AL West:
We haven’t made it to July yet but it’s over here. Houston is now (-1700) and 98.6% to win the AL West per FanGraphs. Continue using them as an ‘odds booster’ but also consider an Astros World Series wager. FanGraphs considers them favorites to win at 14% but they have the third best odds (+650) behind the Dodgers (+440) and Yankees (+450).
AL East:
With four legit playoff contenders it’s difficult to declare this division already but the Yankees keep rolling along and now hold a 12.5 game lead over the 2nd place Blue Jays. I’m still in on the Blue Jays, Rays and Red Sox as October threats but there’s no way they can climb back into the division race at this point. Same as Houston, New York is an easy add to boost odds in a parlay.
AL Central:
Cleveland is emerging as one of the best early season values. A hot stretch has them at (+240) when their odds were (+900) only a few weeks prior. Meanwhile, the White Sox division odds are the lowest they’ve been all season (+160) as they begin the 2nd easiest remaining schedule. I’m not overly confident any of these teams separate from the pack but I’ll buy the dip with Chicago. They were clear favorites heading into the season (-210) and could be primed to make a run if they get healthy.
NL West:
Similar to the AL Central, I expect this race to stay close all year and don’t see any of the top three teams separating in a big way. Los Angeles entered the year with what many considered one of the strongest lineups ever assembled but suddenly they have a number of questions. This is reflected with the odds as they are the lowest we’ve seen yet after starting as massive division favorites. I think the Dodgers have underperformed to this point and expect their front office to find solutions for their roster issues. Simply put, this is a bet on a 2nd half rebound and I want to invest before the odds go in the other direction permanently.
Wager of the Week:
HOU (-1700) + NYY (-1100) + CWS (+160) + LAD (-200)