The Baltimore Orioles made a splash over the weekend when they called up top prospect Adley Rutschman. This was a long time coming for the Oregon State product, who was drafted No. 1 overall in the 2019 MLB Draft by Baltimore.
If being taken with the top draft pick wasn’t enough to build buzz, Rutschman added to his major-league anticipation with an impressive 2021 campaign. The switch-hitting catcher slashed .271/.392/.508 at the Double-A level before being promoted to Triple-A. There, he put together a line of .312/.405/.490.
Combine his bat with defensive prowess behind the plate and it’s no surprise Rutschman was ranked as the No. 1 prospect heading into the 2022 season, according to multiple publications. Many hoped he would be on the Opening Day roster, but after 40 games, Rutschman finally got the call.
Now that he’s officially been introduced to the major leagues, Rutschman is being listed among the favorites for American League Rookie of the Year. But with mobile sports betting still not live in Maryland, the only option to place a bet on the annual award is at a retail sportsbook.
Below are the casinos in the state that offer in-person AL Rookie of the Year odds.
MGM National Harbor
The casino in Oxon Hill currently lists Rutschman with the fifth-best odds to win the award at +1000. As of Monday morning, these are the best odds among the five sportsbooks in Maryland.
Live! Hotel & Casino
Boasting the FanDuel logo, the sportsbook at Live! gives Rutschman +1200 odds to take home the hardware. Similar to BetMGM, the same four players are currently in front of him:
- Jeremy Pena (+250)
- Julio Rodriguez (+330)
- Joe Ryan (+600)
- Bobby Witt Jr. (+750)
Among other top American League prospects, Witt has struggled to start his career in Kansas City, while another former No. 1 pick Spencer Torkelson has also struggled in Detroit. Both have picked up the offensive output some in recent weeks, however.
Horseshoe Baltimore
For the fans in the city wanting to bet on Rutschman, Horsehoe Baltimore and Caesars are also giving him +1200 odds. With Camden Yards residing under a mile away from the casino, this would be one’s best chance to place a bet and then watch him live.
Oceans Downs Casino & Hollywood Casino Perryville
Both Ocean Downs and Hollywood Casino boast physical sportsbooks at their casinos in Berlin and Perryville, respectively. It’s likely that they also carry AL Rookie of the Year odds, though it wasn’t confirmed as of Monday morning.
How Rutschman has done so far
The hype is real surrounding Rustchman; just ask the Orioles. The team recorded an attendance of 17,573 for Saturday’s game. Nearly half of those, approximately 7,500 tickets, weren’t purchased until after it was announced that Rutschman was being called up that same morning.
Through two games, Rutschman has gone 2-for-8 at the plate. This included an exciting triple for his first career MLB hit. He also flashed his plate discipline by drawing a walk.
If you’re confident in Rutschman claiming the award, I’d move fast. Prior to his debut on Saturday, BetMGM gave him +2000 odds to win. As mentioned above, those odds currently sit at +1000 as of Monday morning. It won’t surprise anyone if those continue to improve as he gets more comfortable in the majors.
