The Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers entered the season as two of the favourites to win the World Series. So far, they haven’t disappointed, either. As we approach the end of June, the two teams lead all of baseball with 48 wins and both are still favoured to win the World Series. Are they a good bet, though?
Let’s take a look at those MLB teams, their sports betting odds and the other chief contenders for a World Series ring.
The Favourites
Houston (+275) has lived up to expectations with the most wins in the majors through 73 games. The fact that the Astros have been so good with All-Star talents like Carlos Correa and George Springer sidelined is a testament to both their talent and depth. The expectation is that this team will be even better once everyone is healthy.
In the National League, the Dodgers (+275) have also been very impressive. They’ve already established a 5.5-game lead atop the National League and are an incredible 27-8 record at home. Hyun-Jin Ryu has been one of the best pitchers in all of baseball with a 1.35 ERA and with Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler and Kenta Maeda filling out the starting staff, it’s clear the Dodgers have one of the best rotations in all of baseball. Their offence has been stellar too, as Cody Bellinger is up to 22 home runs in the midst of an MVP campaign. The question is whether or not this team can deliver in October as they’ve fallen short in their quest for a ring in recent years.
One of the early surprises of the season is the Minnesota Twins (+700), who have shot up the futures board. The jury is still out on how far this team can go but it’s clear this team is no fluke. They have a ton of power in the lineup as Jorge Polanco, Max Kepler, C.J. Cron, Eddie Rosario and Byron Buxton have led the way for the highest scoring offence in the majors.
Speaking of power in the lineup, the New York Yankees (+700) were supposed to have that but their roster has been sapped by injuries. Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge and Didi Gregorius are among the bats that have missed significant time. The fact that the Yankees own the best record in the American League East should be considered absolutely shocking when you consider the injuries that they have overcome.
The Longer Shots
The Atlanta Braves (+1000) are on fire right now as they’ve won 10 of their last 11 games to claim first place in the National League East. This is a young team that’s improving by the day. The Chicago Cubs (+1400) and Tampa Bay Rays (+1400) have both been streaky, but both are currently less than 1.5 games from a playoff spot.
The only other teams inside of 20/1 are the Philadelphia Phillies (+1600), Milwaukee Brewers (+1600) and Boston Red Sox (+1600). The defending champions have mostly been a .500 team this year, but are currently riding their longest winning streak of the season. Following Monday’s win over Minnesota, they have now won six in a row to improve to a season-best six games over .500. They’re still 5.5 games out of first place in the American League East. However, we’ll see if the champs can carry that momentum from this hot stretch into the summer and make a push for the playoffs.