The start of the 2021 MLB year has come and gone in a flash. The season is now a month old, and West Virginia sportsbooks have already adjusted many of their futures odds.
While a lot of MLB teams played up to par in April, many did not. The same goes for some of the marquee names in the sport.
Every WV online sportsbook updates its odds often to reflect how things are actually going on the field. There is plenty of time remaining in the long season; however, a slow start can really affect teams.
Of course, players might be affected even more by early struggles.
On the other side of things, sportsbooks alter the betting odds for players who are performing exceptionally well, too.
Now is a great time to reconsider your MLB futures with alternate options. You’re also able to double down on your initial investment at a potentially better price.
Let’s examine some of the biggest movers in baseball and their updated futures odds.
MLB futures at WV sportsbooks
The Boston Red Sox are the most surprising team starting off the new season. They were not projected to do well this year, but that hasn’t stopped them from having an incredible start.
Boston currently holds a 15-9 record and sits in first place in the AL East. Although it’s just 8-8 at home so far, it’s won seven of its first eight road contests.
Depending on the sportsbook, the Red Sox have odds around +5000 to win this year’s World Series.
After their hot beginning to the year, though, DraftKings Sportsbook WV lists them at +2000 to take home the title. They have the seventh-best odds to win it all, along with Houston, Minnesota and Oakland.
Part of the team’s success is due to the great opening month by veteran J.D. Martinez. He leads the Sox in the majority of important hitting categories.
Thus far in 2021, Martinez is hitting .353, with seven home runs and 21 RBI. He is tops on the team in hits, with 30, and his OPS is at a ridiculous 1.145 through 22 games.
Starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez is looking good in April as well. He recorded a 4-0 record to go with a WHIP of just 0.87. Rodriguez is averaging more than 10 strikeouts per nine innings.
Boston was certainly off the map prior to the start of the season, but now it appears as if it has a legitimate chance of contending.
NL Cy Young Award odds
WV sportsbooks shifted the odds for the National League Cy Young in several ways.
The Milwaukee Brewers’ Corbin Burnes is one of the hottest pitchers in baseball, and his game is proving it.
Burnes features only a 2-2 record, but his statistics are setting records. He owns a 1.53 ERA and a 0.55 WHIP, but most impressive is his control.
The 26-year-old showcases 49 strikeouts this year, while surrendering zero walks. He is the first starting pitcher ever in MLB to reach 40 strikeouts without giving up a walk.
The Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright held the previous record with 35 strikeouts, which he set in 2013. The all-time record for any pitcher is 51 strikeouts, established by Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen in 2017.
Burnes is scheduled to start again this Saturday against the Dodgers.
When the season began, his odds to win the NL Cy Young were around +4000. There were about 20 other pitchers listed ahead of him.
A month later, Burnes now sits with the second-best odds of +500 at DraftKings. He’s behind only the favorite, Jacob deGrom, at +100.
There’s no question the Brewers star is on the radar, but surpassing deGrom will take this type of performance all season.
The Mets’ ace is putting up absurd numbers as well. He’s sporting the top ERA in the majors at 0.31 and is tied for second for strikeouts at 50.
If Burnes can duplicate his start next month, then perhaps he can close this gap. The issue is that we’ve seen his opponent dominate hitters for several straight years.
AL MVP betting
The updated odds for the American League MVP now show two Angels at the top. While Mike Trout started there, his teammate Shohei Ohtani is climbing the board at WV sportsbooks.
Before the season started, Ohtani had about the seventh-best odds to win the MVP. DraftKings’ new odds put him alone in second at +1000. He trails only Trout with odds of +200.
Ohtani has a legitimate chance of taking down Trout because he is excelling at both hitting and pitching.
At the plate, he’s batting around .300, with seven homers and 18 RBI. The designated hitter also pitches every five days and features a 3.29 ERA through three starts.
Since no one else in MLB comes close to doing this, Ohtani’s odds could continue to improve.
Bettors shouldn’t take Trout for granted, though. He’s slashing a .431 batting average and an OPS of 1.353.
NL MVP betting
Although most of the favorites for NL MVP remain unchanged, there is now a clear front-runner. The Atlanta Braves’ Ronald Acuña Jr. is playing at an extremely high level very early in the 2021 campaign.
Despite his team’s struggles, he’s destroying opposing pitchers at a consistent rate.
Acuña’s posted a .355 average and is tied for tops in the league with eight dingers.
A lot of what he does well doesn’t necessarily show up in the box score. Acuña’s got game-changing speed that he utilizes on the base paths and in the outfield.
WV sportsbooks list him around +300 after starting the season at +800.
There are lots of elite players still hovering near Acuña for MVP (Tatis Jr. +800, Betts +900, Soto +900), but all will have to elevate their play to match his current production.