MLB Odds: 5 MLB Futures Bets To Lock In Before Opening Day 2025

The real Opening Day of the 2025 MLB season is in sight following the Tokyo Series, and there are a number of year-long betting markets to capitalize on.

Here are five of my favorite MLB futures to put into your portfolio before Opening Day.

Five best MLB future bets

Hunter Greene Over 162.5 strikeouts

Cincinnati Reds righty Hunter Greene registered 164 strikeouts through 125 2/3 innings as a rookie and fanned 169 over a career-high 150 2/3 innings last year. He’s been a strikeout machine since his 2022 debut in the majors, with his 29.6 K% and 11.25 K/9 both ranking third among starters with at least 300 innings over the past three years.

The pitch mix — including a fastball that touches triple digits and is complemented by a plus slider — and strikeout upside aren’t in question. It’s Greene missing considerable time in consecutive seasons that keeps this year-long total down.

Still, the risk is more than built into the number, and there’s wiggle room for Greene to miss time and clear this strikeout benchmark — just like he did last season.  

Pick: Hunter Greene Over 162.5 strikeouts (-113 at FanDuel)

Riley Greene Over 20.5 home runs

The arrow is pointing straight up for Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene. He hit 24 bombs in his first full season in the majors last year, and his underlying numbers jump off the page. 

Greene’s 13.4% launch angle ranked 16th, and his 46.2 hard-hit rate ranked 36th in the MLB last year. Squaring it up for power clearly isn’t an issue for the 2019 first-round pick. His strikeout percentage has dipped in consecutive seasons, too. 

Finally, I also value that Greene is trading with a home run total of 22.5 at bet365 with the same -110, so there’s a nice edge attached to this Over 20.5 home runs prop through Caesars.

Pick: Riley Greene Over 20.5 home runs (-110 at Caesars)

Seattle Mariners Over 84.5 wins

The Seattle Mariners have averaged 88.3 wins over the past four years, and I’m anticipating a bounce-back campaign from star center fielder Julio Rodriguez. He dropped to a 3.8 WAR last year after posting an identical 5.8 mark his first two years, with last year’s 116 wRC+ and .136 ISO both career-worst marks.

Seattle also has a true home-field advantage, with T-Mobile Park checking out as one of the most pitcher-friendly stops in the majors. It pairs perfectly with the Mariners sending out one of the best starting rotations in baseball, too.

Don’t sleep on Seattle.

Pick: Seattle Mariners Over 84.5 wins (-125 at BetMGM)

Chicago Cubs Over 85.5 wins

Let’s buy low on the Chicago Cubs after losing a pair during the MLB World Tour to open the regular season.

The Baseball Prospectus PECOTA projections forecasted 90.7 wins for the North Siders, and the offense received a boost with superstar Kyle Tucker bringing an elite bat to the heart of the order. Add more of the same from Michael Bush, Matt Shaw arriving as advertised, and Pete Crow-Armstrong building on his 2024 second half (104 wRC+), and Chicago has the bats to complement a solid starting rotation.

The bullpen also received a boost with Ryan Pressly signing, and the 36-year-old righty offers experience in the closer role. Chicago relievers were tagged with the fourth-most losses (35) in the bigs in 2024, after all. Plus, Porter Hodge flashed down the stretch and is positioned to build on his success in a setup role.

Pick: Chicago Cubs Over 85.5 wins (-110 at Caesars)

Arizona Diamondbacks Over 86.5 wins

This is a big wins total dip after the Arizona Diamondbacks won 89 games last season, and I’m expecting them to take a run at 90 wins in 2025 because of the addition of Corbin Burnes and upcoming rebound from star center fielder Corbin Carroll.

Burns bolsters a star-studded rotation and has shown off impressive durability with 190 innings in each of the past three seasons since winning the NL Cy Young Award in 2021. Plus, his career 3.19 ERA is right in line with his career 3.18 xFIP, and he’s won double-digit games in each of the past four seasons.

Flipping to Carroll, his slow 2024 start had a major impact on the Snakes, and his 4.0 WAR and .256 BABIP when it was all said and done fell way short of his 5.4 and .325 marks in 2023. Carroll is entering his prime offensive years, and the sky’s the limit for the 24-year-old superstar.

Pick: Arizona Diamondbacks Over 86.5 wins (-120 at BetMGM)

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