2024 NL Pennant Predictions Plus MLB Betting Odds to Win

Previous Betting News

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the significant difference between the National League and the American League was the designated hitter. In the American League (and in interleague games played in American League stadiums), teams could insert a designated hitter into the batting order, almost always for the pitcher. In the National League, all nine players in the field also had to appear in the batting order. Due to the injuries that occasionally hit pitchers while batting and other concerns with player outages during the COVID-19 pandemic, the designated hitter rule was added to the National League. Even though other pandemic restrictions have eased, the designated hitter remains in the National League, making the rules uniform between the two circuits. Going into 2022, let’s take a look at the MLB odds each team faces to win the pennant and advance to the World Series.

MLB News: NL Pennant Odds and Predictions

Milwaukee needs to spruce up their offense to get further than a Division Series. They won 95 games last year, and they have a dominant starting rotation, but they were 14th in the NL in batting average, ninth in on-base percentage, and 11th in slugging percentage. Christian Yelich hit just .248 with nine home runs in 2021, so it’s definitely worth asking if he can rebound in 2022.

The Dodgers have lost Corey Seager and Max Scherzer in free agency. Clayton Kershaw remains unsigned. Cody Bellinger and Justin Turner regressed significantly in 2021; are they on a downward career trend, or will they rebound? Obviously, the Dodgers still have an edge on just about the rest of Major League Baseball in terms of talent and depth, but this really is a team that expected to win more than one title in this run.

Atlanta looks forward to a full campaign from Ronald Acuna Jr, and they signed Charlie Morton to a two-year extension in September, a decision that looks wise given the uncertainty of the work stoppage, although his injury in the World Series has his 2022 timetable in question. Will Marcell Ozuna have his administrative leave lifted? Will Austin Riley continue his breakout play in 2022?

San Francisco posted an amazing 2021 with 107 wins. If you think the Giants are just beginning a dynastic run, think about these trends: in 2018, the Red Sox won 108 games; the next year, they won 84. In 2013, St. Louis racked up 100 wins before sinking to 86. Why should we expect something similar from the Giants? Their lineup has a lot of age to it, so expect at least the position players to take astep back. The starting rotation was outstanding, but Kevin Gausman has already left, and Alex Wood and Anthony DeSclafani are unsigned. The bullpen led MLB in ERA (2.97) but finished 22nd in strikeout rate, so giving up that much contact will likely lead to more runs permitted.

Did you know that San Diego led the NL West on May 30? Did you know that they were only 2 ½ games out of first on June 30? Then, the team fell off the table. Starting pitchers got hurt, and the ones that weren’t hurt couldn’t get batters out. At least eight regulars in the lineup played at least 130 games, though, so the injuries didn’t affect the offense. However, even with all that talent, San Diego ranked eighth in the league in runs scored. Getting that offense on track will be new manager Bob Melvin’s top priority.

Previous Betting News

The Los Angeles Dodgers ended a championship drought that dated back to 1981 when they won the World Series last year. However, they have been a regular in the Series, falling most recently to Houston in 2017 and Boston in 2018. No stranger to pennants, the Dodgers have reloaded again, adding Trevor Bauer to the starting rotation, which will also feature David Price for the first time. The Dodgers and Padres will make the NL West an interesting place, and it will be interesting to see how the Braves, Cardinals, Cubs, the Mets and other contenders will fare as well.

Let’s take a look at the National League betting odds for each team in the senior circuit to grab this year’s pennant.

MLB News: Way Too Early NL Pennant Odds

The best team on paper rarely wins the World Series. Why? Because the season is a marathon that depends on health, motivation and team chemistry. The Dodgers are the favorites after winning World Series for a reason, but it is hard to repeat — not least because of the motivation and hunger it takes just to win a title. Adding Bauer is a huge help, but what does David Price have left in the tank? A lefty who nibbles at corners is helpful at the back end of a rotation, but that can also lead to poundings in the playoffs.

San Diego is an intriguing team, and A.J. Preller has done nothing but add talent since his arrival. Manny Machado was the first piece, but adding Cy Young winner Blake Snell to the rotation makes this team a postseason competitor. Extending Fernando Tatis Jr for 14 years and $340 million shows that the team is finally ready to spend with the titans. Watching them slug it out with the Dodgers will be an intriguing storyline for the season.

Atlanta fans are waiting to see what will happen with Mike Soroka. He had surgery to fix a torn Achilles tendon back on August 7, and if he can return at full strength, imagine what the Braves could do in the postseason with him anchoring a rotation that also includes Charlie Morton, Ian Anderson and Max Fried. The offense was almost enough to get by the Dodgers in the NLCS last year, and with better pitching, the Braves could get over the top.

Right behind the Braves (or perhaps in front of them, depending how things go) could be the Mets. Noah Syndergaard appears set to return, alongside Jacob deGrom. The offense has some major upgrades as well. Now, the Mets have had some major drama issues to deal with, such as losing their general manager and their hitting coach because of personal conduct issues, but if they can work around those, and if Thor and deGrom can get things rolling, momentum like that can be hard to stop.

Will the Washington Nationals be players this season? They still have Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin in the starting rotation, but Father Time is coming for them in terms of elite level performance. GM Mike Rizzo added Kyle Schwarber and Josh Bell to bolster the offense, and he did not have to give up much in the future to get them. The championship window is still open for the Nats, but it is closing quickly.

If the St. Louis Cardinals are a contender, it will be through their offense. They have added Paul Goldschmidt, Dylan Carlson and now Nolan Arenado, so you would think they will be able to rake. Their pitching is decent enough to get them through an NL Central that is crowded — but not with elite teams.

The Chicago Cubs are another team in the NL Central that can pound the ball. As with any offense-first team, though, the ability of a team to hit well, consistently, can be a very fragile factor.

Previous Betting News

Given that Opening Day was supposed to be March 26 and spring training has not even resumed yet, it seems a certainty that, if there is going to be a 2020 season in Major League Baseball, it will be a shortened one. There hasn’t been an abbreviated campaign in MLB since 1994-95, when the owners and players could not reach an agreement ahead of the 1994 season, and the season was canceled on August 11. This left the sport without a World Series for the first time since 1904 (when the New York Giants refused to play, arguing that the American League’s champion would not present enough of a challenge). The strike finally ended on April 2, 1995, and the season featured 144 games. You can still take part in sports betting for MLB futures despite the uncertain future of the season. We have the latest odds to win the National League Pennant for you as well as thoughts on some of the contenders.

MLB: Latest Odds to Win the NL Pennant

The Los Angeles Dodgers should benefit from a shorter season. Clayton Kershaw won’t be as fatigued by the postseason, which might mean that he won’t get shelled in crucial games. The same goes for David Price, another aging veteran who is a mixed bag in terms of postseason performance. Julio Urias is set to enter the starting rotation, and the Dodgers shouldn’t have t

The Atlanta Braves had to leave spring training without settling on their rotation, but they had a wealth of arms. King Felix, Touki Toussaint, Kyle Wright and Sean Newcommb were trying to win the last two spots — and Cole Hamels, who was not supposed to be ready until after Mother’s Day, will be there for more of the season, but we still have to see how much he has in the tank.

The Washington Nationals had shut down Max Scherzer because of fatigue. Stephen Strasburg threw a career high in innings last year. The Nationals still don’t have a lot of rotation depth. However, this extended break gives everyone time to rest longer, which should give Washington an advantage coming in.

The Chicago Cubs come in with a new manager and had a lot of lineup questions in spring training. Who will play center field — Albert Almora Jr or Ian Happ? Who will play second — Jason Kipnis, David Bote or Nico Hoerner? Would it be Alec Mills or Tyler Chatwood inked in as the fifth starter, with the other to go to long relief? Depth was a huge problem for the Cubs last year, and they still have to make key decisions down the depth chart.

The New York Mets should have Yoenis Cespedes back. He missed over 125 games in 2018 and missed the entire 2019 season after heel surgery. He is now 34, so durability and agility are both concerns. However, he should be an improvement on defense over the likes of J.D. Davis. The rotation is still missing Noah Syndergaard until at least August 2021, though, so the sideshow that is Pete Alonso’s transcendent bat is not likely to make it to the postseason.

The Philadelphia Phillies would not have started 2020 with outfielder Andrew McCutchen or relievers Victor Arano and Tommy Hunter. McCutchen played just 59 games before his knee injury last year, but he had already scored 45 runs. The relievers in Philadelphia had all sorts of injury problems, so having these two healthy arms will help the team from digging itself a deep hole in the early going.

Previous Betting News

The Philadelphia Phillies have fallen off the table after a hot start to the 2019 campaign and have slipped to third in the National League East, 7 ½ games behind Atlanta and two behind the Washington Nationals. In the NL Central, the Chicago Cubs have started to pull away and lead Milwaukee by two games after winning seven of their last ten. In the West, the San Francisco Giants have won nine of ten — but still trail the Dodgers by 15 games and sit a game behind Arizona. There are only four teams in the senior circuit with winning percentages above .520, which is why the odds look as skewed as they do. As you think about your betting for futures wagers on the MLB NL pennant, check out the MLB odds as well as our perspectives on some of the contenders.

2019 MLB NL Pennant Odds for the Second Second Half

Top Teams

The Los Angeles Dodgers still have Clayton Kershaw in their rotation, but it is Hyun-Jin Ryu who has emerged as the most dominant pitcher in baseball, giving the Dodgers the one-two punch at the top of their rotation that they lacked in their last two trips to the World Series. Then there is Cody Bellinger, who moved into the home run lead in Major League Baseball on Monday night, hitting .341 with 33 home runs in 398 plate appearances. The duel with Christian Yelich to lead the sport in home runs will be an interesting one down the stretch, but Bellinger has the better defensive tools and is the odds-on favorite to win the MVP right now

The Atlanta Bravs went 24-10 into the All-Star break and ran off a four-game winning streak to start the second half of the season. Freddie Freeman has pounded 25 home runs and driven in 75 runs, batting .302 in 94 games. Atlanta tends to go under the radar these days, especially with Washington in their division, but Freeman could be the face of a new generation of Atlanta Braves dominance.

The Chicago Cubs have finally found a bit of traction, but they have to deal with the loss of All-Star catcher Wilson Contreras (right arch strain). The Cubs sent Mike Montgomery to Kansas City for Martin Maldonado, who can block pitches and throw runners out, but Victor Caratini will start in Contreras’ stead, and the rest of the Cubs’ lineup will have to pick up the offensive slack.

Who Else Should You Keep an Eye Out?

The Washington Nationals went 23-9 going into the All-Star break and then took two of three against Philadelphia to open the second half — and they would have swept the Phils except for a walk-off loss on Sunday. The Nationals hold one of the two wild card positions, but back problems for ace Max Scherzer could spell big trouble for the Nats down the stretch.

The St. Louis Cardinals have not been in the mix for a couple of seasons, but all of a sudden they are in a tie for the second wild card position, and they pulled as close as two games of the Cubs. Miles Mikolas threw a complete-game shutout on Monday night and will need to get back to his 2018 form (2.83 ERA over 200.2 innings) if the Cardinals want to remain a contender in the NL.

The Milwaukee Brewers dropped 18 of 27 games in a stretch that started on June 14, seeing their run differential drop to -26. Christian Yelich is still raking, the offense ranks 17th in runs scored, and their pitching staff is 18th in ERA (4.66). Going into the trade deadline, they need a big bat AND a starting pitcher.