Yankees Co-Favorites to Win 2020 World Series (+600), Even with Astros

• The Houston Astros and New York Yankees both have 6-1 odds to win the 2020 World Series
• The Astros were 107-55 this season while New York was 103-59
• See the opening odds for the 2020 World Series below

The New York Yankees fell short this past season in their bid to end a decade-long World Series drought, bowing out to the Houston Astros in the ALCS for the second time in three years. The club’s recent postseason woes have failed to dampen their odds for next season, however, with the Yankees opening alongside Houston as +600 co-favorites in the 2020 World Series odds.

Odds to Win 2020 World Series

Odds taken on Nov. 1. F

Yankees Struggled to Stay Healthy in 2019

Staying healthy emerged as a real challenge for the Yankees early on in the 2019 campaign. The lineup was gutted by a rash of injuries that put a number of key players on the shelf for lengthy stretches including starting pitcher Luis Severino, reliever Dellin Betances, 3B Miguel Andujar, SS Didi Gregorius, 1B Ted Bird, outfielders Aaron Hicks and Jacoby Ellsbury, and slugger Giancarlo Stanton.

Significant Yankees injuries, 2019:

Current-
Andujar, shoulder
Betances, shoulder
Bird, foot
Encarnacion, hand
Hale, back
Hicks, elbow
Sabathia, knee
Sanchez, groin
Severino, shoulder
Stanton, knee
Torres, core
Urshela, leg
Voit, hernia

Previous-
*character limit*

(? @espn) pic.twitter.com/XYBDu7j1g3

— Barstool Sabermetrics (@sabermetrics) August 5, 2019

The club’s injury woes were reflected in a slow start with New York posting wins in just six of their first 15 outings. However, the Yankees showed their resilience with a speedy turnaround, rebounding to close out May on a 31-10 run, lifting them to the top of the AL East standings, where they would remain for the rest of the season.

Potent Offense Key to Yankees Success

New York’s dominance in the AL East has been all the more impressive considering their shaky performance in one-run games this season, going 18-19. However, the Yankees turned in consistent results against the teams they were supposed to beat, going 60-27 against opponents sporting losing records.

20 HR out of every spot in the lineup again

2019 Yankees HR by Lineup Spot
1 27
2 32
3 34
4 27
5 31
6 25
7 27
8 21
9 20

— James Smyth (@JamesSmyth621) August 27, 2019

And despite the absence of Stanton, Hicks, Andujar, and Gregorius, who combined to score 363 runs during the 2018 season, the Yankees remained a formidable offensive force in 2019, leading the majors with 943 runs scored while hitting a franchise-record 306 home runs.

The Yankees remained a formidable offensive force in 2019, leading the majors with 943 runs scored while hitting a franchise record 306 home runs.

That proved to be more than enough production to offset the club’s mediocre pitching, which ranked a middling 14th in the majors with a team ERA of 4.31, with opposing hitters racking up a collective .248 batting average and connecting on 248 home runs.

Yankees Set to Dive into Free Agent Market

With CC Sabathia calling it a career at the end of this past season, Domingo German facing an uncertain future after being the subject of recent domestic violence allegations, and closer Aroldis Chapman joining Betances on the free-agent market, the Yankees will undoubtedly be in the hunt for one or more of this winter’s marquee free-agent pitchers, with Gerrit Cole getting mentioned as their most likely target.

2020 MLB Free Agent Pitchers
Also Corey Kluber pic.twitter.com/L1I7Y4Pr1o

— PitoWil (@PitoWil) October 25, 2019

Gregorius is also set to hit the free-agent market after being limited to just 82 games this season. The 29-year-old has been a steady presence, both in the field and at the plate, during his five seasons in New York. Gregorius averaged over 24 home runs over his four full seasons with the Yankees, while his play at shortstop earned him a nomination as a Gold Glove finalist in 2015.

However, the spectacular debut of Gleyber Torres, who hit .278 with 38 home runs and 90 RBI in a rookie campaign split between 2B and SS will make it easy for the Yankees to part ways with Gregorius and his $11.75 million contract.

Deep Pockets, Roster Make Yankees a Solid Bet

Historically one of the biggest spending teams in baseball, the Yankees will likely be among the teams setting the markets for this winter’s free agents. In addition, it is hard to ignore the impressive job the organization has also done in developing young talent like Torres, Severino, Aaron Judge, and Gary Sanchez.

Here's a friendly reminder that Gleyber Torres is ONLY 22 years old. pic.twitter.com/HQ4AvM6hiP

— Cut4 (@Cut4) October 13, 2019

Accordingly, the Yankees are unlikely to lose much ground in the World Series odds over the course of the winter, and will likely get a boost if or when they make a big free-agent splash that could make their current position as a +600 wager look attractive in comparison.