By: Travis Pulver
Most RBI Odds: Who is Gonna Take Care of All the Ducks on the Pound?
We are not going to have baseball as we know and love it this season. But we will have a baseball season. For fans and gamblers, that is what matters. Do you like watching guys throw 100 MPH fastballs? Or is betting on guys like balls Mike Trout crushing those fastballs your thing?
Either way, the season is here— time to enjoy (and bet) as much as we want.
Categories like home runs and strikeouts will likely get the most attention. Why? Simple, because they are sexy. But RBI—RBI is a measure of productivity. Home runs look great during highlights, but it’s the runs batted in that win games.
During a typical season, the league leader will hit well over 100+; last year’s leader, Anthony Rendon, knocked in 126. But that is a number no one will likely come close to in just 60 games. The leaders at the 60-game mark dating back to the 2002 season have ranged from the high-40s to the mid-60s.
So, who is going to lead the league in RBI this season?
Odds on Who Will Have the Most Regular Season RBI: One of the Usual Suspects or Someone New?
What should you look for in an RBI leader? Power is nice because home runs certainly generate a lot of RBI. But power hitters often strike out a lot, too. However, if someone is a great contact hitter, he is going to put balls in play. Every time he does with someone on base, there is an opportunity for an RBI.
Ideally, it would be great to find someone with power that is also good at making contact. Most of the time, they will be batting clean-up, giving them ample opportunity to knock in a few runs (if the guys hitting ahead of him did their job).
Of course, you can cut right to the chase and just look at the last few years to see who consistently records a high number of RBI—like Colorado’s Nolen Arenado (+1200). Arenado has finished in the top five for the last since 2015 (including two titles in ’15 and ’16).
He is also a career .295 hitter and has had right around 40 home runs in each of the last five seasons.
Should the reigning NL MVP, Cody Bellinger (+1300), continue to improve, he will definitely be in the running. He ranked right inside the top ten last year with 115. If he can continue to drop his strikeout numbers and continue to make contact while not sacrificing power, his ceiling will be high.
But he could also miss out on opportunities with Mookie Betts (+10000) now in the lineup. Betts only had 80 his last two seasons in Boston, but he does have two 100+ seasons on his resume.
A SHOCKING Name to Bet on with the Most RBI Odds
It would be foolish to overlook the greatest player in the game, Mike Trout. His RBI numbers have not always been too impressive. But he has everything you should look for. He is a career .305 hitter that you can probably count on for a fair number of home runs, too.
With a better lineup around him this season, the opportunities will be there.
Trout’s numbers could suffer a little because of the big free-agent signing the team made in the offseason—Anthony Rendon (+2500). Rendon led the league last year with 126 and has hit over .300 in each of the last three seasons with 40+ home runs.
Mets slugger Pete Alonso (+2000) ranked fourth in RBI last year with 120 doing much of his damage with home runs (53). However, he only hit .260 last season, and while the lineup around him is not bad, it does not necessarily provide him with a lot of protection.
While the Red Sox are not one of the more feared teams this season, they have a couple of good candidates. Rafael Devers (+2000) burst onto the scene last year with 115 RBI. JD Martinez (+2200) might have had an ‘off’ year last season with just 105. But he led the league through 60 games in 2018 with 50. In 2017 he had a stretch of 62 games where he knocked in 65.
Most RBI Odds Conclusion
Those are just a few of the many guys PointsBet.com is offering odds on that are worth considering. Braces star first baseman Freddie Freeman (+1500) was third in the league last season with 120. As long as he stays healthy, Christian Yelich (+2500) will be one of the league leaders (if not the leader). Jose Abreu (+4000) was only three back of Anthony Rendon last year with 123.
Right now, cases could be made for lots of guys. Juan Soto (+1500) has all the potential in the world but will miss time with the coronavirus. Bryce Harper (+2000) could come alive. Trash cans or not, the Astros have some excellent candidates in Alex Bregman (+2000), George Springer (+5000), Carlos Correa (+5000), and Jose Altuve (+10000).
You could wait for everyone to get about ten games under their belt and then make a call. By then, we may see a few hitters starting to separate from the rest. But then their odds are going to get really short and your payout real small.
So, do you want to wait or take a chance and possibly win more money?
