2017 Regular Season Home Run Leader
By Loot, MLB Handicapper, Lootmeister.com
It might not be that easy to pick who will be the MLB leader in home runs, but the rewards can be robust and the bet packs a lot of action! With the field so packed with worthy candidates to lead the majors in homers, the odds can be pretty tasty. And with this bet, you will have action the whole season! Sure, there will be the occasional bet where the player you choose gets injured or otherwise removes himself from contention early. But if you do like we recommend and make a multitude of picks, you will likely have action that lasts the entire season. For every player you pick, you will have a vested interest in all at-bats. It's hard to find a singular wager that packs that much action into it.
Again, it's not an easy pick to make. The field is crowded, with any number of players who could win this honor without it being much of a shock. And then we also have the up and coming crop of the next wave of power-hitters in this game. There are also players who fell on hard times with injuries or whatnot who can re-emerge to the top of the home run leaders board. Looking through the recent past, we see a lot of players taking this category who weren't at the top of the odds chart. Last season, it was Mark Trumbo, a guy we knew hit for power, but still an unexpected leader who brought home handsome payouts for those willing to have bet on him. In 2014, Nelson Cruz also earned big payouts for his backers.
Among the selections are dependable veterans and youngsters. We again recommend a mix of the two. In the middle are players who are perhaps due to explode. We've seen this a lot in recent years, where a player starts off with home run totals in the teens and twenties, before finding his stroke and becoming among the league leaders. It's not easy to time, but the rewards can be handsome indeed when you can time an explosion in form for a young power hitter.
In other words, there will be obvious favorites and we can't ignore their viability. But recent winners illustrate the worth in looking further down the list, as well. Again, with the odds being hefty, we can afford to fathom a pick on multiple players. And while we should account for the big names to some degree, we should also show no fear in taking one or even more of the guys with longer odds. Let's take a look at the odds of who will be the home run leader in 2017. Following the odds will be our favorite picks—with some favorites, middle-of-the-road shots, and a few long-shots too. Have a look!
Who Will Lead the Majors in Home Runs?:
Giancarlo Stanton+800
Nolan Arenado+900
Kris Bryant+1000
Chris Davis+1000
Manny Machado+1400
Bryce Harper+1400
Mark Trumbo+1400
Edwin Encarnacion+1400
Nelson Cruz+1400
Josh Donaldson+1600
Kyle Schwarber+1800
Mike Trout+2000
Paul Goldschmidt+2000
Miguel Sano+2800
Anthony Rizzo+2800
Gary Sanchez+2800
George Springer+2800
Khris Davis+2800
Brian Dozier+3300
Miguel Cabrera+4000
Todd Frazier+4000
Yoenis Cespedes+4000
Adam Duvall+4000
Jose Abreu+4000
Jose Bautista+4000
Mike Napoli+4000
Trevor Story+5000
Rougned Odor+5000
Carlos Gonzalez+5000
Chris Carter+5000
JD Martinez+5000
Justin Upton+6600
Mookie Betts+6600
Carlos Correa+6600
Corey Seager+6600
Robinson Cano+6600
Ian Desmond+7500
Aaron Judge+7500
Evan Longoria+7500
Freddie Freeman+7500
Joey Gallo+7500
Maikel Franco+7500
Carlos Santana+7500
Matt Kemp+7500
Adrian Beltre+10000
Adam Jones+10000
Addison Russell+10000
Adrian Gonzalez+10000
Albert Pujols+10000
Jay Bruce+10000
Yasmany Tomas+10000
Evan Gattis+10000
Hanley Ramirez+10000
Kendrys Morales+10000
Kyle Seager+10000
Troy Tulowitzki+10000
Favorites We Like:
Kris Bryant (+1000): The Chicago Cubs star is 25 and that's an age where a young stud can really start to come around in a big way. He had 39 last season and wasn't all that far off. A little boost with added maturity and increasing man-strength could have him right in the thick of things this season in this category.
Mark Trumbo (+1400): Last season, the Baltimore power hitter led the majors with 47 home runs. While a lot of stars lined up right and he caught some breaks with the lineup he plays on, there aren't a lot of reasons to forecast a downturn this season. And at +1400, he's getting pretty good value for a defending MLB home run leader.
Nelson Cruz (+1400): At 36, his days atop the home run leaders list could be numbered. But with 127 homers in the past three seasons, Cruz is one of more reliable home run hitters in the game. At +1400, that's not a bad value for such a proven commodity in this category.
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Middle-of-the-Road Picks We Like:
Khris Davis (+2800): Last season, another Davis named Khris (this one with a "K") made his presence known atop the home run leaders chart in his first season in Oakland. Known as a decent power hitter, Davis hit his stride with 42 homers in 2016. More of that could have him a threat this season and at +2800, it would pay off big-time if he did.
Gary Sanchez (+2800): One of the lesser-known names on this list, we're taking a stab that last season wasn't an illusion when Sanchez swatted 20 homers in just 201 at-bats. The 24-year old Yankees catcher/DH could be poised to put up big numbers this season and we'd like to be ahead of the curve at +2800.
Long-Shots We Like:
Todd Frazier (+4000): A steady power hitter of late who is getting more adept at hitting the long ball, Frazier might be a tad underpowered to lead all the bigs in this category. Nevertheless, the White Sox star has been seeing his power numbers increase to the point where he clubbed 40 of them last season. Maybe he has another gear and at 40-to-1, you're getting a pretty steady guy who should be in the mix.
Adam Duvall (+4000): Last season in his first full year in the bigs, he swatted 33 round-trippers. At 40-to-1 odds, you get a young power-hitter who could really hit his stride this season.
Joey Gallo (+7500): Only 23, the Texas Rangers up-and-comer has shown power in the minors and in his two short trips up to the bigs. If he gets the time along with some patience, he could put up some big numbers.
Yasmany Tomas (+10000): Last season, the Diamondbacks youngster hit 31 homers. With increased time and confidence, he could be one of those guys who takes it to another level this season. Did you know... that you could be wagering on Major League Baseball games at discounted odds? There's a better than good chance that you're laying inflated odds with your book. Stop overpaying TODAY by making the switch to 5Dimes Sportsbook! You will be so glad that you did!
