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Braves See World Series Odds Improve to +425 After Booking Spot in NLCS

Robert Duff

by Robert Duff in MLB Baseball

Updated Oct 13, 2021 · 10:58 AM PDT

Atlanta Braves Freddie Freeman celebrating a home run
Atlanta Braves Freddie Freeman celebrates his solo homer against the Milwaukee Brewers during the eighth inning of Game 4 of a baseball National League Division Series, Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021, in Atlanta. The Atlanta Braves won 5-4 to advance to the NLCS. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
  • The odds of the Atlanta Braves winning the World Series have shortened to +425
  • Atlanta was listed at odds of +625 to win it all prior to eliminating the Milwaukee Brewers in their NLDS series
  • The Braves most recently won the World Series in 1995

For the second year in a row, the Atlanta Braves are off to the National League Championship Series. Pushing aside the Milwaukee Brewers in four games in their NL Divisional Series, Atlanta is the first NL ball club to move into MLB’s version of the final four.

Oddsmakers aren’t showing much confidence that the Braves will be going any further.

 2021 World Series Odds

Team Odds
Houston Astros +190
Los Angeles Dodgers +285
Boston Red Sox +380
Atlanta Braves +425
San Francisco Giants +450

Odds as of October 12th at DraftKings.

The Braves are now +425 to win the Fall Classic, which is fourth in the World Series odds among the five teams still in the hunt. The San Francisco Giants, who won an MLB-leading 107 games, are the only team assigned longer odds than Atlanta. The Giants currently have a betting line of +450 to win the World Series.

Atlanta hasn’t gone to the World Series since 1999. The Braves most recently won the World Series in 1995.

Braves Overcoming Obstacles

It’s been a season of overcoming for the Braves. They came back from losing Game 1 to the Brewers by winning three games in a row to take their best-of-five NLDS set. The Braves were down 4-2 to Milwaukee in Game 4, rallying to win 5-4 on an eighth-inning solo homer slugged by reigning NL MVP Freddie Freeman.

With just 88 wins this season, Atlanta posted the fewest victories of any team to qualify for the MLB postseason. That the Braves got to the playoffs at all is an accomplishment in itself.

On June 16, Atlanta was five games below .500 at 30-35. The Braves were eight games out of first place in the NL East. As late as July 28, they were still six games out of top spot.

During the season, they lost NL MVP candidate Ronald Acuna Jr for the season with a torn ACL. Pitcher Mike Soroka, the ace of their staff, was felled by a torn Achilles. Outfielder Marcell Ozuna was placed on administrative leave by MLB due to a domestic violence incident.

Atlanta was 44-45 (.494) during the first half of the season and 44-28 (.611) during the second half. On August 15, following a 6-5 win over the Washington Nationals, the Braves moved into a half-game lead atop the NL East.

It was the first time all season they’d held sole possession of first place. They would never relinquish their lead the rest of the way.

Shutting It Down

The Braves gave up twice as many runs to the Brewers in Game 4 of the NLDS set than they did through the first three games. Following Milwaukee’s 2-1 Game 1 verdict, Atlanta pitched a pair of shutouts in Games 2 and 3.

The Braves were fourth in the NL this season with a 3.88 team ERA. Atlanta rated fifth in the league with a 1.24 WHIP.

Coming Up Short

Atlanta’s postseason history in the divisional era (since 1969) is one of continually coming up short. During this era, the Braves have won 21 division titles. Over that span, they’ve been to the World Series five times and won the World Series once.

Atlanta was 3-3 against the Giants this season and 2-4 when facing the Dodgers. No matter which of those teams moves on to face the Braves, they will be the better World Series bet.

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