If you are looking for good division races as we are close to entering August, you will want to avoid the National League with all three leaders up by at least six games as of publication.
We break down that trio with their odds provided by MyBookie and whether there’s any point fading one of them.
National League East: Phillies MLB Pick -1205
Good thing the Phillies have an 8.5-game lead over the Atlanta Braves (+620) because the Phils are not playing well of late as they and NL Cy Young candidate Zack Wheeler were smashed in a series opener Monday by the Yankees, 14-7.
The seven runs were the second-most Wheeler has given up this season, as were the three long balls.
Philadelphia, once 61-32 and on pace to win 106 games, has now dropped nine of 13.
The offense is batting just .225 with a .702 OPS in this 4-9 stretch. Philadelphia hit .260 with a .755 OPS before.
Still, it’s just too big of a gap for the Braves to make up at this point even if they were to swing a blockbuster trade by today’s deadline.
^MyBookie MLB Wager Lines to Win Today
National League Central: Brewers MLB Pick -461
Milwaukee got a huge addition on Sunday but it wasn’t via trade. Instead, All-Star closer Devin Williams made his season debut off injury.
He was diagnosed with stress fractures in his back in spring training.
Williams protected a four-run lead in the ninth inning in Sunday’s win over the Marlins as he allowed a single and a walk, and struck out one. He threw 24 pitches.
The 30-year-old has been one of the game’s top relievers the last few seasons, pitching with a 1.97 ERA with a stellar 38.7% strikeout rate from 2021-23.
Williams could go right back to closing even though Trevor Magill has pitched really well in that role, going 20 for 22 in save chances and pitching to a 2.41 ERA.
Magill landed on the 15-day IL on Monday with a lower back injury. Megill will undergo an MRI to determine the extent of the damage.
I do think the Cardinals (+820), who are seven games back, have an outside shot to catch Milwaukee with St. Louis playing a lot better in recent weeks and upgrading the rotation and outfield on Monday by acquiring righty Erick Fedde and outfielder/former Cardinal Tommy Pham from the White Sox in a deal that also included the Dodgers.
Fedde, 31, left MLB to pitch in Korea in 2023 to try to get his career back on track.
He appears to have done just that, going 7-4 with a 3.11 ERA over 21 starts this season with the rebuilding White Sox.
Forced to be creative because of financial constraints both this season and in 2023, per a source, the Cardinals had to try to send out as much payroll as they were taking back in any potential deal.
^National League West: Dodgers MLB Pick -2273
The Dodgers made a relatively important trade on Monday in acquiring utility man Tommy Edman from St. Louis and hard-throwing reliever Michael Kopech from the White Sox in a three-team deal.
Edman has yet to play for the Cardinals this season following surgery on his right wrist and his return attempts during the season were halted twice because of a right ankle sprain suffered when he awkwardly stepped on second base while fielding ground balls. But he adds needed versatility to the roster.
Edman has spent four-plus seasons in the big leagues, playing second base, shortstop, third base and all three outfield positions.
The Dodgers are without two infielders on the IL currently in Mookie Betts and Max Muncy.
While Betts should be back at some point in August, Manager Dave Roberts said recently that Muncy’s rehab progress from a strained right oblique has been “stagnant.”
Kopech is a former starter who has been used exclusively out of the ’pen in 2024 and saved nine games while pitching 43 2/3 innings of 4.74 ERA ball.
The ERA isn’t going to draw much fanfare, but Kopech has averaged 98.5 mph on his four-seamer, fanned 30.9% of his opponents and generated a gaudy 14.1% swinging-strike rate.
San Diego (+1725) has been playing as well as anyone out of the break and is 6.5 games back.
The Padres open a two-game home series vs. the Dodgers on Tuesday night and the Friars might have a chance at the division if they sweep.
We do expect them to earn a wild-card spot.
^|
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The @Padres rally back from a 5-run deficit to win in extras! #WalkOff pic.twitter.com/JAU3C3DQeY
— MLB (@MLB) July 31, 2024
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2017 Teams to Win Divisions
Here’s the good news if you like late-season drama in MLB: the races in the AL East, AL Central and NL Central all could go down to the wire. Let’s hope so because the races in the other three divisions already look over. Here are three MLB betting picks that will end the 2017 season dominating their divisions.
2017 MLB Betting: Teams Poised to Run Away With Their Divisions
Houston Astros (62-30)
Houston has a whopping 16.5-game lead in the AL West – no other team is even over .500. Seriously, the Bad News Bears could replace the Astros big leaguers for a month and Houston would win this division. Oh, and Houston is close to getting even better. That’s because after losing out on a trade for White Sox ace lefty Sonny Gray, Houston wants Sonny Gray from Oakland.
How Has Houston Done With Trades Lately?
They’ve made many deals over the last few years, but of all the trades they have made one of their biggest splashes came with the A’s in 2015 when they acquired Scott Kazmir. Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow flat-out said a month ago that he likes to make trades with Billy Beane. “I think it’s because Billy Beane and I have the same philosophy, which is we want to make win-win trades,” he said. “And if there’s a trade that helps your club and helps the other club even if it’s a division rival, it’s not worth putting it aside just because it’s a division rival.”
Who Else Does the Astros Want in Their Squad?
They are also close to getting back ace Dallas Keuchel and fellow starting pitcher Collin McHugh from the DL. McHugh (elbow) pitched well in his final rehab start for Double-A Corpus Christi on Sunday, allowing just an unearned run over six innings. McHugh scattered four hits and a walk in the ballgame. He’s expecting to rejoin the Astros’ rotation next weekend against the Orioles in Baltimore. Keuchel made another rehab start Monday. The All-Star lefty is undefeated with a 1.67 ERA in 11 starts this year.
Latest MLB Betting Odds & Trends
- Odds to Win 2017 World Series: +350
- Odds to Win AL Pennant: +160
- Odds to Win AL Division: TBA
Washington Nationals (56-36)
The Nats lead the Atlanta Braves by 10 games in the NL East and are the only club in the division with a positive run differential. Ryan Zimmerman socked a solo homer Monday against the Reds becoming the Nationals/Expos all-time franchise leader in home runs. It was his 235th career homer, which puts him past former Expos outfielder Vladimir Guerrero. The Nats boosted their bullpen – the team’s biggest weakness – over the weekend in landing Ryan Madson and Sean Doolittle from Oakland. Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said that Madson was the team’s initial target with the Athletics before the deal was expanded to include Doolittle. The Nationals haven’t decided who will close following the trade.
How is the Offense Doing Right Now?
Washington’s offense leads the National League in almost every category, including: batting average, on– base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, hits, runs, doubles and extra-base hits. Meanwhile, the Nationals’ starting pitching staff paces Major League Baseball in strikeouts and innings pitched and ranks second in WHIP.
Latest MLB Betting Odds & Trends
- Odds to Win 2017 World Series: +550
- Odds to Win NL Pennant: +220
- Odds to Win NL Division: TBA
LA Dodgers (64-29)
The Dodgers’ record merits comparisons to their teams in 1977 and 1955, both World Series clubs. They’re 35 games above .500 for the first time since ’77, and the record at the 93-game mark is their best since ’55. They are going to win the NL West a fifth straight year as they lead second-place Arizona by 10.5 games. L.A. has the potential Cy Young Award winner (Clayton Kershaw), NL MVP (Justin Turner or Cody Bellinger) and Rookie of the Year (Bellinger). Plus, LA is 55-18 (.753) since Bellinger was promoted from the minors. He has 26 homers and on Saturday became the first rookie in the 128-year history of the franchise to hit for the cycle.
And Kershaw Doesn’t Even Have the Best Numbers on the Team!
This weekend, Alex Wood became the first Dodger since at least 1913 to start the season 11-0. He’s the 18th pitcher in the big leagues to start the season 11-0 since 1913 and the first since Stephen Strasburg last season (13-0). He also is nearing eligibility for the official ERA title and currently leads all Major Leaguers (min. 50 IP) with a 1.56 ERA (15 ER/86.2 IP). In fact, the L.A. bullpen leads the NL with a 2.95 ERA (99 ER/302.0 IP), a 1.11 WHIP (1st MLB) and 348 strikeouts. All-Star closer Kenley Jansen, who has recorded 22 saves this season (T-2nd, NL), currently owns the longest active save streak this year (22). He has thrown scoreless relief in 19 of his last 20 appearances.
Latest MLB Betting Odds & Trends
- Odds to Win 2017 World Series: +300
- Odds to Win NL Pennant: +130
- Odds to Win NL Division: TBA
Expert MLB Betting Prediction
Honestly, I don’t see much changing in these divisions. Those teams just continue to rule out the competition.So, this is the way I see it going down. First, Dodgers beat Nationals in NLCS, but Astros lose to Red Sox in ALCS. How’s a Boston-Dodgers World Series sound? I do see the Dodgers succeeding this year, but much can change by then. Besides, there are other divisions we haven’t mentioned, which we will do in the upcoming weeks. But for now, be sure to get all the knowledge you need before making your betting picks.
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