Athletics’ World Series Odds Were 50-1 Coming Out of All-Star Break, Now Listed at 33-1

• The Oakland Athletics are 22-9 since June 16
• The A’s average 2019 World Series odds have gone from +5000 on July 12 to +2900 today
• Oakland listed at +3300 to win the World Series, which is about the best price you can get now

The Oakland Athletics are on a roll. It’s been all Ws for the A’s over the past six weeks.

Oakland has won 22 of its last 29 games. In the process, their average World Series odds are getting shorter across the major sportsbooks. On July 12, the A’s averaged out at +5000 to win the 2019 World Series. Today, Oakland’s average World Series odds sit at +2900.

The Athletics are listed at +3300 to capture the Fall Classic. Does any value exist on Oakland at that price?

2019 World Series Odds

*Odds taken on 07/25/19. 

Oakland hasn’t won the World Series since 1989 and hasn’t played in the World Series since 1990.

An Athletics Surge

Oakland was 36-36 on June 16. Since then, the A’s have gone 22-9. In the process, the Athletics moved to occupy an American League Wild Card position.

They’ve enjoyed winning streaks of six and four (twice) games. Oakland lost back-to-back games once during this run.

Centerfielder Ramon Laureano is the reigning AL Player of the Week. He went 13-for-24 while slashing .542/.577/1.042, including two homers, six doubles, two walks, and a stolen base.

Laureano recorded multiple hits in five games and scored 10 runs.

Veteran right-hander Mike Fiers is unbeaten since May 1. He threw his second career no-hitter on May 7 in a 2-0 win over Cincinnati.  That began a 13-start stretch in which he produced a 7-0 record and a 2.25 ERA. Fiers also hasn’t allowed a home run that’s left the ballpark in 52 innings, the longest active streak in MLB.

Reality Setting In?

Oakland closed to within 4.5 games of the AL West-leading Houston Astros. Then the A’s split a four-game series with the AL Central-leading Minnesota Twins. They followed up by dropping two of three at Houston and have now lost three of their last four games.

Keep battling 👊#RootedInOakland pic.twitter.com/LLzZPr9YTO

— Oakland A's (@Athletics) July 24, 2019

Overall, the A’s are 2-9 against the Astros this season. That .182 winning percentage is their worst against any team. It’s a vital stat, because that’s the team Oakland needs to catch in order to win the division.

Don’t Buy Into The Hype

Yes, Oakland is hot, and at that price, it will be very tempting to invest a wager in Athletics futures.

Don’t go there. You’ll regret it. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But soon, and for what will prove to be a long winter of discontent.

When strangers try and talk to us pic.twitter.com/OoFNIOkn8I

— Oakland A's (@Athletics) July 24, 2019

History shows us these analytics-driven, Moneyball teams like the A’s only get so far.

The A’s have played in nine postseason series since 2000. They’ve lost eight of them.

Even if they win the AL Wild-Card Game, Oakland likely gets a second-round series with the Astros or the New York Yankees.

They won’t come close to scoring A’s on either of those tests.