Last season, the Chicago Cubs finally broke the curse and won the World Series, but this time around they are only the fifth favourites to repeat that feat. The baseball season is entering its final stretch with less than 50 games left for all of the sides and we can now get a sense of who is going to the post season and who will likely to do well in the Playoffs. Below are the current World Series Winners odds on offer from Ladbrokes:
As you can see, the LA Dodgers are the current favourites to win the World Series at odds of 13/5 and there is a reason for that; they are the best team in baseball at the moment. The Dodgers have a record of 83-34 so far this season, and the only team in recent memory who have had a similar record is the Mariners in 2001. That Mariners team then lost in the first round of the Playoffs though, so they can’t count their chickens yet. Just because a team is well equipped to do well in the regular season doesn’t mean they will necessary do so well when it comes down to crunch of knock-out baseball. The Dodgers are heavily reliant on Mike Trout and if he isn’t on form when the Playoffs begin, they will struggle offensively.
Houston Astros are the other team in baseball who are the proud owners of a superb record, 72-45, and they are second favourites at 19/4. There’s just something about the Astros that makes me think they won’t quite manage it though. They have never won baseball’s biggest prize and you’d have to think that will affect them mentally when the Playoffs begin. Pitching could also be a problem for the Astros and despite being one of the best teams offensively in baseball, their pitching leaves a lot to be desired and I fancy this could cost them in the post season.
Next up are Boston Red Sox at 6/1. The Red Sox are one of the most famous names in baseball and they began the campaign as the second favourites, behind the Cubs, to win the World Series. Their odds have shortened from 10/1 to 6/1 and they look a solid bet heading into the stretch. One thing that could hold Red Sox back is their lack of Home Runs, but that matters less in the Playoffs when they are harder to come by. The Red Sox have good quality pitchers, an effective bullpen and a solid batting line up and at 6/1, they are worth a look.
Fellow American League East side, New York Yankees are available at much longer odds of 16/1 because it will be much harder for them to make the World Series due to being in the same league as the Red Sox. If the Yankees do make the Playoffs, I think they will have an excellent shot though. In Aaron Judge they have the best hitter in baseball this year and following the close of the trade window, they have the best bullpen in baseball. They lack a real ace pitcher, but I think they are perfectly set up for the big knockout games in the playoffs. Their biggest problem will be reaching that stage though and it will be a tough 6 weeks for the Yankees.
Overall, I think Boston Red Sox look like a good value bet at 6/1 and they would be the team I’d be going with at the moment. I think they have a stronger mentality than both the Dodgers and the Astros and that could help them over the line.