MLB futures: The Red Sox could deliver on this bet this season
You may want to shield your eyes from MLB broadcasts this year if you are a Boston Red Sox fan, because word on the street is that they are going to have a rough 2024 campaign. If you're looking for a good bet, however, this may be the team you're looking for.
Boston ended the 2023 season in the AL East cellar with a 78-84 record, which is identical to the record they had the year prior. After years of losing records, DraftKings is setting the over/under for the BoSox regular-season win record at 79.5 with the under priced favorably at -120.
Sure, nobody knows how a team's season is going to shake out when you consider injuries and overall team chemistry. But here is what you should consider if you want to bet on Boston's win-loss record this season.
When considering to bet Under 79.5 games, it's good to remember the woes Boston suffered when it came to the pitching rotation. All five of the Red Sox starting pitchers missed time due to injuries and four of them are returning with the team in 2024. (One of the exceptions is of course Chris Sale, whose injury-riddled tenure in Beantown ended in January with a trade to the Atlanta Braves.) The Red Sox arguably looked their best in July when youngsters Brayan Bello and Kutter Crawford were carrying the weight, but even those performances couldn't guarantee wins since the defense behind them gave up an AL-high 102 errors. How many games can this team realistically win if Corey Kluber, Garrett Whitlock and Tanner Houck can't stay healthy and the bullpen gets overworked a second season in a row?
Getting 80 or more wins this season will also be contingent on scoring, and there are definitely some questions regarding Boston's hitting power in 2024. Last year's designated hitter Justin Turner is gone, as is outfielder Alex Verdugo, who added pop down the lineup. There is hope that Masataka Yoshida will establish himself at DH this year, but the rest of the lineup will really have to pick itself up and help Rafael Devers put runs on the board.
To make things even harder, Boston's division isn't getting any easier. The Baltimore Orioles are expected to have another big season after getting 101 wins in 2023 and making necessary offseason moves, and the Tampa Bay Rays are expected to be right on their heels yet again. Boston's biggest rival, the New York Yankees, didn't fare much better in 2023 but are clearly aiming to change that this season now that Juan Soto will be in the Bronx. With the competition improving around them, the Red Sox are going to have an even harder time getting their win total up.
While the 2024 MLB season hasn't gotten underway yet, it already looks like it will be a grind for the Red Sox. They may not be a sure bet to win games this season, but choosing them to hit Under 79.5 games doesn't look like such a bad bet.
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