World Baseball Classic Best Bets, Predictions

World Baseball Classic Best Bets and Predictions

The World Baseball Classic is in full swing right now, and BetQL has you covered. While our model won't have best bets for this event, our experts here at BetQL will give their takes and what they are wagering on as the WBC progresses.

Let's take a look below at the WBC going forward and make some best bets for the rest of the Tournament.

WBC Championship Best Bet

We are finally leaving the group stage and are on to where the best of the best take on each other on the world stage. The United States managed to make it out of the group stage, even after that loss to Mexico, who also made it out of that group. The U.S drew Venezuela for their first game in the Quarterfinal, a team that will be tough to take down. Ronald Acuña Jr., Jose Altuve, Luis Arraez, Eugenio Suárez, Gleyber Torres, Andrés Giménez and the legendary Miguel Cabrera. However, they don't really have a strong pitching staff, and against a United States lineup that is simply incredible, it might be tough to beat them. I expect the U.S. to win that game and move on to the Semifinals.

Cuba and Japan have the two top spots in the WBC, and for good reason. The Cubans have Chicago White Sox teammates Yoán Moncada and Luis Robert Jr., alongside noted legends Yoenis Céspedes and Alfredo Despaigne, who holds the WBC record with seven home runs. Japan has Shohei Ohtani alongside Yu Darvish, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki in their pitching rotation. The lineup features Masataka Yoshida, Lars Nootbaar, Hotaka Yamakawa, Kazuma Okamoto and Munetaka Murakami. These two teams are really, really good to say the least.

To me, this tournament will come down to the United States and Japan, as I believe those are the two best teams left in the WBC. The United States has three former MVPs in Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, and Paul Goldschmidt, as well as other established superstars like Nolan Arenado, Trea Turner, J.T. Realmuto, Pete Alonso, and Tim Anderson. Devin Williams and Ryan Pressly are ace relievers in the bullpen. If their starting pitching can hold up, they can certainly win this thing. Japan is not to be underestimated, however. With that pitching staff and lineup they feature, the U.S. will have their work cut out for them.

Still, maybe I am just a homer, but the United States I believe has the best overall team. If Clayton Kershaw and Nestor Cortes had actually suited up for the WBC, I would be far more confident with that starting pitching, but that isn't the case. Japan certainly can beat them, but I still think the lineup for the U.S. is just better overall. After Edwin Diaz's injury the other night, this could be one of the last WBCs where you see MLB players competing out of fear of injury. So take it all in and enjoy before this becomes the Olympics where team USA basketball and hockey don't have any professionals on them.

You can get Team USA at +220 right now at DraftKings to win the WBC, and I think that is worth a shot.