With pitchers and catchers getting ready to report to their team’s designated spring training facility in Florida or Arizona later this month, it is time for sports bettors to put baseball back on the radar screen.
One of the first steps in that process involves a closer look at 5Dimes’ MLB futures odds to win the 2019 World Series.
2019 MLB World Series Championship Futures – Top Favorites
The American League’s Boston Red Sox completed one of the most dominant “gate to wire” runs to last season’s MLB World Series title in recent memory. Leading the AL East Division race all season long, they carried that momentum into the postseason all the way to a 4-1 series victory against the National League’s Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2018 best-of-seven World Series.
The Red Sox are at the top of the list again as +575 favorites to repeat. The one thing you can count on with this team is constant change. Boston has never been content to rest on its laurels going back to its run to a world title in 2004. The Red Sox won it all again in 2007 ahead of two more World Series victories in 2013 and 2018. One area of weakness heading into spring training is their bullpen, but there is still plenty of time to fill that void before the games start counting for real.
You can also add the Houston Astros to the “Top Favorites” category as +600 second-favorites. They are just one season removed from their 4-3 series victory against the Dodgers in the 2017 MLB World Series. Most of the pieces from last year’s 103-59 regular season record remain. The Astros are heavy favorites to win the AL West against this season which already puts them in an excellent position for an AL Pennant run. There are still some holes to fill, but the addition of Michael Brantley is a big step in the right direction on offense. Houston could still use some pitching help to close the gap with Boston.
2019 MLB World Series Championship – Top Contenders
You would have to put the Dodgers at the top of this list as +700 third-favorites to finally break through against the AL in the Fall Classic. They are clearly the class of the NL given the overall roster they bring into spring training. Getting over the psychological disappointment of back-to-back losses in the World Series could be this team’s biggest hurdle in 2019. This is another franchise that is not afraid to make big moves with personnel to improve its chances to win such as landing Bryce Harper. There are some holes in the bullpen that need to be filled, but it is hard to see Los Angeles in any other position than first in the NL West this season.
Moving down the list, the New York Yankees are next at +750. Playing as the best wild card team in the Majors in quite some time, they still face the challenge of getting past the best MLB division title winner. If the Yankees can land Manny Machado as a top free agent, that could shift the balance of power in the AL East in their favor.
MLB futures odds for few more top contenders to win the 2019 World Series starts with the Washington Nationals at +950, but the unknown impact of losing Harper does drain some value from that number. The Chicago Cubs are sixth on the list at +1100 followed by the Cleveland Indians at +1400. Each team should be favored to win its respective division title to add some value to its betting odds.
Joining the Indians at +1400 are the Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals. Of the three, the top value lies with the Braves coming off last season’s surprising run to the NL East Division crown.
Odds To Win The 2019 World Series – Posted Feb 26, 2019 at MyBookie Sportsbook
- ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS +6000
- ATLANTA BRAVES +1400
- BALTIMORE ORIOLES +60000
- BOSTON RED SOX +600
- CHICAGO CUBS +1200
- CHICAGO WHITE SOX +7500
- CINCINNATI REDS +7000
- CLEVELAND INDIANS +1400
- COLORADO ROCKIES +2000
- DETROIT TIGERS +25000
- HOUSTON ASTROS +600
- KANSAS CITY ROYALS +25000
- LOS ANGELES ANGELS +5000
- LOS ANGELES DODGERS +700
- MIAMI MARLINS +35000
- MILWAUKEE BREWERS +1300
- MINNESOTA TWINS +5000
- NEW YORK METS +2200
- NEW YORK YANKEES +600
- OAKLAND ATHLETICS +2500
- PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES +1200
- PITTSBURGH PIRATES +7000
- SAN DIEGO PADRES +5000
- SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS +12000
- SEATTLE MARINERS +6000
- ST LOUIS CARDINALS +1400
- TAMPA BAY RAYS +3500
- TEXAS RANGERS +20000
- TORONTO BLUE JAYS +9000
- WASHINGTON NATIONALS +1700
