MLB Futures: Best Bets for Hits Leader (2020)
The 2020 Major League Baseball season is right around the corner but it really feels like it will be tough for it to go off without a hitch. Hopefully, the COVID-19 pandemic recedes or doesn’t impact baseball all that much, but realistically, it could factor. That’s why when you’re looking at these props, you have to take that extra risk into it. That’s mostly pushing me to pick longer shots and make really small bets with these props. At any rate, here’s a look at the best options for hits leaders. And check out our consensus odds for 2020 hits leader.
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
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Whit Merrifield
Odds To Lead MLB In Hits: +1200 at FanDuel Sportsbook
The Kansas City Royal infielder doesn’t get a ton of publicity, given that he plays on a bad team in a small market, but over the last two seasons, Merrifield has pounded out 398 hits, an average of 199 hits per season. The 200-hit mark is considered the gold standard for a full-length regular season display of hitting prowess. If you can get 200 hits, you’re going to be right in the thick of the race for the hits championship for a season. Merrifield, therefore, has to be taken very seriously, and he might be the best bet of the whole bunch. Remember that Mike Trout has expressed concerns about his and his family’s safety in a pandemic since his wife is pregnant and soon to give birth. Merrifield might be the better choice.
Tim Anderson
Odds To Lead MLB In Hits: +2000 at FanDuel Sportsbook
The Chicago White Sox are such a mysterious team. Everyone in Major League Baseball knows that the White Sox have spent the past three years in a rebuilding mode, trying to assemble young talent for a run at a playoff spot. In a year with a 162-game season, the White Sox would have been completely or largely written off as serious contenders for the postseason, but a 60-game season might give a young team the chance it needs to surprise everyone. What applies to the White Sox as a team could apply to Anderson as an individual. If the White Sox do exceed expectations, Anderson – one of their best young prospects – will probably be at the forefront of a successful season on the South Side of Chicago. This is a very intriguing dark-horse option.
Ozzie Albies
Odds To Lead MLB In Hits: +2200 at FanDuel Sportsbook
The Atlanta Braves are extremely talented, and within their stable of talent, Ronald Acuna is their biggest star, followed by slugger Freddie Freeman. The fact that the Braves have two high-profile players in their batting order – players who might get walked a lot in big situations – could create a lot of situations in which Ozzie Albies becomes the hitter opposing pitchers will try to get out. This should give Albies plenty of hittable pitches. He isn’t the guy opposing teams can afford to walk a lot. Acuna will be on base a lot, so walking Albies will create a lot of two-on, none-out situations for the Braves and give Freeman and others a chance to drive in runs. Albies could sneak up on the field and make a real run at the hit title from the National League.
Best Bet: D.J. LeMahieu
Odds To Lead MLB In Hits: +1300 at FanDuel Sportsbook
The former member of the Colorado Rockies made a relatively smooth transition to the American League and the New York Yankees. LeMahieu got a lot of clutch hits for the Bronx Bombers last season. Yankee Stadium is a great ballpark for hitters –, especially down the lines.
LeMahieu is part of a loaded Yankee batting order and opposing pitchers will not want to pitch to Giancarlo Stanton or Aaron Judge with men on base, so LeMahieu should see a lot of good pitches to hit. This is probably the number one choice on the board, even though Trout and Merrifield are priced ahead of him on the odds list.
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Dave Golokhov is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Dave, check out his archive and follow him @davegolokhov.