Sportsbook Day for the MLB season was supposed to take place just a couple of weeks ago, however, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are left without live sports. That said, many of the major leagues have turned to simulated games or esports, including Madden 20 and NBA2K. Now, MLB is joining in the mix with a players league beginning on April 10.
There are 30 players competing in the tournament and there will be donations of $5,000 for each participant as well as a $25,000 donation to the Sportsbook going toward each of their community’s Boys and Girls Club.
Online sportsbook Sportsbook has released the odds to win the MLB The Show Players tournament and has made Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Blake Snell the favorite at +550 followed by Cincinnati Reds pitcher Amir Garrett at +600, Minnesota Twins pitcher Trevor May at +600, San Francisco Giants outfielder Hunter Pence at +1000, and Boston Red Sox pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez at +2000 to round out the top five players on the oddsboard.
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How Will This League Play Out?
A round robin will begin on April 10 and each player will have one three-inning game against each of the other 29 athletes in the tournament. The regular season is scheduled to conclude on April 28, when the top eight teams will move on to the playoffs, which will have three rounds. The first two will feature best-of-three series and the finals or “World Series” will be a best-of-five.
You’ll be able to watch the games through MLB social channels, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube as well as the “MLB The Show” Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Twitch.
Who Is Participating In This League?
As mentioned off the top, this is a 30-person league (one player from each MLB team). Here’s a look at the names participating in MLB The Show Players Tournament:
- Jon Duplantier – Arizona Diamondbacks
- Luke Jackson – Atlanta Braves
- Dwight Smith Jr. – Baltimore Orioles
- Eduardo Rodriguez – Boston Red Sox
- Ian Happ – Chicago Cubs
- Lucas Giolito – Chicago White Sox
- Amir Garrett – Cincinnati Reds
- Carlos Santana – Cleveland Indians
- David Dahl – Colorado Rockies
- Niko Goodrum – Detroit Tigers
- Lance McCullers Jr. – Houston Astros
- Brett Phillips – Kansas City Royals
- Ty Buttrey – Los Angeles Angels
- Gavin Lux – Los Angeles Dodgers
- Ryne Stanek – Miami Marlins
- Josh Hader – Milwaukee Brewers
- Trevor May – Minnesota Twins
- Jeff McNeil – New York Mets
- Tommy Kahnle – New York Yankees
- Jesus Luzardo – Oakland Athletics
- Rhys Hoskins – Philadelphia Phillies
- Cole Tucker – Pittsburgh Pirates
- Fernando Tatis Jr. – San Diego Padres
- Hunter Pence – San Francisco Giants
- Carl Edwards Jr. – Seattle Mariners
- Matt Carpenter – St. Louis Cardinals
- Blake Snell – Tampa Bay Rays
- Joey Gallo – Texas Rangers
- Bo Bichette – Toronto Blue Jays
- Juan Soto – Washington Nationals
What Are The Odds For MLB The Show Players League?
MLB had a mini four-player tournament in late March when Amir Garrett edged Trevor May in his Sportsbook-round matchup and topped Blake Snell in the final. Yet, the 2018 AL Cy Young Sportsbook, Snell, is the pre-tournament betting favorite. Based on past results, I’d be more apt to lay a wager on Garrett at +600 than Snell at +550. It also just so happens that these two will be facing off in the first matchup of the tournament on April 10. Snell is the favorite to win the first game at -135 with Garrett coming back at -105.
Here’s a look at the full list of odds for MLB The Show Players League:
Player | Odds |
---|---|
Blake Snell | +550 |
Amir Garrett | +600 |
Trevor May | +600 |
Hunter Pence | +1200 |
Eduardo Rodriguez | +2000 |
Ian Happ | +2000 |
Lance McCullers Jr. | +2000 |
Ty Buttrey | +2000 |
Gavin Lux | +2000 |
Jeff McNeil | +2000 |
Tommy Kahnle | +2000 |
Rhys Hoskins | +2000 |
Juan Soto | +2000 |
Jon Duplantier | +3500 |
Luke Jackson | +3500 |
Dwight Smith Jr. | +3500 |
Lucas Giolito | +3500 |
Carlos Santana | +3500 |
David Dahl | +3500 |
Niko Goodrum | +3500 |
Brett Phillips | +3500 |
Ryne Stanek | +3500 |
Josh Hader | +3500 |
Jesus Luzardo | +3500 |
Cole Tucker | +3500 |
Fernando Tatis Jr. | +3500 |
Carl Edwards Jr. | +3500 |
Matt Carpenter | +3500 |
Joey Gallo | +3500 |
Bo Bichette | +3500 |
Odds as of April 10 at Sportsbook
Player | Odds |
---|---|
Blake Snell | -135 |
Amir Garrett | -105 |
Odds as of April 10 at Sportsbook