Updated World Series Odds Entering 2019 Playoffs
- Sportsbooks list the Houston Astros as the +225 chalk to win the 2019 World Series
- The Los Angeles Dodgers have the best odds in the National League at +300
- See the updated odds for all 10 MLB playoff teams ahead of the Wild Card games
As the MLB playoffs get underway with the NL Wild Card game between the Brewers and Nationals on Tuesday, the Houston Astros are the team to beat for the World Series title.
Sportsbooks have established the Astros, who won an MLB-high 107 games, as the +225 favorite to win the 2019 Fall Classic.
2019 World Series Odds
Team | Odds |
---|---|
Houston Astros | +225 |
Los Angeles Dodgers | +300 |
New York Yankees | +400 |
Atlanta Braves | +1000 |
St. Louis Cardinals | +1000 |
Washington Nationals | +1400 |
Minnesota Twins | +1600 |
Oakland Athletics | +1600 |
Milwaukee Brewers | +2000 |
Tampa Bay Rays | +2500 |
*Odds taken on 09/30/19.
The Los Angeles Dodgers (+300) and New York Yankees (+400) are next in line in the World Series odds. Both of these teams will be seeking to avoid setting franchise marks for postseason futility this fall. More on that below.
American League Teams
Houston Astros (+225)
The Astros unquestionably have the best starting staff in the majors, and yes, that’s recognizing the Nationals’ top-three of Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, and Patrick Corbin.
The Stros’ rotation features American League Cy Young Award favorite and 20-game winner Justin Verlander, MLB strikeout leader Gerrit Cole, and former Cy Young-winner Zack Greinke, who’s 8-1 with a 3.02 ERA and 1.07 WHIP since coming over from Arizona at the trade deadline.
Cole and Verlander finished first and second (in some order) in the AL in ERA, strikeouts, WHIP, and wins.
https://twitter.com/KevinWGlass/status/1178472537371664384?s=20
As a whole, Houston pitchers struck out the most hitters (1,671) and Astros batters struck out the least of any team (1,116). That’s a lethal combination in the playoffs. Houston will face the winner of the AL Wild Card game between the A’s and Rays. They went 11-8 against Oakland, but only 3-4 against Tampa Bay during the regular season.
New York Yankees (+400)
Despite persistent injuries to key personnel, the Bronx Bombers won over 100 games. They’re about as healthy now as they’ve been all season. The Yankees clouted 306 homers, one shy of the MLB record set by their first-round playoff opponents, the Twins. The Yanks won four of six from Minny on the year.
Most Wins in a season in #Yankees history:
114 (1998)
110 (1927)
109 (1961)
107 (1932)
106 (1939)
104 (1963)
103 (1980)
103 (2002)
103 (2009)
103 (2019)— New York Yankees Stats (@nyyankeesstats) September 29, 2019
The bullpen is lights out. That helps a shaky starting rotation survive, although the return to health of Luis Severino has bolstered the starting pitching. James Paxton’s glute strain is a concern, though the team insists it’s minor.
It’s been 18 years since the Yanks won the World Series. The franchise has never gone 19 years between World Series triumphs.
Minnesota Twins (+1600)
The Twins mashed an MLB-record 307 homers. So why the long odds? For starters, it could be Minny’s first playoff opponent. Including the 2017 AL Wild Card game, the Twins are 0-5 in the postseason when facing the Yankees. New York holds a 13-2 edge in games, all-time
The Minnesota Twins have their 100th win of the season.
They join the Astros, Yankees, and Dodgers with 100 wins.
This is the first season in MLB history to feature four 100-win teams.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 28, 2019
Overall, Minnesota has dropped seven successive playoff rounds since 2002, going 4-20 in games played. Their overall record against all other playoff teams this year was 18-19.
Oakland Athletics (+1600)
The A’s, who clash with the Rays in the Wild Card game, are the AL’s version of a sleeper team. Sean Manaea’s return bolstered the Oakland rotation. He’s 4-0 with a 1.21 ERA, 0.78 WHIP and 30 strikeouts in 29.1 innings since coming back.
We've shared some special moments at home this season.
52 wins. Walk-offs. A no-hitter.
Now it's time for The Battle of the Bays.
Come bash with us.https://t.co/ws5onEkFIo pic.twitter.com/tfMlJXTiaB
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) September 29, 2019
They’re dominant at home, and went 4-3 when facing the Rays. While they were only 8-11 against Houston, they had a winning record against all of the Brewers (2-1), Twins (4-3), Yankees (4-2), and Cardinals (4-0). They didn’t face the Dodgers or Braves.
Tampa Bay Rays (+2500)
Baseball’s relatively unloved small-market darlings, the Rays have a Cy Young candidate in Charlie Morton and a Cy Young winner in Blake Snell.
The #Rays have clinched a playoff spot. Tampa Bay is headed to the postseason for the first time since 2013. Rays’ fifth time reaching the playoffs in franchise history. They’ll play the A’s in the AL Wild Card.
The record is 96-64. Bottles will be popped tonight in Toronto. pic.twitter.com/hYRYBUUaCd
— Josh Tolentino (@JCTSports) September 28, 2019
But Tampa Bay is just a middle of the pack team when it comes to offense, and they largely struggled against elite competition. Their 4-3 record against Houston is the only winning record against another playoff team. They went 2-2 versus the Dodgers, 2-5 versus the Twins, 3-4 versus the A’s, and a concerning 7-12 versus the Yankees.
National League Teams
Los Angeles Dodgers (+300)
The Dodgers have lost the past two World Series. In this franchise’s storied history, they’ve never gone to three successive World Series. The only NL club to lose three World Series in a row was the 1911-13 New York Giants.
HISTORY. pic.twitter.com/3My9J4exZq
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 29, 2019
LA won a franchise-record 106 games and boasts a deep rotation headlined by Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, and Hyun-Jin Ryu. But the Dodgers’ bullpen is suspect. The Dodgers get whoever survives the NL Wild Card game, the Nationals or Brewers.
They were only a combined 16-14 against other playoff teams in the regular season.
Atlanta Braves (+1000)
The NL East champion Braves, who’ll face St. Louis in the NLDS, possess a deep attack that can overpower teams with slugging and/or speed on the basepaths. They went 4-2 against the Cards and 11-8 against the Nats, but were just 2-4 against the Dodgers and 3-3 with the Brewers.
Mike Soroka just completed one of the best rookie pitching seasons this century. pic.twitter.com/1WLOQJnKsA
— Bally Sports: Braves (@BravesOnBally) September 29, 2019
Mike Soroka, Mike Foltynewicz and Dallas Keuchel form a solid though not spectacular rotation, and the bullpen remains a real concern. Even after bolstering their relief pitching at the deadline, the Braves still wound up with the sixth-worst bullpen ERA in baseball in the second half of the season.
St. Louis Cardinals (+1000)
The Cardinals always seem to be one of those teams that wins when it’s least expected, and no one expects it this season. Jack Flaherty has been nothing short of spectacular after the All-Star break (0.91 ERA vs 4.64 before the break), but he’s the team’s only reliable starter.
FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2015…
THE ST. LOUIS CARDINALS ARE GOING TO THE POSTSEASON!!!! #STLCards pic.twitter.com/lsVBcTOGam
— Cardinal Kingdom (@STLCards18) September 22, 2019
On top of that, as they face the powerful Braves, St. Louis ranks outside the MLB top 10 in runs, batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
Their results against other playoff teams were a mixed bag. The bested Washington (5-2), LAD (4-3), and Milwaukee (10-9), but struggled with the Braves (2-4), Astros (1-2), and A’s (0-4).
Washington Nationals (+1400)
After a 19-31 start, Washington went an MLB-best 74-38 and will host the Brewers in the NL Wild Card game. Who’d look forward to dealing with a rotation of Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin?
The @Nationals have clinched an NL Wild Card spot!
Washington is the 9th team in MLB history to reach the postseason after being 12 or more games below .500. pic.twitter.com/A70kV8LaBe
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 25, 2019
The Nats lead the NL in runs (423), on-base percentage (.357), and stolen bases (60) since the All-Star break. Juan Soto (19), Anthony Rendon (14) and Trea Turner (12) have combined for 45 homers in that span. But they were just 2-4 against Milwaukee, and had a losing record against the rest of the NL playoff field, as well (8-11 vs ATL; 3-4 vs LAD; 2-5 vs STL).
Milwaukee Brewers (+2000)
Their rotation is a mystery. NL batting champ Christian Yelich (broken kneecap) is out. Outfielders Lorenzo Cain (ankle) and Ryan Braun (calf strain) are uncertain. And they face three-time Cy Young winner Scherzer in the NL Wild Card game.
The 👑 continues his reign. #ThisIsMyCrew | #ThisIsMyMVP pic.twitter.com/EL7rRVYRql
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) September 30, 2019
Brandon Woodruff, who will start the Wild Card game, was having a breakout season before getting injured. While he’s looked decent since his return, he’s only pitched 4.0 innings since mid-July, and Milwaukee’s bullpen is not the same lights-out group it was last year. Their relievers finished 18th in the league in ERA and 13th in FIP (“Fielding-Independent Pitching”).