a rate of one per every 15 at-bats if extrapolated across a normal 162-game season. At that pace, Jimenez would need 600 at-bats to hit 40, but the scary thing for opposing pitching is, I think that he increased his pace in 2021.
The defending MVP, Jose Abreu, checks in at 30/1 in the most home runs department. Abreu hit 19 home runs in 240 at-bats in 2020, good for one every 12.6 at-bats during his prolific offensive truncated campaign that won him American League MVP honors, but has never hit more than 36 home runs in one season (2014), despite eclipsing the 30 home run mark four times (2014, 2015, 2017, 2019).
When it comes to Jimenez, that’s a bet I’m all over, and one that I’d place a more than a normal shot-in-the-dark wager on. According to the Action Network Payout Predictor, $20 on Jimenez’s 15/1 odds would win you $300 bucks. Let’s take that a step further because it might be the safest White Sox related bet you can get, and slap $50 on it. If it hits, you’re $750 bucks richer. For those with a bit more disposable income to play with, a $100 bet would win you $1,500.
When it comes to Abreu, I will not make the same mistake I made in 2020 and predict a regression from his normal offensive output, but I’m not going to put down a whole lot on him leading baseball in home runs either. I’ll comfortably put down $5 to win $150 on the off chance that it hits.
Most Hits – Individual Player (Excluding Postseason)
- Eloy Jimenez – 22/1
- Jose Abreu – 25/1
- Tim Anderson – 25/1
- Luis Robert – 50/1
Just as I think that Eloy Jimenez can easily hit 40-plus bombs in 2021, I think him hitting at or above .300 is a pretty good bet as well. Will he lead the league in hits, I don’t think so, but at 22/1 a modest $5 wager could win you $100 if he does.
Tim Anderson, who has 234 hits, a .331 batting average, and a batting title in his last 706 at-bats, checks in with curious 25/1 odds to lead baseball in hits in 2021. The out of town haters and the BABIP naysayers keep on hating TA, but let them, he loves it. A modest $5 on Anderson leading baseball in hits in 2021 will win you $125. If you’re a believer in Anderson’s last two campaigns and you toss $50 on those odds, it’ll be $1,250 worth of spaghetti dinners in your household this fall.
With Jose Abreu — for the reasons already stated — and Luis Robert, a modest bet would be my likely move here. At 25/1 Abreu could turn $5 into $125 for you if he leads the league in hits. With La Pantera’s 50/1 odds, $5 would win you $250. If you’re feeling froggy with Robert’s odds, $50 would win you $2,500.
So what’s my play here?
I’m taking the World Series and American League odds just because I hope that it plays out that way, so I’m going to place a modest $25 bucks on each. At +850 I’ll win $212.50 if the White Sox win the World Series, and $95 if they win the American League. That’s a potential payout of $357.50 when all said and done if the White Sox win the American League and the World Series in 2021 on a pair of $25 bets.
When it comes to the player props, here’s what I’m going to do:
- Eloy Jimenez – Most Home Runs (15/1): $50 to win $750
- Tim Anderson – Most Hits (25/1): $25 to win $625
- Luis Robert – Most Hits (50/1): $10 to win $500
Those are all individual bets, and I’m not sure if you can actually do this, but if you parlayed Eloy Jimenez to lead MLB in home runs at 15/1 (+1500) and Tim Anderson to lead MLB in hits at 25/1 (+2500), a $25 bet would payout $10,400 according to Action Network’s Betting Odds Calculator.
Cha-Ching!
Featured Photo: USA TODAY Sports
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