Let’s Start Dreaming: Possible World Series Matchups
MyBookie MLB Expert Analysis Current World Series Odds for 2024 MLB Season: March 28 to September 29
The 2024 MLB regular season is underway after the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the San Diego Padres 5-2 in Seoul, South Korea early Wednesday morning Eastern time in the opener. Shohei Ohtani’s RBI single capped a four-run eighth-inning rally in his Dodgers debut. Ohtani finished with two hits as did fellow NL MVP favorite Mookie Betts.
Pitching Leaders
Last Regular Season
Spencer Strider, Braves: Wins 20 |
Zac Gallen, D-Backs: Wins 17 | -tr>
Chris Bassitt, Blue Jays: Wins 16 |
Zach Eflin, Rays: Wins 16 |
Justin Steele, Cubs: Wins 16 |
The consensus favorites to win the World Series, the Dodgers have three of the top four National League MVP favorites: Betts is +650 to win NL MVP and is now the team’s every-day shortstop. Betts spent time between playing outfield, shortstop and second base last season — he started 12 games at shortstop. He also started 13 games at the position in the minor leagues. Betts was originally going to play second this year, but Manager Dave Roberts moved him to short in the spring with Gavin Lux having some issues at short.
Only one player in MLB history has started 100 games at shortstop in a season after winning a Gold Glove in the outfield. Tom Tresh did in 1968 for the New York Yankees. Betts is a six-time Gold Glove winner as an outfielder. On the NL MVP odds, Betts is behind only the Braves‘ Ronald Acuna Jr., who is the favorite at +500. Ohtani is +800, followed by Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (+900).
The favored exact World Series result is Dodgers over Houston Astros at +1800. That would be a rematch of the 2017 Fall Classic won by Houston in seven games. The Astros fell in the 2023 ALCS to eventual World Series champion Texas.
Houston enters the 2024 season on an unprecedented streak of sustained success. Dating to the 2017 season, the Astros have played in an American League record seven consecutive League Championship Series, winning four AL pennants in that span (2017, 2019, 2021, 2022). Additionally, the Astros have played more postseason games (97) and have earned more postseason wins (59) than any other club in that span.
Houston’s bullpen might be the majors’ best this season with the free-agent addition of Josh Hader, perhaps the best closer on the planet. Since making his MLB debut in 2017, Hader has been one of the most dominant relievers in baseball. For his career, he has earned 165 saves while posting a 2.50 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP, allowing just 210 hits in 388.2 innings pitched for a .156 opponent average.
Over that span, he leads all relievers in opponent average (.156), WHIP (0.94) and strikeouts per 9.0 innings pitched ratio (15.01), and ranks second in ERA (2.50). Additionally, left-handed hitters are just (.146) vs. Hader in his career. The Astros do have a first-time manager this season in former bench coach Joe Espada, who replaced the retired Dusty Baker.
Atlanta over Houston is the +1900 second-favorite for the exact World Series result. That would be a rematch of the 2021 Fall Classic won by the Braves in six. Atlanta has the NL MVP favorite in outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. and the NL Cy Young favorite in Spencer Strider. Acuna won the 2023 award unanimously after leading the NL in runs (149), hits (217), stolen bases (73), on-base percentage (.416) and OPS (1.012). He ranked second in slugging percentage (.596) and batting average (.337). He became the first player to hit 40-plus homers and tally 70-plus steals in a season. Nobody had previously notched more than 46 steals during a 40-homer season.
Strider finished fourth in the NL Cy Young voting last season. In his first full season as a starter, he went 20-5 with a 3.86 ERA (80 ER/186.2 IP). Strider’s 281 strikeouts established the franchise’s Modern Era (since 1900) single-season record, surpassing the previous mark of 276, set by Hallof-Famer John Smoltz in 1996.
The Braves have won the NL East six years in a row, the longest division streak in the majors. The Astros have won three straight AL West titles dating to 2021, while the Dodgers have won each of the last two NL West crowns.
Astros over Dodgers is the +2200 third favorite with Dodgers over Yankees next at +2500, but New York has a major concern with ace Gerrit Cole, the 2023 AL Cy Young winner. He reportedly will miss 10-12 weeks due to elbow nerve inflammation and is hoping to avoid season-ending Tommy John surgery. That’s a potentially devastating blow to a Yankees team that is trying to return to the postseason after going 82-80 in 2023, the franchise’s worst record in three decades. Cole last missed a start for a non-COVID reason in 2016.
Dodgers beating Orioles (+2800), Astros beating Braves (+2800) and Braves beating Orioles (+2800) round out the 2024 World Series exacta result favorites.
Bet On the MLB World Series Favorites
MyBookie MLB Baseball Lines for the Games
World Series Expert Prediction
Braves over Astros in 2024 World Series at +1900
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MLB 2022 World Series Betting Predictions and Picks: Possible Matchups to Wager On
Previous Betting News
MLB throws first pitch on April 7. One of the most popular prop bets to make before the baseball season is on World Series matchups. World Series matchup odds often provide overlays that are difficult to find in other prop bets. Keep reading for a MLB World Series Betting strategy that should help you determine which World Series matchup wagers to make. Then, read about the likeliest Fall Classic matchups.
Possible World Series Betting Matchups | MLB Odds
2022 MLB World Series
When: October – November
TV/Streaming: FOX / Fox Sports
Key Team World Series Matchup Strategy Explained
The World Series matchup strategy revolves around a key team. Once you choose your key team, think about the teams you want to match in the World Series.
The Los Angeles Dodgers recently signed Freddie Freeman away from the Atlanta Braves. With Freeman on board, LAD looks like a lock to win the National League. So the Dodgers are the key team for our likely World Series matchups.
When choosing underdog Fall Classic matchups, it makes sense to go with a team in the same division as your key team. The reason is if your key team falters, you have a backup that offers a much better price. See below for the likeliest World Series matchups for the 2022 MLB Season.
Most Likely Matchup – Dodgers vs Astros
Like we wrote above, the Freeman addition turns the Dodgers into a big time chalk to win the National League. The team most likely to take it to LAD in the World Series are the Houston Astros.
There are a couple of reasons why the Stros are the best AL pick. The main reason is because they play in a bad division. So Houston is close to a lock to make it to the postseason. If Justin Verlander returns and throws his best, the Stros will be difficult to beat in the playoffs.
Second Most Likely Matchup – Dodgers vs White Sox
Minnesota has made enough moves to give the White Sox a challenge. But, really, Chicago should have no trouble winning the AL Central.
The White Sox have developed a very good starting rotation. Lance Lynn is as consistent as any starter in the league. Dallas Kuechel can still dominate at times, Dylan Cease posted a sub-4.00 ERA and Lucas Giolito is a Cy Young contender.
Third Most Likely Matchup – Dodgers vs Rays
4-of-5 teams in the deep AL East can win the division. But based on past performance, the Tampa Bay Rays are the best play.
Why the Rays over the Yankees, Blue Jays, and Red Sox? The Rays played well last season and their best starter, Tyler Glasnow, was out for almost all of 2021.
If Glasnow returns and throws heat the way many expect he will, Tampa should be back to dominating their AL East opponents. The bad news for the Rays is that Glasnow just had ankle surgery.
So he will miss the first week of regular season action. Then, he’ll require a week or so to get back into shape before hitting the diamond. But the Rays can lean on Corey Kluber, who should have a great season after his better than expected 2021, and Shane McClanahan, their ace from last year.
Under Dog Key Team – Philadelphia Phillies
The best underdog play to beat the Dodgers and win the National League Pennant are the Philadelphia Phillies.
When it comes to the Phillies, two things must happen. First, Didi Gregorious must hit .250 or better and second someone must step up in the rotation, either Kyle Gibson, or Aaron Nola, or Ranger Suarez, and support ace Zach Wheeler.
If those two things happen, the Phillies will be a strong squad. Bryce Harper is great. JT Realmuto is the best catcher in baseball, Jean Segura bats for average and will hit at least 14 home runs, and Kyle Schwarber is one of the NL’s top designated hitters.
Give Philadelphia a better than their odds indicate shot to win the NL and consider them the best underdog MLB key team in World Series matchups.
2021 MLB World Series Betting Update: Possible Matchups
Previous Betting News
While most of the schedule is set for the start of the MLB playoffs, we are still awaiting one game before we see the full picture. That game comes on Wednesday, when the LA Dodgers and the St. Louis Cardinals square off in the NL Wild Card game. The winner of that one will go on to face the San Francisco Giants in the NL Divisional Series. The other matchup on that side of the bracket sees the Atlanta Braves and the Milwaukee Brewers square off. Over in the American League, the ALDS games are set, with Tampa Bay and Boston going head-to-head, while Houston and the Chicago White Sox meet in the other series. The question now is who goes to the World Series. The stats website, FiveThirtyEight, came up with some probabilities about who might win it all, so let’s take a look at some of the potential matchups that come from that source. Let’s jump right into action so you can be all set to bet against the MLB World Series odds.
Updated World Series Odds | MLB Betting
Tampa Bay Rays Vs LA Dodgers
The stats seem to suggest that these are the teams most likely to represent the AL and NL in the World Series, but that will, of course, all change rather dramatically if the Dodgers slip up in the Wild Card. The Dodgers won 6 more games than the Rays in the regular season, yet still had to go the way of the Wild Card because of the dominance of the Giants. That aside, LA has proven playoff experience and have made it to the World Series in 3 of the last 4 years, winning it in 2020. The Rays have steadily progressed over the last couple of seasons and went to the ALCS last season. This matchup makes a lot of sense.
Houston Astros Vs San Francisco Giants
With the Houston Astros, you have another recent World Series winner and a team that has been a regular player in the playoffs. Yes, there is some questions about signal stealing and such, but that aside, this is a team that always seems to be in the World Series picture. The San Francisco Giants ended the regular season with 107 wins, the most of any team in the league. That would seem to make them the prohibitive favorite heading into the playoffs, but it’s a tough road ahead of them.
Chicago White Sox Vs Atlanta Braves
The Chicago White Sox made the playoffs last season, but they did not make a whole lot of noise. More is expected from them this season, but their ALDS matchup with the Astros is certainly a tough one. Not a lot of people are looking at the Braves as a potential World Series winner for a couple of different reasons. While they have been in the playoffs the past couple of seasons, they have been poor in the big games. They also have the least number of regular season wins (88) of any playoff participant this season.
Boston Red Sox Vs Milwaukee Brewers
After a little bit of drama on the final day of the season, we ended up with the Red Sox and Yankees heading off to the AL Wild Card Game, which Boston managed to win. A victory like that can propel a team into a long playoff run, but this will be a tough road for the Red Sox. The Brewers have what looks to be a favorable matchup with the Braves, but they would then need to face the Dodgers or Giants. This World Series matchup looks like a longshot at best.
2020 MLB World Series Possible Matchup Odds & Prediction July 22th Edition
On Thursday, July 23, Major League Baseball starts the return to play. MLB has two games on Thursday, Yankees vs Nationals and Dodgers vs Giants. Unlike the NBA, MLB won’t play their season in a bubble. We’ll have to wait and see if things go south. In the meantime, let’s handicap possible World Series matchups so you can start planning ahead your bets against their MLB odds.
Possible World Series Matchups
2020 MLB Regular Season
When: July 23 – September 27
Where: Various Venues
World Series Matchup Odds
A good strategy to handicap World Series matchup odds is to pick two to three favorites from the AL and then consider odds against two to three teams from the National League.
The three squads that appear best suited from the AL to win the World Series this year are the New York Yankees +375, Houston Astros +1200, and Minnesota Twins +1500.
Let’s look at odds for each one of those American League squads against the three teams from the NL with the best chance, based on odds, to win the World Series. Those three teams are the Los Angeles Dodgers +375, Atlanta Braves +1200, and St. Louis Cardinals +2500.
New York Yankees vs Los Angeles Dodgers +400
This is the likeliest outcome. The Dodgers have the requisite pitching and hitting to win the World Series. So do the Yankees. Some may consider the Dodgers a lock to make the postseason. Why? They must play against teams from the AL West and NL West. Outside of the Houston Astros, no team LAD battles should touch the Dodgers.
New York Yankees vs Atlanta Braves +1700
The Braves are a solid bunch. So, if they make it to the playoffs, they could have a shot against the Dodgers and get to the World Series. But the Atlanta Braves don’t have much pitching after Mike Soroka.
New York Yankees vs St. Louis Cardinals +2900
This would make for a classic World Series matchup. The St. Louis Cardinals are the National League’s New York Yankees. No NL team has won as many pennants or World Series Championships as the St. Louis Cardinals.
But are the Cards any good this season? They’ll have the bats. Plus, no team may show up with lockdown pitching just because no team’s pitchers had a chance to play multiple spring training games.
It’s your call, but, maybe, St. Louis is the surprise NL squad to make it to the Fall Classic.
Houston Astros vs Los Angeles Dodgers +1100
What a rematch if it happens. The Dodgers feel the Astros cheated them out of a World Series title in 2017. The Astros are happy they mustn’t hear boos throughout opposing stadiums because, well, they did cheat.
If this does happen, no way the benches don’t clear at least in one of the World Series games.
Houston Astros vs Atlanta Braves +3300
In a 60-game truncated season playing in front of no fans, World Series matchups like Astros-Braves are a possibility.
Houston Astros vs St. Louis Cardinals +5600
Same goes for Astros-Cardinals. The Stros are a solid group. Just because they cheated, it doesn’t mean they can’t play baseball. The Cardinals might be the most underrated contender in MLB.
Minnesota Twins +1500 World Series Odds
Don’t sleep on the Minnesota Twins. The Twins have a couple of ace starting pitchers in Jose Berrios and Jake Odorizzi. Berrios’ ERA last season was 3.68. Odorizzi posted a 3.51 ERA.
A couple of solid former Dodgers, Kenta Maeda and Rich Hill, follow Berrios and Odorizzi in the rotation. Also, last season the Twins ranked first in home runs with 307, and second in team batting average at .270, second in runs per with 5.80, and second in OPS with .832.
If the pitching is there, the Twins can win the World Series. Check out their matchup odds with the Dodgers, Cardinals, and Braves.
- Minnesota Twins vs Los Angeles Dodgers +2400
- Minnesota Twins vs Atlanta Braves +6700
- Minnesota Twins vs St. Louis Cardinals +11250
MLB throws first pitch on July 23
The Yankees and Nationals throw first pitches for the 2020 Major League Baseball Season. Starting on July 23, the most treasured sport in America gets back onto the field.
Make sure to check out baseball betting odds on MyBookie and get your wagers down for World Series Matchups and on the team you think wins the Fall Classic!
2020 MLB World Series Possible Matchup Odds & Prediction April 8th Edition
Previous Betting News
In an ordinary world, we would already have seen the MLB season begin, but we are not living in an ordinary world at the moment. The good news is that there does seem to be some talk about how to proceed, with the MLB said to be considering playing games in smaller stadiums used for preseason. Still, the World Series still feels as though it is a million miles away, especially with the start of the season still suspended, but it’s still fin to think about the teams that we might see in the World Series once play does begin. We are going to take a look at some potential World Series matchups Odds. Not all of which would be considered great bets at this point, just to get an idea of the wide variety of odds currently available.
MLB World Series Possible Matchup Odds
Washington Nationals Vs Houston Astros
World Series Possible Matchup Odds: +5200
Let’s start out by looking at the possibility of a rematch of the World Series that we saw last season. We are all aware that the Nationals shocked everyone by coming out of the Wild Card and making a run that ended with them being crowned as champions. They are going to have a tough time knocking off the Atlanta Braves in the NL East this season, which means they would need to go the long route again. The Astros are loaded from top to bottom and definitely look like a good bet to represent the AL, but that chances of a repeat of last year’s World Series are not great, in my humble opinion.
New York Yankees Vs Atlanta Braves
World Series Possible Matchup Odds: +1500
If we were making an educated guess, the battle for the AL pennant is likely to be between the New York Yankees and Houston Astros. The Yankees are absolutely loaded and look like a team that can power their way through the opposition with some serious offense. The Atlanta Braves have seen all their prospects come good in back to back AL East winning seasons, but the postseason has proven to be a problem for them. They’ve added a few veteran pieces to the lineup in hopes of taking that next step, so this is a very decent bet.
LA Angels Vs LA Dodgers
World Series Possible Matchup Odds: +4700The Dodgers have appeared in 2 of the last 3 World Series, losing both times, and while they had an early postseason exit last year, they look primed to make another run. Make no mistake about it, the Dodgers are the team to beat in the National League, so it would not be a surprise to see them go all the way. The LA Angels would be a bit of a surprise World Series participant, as they still appear to be some way off the best teams in the AL. Still, in Mike Trout, they have the best player in the league, while new manager Joe Maddon has a reputation of taking teams all the way.
Minnesota Twins Vs St. Louis Cardinals
World Series Possible Matchup Odds: +7900
We all know who the favorites are in each of the leagues, but what about the dark horses. There are a handful of teams sitting not that far back from the favorites who could make things very interesting for the big guns. The Minnesota Twins had a major breakthrough in winning the AL Central last season, while the St. Louis Cardinals did the same in the NL. At the very least, these two should be in the running for a Wild Card spot, so is it really that unrealistic to imagine that they could take a run at the World Series?
2020 MLB World Series Possible Matchup Odds & Prediction April 8th Edition
Previous Betting News
In an ordinary world, we would already have seen the MLB season begin, but we are not living in an ordinary world at the moment. The good news is that there does seem to be some talk about how to proceed, with the MLB said to be considering playing games in smaller stadiums used for preseason. Still, the World Series still feels as though it is a million miles away, especially with the start of the season still suspended, but it’s still fin to think about the teams that we might see in the World Series once play does begin. We are going to take a look at some potential World Series matchups Odds. Not all of which would be considered great bets at this point, just to get an idea of the wide variety of odds currently available.
MLB World Series Possible Matchup Odds
Washington Nationals Vs Houston Astros
World Series Possible Matchup Odds: +5200
Let’s start out by looking at the possibility of a rematch of the World Series that we saw last season. We are all aware that the Nationals shocked everyone by coming out of the Wild Card and making a run that ended with them being crowned as champions. They are going to have a tough time knocking off the Atlanta Braves in the NL East this season, which means they would need to go the long route again. The Astros are loaded from top to bottom and definitely look like a good bet to represent the AL, but that chances of a repeat of last year’s World Series are not great, in my humble opinion.
New York Yankees Vs Atlanta Braves
World Series Possible Matchup Odds: +1500
If we were making an educated guess, the battle for the AL pennant is likely to be between the New York Yankees and Houston Astros. The Yankees are absolutely loaded and look like a team that can power their way through the opposition with some serious offense. The Atlanta Braves have seen all their prospects come good in back to back AL East winning seasons, but the postseason has proven to be a problem for them. They’ve added a few veteran pieces to the lineup in hopes of taking that next step, so this is a very decent bet.
LA Angels Vs LA Dodgers
World Series Possible Matchup Odds: +4700The Dodgers have appeared in 2 of the last 3 World Series, losing both times, and while they had an early postseason exit last year, they look primed to make another run. Make no mistake about it, the Dodgers are the team to beat in the National League, so it would not be a surprise to see them go all the way. The LA Angels would be a bit of a surprise World Series participant, as they still appear to be some way off the best teams in the AL. Still, in Mike Trout, they have the best player in the league, while new manager Joe Maddon has a reputation of taking teams all the way.
Minnesota Twins Vs St. Louis Cardinals
World Series Possible Matchup Odds: +7900
We all know who the favorites are in each of the leagues, but what about the dark horses. There are a handful of teams sitting not that far back from the favorites who could make things very interesting for the big guns. The Minnesota Twins had a major breakthrough in winning the AL Central last season, while the St. Louis Cardinals did the same in the NL. At the very least, these two should be in the running for a Wild Card spot, so is it really that unrealistic to imagine that they could take a run at the World Series?
2019 World Series Matchups Betting Predictions & Picks
Previous Betting News
Right now, the top team in the American League are the New York Yankees. The top team in the National League are the Los Angeles Dodgers. The most likely World Series matchups include either the Dodgers from the NL or the Yankees from the AL. The third team with the best shot of making the Fall Classic are the Houston Astros. Check out possible World Series betting matchups!
2019 World Series Matchups Betting Predictions & Picks
L.A. Dodgers vs New York Yankees
What a classic this would be! Those in charge are secretly hoping for a Dodgers-Yankees matchup because the ratings would be massive. If the battle it out for the MLB Championship, the Dodgers have the slight edge. They’ve got two powerhouse starters in Clayton Kershaw and Hyun-Jin Ryu.
Kershaw and Ryu should manage the Yankees’ batters. New York ranks ninth in team ERA at 4.04, though. The Yankees rank sixth in bullpen ERA at 3.93. They also have a great batting lineup. Although the Dodgers have the edge, the Yankees would put up a great fight.
If this were to happen, we’d be looking at a possible 7-game World Series classic.
L.A. Dodgers vs Houston Astros
A 2017 World Series repeat could also shatter viewing records. The Dodgers appear much better now than they were when falling to the Houston Astros in the Fall Classic. The Astros are loaded in every phase of the game: a third ranked bullpen, a sixth ranked starting rotation, and the third best hitting team in baseball based on batting average.
Houston should win the AL West. They can definitely beat the Yankees and win the AL Pennant. Don’t sleep on an Astros-Dodgers World Series.
L.A. Dodgers vs Minnesota Twins
We’d be wrong to not mention the Minnesota Twins. As of July 16, the Twins are 5 games ahead of the Cleveland Indians in the AL Central Division. Minnesota has a strong starting rotation led by former Tampa pitcher Jake Odorizzi. Odorizzi is 11-4 with a 3.04 ERA.
The Twins are also the second best hitting team in MLB based on batting average. Minnesota hits .271. The icing on the Twins’ possible World Series cake is that the bullpen ranks tenth. The Twins are a sleeper AL Pennant squad, but they can get past New York and Houston.
Atlanta Braves vs New York Yankees
In the NL, the Atlanta Braves have enough time to win homefield advantage over the Dodgers. If the Braves get homefield advantage, they should be tough to knock out of the playoffs. The team hits well. More importantly, they’ve got a strong starting rotation. The rotation is even stronger now that Dallas Kuechel throws for them.
Braves-Yankees would make for a great World Series. The Braves dominated the NL in the mid to late 1990’s. The Yankees beat Atlanta 4-2 in the 1996 World Series. That started NYY’s late 1990’s early 2000’s dynasty.
Chicago Cubs vs New York Yankees
Two of the most storied teams in MLB history throwing down in the Fall Classic? What’s not love about a Chicago Cubs versus New York Yankees World Series? The Cubs have a long road ahead of them to just beat the Cardinals and Brewers for the NL Central Division.
If they pull it off, though, they could upset the Braves and, or, the Dodgers in the postseason. Facing the Yankees in the World Series would make for an intriguing matchup.
St. Louis Cardinals vs New York Yankees
Same goes for a Cardinals-Yankees World Series. St. Louis is to the National League what the Yankees are to the American League. St. Louis-NYY would make for a great Fall Classic.
Houston Astros World Series Possible Matchups
The New York Yankees aren’t a lock to make it to the World Series. In fact, although the Yankees are at +150 odds to win the AL Pennant, the Astros are at +170. Houston has a real shot of making it to their second World Series in the past three seasons. Check out possible matchups in addition to an Astros-Dodgers Fall Classic.
The key is to find the team you like to win the World Series. Then, call for World Series matchup odds and make a few matchup wagers. Odds should be excellent no matter what World Series matchups you prefer.
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