Who will win the Residence Run Derby? Odds, betting favorites, greatest bets for MLB's 2021 contest

The Residence Run Derby returns with a bang after being canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Per common, the competitors is extensive open, and bettors are licking their chops on the odds on a few of these energy hitters.

Shohei Ohtani is the one competitor who ranks within the prime 5 amongst MLB’s dwelling run leaders as of this writing, however there nonetheless is loads of pop on this yr’s derby area. Mets slugger Pete Alonso is again to defend his 2019 title and gamers resembling Joey Gallo, Matt Olson and Salvador Perez will struggle for the title as effectively.

In fact, Ohtani is the largest draw as his 32 homers led the majors by July 8. However after seeing the No. 1 seed bow out in three consecutive occasions, are you able to belief Ohtani to win this yr’s derby? Or are there higher worth picks for bettors to give attention to?

Right here is an in-depth have a look at the chances and Sporting Information’ greatest bets for the 2021 Residence Run Derby.

MORE: Who declined invites to the 2021 Residence Run Derby?

2021 Residence Run Derby odds

All odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook

Eight gamers are collaborating within the 2021 Residence Run Derby, and Shohei Ohtani (+380) is the favourite to emerge because the victor. Ohtani led MLB with 32 homers and a .700 slugging share by July 8.

Joey Gallo (+475), Pete Alonso (+550), Matt Olson (+650) and Salvador Perez (+650) all verify in with mid-tier odds. Alonso, the No. 5 seed, is the one lower-seeded participant to be favored in his opening-round matchup; he’ll tackle the No. 4-seeded Perez.

Trevor Story (+800), Juan Soto (+800) and Trey Mancini (+850) are all thought-about lengthy photographs to win the occasion.

2021 Residence Run Derby knowledgeable picks

Finest picks to win 2021 Residence Run Derby

Joey Gallo (+475). Gallo is in a positive state of affairs forward of the 2021 Residence Run Derby. He’s the No. 2 seed within the area and landed on what seems to be the simpler aspect of the bracket. The Rangers’ star will face off towards Trevor Story in Spherical 1 earlier than dealing with the winner of the Matt Olson vs. Trey Mancini battle. Gallo ought to have a leg up on all three of these hitters.

Gallo has hit 23 homers this season and is tied for the league lead in no-doubt homers with 16, per BaseballSavant.com. The opposite gamers to succeed in that mark are Shohei Ohtani, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Mike Zunino. Extra impressively, Gallo’s 69.6 no-doubt homer share ranks sixth amongst gamers with at the least 15 homers on the yr. 

So, when Gallo hits homers, he launches them. Moreover, he has homered 10 occasions in his final 10 video games. He is rounding into kind on the proper time and if he stays sizzling, he ought to have a fantastic probability to win his aspect of the bracket. The ultimate could be a little bit of a toss-up no matter who Gallo performs, however he can compete with anybody on this area.

Pete Alonso (+550). Choosing Alonso over Ohtani on the left aspect of the bracket is a danger, however pretty much as good as Ohtani has been, the numbers recommend that the 2019 Residence Run Derby champion might problem him.

Alonso has clubbed simply 15 homers thus far this season, however like Gallo, they’ve been of the convincing selection. Eleven of his 15 lengthy balls have been no-doubt homers. His no-doubt homer share of 73.3 ranks second-best amongst gamers with at the least 15 homers on the yr and first among the many eight derby members.

Moreover, Alonso’s exit velocity topped out at 117.1 this season. That is the sixth-highest max exit velocity amongst MLB gamers, and he trails solely Ohtani (119) amongst derby members for the lead in that class.

Although Alonso’s path to the ultimate is daunting — he’ll must knock off Salvador Perez and the winner of the Ohtani vs. Juan Soto battle to get there — he is an efficient worth decide to win. His energy and power paint a positive image for him. So does his earlier derby expertise, as he hit 57 homers in the course of the 2019 occasion.

Finest prop bets for the 2021 Residence Run Derby

Prime prop bets will likely be posted as they change into out there.

Size of longest homer — OVER 512.5 ft (-110). This would possibly seem to be a ridiculously excessive quantity, however a participant might surpass this mark in 2021. Coors Discipline is a hitter-friendly park and if MLB makes use of juiced baseballs for this occasion, it might trigger the ball to hold even additional on the ballpark.

In the course of the Statcast Period (since 2015), there was one 500-foot homer launched at Coors Discipline. That got here off the bat of Giancarlo Stanton in 2016 and traveled 504 ft. In 2021, the longest homer at Coors Discipline was hit by Ryan McMahon. It traveled 478 ft with an exit velocity of 109.4 mph. It’s the fourth-longest homer in MLB this season.

On the 1998 Residence Run Derby which additionally happened in Denver, Mark McGuire slugged a ball 510 ft. It was the longest homer hit at that occasion.

None of those numbers eclipse the brink we’re searching for, however they nonetheless are among the many longest homers we have seen in current seasons. And it is value noting that two of them happened throughout regular-season video games the place it is tougher to hit lengthy homers.

In a glorified batting apply occasion just like the Residence Run Derby, gamers will definitely have an opportunity to crush the ball and ship it flying into Colorado’s evening sky. And this yr’s contest options two gamers that rank within the prime six of most exit velocity: Ohtani (119 mph) and Alonso (117.1 mph). So, they need to be capable of hit a few of the longest homers the Residence Run Derby has seen.

Even a College of Illinois physics professor thinks many blasts will journey over 500 ft in the course of the derby.

“In the course of the Residence Run Derby, there’ll in all probability be a variety of photographs over 500 ft, actually many near 500 ft is my guess,” Nathan stated, per The Denver Put up.

Even when a ball would not fairly cross the 512.5-foot mark, it seems to be like gamers might get very near it. As such, it is value investing within the over.

Participant with probably the most dwelling runs — Shohei Ohtani (+500). It is a good strategy to get some motion in on Ohtani with out selecting him to win. He is on the more durable aspect of the bracket, however he ought to have an opportunity to hit quite a lot of homers, as he has a few of the greatest pure energy and exit velocity of this stacked group. 

Final yr, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit probably the most homers within the derby (91) however nonetheless misplaced as a result of Alonso outhit him within the last. Ohtani might do one thing related, particularly if he will get right into a tiebreak towards Soto or within the second spherical — if he advances that far.

When you’re betting Gallo and Alonso to win, this can be a good strategy to hedge that. As a result of if Ohtani does win the derby, he’ll in all probability hit probably the most homers. The chances listed below are higher than betting him to win outright anyway, so this can be a good worth.

Matt Olson (-175) to beat Trey Mancini. It is arduous to root towards Mancini, who has put collectively an All-Star marketing campaign after lacking a yr whereas battling colon most cancers, however the numbers on this matchup display that Olson is the higher decide.

Solely 5 of Mancini’s 15 homers on the yr have been no-doubt homers. That 33.3 % charge is definitely the worst of the derby area. Moreover, Olson produces larger exit velocity than Mancini — Olson averages 92 mph and Mancini averages 88.5 mph — and has 37 barreled balls on the yr, the seventh-most in MLB. Mancini, conversely, has 31 and ranks nineteenth.

Mancini can compete with Olson, but when the A’s slugger has a great evening, he ought to dispatch Mancini. Neither is prone to get previous potential second-round foe Joey Gallo, however Olson is the higher guess to emerge from this first-round matchup.

What number of dwelling runs will likely be hit in 2021 Residence Run Derby?

DraftKings at present has the over/underneath on whole dwelling runs hit set at 204.5. Bettors will definitely wish to lean on the over there.

Because the Residence Run Derby modified codecs from an outs-based competitors to a time-based competitors, gamers have hit growing numbers of homers nearly yearly. In actual fact, homers have elevated yr to yr in all however one of many final 5 occasions underneath the brand new guidelines.

The 2019 derby’s quantity was inflated by the 79-homer battle between Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Joc Pederson that took three tiebreakers to settle. It may be arduous for the 2021 derby to eclipse the 311 determine with out related tiebreak luck.

Nonetheless, the occasion ought to produce numerous homers and will close to 300 if all goes effectively. Coors Discipline is without doubt one of the most hitter-friendly environments within the league and MLB might select to make use of juiced baseballs to create extra dwelling runs.

Both approach, viewers can as soon as once more count on to see many lengthy balls fly by the skinny Denver air.