Only eight MLB teams remain in the relentless pursuit of the championship after the first-ever Wild Card Series has come to an end. The Los Angeles Dodgers continue to be the team to beat and oddsmakers at DraftKings listed the boys in blue at +240 odds to win the World Series. The New York Yankees are +350 odds and have a slight edge over the Tampa Bay Rays at +400. The fun-loving, fan-favorite San Diego Padres are +900 odds to win the title.
The Yankees are a slim favorite over the Rays, even though Tampa Bay won the AL East and dominated the Yankees during the regular season (8-2). Those two AL East squads will meet in the AL Divisional Series. The Yankees are listed at -127 odds to knockout the Rays and advance to the ALDS. The Rays are +104 odds to pick off the Yankees.
| 2020 World Series Odds |
- LA Dodgers +240
- New York Yankees +350
- Tampa Bay Rays +400
- Atlanta Braves +750
- San Diego Padres +900
- Oakland A’s +1100
- Houston Astros +1300
- Miami Marlins +2000
The Yankees vs Dodgers would be a huge score for MLB, their broadcasting partners, and corporate America. That “big market” World Series matchup with Los Angeles vs. New York is currently +415 odds on DraftKings.
An All-California World Series between the LA Dodgers and Oakland A’s is currently listed at +635 odds, while a San Diego Padres and Oakland A’s fall classic is +1770 odds.
ALDS: Yanks/Rays and Astros/A’s
Two teams in the AL West slug it out in the other side of the ALDS bracket. The pesky Oakland A’s are -134 odds to advance to the ALCS and knock out the universally hated Houston Astros. The Astros are +110 odds to stay alive and bust the A’s.
The defiant Astros talked a ton of smack after they picked off the Minnesota Twins in the AL Wild Card Series. The Twins lost 16 postseason games in a row heading into that series, which is no wonder why Mattress Mack fired away at his beloved Astros.
| AL PENNANT ODDS |
- NY Yankees +185
- Tampa Bay Rays +215
- Oakland A’s +315
- Houston Astros +340
“Those Astros are acting like fools, they beat a team that’s jinxed in the postseason,” said ex-Yankees star CC Sabathia.
For the first time in a long time, the Yankees are not the most-hated team in the postseason. That dubious distinction belongs to those cheating Houston Astros.
In case you were wondering, the Yankees are +185 odds to win the American League pennant. The Astros are long shots at +340 odds. The Astros are also +1300 odds to win the World Series.
NLDS: Marlins/Braves and Padres/Dodgers
The Miami Marlins are the surprise of the pandemic season. They secured the #6 seed and upset the #3 Chicago Cubs in the NL Wild Card Series. Now, Don Mattingly’s teams takes on their NL East foe, the Atlanta Braves.
Bookies think the Marlins’ magical season will arrive DOA in the NLDS. The Marlins are +235 odds to win their series and pull off the upset and advance to the NLCS. The Braves are the biggest favorite in the NLDS at -305 odds to advance.
The defiant Marlins took exception that the majority of the media referred to them as bottom-feeders (us included, although we referred to them as the “doormat of the NL East”).
“You take that to heart and you try to stick it to everybody, because we don’t get the respect we think we deserve,” said first baseman Garrett Cooper. “It’s a great mantra, because it shows everybody is riding on the same train.”
| NL PENNANT ODDS |
- LA Dodgers -120
- Atlanta Braves +310
- San Diego Padres +350
- Miami Marlins +900
The LA Dodgers have been the best team in the regular season in the National League in the last four seasons. However, they have zero World Series titles to show for it. The Dodgers are the favorites to win the NL pennant at -120.
The Dodgers and Padres matchup in the NLDS will be fun to watch. The Padres had a sensational season, but the Dodgers out did them once again. Now the two West Coast teams meet after the Padres won their first playoff series in 22 years.