Best bet to win each American League division
Opening Day is less than two weeks away, which means time is running out to grab the best preseason values for each of MLB's six divisions.
Let's start with the American League, where just one of the three favorites is worth betting at their current odds.
AL East
| TEAM | ODDS |
|---|---|
| New York Yankees | -200 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | +350 |
| Tampa Bay Rays | +400 |
| Boston Red Sox | +3000 |
| Baltimore Orioles | +6000 |
If you think the Yankees are perennial division winners, you may want to check the record books in recent years. New York has claimed just one AL East crown in the last eight seasons, and it finished seven games back of the Rays in 2020 despite entering the year as a -300 favorite to win the division.
Tampa Bay has taken a clear step back after a near-title run, but the Yankees have done little to improve from last year, which makes it tough to stomach this price. Yes, Aaron Boone's club can hit with the best of 'em, and a healthy roster should outperform the injury-riddled 2020 squad. But does this team have the pitching outside of Gerrit Cole to trust at such short odds?
Instead, I'm taking a shot on the Blue Jays, who added George Springer and Marcus Semien to an already talented lineup that has a chance to blossom in 2021. If Toronto's cast of capable but inconsistent starters can flash in the right spots, you'll get your money's worth at this price.
Pick: Blue Jays +350
AL Central
| TEAM | ODDS |
|---|---|
| Chicago White Sox | -140 |
| Minnesota Twins | +140 |
| Cleveland Indians | +700 |
| Kansas City Royals | +4500 |
| Detroit Tigers | +5000 |
Anybody who's followed along the past year knows how much I love this White Sox roster, and it's even better now with Lance Lynn joining the fray as another legit ace to complement Lucas Giolito, Dallas Keuchel, and new closer Liam Hendriks.
That's to say nothing of Chicago's lineup, which is one of the best in all of baseball. Luis Robert, Yoan Moncada, Jose Abreu, and Yasmani Grandal are all MVP contenders, and the first two could be due for breakout seasons as under-26 studs. This team should have won the division a year ago before collapsing down the stretch; expect a stronger showing this time around.
Pick: White Sox -140
AL West
| TEAM | ODDS |
|---|---|
| Oakland Athletics | +120 |
| Houston Astros | +125 |
| Los Angeles Angels | +400 |
| Seattle Mariners | +4000 |
| Texas Rangers | +4500 |
The Athletics won the division title a season ago and have spent years being overlooked in the futures market. This isn't one of those years. Oakland lost Semien and Hendriks in the offseason and didn't do enough to replace the production left behind from those two stars.
Meanwhile, the Astros added former Twins ace Jake Odorizzi to a rotation that could emerge as one of the best in the majors if Jose Urquidy and Cristian Javier take the next step. This lineup is also loaded - you may not like Alex Bregman, Carlos Correa, Jose Altuve, and Co., but it's hard to bet against them.
Houston has a 57.5% chance of winning this division, per Fangraphs, which shows some of the anti-Astros bias that might still be baked into these odds. Take advantage while you can.
Pick: Astros +125
(Odds source: theScore Bet)
C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.