The 2024 MLB season is almost underway! Offseason acquisitions have been made, and we got flashes of youth that will have major roles for select ball clubs. We are excited to give our insight on the edges you need to succeed this year. Daily, we will be delivering our input and analytics for the MLB season. With that being said, make sure to grab a hot dog with a cold beverage for opening day. It’s time for The Sharks to roam the waters.
American League MVP
Yordan Alvarez (+1000)
The big guy in Houston is coming off a massive postseason run in 2023. He finished with a .465 batting average, 6 Homeruns, and 15 RBIs. He will have have some competition within his own team, with Kyle Tucker being at +1500 odds to win the award as well. Last year, Alvarez was injured for a duration of the season, only appearing in 114 games. Assuming he stays healthy, we believe he is the guy to be crowned the AL MVP. With Shohei Ohtani moving to the National League, the reigning leader will vacate the title. A bonus bet to also place is Yordan Alvarez OVER 36.5 Homeruns (-120).
National League MVP
Mookie Betts (+650)
We have a unique situation this year, in that we have a candidate that has a head start on the season before Opening Day. With the MLB launching it’s 2024 Seoul Series in Korea, we got a first look at the Dodgers and Padres going head-to-head about a week ago. Mookie displayed why he should be a front runner for MVP with smashing baseballs in this two game series. This Dodger team is completely stacked! The line is set for the season win total at 102.5. One more game above the Atlanta Braves at 101.5. With this team success, we can expect the heartbeat of this team to be a front runner for MVP. Freddie Freeman and Shohei Ohtani will be competition within his squad. With even more help, we expect Mookie to get the best opportunities nightly batting in front of all this firepower. Mookie still obtains above average speed. He didn’t take advantage of the new pitch clock and pick off rules last year to take advantage of base stealing opportunities. This year, look for him to be more aggressive, to even solidify his spot as the NL MVP.
Fernando Tatis Jr. (+1000)
Another guy from the same Seoul Series has a great shot at bringing the NL MVP. He will be comfortable in his second season playing RF full time. His glove and fielding will be elite defensively. That confidence will spill over to his offense to be the dominant player he is. This year he will play with a chip on his shoulder. In this division along, the Dodgers and Diamondbacks are expected to finish higher in the standings. 2024 will be personal for El Nino.
National League CY Young
Spencer Strider (+380)
Not much to even discuss about Spencer Strider. The Ace for the Atlanta Braves is the favorite, and it’s for a reason. He led the MLB in K’s last year with 281! The guy is the epitome of power, and dominates on the mound. He basically did this with two pitches in his arsenal: An unhittable fastball, and a slider to compliment. This spring training, he added a curveball, and fans are salivating at the potential this could mean for him. Sit back and watch umpires give us their best Mike Tyson impersonations as we watch them punch out an abundance of batters each start.
American League Rookie of the Year
Evan Carter (+320)
With a full season ahead, the sky is the limit for Evan Carter. He played in 23 games last year posting an impressive stat line of .306 BA, 5 HR, and 12 RBIs. The kid can freaking play! We saw a glimpse of his potential in the 2023 postseason. He played a vital part in the championship run for the Texas Rangers. In that Wild Card Series against the Tampa Bay Rays, he had smart at bats and crushed the ball in those two games batting a cumulative .750 BA. The moment never seems too big for him. A surprising aspect we have to consider is his teammate Wyatt Langford. Langford is a heck of a prospect but he will initially take a back seat to Evan Carter this year.
Colt Keith (+1000)
The Sharks had to take two swings at nailing AL ROY with this prospect. Colt Keith is the 22, #2 prospect in the Tigers organization. At the beginning of the year, The Detroit Tigers locked him in with a 6 year 28.6 million dollar contract. In the minors last year, he cumulatively put up an amazing .300 BA, 27 HR, and 101 RBIs in 126 games. He will be the starting 2nd basemen for the Tigers.
Division Leaders
American League Central Winner- Detroit Tigers (+320)
The Sharks love a great underdog story more than anyone else. Especially when it’s profitable! What if we told you, the team tied for the longest postseason drought currently, will win their division. It’s not too far fetched when we add in the factors. Last year, this team dominated within the division, having a record of 35-17. The AL Central has been an underwhelming division for a while now. It’s one of the divisions that is up for the taken. They dominated Spring Training while winning 20 games in the Grapefruit League. The leader behind this bet clearing will be the Ace Tarik Skubal. He is currently 5th in Cy Young odds. One of the many young talents to have a major role on this team. Mentioned in our ROY future bets, Colt Keith is a a player as well to contribute. Another rookie is Parker Meadows (brother of Austin Meadows) set to build on his 2023 season after being called up. The two biggest bats will be Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene. If Riley Greene can stay healthy, expect some pop out of this lineup. Also, if Javier Baez gives any type of production of old, the sky is the limit.
National League Central Winner- Chicago Cubs (+200)
Similar to the American League, the National League Central is wide open as well. Younger teams like the Cincinnati Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates, may play competitive baseball to challenge the whole division. The knock we will honestly give this team, is the effectiveness of the starting rotation for the Cubs. Other than Justin Steele, the other starters don’t jump out at you like many dominant rotations in the league. The strength of this team will be offensively for sure. Cody Bellinger resigned with them, and coming off an impressive year to win National League Comeback Player of the Year. Dansby Swanson and Seiya Suzuki will be staples in this balanced lineup moving forward. A bold from The Sharks, is that the NL Central favorites, the STL Cardinals, will underperform again, and blow the team up by the trade deadline.
