As we approach the start of the regular baseball season, fans are well-acquainted with the teams favored by oddsmakers to perform strongly in 2024. However, amidst the discussions of win total prop bets, Yardbarker has identified a team that has flown somewhat under the radar but has the potential to make a surprising start to the season.
This team is none other than the Cincinnati Reds. Despite missing the playoffs for nine of the last 20 seasons, they turned heads last year with 82 wins, narrowly missing out on a postseason spot. David Bell’s squad is currently ranked behind the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals by DraftKings to win the NL Central, with odds of 45-1 to clinch the World Series. Nonetheless, DraftKings has set the over/under for Cincinnati’s wins by the end of April at 15.5, with odds favoring the Over at -135. With 31 games slated within this timeframe, DraftKings is banking on Cincinnati winning more than half of these initial matches.
Considering Cincinnati’s schedule for the beginning of the season, achieving 16 or more wins in the first 31 games seems feasible. Apart from facing tough opponents like the Philadelphia Phillies, Seattle Mariners, and Texas Rangers, the Reds have opportunities against teams like the Washington Nationals, Chicago White Sox, and New York Mets, who didn’t perform well last season.
Furthermore, the Reds demonstrated better performance on the road last season compared to their home games. Therefore, away matches against the Phillies, Mariners, and Rangers might work in favor of Cincinnati if this trend persists.
Another factor favoring an early Over is the offseason acquisitions made by the Reds. They made significant improvements to both their starting rotation and bullpen, addressing issues that led to conceding 821 runs last season. Additionally, the team retained much of its young core from 2023, providing players like Matt McLain and Elly De La Cruz with greater confidence and leadership roles.
Looking beyond April, the outlook for the Cincinnati Reds, as well as other MLB teams, remains uncertain. However, for the initial month of the season, it seems plausible that this NL Central team could rack up numerous wins. While it’s unclear whether they can defy their long odds for divisional success or a World Series title, they do appear poised to surpass the Over on wins through the end of April.
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