MLB Win Totals: Pirates a Popular Pick for 2023
Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images. Pictured: Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz
The early popular pick in MLB win totals out of the National League isn't a top contender like the Braves, Dodgers or Padres.
Rather, it's the Pirates — who lost 100 games last season — drawing the most action at Caesars Sportsbook to go over their win total.
The shop opened the Pirates' win total at 61.5, the second-lowest clip in baseball after the Athletics (59.5).
Following a series of four-figure bets and a ton of interest, Pittsburgh's over/under is on the move.
Caesars' Max Meyer reported Friday that 93.5% of win total tickets and 99.6% of the dollars at the shop are locked in on the Pirates over — that includes 17 bets north of $1,000, yet again the most of any team for 2023 win totals.
Pittsburgh's over/under has since shot up a full 5.5 wins to 67, surpassing the Nationals (60), Rockies (66) and Reds (66) in the process.
“We had a few customers last year who bet on the under at whatever number we put up for the Pirates. So I wanted to make it a low number this year," Caesars lead MLB trader Eric Biggio said, per Meyer.
"I see the argument on the over with Oneil Cruz and a few of the other young guys, and the division isn’t the toughest either.”
Pittsburgh's fresh off a 62-100 regular season, tying the Reds for worst clip in the NL Central.
The franchise has been about as far from contention as any in baseball over the last few years. The Pirates have finished with a bottom-four win percentage in the majors each of the last three years, including the single worst over the shortened 2020 campaign.
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