Peter Lewis
With more than one month of the Major League Baseball season being completed thus far, we have really seen some players go above and beyond what was expected of them. That’s the case for New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso, as he has been nothing short of sensational in 2023. Alonso has always been known for his incredible power. It’s on full display early this campaign. With this, Pete Alonso is the new favorite to hit the most home runs in 2023.
This is a bit of a surprise, as Aaron Judge entered the campaign with the top MLB betting odds to repeat as the home-run king. Last season, Judge took home AL MVP honors after he hit 62 dingers, setting the new American League record. After inking his nine-year, $360 million contract, a lot of people expected Judge to be back at a top level in ’23. That’s been the case, but Alonso has been even more brilliant.
| HR leader odds |  |  |  |  |
| Alonso to win | +270 | +270 | +270 | +270 |
| Judge to win | +350 | +350 | +350 | +350 |
| Devers to win | +500 | +500 | +500 | +500 |
| Trout to win | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
“He shows up every damn day,” Mets manager Buck Showalter said of Alonso via an interview with MLB.com. “All he does is want to play. He doesn’t rest on his laurels, because he doesn’t rest, period. Because if he’s sitting down, he can’t collide with another baseball that ends up somewhere where they can’t catch it.”
According to the best-rated sportsbooks, which includes the reliable Bovada review, Alonso holds +270 MLB betting odds to hit the most dingers this season. Judge is right behind him at +350, while Boston Red Sox slugger Rafael Devers comes in at No. 3 at +500. While it wouldn’t surprise us in the slightest if Alonso comes out on top as the HR champion, we think someone else will be able to claim that honor.
Pete Alonso is already up to TEN HRs on the Year.
Will he pass Aaron Judge’s 62? pic.twitter.com/IiNQYprPWK
— Barstool Baseball (@StoolBaseball) April 22, 2023
Rafael Devers is our pick to hit the most homers in the bigs this season
Believe it or not, Rafael Devers is our pick to hit the most homers in the bigs this season. Devers is having an incredible season thus far, as he’s tied for second in the MLB with 10 homers – Alonso has the same amount. They’re both chasing Max Muncy of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who has 11. Devers is the heart and soul of the Red Sox, a team that continues to go through its rebuild.
It has been a tough campaign for Boston, as they’re 15-14 on the year. They’re tied with the Yankees for last place in the AL East, which no one expected for early May. As bad as things have been for the Sox, Devers continues to be the face of the organization, as his bat won’t stop recording moonshot blasts. With the way Devers has been playing, he has solidified himself as one of the best corner infielders in the game.
– David Ortiz homers after 2,809 at-bats: 149.
– Rafael Devers homers after 2,809 at-bats: 149. pic.twitter.com/NVgccte52s
— Héctor Gómez (@hgomez27) May 1, 2023
What has hurt Devers a bit of late, though, is that he’s dealing with a hamstring issue. This has led to him being placed on the 10-Day Injured List. However, the good news is that the injury is not expected to be serious. His betting odds would surely decrease if he was expected to miss a significant amount of time. The same can be said for Judge, who is currently dealing with a hip issue for the Yankees.
Boston will rely on Devers to try and sneak into the postseason
It goes without saying, but Boston will rely on Devers to try and sneak into the postseason. Things haven’t gone according to plan for the Red Sox, as they’re surely on the outside looking in already for playoff contention. With their poor record, which sits right around .500, Boston really needs to pick things up if they want to try and keep their campaign going past the regular season.
All eyes will be on Devers to make that happen. Outside of the Orioles, the Red Sox hold the worst odds to win the AL East. Normally this time of the year, fans are checking the World Series betting odds to see how things are stacking up for Boston. Instead, folks are focused on the Wild Card, as it’s the best chance the Red Sox have of making the playoffs.
With the Yankees, they’re probably looking at the Wild Card as well, as the Rays have emerged as the top dogs to win the division. It’s a bit shocking to see both the Yankees and Red Sox in this position, but it’s how things have looked this spring. Devers will do everything in his power to make sure Boston doesn’t miss out on the postseason once again this year.
