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Over/Under on Most Homers in 60-Game Season Set at Just 19.5; See Best Bets for the Latest 2020 MLB Props

Daniel Coyle

by Daniel Coyle in MLB Baseball

Updated Mar 9, 2021 · 3:21 PM PST

New York Mets 1B Pete Alonso
The Mets Pete Alonso at the plate. Photo by slgckgc (Flickr).
  • With an abbreviated 60-game MLB season just around the corner, updated player props are now available
  • The shortened schedule opens the door for sluggers and pitchers to capitalize on early-season hot streaks
  • Read below to learn more about where to find the value on the updated props

Following the breaking news that MLB plans to move forward with an abbreviated 60-game regular season, online sportsbooks have been busy putting together a wide selection of betting props focused on all key player statistical categories.

Here’s a look at all the updated season props, as well as some best bets to consider as the countdown continues towards a midsummer opening day.

2020 MLB Regular Season Player Props

Prop Total Over Odds Under Odds
Highest Batting Average .345 -115 -115
Prop Total Over Odds Under Odds
Highest RBI 47.5 -130 +100
Prop Total Over Odds Under Odds
Highest Runs Scored 47.5 -115 -115
Prop Total Over Odds Under Odds
Highest Stolen Bases 21 +100 -130
Prop Total Over Odds Under Odds
Highest Strikeout Total 98.5 -115 -115
Prop Total Over Odds Under Odds
Highest Total Hits 78.5 -115 -115
Prop Total Over Odds Under Odds
Highest Total Saves 17.5 +100 -130
Prop Total Over Odds Under Odds
Highest Win Total 8.5 +100 -130
Prop Total Over Odds Under Odds
Most Home Runs 19.5 -155 +125
Prop Total Yes Odds No Odds
Player to hit .400 or better n/a +800 -1200

Odds taken on June 28th.

20 Home Runs Well Within Reach

Just three players have hit over 50 home runs over the past five seasons, with New York Mets rookie Pete Alonso leading the majors with 53 dingers in 2019, joining Yankees Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge, who both topped 50 in 2017. But with the total on the most home runs to be hit during the 60-game MLB season set at just 19.5, it will take an effort at a pace far less epic than Alonso’s for the OVER to pay out.

Hitting 19.5 home runs over 60 games works out to just under Alonso’s 53-dinger total from last season. Alonso reached 53 homers despite seeing his production dip dramatically in July. Indeed, he hit 19 home runs over a two-month stretch on three occasions, and well within 60 games in each of those instances.

Alonso is not unique. Other sluggers turned in similar epic power runs at the plate. Cincinnati Reds third baseman Eugenio Suarez crushed a stunning 32 long balls over his final 78 outings of the season, while Kansas City Royals outfielder Jorge Soler needed just his final 52 games to hit 20 home runs.

Alonso may be hard pressed to match his home run pace of last season. In addition to playing NL East rivals 10 times each, the Mets must play four games each against tough AL East opponents. But don’t be surprised to see a slugger from a team with a far easier schedule, like the Minnesota Twins, to maintain a hot bat throughout the abbreviated campaign.

Pick: OVER 19.5 (-155)

Epic Two-Month Runs at the Plate Not Uncommon

There is no more daunting task in baseball than the ability to maintain a steady, season-long performance at the plate. Despite the focus on the record-setting number of home runs that were hit during the 2019 MLB season, the number of players that have hit .300 or better has dropped over the past two seasons. Just 17 players hit .300 in 2019, up one from 2018, but a major step back from 2016, when 25 players turned the trick.

Worn down by the long season and injuries, as well as individual team struggles on the field, even baseball’s most consistent hitters can be expected to struggle at times. A prime example of that is Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson, who led the majors with a .335 average last year, despite hitting well below a .290 pace in May and June.

As with long ball hitters, this season’s batting champion is likely to be a player that is able to maintain a hot start over a 60-game run. Anderson blazed his trail to the batting title by overcoming an uneven start and a midseason ankle injury by embarking on an epic season-ending tear at the plate, hitting at a .368 pace over his final 51 game appearances. Expect this season’s batting champ to find a similar groove, making the OVER the safest pick among the current roundup of props.

Pick: OVER .345 (-115)

The Stage is Set for Baseball’s Next .400 Hitter

If you are liking the possibility of a hitter embarking on a season-long run at the plate, than a wager on a player hitting .400 in 2020 is worth considering. It has been 79 years since the late great Ted Williams became the last major leaguer to hit .400, achieving the feat over the course of 143 game appearances.

Many players have come close to equalling Williams’ achievement in the decades since, including the likes of George Brett, Tony Gwynn, and John Olerud. Indeed, an additional 10 hits over his final 251 at-bats would have been all that Anderson would have needed to top .400 during his epic stretch run.

Once again, 2020’s unbalanced schedule opens the door for a player to join the likes of Barry Bonds, who batted .404 during a 59-game stretch in 2002. And with a winning wager on a .400 hitter paying out on attractive +800 odds, it is certainly a bet that provides plenty of value.

Pick: Yes (+800)

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