Cleveland Guardians Futures Odds: Best Bets One Month into the Season

The Cleveland Guardians futures odds offer bettors profit potential. The Guardians trail the Minnesota Twins by 3 games heading into play on May 2, but an argument can be made in their favor.

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Cleveland Guardians +130 to Make MLB Playoffs

The primary reason to keep the Guardians in mind as a sleeper plus-money wager is the lack of quality in the American League Central. That’s not meant as shade toward the Twins, but the Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, and Kansas City Royals are light on resistance. On paper at least.

The Guardians are a team that could linger in the wild card race if light competition in the division keeps them afloat. Even with a balanced schedule, it’s worth consideration.

Guardians +240 to Win American League Central

If you’re bullish on the Guardians, it’s a good idea to shop around for AL Central championship odds. This is a market where odds may fluctuate enough to entice a wager.

Considering the production the Twins are receiving in the early going, especially from their starting rotation, the work is cut out for Cleveland. Naturally, that’s why bettors can wager on them at current plus-money MLB futures odds.

Can the Twins keep up the pace on the mound? If you anticipate their arms coming back to earth this summer, it could be worth looking into the value Guardians futures present.

Jose Ramirez +2100 to Win AL MVP Award

The Guardians’ success hinges heavily on the offensive output of 3B Jose Ramirez, a dark horse AL MVP candidate. Though we’ll stop short of making it a pick.

Ramirez doesn’t need to win the MVP for the Guardians to claim a playoff berth, but he certainly needs to play at an MVP level. Ramirez is off to a very good start at the dish. He’s getting on base at a high clip, providing pop, and pressuring defenses on the basepaths.

It’s the type of well-rounded production the Guardians need from their talisman.

Shane Bieber +4000 to Win AL Cy Young Award; Top Prospect Looming

Bieber has a Cy Young to his name, but the early indication is 2023 won’t bring a second. That’s not to diminish the quality work he has produced a month into the season.

It will certainly help the Guardians’ cause if Bieber hits another dominant run like he did in 2020, but the organization historically does a good job of developing quality pitching from within. So he doesn’t need to shoulder the full weight of Cleveland’s postseason hopes.

Newcomer Tanner Bibee whiffed eight Colorado Rockies in his big league debut. Meanwhile, top pitching prospect Daniel Espino continues to progress toward a return to the mound and perhaps a late-summer debut.

People wagering on MLB prop bets should keep two things in mind in regard to Espino. 

In a vacuum, electric young pitchers can often hit the ground running over a second-half stretch. Atlanta’s Spencer Strider posted a 2.77 ERA with 165 punchouts over 107.1 innings from May 30 to September 18 (granted, that’s a little longer than a “second half stretch”), helping the Braves walk down the Mets for the division crown.

However, in reality, Espino is unlikely to see that degree of work in 2023. He’s working his way back from a muscle strain and capsule tear in his shoulder, so the organization will likely be cautious with its prized arm. 

It’s risky to place any wagers banking on Espino’s presumptive late-season call-up. Bettors should still keep tabs on his recovery and progress though. You never know when even a small spark can change a division landscape.

— Article contributed by Craig Williams