Are you looking for betting odds on MLB in advance of 2022 Opening Day? Well, then, you've come to the perfect place.
Eighteen of the league's 30 teams will be in action when the 2022 MLB regular season begins on Thursday, April 7. With such a loaded slate on tap, it's only right we deliver our 2022 MLB Opening Day picks and best bets, an exercise that will cover everyone from the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres to the Toronto Blue Jays and more.
We begin, as always, by having a look at the latest MLB betting odds ahead of Thursday's action:
| Favorite |  | | Underdog |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York Yankees | -164 | +138 | Boston Red Sox |
| Milwaukee Brewers | -164 | +138 | Chicago Cubs |
| Cleveland Guardians | -108 | -108 | Kansas City Royals |
| Minnesota Twins | -112 | -104 | Seattle Mariners |
| St. Louis Cardinals | -205 | +172 | Pittsburgh Pirates |
| Atlanta Braves | -200 | +168 | Cincinnati Reds |
| Los Angeles Angels | -120 | +102 | Houston Astros |
| San Diego Padres | -148 | +126 | Arizona Diamondbacks |
| Toronto Blue Jays | -162 | +136 | Texas Rangers |
Please note that our betting odds for MLB Opening Day are accurate entering Wednesday, April 6. Because MLB odds can shift right up until the first pitch, you will want to double-check all baseball betting lines prior to settling on any picks.
It's also a great time of year for you to browse through our reviews of the top onine sportsbooks. These in-depth guides can help you spot the best sites for MLB betting in 2022 without much legwork on your end.
Now, onto some MLB Opening Day Predictions!
Can the Yankees Start 2022 Off on the Right Foot vs. Red Sox?
Major League Baseball knows what it's doing by having the Yankees and Boston Red Sox square off on Day 1. This is the most storied rivalry in the league, and one of the most cutthroat in all of sports.
This season specifically, it helps that the Yankees and Red Sox are on semi-equal ground. Both of their offenses are deep when healthy, each has concerns in the bullpen, and the starting rotations have the potential to be great or implode
New York gets our vote of confidence out of the gate, if only because their Opening Day lineup has unparalleled firepower with Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Joey Gallo all in the mix.
OSB Prediction: New York Yankees (-164)
The 2022 Padres are Not the 2021 Padres
The Padres completely belly flopped in 2021 after a Cinderella-type run in 2020. Many don't know what to expect in 2022.
Well, we're anticipating a much better version of the 2020 team. Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado will be healthier than they were last year, San Diego has a new manager at the helm, and they've made some nice additions to the middle of their batting order.
Pitching could indeed be a concern for the Padres long term, but not here, on Opening Day. The Arizona Diamondbacks yet again profile as one of MLB's most irrelevant teams, which bodes absurdly wel for San Diego.
OSB Prediction: San Diego Padres (-148)
Toronto Poised to Make Mincemeat Out of Texas
Is there a more objectively terrifying team in baseball than the Blue Jays? We're not sure.
Not only are Toronto's franchise players—Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette—not yet in their prime, but they boast one of the deepest pitching staffs around. Couple this with better infield defense, and the Blue Jays shouldn't just be favored to take down the Texas Rangers. They might be favorites to win the whole darn show this season.
OSB Prediction: Toronto Blue Jays (-162)
Could the Los Angeles Angels be a Budding Giant?
Some have billed the Los Angeles Angels as contenders on the rise. We're not quite there yet.
Any optimism is likely rooted in the chances of Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon all staying healthy. That's fine. After all, two of those stars are MVP-caliber.
But the Angels' roster remains by and large incredibly young, especially when it comes to the pitching staff. They seem like a year, if not two years, away from making any truly special noise.
Perhaps they're still catching the Houston Astros at the right time. Houston yet again underwent seemingly unnecessary turnover during the offseason. At the same time, the Astros aren't working on three pennants in five years by mistake. They know how to scout talent and replace departures. Take them at better than even money and run.
OSB Prediction: Houston Astros (+105)
St. Louis Gets a Gimme Game Against Pittsburgh
We should all be concerned about how reliant upon age-37-and-older players the St. Louis Cardinals will be this season. Their offensive performance stands to fall apart if one of their elder statesmen gets injured or significantly regresses.
Still, there's no sense predicting an upset here. Oddsmakers have labeled the Pittsburgh Pirates MLB's worst team. We're trusting their judgment.
OSB Prediction: St. Louis Cardinals (-205)
Take a look at this list of the best online sportsbooks so you can decide which one to use for all of your MLB betting:
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