The MLB All-Star Festivities get underway on Monday night with the Home Run Derby. There is never a lack of excitement surrounding the Derby, especially with this year’s field.
Let’s take a closer look at all eight contestants and their betting odds.
Kyle Schwarber, +330
Schwarber has done little else but hit home runs this year, smashing 29 long balls while batting just .208. In a way, that makes him a good candidate for the Home Run Derby.
He also has some experience, losing in the finals to now current teammate Bryce Harper in 2018, so it’s not surprising to see Schwarber have the second-best odds on Monday.
Albert Pujols, +2200
It would certainly be a feel-good story for Pujols to win the Derby. He’s competed in four previous occasions, so that experience could prove helpful. But the 42-year-old has just six homers this year, so he doesn’t have the same raw power he once had.
Juan Soto, +600
A year ago, Soto put on a show in the first round, needing a tiebreaker to get past Shohei Ohtani. But he ran out of steam after that and lost to Pete Alonso in the next round.
If he can get his head in the right space amidst growing trade rumors, Soto has as much raw power as anyone in baseball, which should play well in the Derby.
Jose Ramirez, +1600
Ramirez is a first-time Derby participant, which helps to explain his long odds. While most people don’t think of him as a pure power hitter, Ramirez had 36 homers last season and has 19 at the break this season. But since he matches up against Soto in the first round, Ramirez has a tough path to the finals.
Pete Alonso, +200
As most fans remember, Alonso has won the last two Home Run Derbies. Naturally, that makes him the betting favorite this time around. Surely, that experience plays to his advantage.
Also, Alonso simply loves participating in the Derby and takes it seriously, so he’s going to want to win it for the third straight time.
Ronald Acuna Jr., +650
Acuna lost to Alonso in the semifinals of the 2019 Derby, so these two NL East foes will have a rematch in the first round on Monday night.
Typically, Acuna shows the kind of power that will play well in a Derby. But he has just one home run in 16 games during the month of July, so his power hasn’t been there in games lately.
Corey Seager, +900
It’s a little surprising to see Seager with such long odds because he has an underrated amount of power. Seager has already hit 22 home runs this season, putting him on pace to destroy his previous career high of 26 homers during the 2016 season.
Oddly enough, 2016 was the last time he participated in the Home Run Derby, getting eliminated in the first round. But Seager could be an interesting dark horse to watch in his second Derby.
Julio Rodriguez, +850
For most fans, this will be their first time watching Rodriguez, a 21-year-old rookie who has helped the Mariners win 14 in a row heading into the break.
The rookie has 16 home runs this year despite not hitting any in April. Rodriguez is definitely a wild card in this field, although he’s a big, strong kid with tons of raw power.
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