Indians’ World Series Odds Offered as Short as 16-1 After Strong Start to Second Half
- The Cleveland Indians are at 16/1 to win the World Series
- After starting the season 29-30, they are 30-12 in their last 42 games
- The Indians trailed by as many as 11.5 games in the Central Division but now trail by just two
The Cleveland Indians are one of the hottest teams in baseball right now and, as a result, their World Series odds have shortened to 16/1.
Are they a good bet at this point or is it better to invest in one of the favorites, like the New York Yankees or Houston Astros?
2019 World Series Odds
| Team | World Series Odds |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles Dodgers | +300 |
| New York Yankees | +350 |
| Houston Astros | +450 |
| Atlanta Braves | +1200 |
| Minnesota Twins | +1400 |
| Chicago Cubs | +1600 |
| Cleveland Indians | +1600 |
Odds as of Jul. 25.
Indians Have Flipped The Switch
The Indians were 29-30 at one point this season and looked like one of the biggest disappointments in baseball. Remember, they entered the year among the favorites to win the World Series but were all of the sudden 11.5 games back of the Minnesota Twins in the Central Division.
However, since that point, they’ve caught fire. The Indians are 30-12 in their last 42 contests.
At the same time, the Twins have gone cold as they’re lead in the Central has dwindled down to just two games.
Whether they’re going to win the division or the Wild Card, which they now lead by two games, the Indians look like a team that’s going to the playoffs. And if they keep playing like this, they could be a really tough out in the postseason.
Indians Still Missing Kluber, Carrasco
What makes the Indians’ run even more impressive is they’ve done it without two of their top pitchers: Corey Kluber and Carlos Carrasco.
Kluber, who once was the team ace, has only pitched 35.2 innings this season, while Carrasco has only pitched 65. We’re talking about a pair of pitchers who had ERAs under 3.40 last season.
The Indians might not even need to make a trade at the deadline. If they just get these arms back pitching the way they can, that will give the team a boost.
Best Bullpen In the Majors?
You’d be hard-pressed to find a team in the majors that has a better bullpen than the Indians. Their 3.30 bullpen ERA is at least .39 better than any other team. Believe it or not but their relievers have allowed just 115 earned runs this season. That’s 30 better than any other team.
They’re getting a lot of help from the starters as the team’s 50 quality starts are ranked fifth in the majors. Their 76.32 save percentage indicates that they do a great job of slamming the door shut once they have the lead.
Indians Are Worth A Play
There’s no question that the Yankees and Astros field star-studded rosters. The Yankees have one of the scariest batting lineups we’ve seen in a long time while the Astros have an excellent roster with great pitching and hitting. However, the Indians are the best team right now.
More importantly, the Indians are paying off at 20/1 at some betting sites, while the other teams don’t offer that much of a payout. I’d take a shot with Cleveland here. If they move one of their pitchers at the trade deadline like Trevor Bauer and add a big bat, then get Kluber and Carrasco back, they’ll be neck-and-neck with the big boys.
Meanwhile, their odds offer great value as the suggestion here is that they’re a long shot. They’re not.
For over 15 years, Dave has been working in mainstream media and sports betting. He hosted a station on Sirius Satellite Radio for four years, and is currently a senior writer for AskMen. He's interviewed hundreds of hundreds of high-profile sports stars like Shaquille O'Neal and Floyd Mayweather.
