Best bets to win the World Series
Opening Day is finally here, and the hype trains accompanying (almost) all 30 teams will finally get some fuel when the season opens Thursday. That means the window to buy low on baseball's best values is closing.
Here are the updated World Series odds and our favorite bets to win it.
TEAM | ODDS |
---|---|
Los Angeles Dodgers | +350 |
New York Yankees | +500 |
San Diego Padres | +700 |
Atlanta Braves | +900 |
Chicago White Sox | +900 |
New York Mets | +1000 |
Tampa Bay Rays | +1500 |
Minnesota Twins | +1800 |
St. Louis Cardinals | +1800 |
Houston Astros | +2000 |
Toronto Blue Jays | +2000 |
Oakland Athletics | +2200 |
Chicago Cubs | +3000 |
Cincinnati Reds | +3500 |
Cleveland Indians | +3500 |
Philadelphia Phillies | +3500 |
Los Angeles Angels | +4000 |
Washington Nationals | +4500 |
Milwaukee Brewers | +5000 |
Miami Marlins | +6000 |
Boston Red Sox | +7000 |
Arizona Diamondbacks | +8500 |
Texas Rangers | +10000 |
Kansas City Royals | +11000 |
San Francisco Giants | +11500 |
Colorado Rockies | +12500 |
Detroit Tigers | +12500 |
Seattle Mariners | +13500 |
Baltimore Orioles | +15000 |
Pittsburgh Pirates | +30000 |
Houston Astros (+2000)
The Astros are caught in a love-hate relationship heading into the season. The market seems to hate Houston, which is priced as the 10th-best team in the majors with an implied 5% chance to win it all. The analytics love the 'Stros - Fangraphs gives Houston a 6.6% chance of winning the World Series, while FiveThirtyEight sets the number at 8%.
That gap is probably influenced by the mass loathing toward the Astros after their cheating scandal, but don't let that take away from real value here. Houston's lineup lost George Springer but returns injured young star Yordan Alvarez to an order full of bona fide stars, while the team added Jake Odorizzi to a staff full of upside arms - some with Cy Young potential.
With the Athletics taking a step back this offseason, the Astros should be the favorites in the AL West. And we've all seen what this team can do in the postseason.
Cleveland Indians (+3500)
Is this the year the Indians finally make good on preseason expectation? They nearly did so a year ago when Shane Bieber's heroic Cy Young campaign helped carry Cleveland to the playoffs for the fourth time in five years.
That's where the team's offense let it down, as it got blanked in a wild-card loss to the Yankees. Still, there are reasons to expect some positive regression for the Indians' order, which had a solid approach but was dragged down by a miserable BABIP (.277).
Cleveland's rotation was the best in the bigs last year and is primed to continue its recent dominance. Bieber is back after lighting the world on fire in 2020, and the likes of Aaron Civale, Zach Plesac, and Triston McKenzie could all ascend to stardom if things break right. Elite pitching wins in the postseason, which makes this team one of my favorite preseason buys.
Milwaukee Brewers (+5000)
What more is there to say about the Brewers, our favorite pick to win the NL pennant and one of my top long shots to win it all?
Milwaukee's rotation is headlined by two legitimate Cy Young contenders in Brandon Woodruff and Corbin Burnes, who combined for a 2.63 ERA and 1.005 WHIP in 133 1/3 innings in 2020. They're supported by two of the game's best relievers in Josh Hader and Devin Williams and a deep stable of guys who can fill both roles.
The biggest question mark is the Brewers' lineup, which scored the fifth-fewest runs in 2020. A key reason for their offensive struggles was Christian Yelich's down year, though there's little reason to expect the former MVP won't get back to his old ways in a full season. If he does, you'll be glad you bought early.
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.