Ben Rice Is ALREADY Crushing 16 Homers and Nobody in the AL Is Ready For It

Alright, Emerald City, listen up! While our Mariners are battling every single night at T-Mobile Park, we gotta keep an eye on the bigger picture across the league. Some wild stuff starts popping off with these early season trends, and if you're a smart fan, you're tracking it. We're talking about those sweet long-shot bets, or "futures," that can make a whole season even more interesting. I've been watching closely, and there are three MLB picks right now with some serious upside, especially if you get in early!

Those Annoying Dodgers Are Still Unstoppable

Yeah, yeah, I know. It kills us to talk about those guys down south, but if we're being honest, the Los Angeles Dodgers are still the team to beat in the National League. Even after that rough patch in late April and early May where they dropped nine games in a 13-game stretch, they're still leading their division. They've got the second-best record in the entire NL, which is just infuriatingly good.

Their pitching staff is nasty, rocking the second-best ERA in the NL, leading the league in WHIP, and holding opponents to the second-lowest OBA. They've given up the fourth-fewest dingers, too. And offensively? Forget about it. They've got the best OPS, second-best batting average, and second-most home runs. Seriously, it's hard to find a weakness. Look, I'm not saying you *have* to root for them, but if you're thinking about a future wager for the NL winner, getting them at plus money odds might not last.

Ben Rice Is Making Aaron Judge Look Like Yesterday's News

Now, for something in the American League that *really* caught my eye: Ben Rice. We all remember Aaron Judge's insane season last year, right? Crushing 53 home runs, a .688 slugging percentage, .331 batting average, .457 OBP, and an unbelievable 1.145 OPS. Dude was the total package and a clear AL MVP. But this season? Judge is looking more like a power guy and less like that all-around monster. He's still hitting home runs, but the full package isn't there, at least not yet.

Enter Ben Rice. This dude is not just keeping pace, he's *leading* the AL in slugging percentage and OPS. Get this, he's tied for second in the AL with 16 home runs! Sixteen! If that keeps up, his +1900 AL MVP odds are a STEAL. Imagine the bragging rights if he snags that award!

Will Venable Has the White Sox Looking Dangerous (Yes, *Those* White Sox)

Okay, stay with me on this one. It's easy to just hand the AL Manager of the Year award to someone like Kevin Cash, whose Rays are leading the AL East and straight up beating the Yankees. But what about Will Venable? This man has taken the Chicago White Sox, a team that's been a perennial doormat, and in his second year as manager, he's got them looking like a wild card contender.

Speaking of the White Sox, remember how our Mariners just handled them, winning 5-4 at home in a tight one? Our boys got it done! As for Venable's crew, they're sitting at 25-24 right now. Yeah, the season could still go south, for sure. But if Venable keeps that up, leading them to even a wild card spot from where they started? That's a massive accomplishment that voters should absolutely recognize. Grabbing him at +460 odds could be smart money if you believe in that turnaround.

So while we're keeping tabs on these league-wide stories and potential future payouts, let's keep that T-Mobile Park energy high for our Mariners. Every game matters, especially with those early season trends taking shape. Let's see if our boys can keep making their own headlines, because that's what truly matters in the Emerald City! Go M's!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.