Posted on September 30, 2019, by Bryan Zarpentine
The 2019 MLB regular season is in the books and there’s only 10 teams left in the running for the World Series. Before the playoffs get underway with Tuesday’s National League Wild Card Game, let’s check out each team’s odds of winning the 2019 World Series.
Astros, +190
After adding Zack Greinke at the trade deadline, there’s never been a question about the Astros being the top betting favorite to win their second championship in three years. Houston’s rotation will be hard to match in a 7-game series. They also have a potent lineup despite questions about Carlos Correa’s health. Plus, the bullpen is no longer a liability the way it was two years ago when they were able to overcome a modest group of relievers to win it all.
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Dodgers +250
After back-to-back trips to the Fall Classic, the Dodgers remain the team to beat in the National League. The depth they have in their lineup and coming off the bench may be better than any other team in baseball. The key will be getting all of their starters pitching well at the same time. There are also some lingering questions about the bullpen after closer Kenley Jansen had a modest season. However, the Dodgers slugged their way to the pennant in two straight years and they’re more than capable of doing it again.
Yankees, +350
There are a couple of lingering health questions, but the Yankees are close to as healthy as they’ve been all year. Most of their big bats are healthy, and more importantly, so is Luis Severino, who has looked great in three starts. Severino gives the Yankees the true ace they’ve been missing all season, giving them a huge boost if they hope to topple the Astros in the ALCS.
Braves, +600
The Braves might be in that dark horse sweet spot with regard to betting odds. There could be an issue with injuries and a lack of depth, as the Braves are missing a few bench players and had some key players nursing injuries the last week of the season. However, the Atlanta bullpen got better at the trade deadline and the rotation is better and deeper than most people realize, making them a legitimate threat.
Twins, +1300
The Twins shouldn’t be overlooked, although they are heavily reliant on their power. Minnesota’s rotation may not be good enough to win a 7-game series, and if top-level postseason pitching causes a power outage in their lineup, the Twins may not have a Plan B for winning playoff games.
Cardinals, +1400
Among the six division winners, St. Louis has flown under the radar the most during the regular season. The Cardinals are solid all around and intriguing because they aren’t reliant on one part of their roster carrying them more than the others. However, that also means they might need everything clicking at once in order to advance.
Nationals, +1400
Washington is favored in the NL Wild Card Game, and if they survive that, they may have the best rotation on the National League side of the bracket. The Nationals are also capable of putting some runs on the board. However, Washington’s bullpen has been a problem all year, and with such an emphasis on the bullpen during the postseason, that’s one flaw the Nats may not be able to overcome.
Athletics, +1600
If the A’s can survive the Wild Card Game, it’ll be fascinating to watch them in the ALDS and beyond. They have six viable starters and a ton of electric arms in the bullpen, so the pitching staff is deep. The A’s can also slug it out with the best of them, making them a dangerous team in the American League.
Brewers, +1700
The Brewers were supposed to fall apart without Christian Yelich, right? Well, that hasn’t happened, and Milwaukee was the hottest team in September even without Yelich. The Brewers can still score runs, but it remains to be seen if their pitching staff is as deep as it was a year ago when it carried them deep into October.
Rays, +2000
Getting Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow back in September changes everything for the Rays. But only if they can survive the Wild Card Game with Oakland. The pitching is there if those two are healthy, and the Rays might have just enough hitting to make things interesting if they can reach the ALDS.