2018 World Series Odds Update - October 2nd Edition

2018 World Series Odds Update – October 2nd Edition

Written by on October 2, 2018

Is there a clear-cut favorite in the National League playoffs? Are the top-seeded Boston Red Sox and their league-leading 108 victories the favorite in the American League or is it really the 103-win defending champion Houston Astros? With the start of the 2018 MLB playoffs on hand, now is a perfect time to make some postseason betting predictions that could potentially help you cash in over the course of the entire payoffs. With that thought in mind and the postseason set to get underway this evening, let’s get started with a look at the odds to win the 2018 World Series.

2018 World Series Odds Update – October 2nd Edition

Team Odds
Boston Red Sox 3/1
Houston Astros 7/2
Los Angeles Dodgers 9/2
Milwaukee Brewers 7/1
Cleveland Indians 8/1
Chicago Cubs 10/1
New York Yankees 10/1
Atlanta Braves 12/1
Oakland Athletics 12/1
Colorado Rockies 12/1

MLB Postseason Format

  • Wild Card: 1-game playoff
  • LDS: Best-of-5, 2-2-1 format
  • LCS: Best-of-7, 2-3-2 format
  • World Series: Best-of-7, 2-3-2 format

No. 5 Colorado (91-72) vs. No. 4 Chicago (95-68)

The Rockies and Cubs have played six times this season while splitting those meetings evenly. The Rockies are ranked seventh in scoring (4.7 rpg) but just 20th in team ERA (4.33). Chicago finished the regular season ranked 11th in scoring (4.6 rpg) but a stellar third in team ERA (3.65). The winner of this one-game wild card matchup will meet top-seeded Milwaukee and I’m expecting that to be Chicago because of their pitching advantage.

Chicago vs. Milwaukee (96-67)

As far as a Brewers vs. Cubs series is concerned, I’m going with Milwaukee to advance because they’ll have home-field advantage and they’re were nearly identical to the Cubs in finishing 12th in scoring (4.6 rpg) and fifth in team ERA (3.73).

No. 3 Atlanta (90-72) vs. No. 2 LA Dodgers (92-71)

Are the Braves a safe bet to win the 2018 MLB Postseason? It’s nice that Atlanta stunned everyone to win the NL East and make the playoffs for the first time in ages, bu the Braves don’t stand much of a chance of upsetting the Los Angeles Dodgers if you ask me. I know Atlanta finished in the top five in both, scoring (4.6 rpg, 9th) and team ERA (3.75, seventh), but the fact of the matter is that the Dodgers are just a little bit better than the Braves in both areas. L.A. ranked a stellar fifth in scoring (4.9 rpg) while ranking an even more impressive second in team ERA (3.38). The Dodgers and Brewers will meet in the National League Championship Series with L.A. eventually prevailing to make consecutive World Series appearances. In the American League, No. 5 Oakland (97-65) takes on No. 4 NY Yankees (100-62) in a one-game wild card showdown and I’m going to back the upset-minded A’s to prevail. Oakland finished fourth in scoring (5.02 rpg) and 11th in team ERA (3.81) and while the A’s will be facing a Yankees team that finished second in scoring (5.25 rpg) and 10th in team ERA (3.78), I like the fact that they split their six regular season meetings – while taking seven of their last 10 against the Yanks overall. The winner meets No. 1 Boston (108-54) but I’m not expecting either to upset a BoSox team that is clearly better than both teams. Red Sox sluggers Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez ranked first and second in the American League in batting average (.346, .330 respectively).

No. 3 Cleveland (91-71) vs. No. 2 Houston (103-59)

Cleveland may have won the AL Central last season, but damn, I swear me and eight other old guys could have won the completely awful division. For this series, Houston is the super easy pick to advance. The Indians finished the regular season ranked a stellar third in scoring (5.05 rpg) and an impressive ninth in team ERA (3.77). Still though, the Astros shouldn’t have any problems dispatching Cleveland seeing as how they finished sixth in scoring (4.92 rpg) and an MLB-best first in team ERA (3.11). Houston added gifted right-hander Gerrit Cole to a starting rotation that already boasts superstars Justin Verlander, Dallas Keuchel and rock-solid right-hander Charlie Morton. Houston will meet Boston in the ALCS and I’m going with the defending champs to get past the winningest team in the majors this season. Houston is peaking at the right time, having won 21 of 27 to close out the regular season. While I’m not releasing my pick on the World Series winner, let it be know that I am going with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros to meet in the World Series again!