MLB Restart : Dates and Details
— “Spring Training” will start July 3 and the season will start July 24.
— Teams will play a 60-game regular season.
— In an attempt to limit travel, teams will play 40 games against their division (10 games against each team) and 20 games against the opposite league’s geographical divisional rival.
— While there was some talk that the MLB could restructure divisions for the shortened season, it appears that won’t be the case. Divisions will remain the same.
— There will be a universal DH.
— All extra-inning games will start with a runner on second base.
— Roster sizes will start at 30 players until the 15th day of the season, move to 28 players until the 28th day, and then 26 players for the remainder of the season.
— MLB has the right to relocate teams during the regular season to neutral sites for health and safety reasons.
— All players can elect to opt-out of the season but only those players classified as high-risk will still receive full pro-rated pay.
MLB Restart DFS and Sports Betting Tips
Based on the information we currently have, here are a few DFS and sports betting takeaways:
— A smaller sample size inevitably leads to higher variance. Keep this in mind when eyeing up season-long future bets. In divisions that were already up for grabs, there should be even more value on underdogs at plus-money.
— Keep your eyes open to see if books will offer odds for season-long awards, specifically for pitchers. While the season, in general, will be a smaller sample than usual, we’ll be dealing with an especially small sample for starting pitchers who may max out at only 12 games started. A second-tier pitcher getting hot for a two-month stretch and winning the Cy Young (if they award it this season) is not out of the question.
— Expanded rosters to start the season will influence how managers handle their starting pitchers. While we are already used to starting pitchers on a shorter leash to start a season, we may see that even more exaggerated this year. In general, expect less production out of your starting pitcher to start the season until they are fully ramped up and roster sizes are reduced.
— Implementing a universal DH will have both betting and DFS implications. We should see more runs scored in the National League so keep an eye on betting totals to start the year – here may be some value to had in NL overs to start the season.
— The addition of the DH in the NL will also impact a starting pitchers’ overall projection. In general, we can expect fewer strikeouts, increased earned runs, and increased innings pitched.