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All the MLB betting odds you need to know for Opening Day
Baseball nerds rejoice! The MLB is back and we are just as excited as you are. So to help you handicap America's Pastime we take a look at all the odds you need to know about heading into the 2019 season. From World Series odds to win totals and everything in between. It's time to play ball.
AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST
FAVORITE
While the Yankees have pulled ahead of the Red Sox in the actual odds, there are two favorites in AL East, as the evil empires will reign once again. The Red Sox are the defending World Series champions and trot out largely the same roster that won a franchise record 108 games and a Major League leading 876 runs last season.
Meanwhile the Bronx Bombers, lived up to their names setting the Major League record for home runs and improved the rotation bringing in James Paxton and resigning J.A. Happ and C.C. Sabathia. They also have an absurd bullpen.
LIVE UNDERDOG
Realistically, there is no live underdog in the East. The Rays won 90 games last season and were still 18 games back of the BoSox. They are the likeliest candidate once again but didn’t do much to improve their roster and it will be interesting to see how the “Opener” strategy plays out this season.
DIVISION PICK: YANKEES
AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL
FAVORITE
Cleveland has got be the most baffling organization in baseball right now. They traded away Edwin Encarnacion and Yan Gomes and let Andrew Miller, Michael Brantley, Josh Donaldson and many more walk in free agency. It’s also been rumored they’ve been trying to move Corey Kluber. If he sticks the rotation will be strong. But the bullpen lost a bunch of talent and the lineup isn’t deep behind Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez, who both might start the year on the IL.
LIVE UNDERDOG
The Twins had a down year last season after reaching the Wild Card game the year before and went out had themselves quite the offseason. Minnesota signed Jonathan Schoop, C.J. Cron, Marwin Gonzalez and Nelson Cruz. Byron Buxton is primed to have a bounce-back season and the rotation is solid.
DIVISION PICK: TWINS
AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST
FAVORITE
Houston won 103 games last season and had the MLB’s best run difference. Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa or Alex Bregman are all legitimate MVP candidates. The lineup was already dangerous as they come, and all they did was add Michael Brantley, one of the purest hitters in the league. The rotation is led by two horses in Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole.
LIVE UNDERDOG
The A’s came out of nowhere last season to win 97 games. A’s were another team to deploy the “Opener” strategy thanks to a very strong bullpen. But can they keep it up this season?
The Angels on the other hand are flying high after locking up Mike Trout for the better part of the next decade and a half. This lineup can be very dangerous once it gets healthy. Shohei Ohtani is excepted by around May and they bought in some low risk starters to fill out the rotation.
DIVISION PICK: ASTROS
NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST
FAVORITE
There are co-favorites in the NL East as well. Bryce Harper’s current team, the Phillies, and his former team, the Nationals. Despite the loss of Harper, Washington still boasts a deep lineup and the rotation is anchored by maybe the best trio in baseball with Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin. But it always feels this bullpen is a work in progress.
The Phillies on the other hand will rely on offense. Their lineup will look something like Andrew McCutchen, Juan Segura, Harper, Rhys Hoskins, J.T. Realmuto, Odubel Herrera, Maikel Franco and Cesar Hernandez. Yeah. That’s not bad. The rotation behind Aaron Nola and Jake Arrieta does leave a little do be desired.
LIVE UNDERDOG
Somebody please tell me why the Braves haven’t gone out and signed Dallas Keuchel yet? They only thing this team is missing is a top end of the rotation arm. The starting pitching is good, but he could make them great. While the lineup anchored by Ronald Acuna Jr. and Freddie Freeman could get a real boost if newly acquired Josh Donaldson plays anywhere near his MVP form.
DIVISION PICK: PHILLIES
NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL
FAVORITE
You can make the case the Central is going to be a three-race all season long between Chicago, St. Louis and Milwaukee.
The Cubs lineup is dangerous from top to bottom (if your name isn’t Jayson Heyward) and if Yu Darvish is healthy, not many teams can match their rotation one-through-five.
The Cardinals went out and traded for one of the best players in baseball, Paul Goldschmidt. The rotation is primed for a rebound and adding Andrew Miller to the bullpen is a mega upgrade.
The Brewers will roll out one of the best lineups and bullpens in baseball. Will they get enough from their starters though?
LIVE UNDERDOG
Let’s go off the board here and look at the Reds. Cincy made a splash sending much maligned Homer Bailey to the Dodgers in exchange for Yasiel Puig, Alex Wood and Matt Kemp. Puig is the big get, bolstering a lineup featuring Joey Votto, Eugenio Suarez and Scooter Gennett. Wood joins a completely reworked rotation with Sonny Gray and Tanner Roark. This team will be fun to watch in 2019.
DIVISION PICK: CUBS
NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST
FAVORITE
The Dodgers are the big favorites in the NL West again this season, mainly because there doesn’t seem to be much competition. The signed A.J. Pollack to play centerfield, pushing Cody Bellinger permanently to right field. They also get one of the best young players back in baseball in Corey Seager after missing last season with Tommy John surgery. Clayton Kershaw’s arm issues are concerning, but there is plenty of depth in that staff.
LIVE UNDERDOG
Everyone wants to jump on the Padres bandwagon before it even gets going. The problem is the pitching staff is about as bare bones as they come. So, let’s look at a team with plenty of up can coming young arms.
The Rockies are known for their hitting. And they did do that last season. But the surprise for the Rockies had to be in the rotation. Full of young talent headlined by Kyle Freeland, the Rockies ranked third in the Big Leagues in quality starts.
DIVISION PICK: DODGERS
Baseball nerds rejoice! The MLB is back and we are just as excited as you are. So to help you handicap America's Pastime we take a look at all the odds you need to know about heading into the 2019 season. From World Series odds to win totals and everything in between. It's time to play ball.
AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST
FAVORITE
While the Yankees have pulled ahead of the Red Sox in the actual odds, there are two favorites in AL East, as the evil empires will reign once again. The Red Sox are the defending World Series champions and trot out largely the same roster that won a franchise record 108 games and a Major League leading 876 runs last season.
Meanwhile the Bronx Bombers, lived up to their names setting the Major League record for home runs and improved the rotation bringing in James Paxton and resigning J.A. Happ and C.C. Sabathia. They also have an absurd bullpen.
LIVE UNDERDOG
Realistically, there is no live underdog in the East. The Rays won 90 games last season and were still 18 games back of the BoSox. They are the likeliest candidate once again but didn’t do much to improve their roster and it will be interesting to see how the “Opener” strategy plays out this season.
DIVISION PICK: YANKEES
AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL
FAVORITE
Cleveland has got be the most baffling organization in baseball right now. They traded away Edwin Encarnacion and Yan Gomes and let Andrew Miller, Michael Brantley, Josh Donaldson and many more walk in free agency. It’s also been rumored they’ve been trying to move Corey Kluber. If he sticks the rotation will be strong. But the bullpen lost a bunch of talent and the lineup isn’t deep behind Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez, who both might start the year on the IL.
LIVE UNDERDOG
The Twins had a down year last season after reaching the Wild Card game the year before and went out had themselves quite the offseason. Minnesota signed Jonathan Schoop, C.J. Cron, Marwin Gonzalez and Nelson Cruz. Byron Buxton is primed to have a bounce-back season and the rotation is solid.
DIVISION PICK: TWINS
AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST
FAVORITE
Houston won 103 games last season and had the MLB’s best run difference. Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa or Alex Bregman are all legitimate MVP candidates. The lineup was already dangerous as they come, and all they did was add Michael Brantley, one of the purest hitters in the league. The rotation is led by two horses in Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole.
LIVE UNDERDOG
The A’s came out of nowhere last season to win 97 games. A’s were another team to deploy the “Opener” strategy thanks to a very strong bullpen. But can they keep it up this season?
The Angels on the other hand are flying high after locking up Mike Trout for the better part of the next decade and a half. This lineup can be very dangerous once it gets healthy. Shohei Ohtani is excepted by around May and they bought in some low risk starters to fill out the rotation.
DIVISION PICK: ASTROS
NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST
FAVORITE
There are co-favorites in the NL East as well. Bryce Harper’s current team, the Phillies, and his former team, the Nationals. Despite the loss of Harper, Washington still boasts a deep lineup and the rotation is anchored by maybe the best trio in baseball with Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin. But it always feels this bullpen is a work in progress.
The Phillies on the other hand will rely on offense. Their lineup will look something like Andrew McCutchen, Juan Segura, Harper, Rhys Hoskins, J.T. Realmuto, Odubel Herrera, Maikel Franco and Cesar Hernandez. Yeah. That’s not bad. The rotation behind Aaron Nola and Jake Arrieta does leave a little do be desired.
LIVE UNDERDOG
Somebody please tell me why the Braves haven’t gone out and signed Dallas Keuchel yet? They only thing this team is missing is a top end of the rotation arm. The starting pitching is good, but he could make them great. While the lineup anchored by Ronald Acuna Jr. and Freddie Freeman could get a real boost if newly acquired Josh Donaldson plays anywhere near his MVP form.
DIVISION PICK: PHILLIES
NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL
FAVORITE
You can make the case the Central is going to be a three-race all season long between Chicago, St. Louis and Milwaukee.
The Cubs lineup is dangerous from top to bottom (if your name isn’t Jayson Heyward) and if Yu Darvish is healthy, not many teams can match their rotation one-through-five.
The Cardinals went out and traded for one of the best players in baseball, Paul Goldschmidt. The rotation is primed for a rebound and adding Andrew Miller to the bullpen is a mega upgrade.
The Brewers will roll out one of the best lineups and bullpens in baseball. Will they get enough from their starters though?
LIVE UNDERDOG
Let’s go off the board here and look at the Reds. Cincy made a splash sending much maligned Homer Bailey to the Dodgers in exchange for Yasiel Puig, Alex Wood and Matt Kemp. Puig is the big get, bolstering a lineup featuring Joey Votto, Eugenio Suarez and Scooter Gennett. Wood joins a completely reworked rotation with Sonny Gray and Tanner Roark. This team will be fun to watch in 2019.
DIVISION PICK: CUBS
NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST
FAVORITE
The Dodgers are the big favorites in the NL West again this season, mainly because there doesn’t seem to be much competition. The signed A.J. Pollack to play centerfield, pushing Cody Bellinger permanently to right field. They also get one of the best young players back in baseball in Corey Seager after missing last season with Tommy John surgery. Clayton Kershaw’s arm issues are concerning, but there is plenty of depth in that staff.
LIVE UNDERDOG
Everyone wants to jump on the Padres bandwagon before it even gets going. The problem is the pitching staff is about as bare bones as they come. So, let’s look at a team with plenty of up can coming young arms.
The Rockies are known for their hitting. And they did do that last season. But the surprise for the Rockies had to be in the rotation. Full of young talent headlined by Kyle Freeland, the Rockies ranked third in the Big Leagues in quality starts.
DIVISION PICK: DODGERS