MLB Hits Leader Odds Preview 2023 Season: Favorites and Dark Horses

Major League Baseball Season Starts Thursday, March 30th

The Major League Baseball season is almost here, let’s take a peek at some of the players that you should have your money behind to lead the league in hitting when the MLB schedule starts on March 30th. MLB records from last season remind us that there may be some terrific dark horses that could cash our future hit ticket in 2023. Last season, the Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman (+1000) took home the crown with 199 hits, five more than his teammate, Trea Turner (+650) who had 194.

Toronto’s Bo Bichette (+1200) was a distant 10 hits behind. A couple of surprising omissions from the top of the current odds list who might end up being solid long-shot selections are Jose Abreu (+3300) from the White Sox (183 hits) and Ahmed Rosario (+2500) from the Guardians who had 180 hits in 2022.

Let’s take a deeper look at three future wager candidates that have a legitimate chance and a couple of players who are considered long shots, but maybe closer to the top than anticipated.

Bichette (+1200) Best Bet on Board

There are a few things to consider before putting your cash behind when considering who will give players the best chance to cash a 2023 hits leader odds bet. First, you must consider who they are hitting in front of with protection being a key component to cashing this future wager and their ability to stay healthy.

Bo Bichette who hits second for the Toronto Blue Jays is a prime candidate to lead the majors in hits using those criteria. It also helps that the Jays play in a division where they likely won’t be in a position to rest key players in September. Last year, Bichette finished with 189 hits in 652 at-bats, finishing third in MLB hits. Bichette will be setting the table for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. who logged 638 ABs and 175 hits while in the third spot for the Jays.

There is no duo among the favorites that have played in more games or logged more combined hits than Bichette and Guerrero (1654 combined games, hits) in 2022 making Bichette the perfect wager.

Turner (+650) to Ride Wave of WBC

No one made a bigger contribution to Team USA in the World Baseball Classic than the Phillies’ Trea Turner who hit .391 with five homers and 11 RBIs in six games. The scorching-hot Turner, who was hitting .417 in Spring Training before leaving for the WBC, is the favorite to lead the majors in hits and it’s not even close with Tim Anderson of the White Sox the second choice at +1000.

The difference between a wager on Turner and Bichette can be found by simply looking at who is hitting behind both favorites. It’s fair to say that Guerrero is a slightly better hitter than Kyle Schwarber, who will likely be after Turner in the Phillies lineup, making it more important to go after Bichette rather than pitching around the 2021 all-star to get to Guerrero who is perceived to the more dangerous hitter even though Schwarber hit 46 homers or 14 more than Guerrero. It’s the 200 k’s that make his ABs seem more comfortable, especially against lefties where he hit just .193.

Overall, Schwarber struck out in 34% of his plate appearances, Guerrero in 16%. That protection makes Bichette a slight favorite between him and Turner.

Six-Time All-Star Betts a Solid Long Shot at +1600

To finish off our look at the 2023 hits leader odds preview, we must take a serious look at the Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts who hit .313 in the World Baseball Classic. Betts played in just 142 games last season after battling a rib injury after a collision at home plate last June. If Betts played 160 games as teammate Trea Turner did last year, Betts would be knocking on the top 10 in hits.

This season, the 30-year-old will hit in front of Freddie Freeman who was the hit leader in 2022 with 199. Although Turner has taken his talents to Philadelphia, that will have much more of an effect on Freeman’s production than it will Betts who will have Will Smith behind him rather than Turner.

A Few Others to Consider and One to Stay Away From

Vladimir Guerrero (Blue Jays) +1400: Daulton Varsho in the fourth spot isn’t as attractive as Bichette with Guerrero behind him but at +1400 it may be worth a smaller play.

Kyle Tucker (Astros) +1600: Our dark horse to lead the league in hits, but with Tucker slated to hit fifth in the Astros lineup ahead of Jose Abreu, may not get the at-bats that some of the others will get. Bichette had 108 more ABs and more plate appearances than Tucker in 2022.

Tim Anderson (White Sox) +1000: Don’t get it twisted, Anderson is a terrific player but to have him as the second in 2023 hits leader odds is a bit overzealous. Anderson played in just 79 games last season and an average of 94 games over the last four years. From a health perspective, we would stay away from Anderson who has played in more than 150 games just once in his seven-year career.

That does it for our 2023 hits leader odds preview. We’re jumping on Bo Bichette but a wager on Turner and Betts is also a solid investment. Enjoy the 2023 season.

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