Not every prediction right before the 2022 MLB season has gone according to plan. Sure, the Yankees and the Dodgers are still the teams to beat in their respective leagues, but there are several more intriguing developments that have unraveled in the first half of the season, particularly from ball clubs that are getting less attention compared to the big-market franchises.

Nitrobetting is ready to lend a hand to its bettors with their winning bets to be shot out of the park. This time, let’s take a quick break from the exciting baseball action and count down the three most surprising moments from the first half of the 2022 MLB season.

Top 3 Biggest Surprises from the First Half of the 2022 MLB Season

That’s a wrap for Round 1. #MLBDraft pic.twitter.com/SRSSF17X7k

— MLB (@MLB) July 18, 2022

AL East: The Division of Death

Not only is the American League East the home to the best team in the majors in the 64-win New York Yankees, but the division also enters the All-Star break with all five of its teams having a record of .500 or better. Obviously, the biggest shocker out of the bunch is the Baltimore Orioles, who’ve not had a winning record since their 2016 campaign but are right in the thick of the division race at 46-46.

Even if the O’s miss out on this year’s playoffs given the heated competition in the AL East standing alone, they still have a very bright future ahead. Baltimore even took shortstop Jackson Holliday (son of seven-time All-Star Matt Holliday) with the first-overall pick at this past weekend’s MLB Draft as a complementary weapon to the team’s other No. 1-overall pick from 2019 in rising catcher Adley Rutschman.

St. Louis Finally Strikes Gold with Goldschmidt

In 2019, the St. Louis Cardinals traded for perennial Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star Paul Goldschmidt. The decorated first baseman racked up six straight All-Star nods from 2013 to 2018 with the D-backs but failed to make the All-Star as a Cardinal, until now.

Not only is Goldschmidt currently having his best campaign since his final year in Arizona, but he’s also the current odds-on favorite at (-120) to win the 2022 NL MVP award. The 34-year-old veteran is slashing .330/.414/.590 with 20 home runs and 70 RBIs through 90 games to put him in a great position to win his first-ever Most Valuable Player of the Year award in his 11th season in the majors.

Is the Mariners’ Curse About to be Broken?

It’s been over two decades since the Seattle Mariners made the postseason, with their 21 seasons of futility being not just the worst playoff drought in the MLB, but also across all four major North-American sports leagues. But with an amazing surge up the standings prior to the All-Star Game, The M’s are finally poised to send the Emerald City back into the real hunt for the Fall Classic.

Seattle ended the first half of the 2022 MLB regular season on a sweet 14-game win streak and is nine games over .500 heading into the ASG. A huge part of the team’s success can be attributed to sensational rookie outfielder Julio Rodriguez, who’s hitting .275 with 16 home runs, 52 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases to date. Rodriguez is the current front-runner to win the AL Rookie of the Year award this season at (-303) as his sudden rise to stardom will be imperative for the Mariners’ main goal of returning to playoff relevancy right this very moment.

Where to Bet On the 2022 MLB All-Star Game and the 2022 MLB Home Run Derby With Bitcoin

The 2022 MLB All-Star Game and 2022 MLB Home Run Derby odds are available here at Nitrobetting. Create a Nitrobetting account now to start placing stakes on the intense daily baseball action from the Midsummer Classic all the way to the World Series itself!

This is just one of the many sports betting guides that you can read here at Nitrobetting news. Stay tuned for more NBA game previews and articles and don’t forget to check out the latest baseball betting odds on the sportsbook. *All stated odds are subject to change without prior notice.

READ MORE: 2022 MLB All-Star Game Odds & Preview