MLB Odds: AL Pennant Race after Week 3

One of the fun parts of spring training involves seeing new pitchers breaking into the game, and one of the most interesting this year is Bryce Warrecker. The Yankees’ rookie has a sweeping pitch that has movement resembling a Wiffle ball. On Sunday, he struck out Philadelphia right fielder Matt Kroon with three sweepers, none of which gave Kroon a chance. The Yankees also got a big boost out of Juan Soto in his spring training debut, as he pounded a three-run blast in the fourth inning on Sunday. Traveling about 428 feet (according to Statcast) before hitting the scoreboard. The mammoth shot has Yankees fans believing their team is back, but we will see how their starting rotation shakes out. Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery remain unsigned, so the Pinstripes could add some depth.

Let’s look at the online MLB betting odds of each National League team to win the pennant in 2024 and discuss some of the other contenders.

Updated MLB Odds to Win the 2024 AL Pennant

The Houston Astros have advanced to seven straight American League Championship Series, but only won one World Series title during that stretch. They added Josh Hader to close games, and Alex Bregman and Yordan Alvarez are still major factors on the roster. All eyes will be on Framber Valdez, who fell apart down the stretch as his sinker became unreliable. He only averaged 4 ⅔ innings over his last 10 regular-season starts, posting a 4.29 ERA over that stretch. In the playoffs, that ERA climbed to 9.00, and unreliable pitching doomed the Astros in their seven-game ALCS loss to Texas.

The Texas Rangers are waiting to see how their television revenue situation plays out before they offer a deal to starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery, who played a major role in bringing the Rangers their first title. As the year goes on, Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom should return to the rotation, but there are depth issues in the starting five now that inking Montgomery would greatly ameliorate. 

MLB Opening Lines and Odds to Win World Series

The Baltimore Orioles signed Corbin Burnes, bringing a real ace to town, and the team’s new ownership should be able to give fans the big-market roster they deserve. Baltimore won 101 games a year ago, and their roster is even better than it was. Jackson Holliday is the front-runner in the race for AL Rookie of the Year. Frankly, if it weren’t for the Yankees’ historical reputation, (and the Orioles’ recent woes before 2023), the Orioles would be the front-runners to win the division.

The Toronto Blue Jays had the best starting rotation in MLB last year, but they still couldn’t pick up a playoff win. The offense ranked 14th in runs scored and 16th in home runs despite having both Vladimir Guerrero Jr and Bo Bichette healthy and in the lineup all year. The team did bring in Justin Turner to replace the departing Brandon Belt, but Blue Jays fans are justified in wondering if their team really can improve with a roster that is largely identical.

The Seattle Mariners signed Mitch Garver away from Texas and also added Mitch Haniger, Samad Taylor, Luke Raley, Jorge Polanco, Austin Voth, Carlos Vargas, and Seby Zavala. The starting rotation remains unchanged, and bullpen depth is still a question, but the front office was not shy about retooling the batting order. We’ll see how well everything meshes as the season rolls on.

MLB Odds to Win the American League Pennant

Previous Betting News

The chase for the American League pennant will involve clashes between high-octane offenses, particularly as the pitchers in Major League Baseball continue to deal with elevated enforcement of rules against pitchers applying foreign substances to the ball. Houston, Boston and Chicago lead the three divisions in the junior circuit, but each team has some potential flaws that could cause things to fall apart between now and the World Series.

Let’s take a look at the updated MLB betting odds for each team as well as some insights as to some of your better wagering choices.

MLB News: Updated Odds to Win the AL Pennant

The Chicago White Sox have put together a 54-35 record at the All-Star break despite tons of games lost to injury. Eloy Jimenez is already on his rehab assignment and could be back in the batting order soon. Carlos Rodon and Lance Lynn have pitched well in the first half and show no signs of slowing down. With the injuries to the batting order, Adam Engel, Gavin Sheets and Brian Goodwin have stepped up and played much better than expected. The team seems to have a culture gap with manager Tony La Russa, but as long as they keep winning, chemistry will take care of itself.

The Boston Red Sox are getting a terrific run from their hitters — as well as tremendous play from its bullpen, with an ERA of 3.57 that is eighth in MLB. Nathan Eovaldi is an unlikely ace, but he has pitched well week in and week out, and the rest of the rotation has largely avoided injury. Can Chris Sale return to provide a boost ahead of the postseason?

Somehow, the Tampa Bay Rays went into the break with a 53-37 record but only had two All-Stars (infielder Joey Wendel and catcher Mike Zunino). The pitching staff lost Blake Snell and Charlie Morton but still has a 3.50 ERA that is seventh best in MLB. They put up a 16-1 record in the last 17 games of May and fired off a six-game winning streak earlier this month. If they have the staying power to get into the postseason, they will be dangerous because they don’t rely on one star.

The Houston Astros have a 25-13 record against divisional foes, and they have the best run differential in the junior circuit (+136). The starting rotation has a 3.35 ERA, which leads the American League. The bullpen has some issues, so as the trade deadline approaches, that should be the concern of the front office.

The Oakland A’s started 2021 with a 1-7 record and have since gone 44-33, including a 13-game winning streak that ensued after that dreadful start. Matt Olson will be in the MVP conversation, and Sean Manaea and Chris Bassitt are two ace-level pitchers at the front of the starting rotation. The bullpen lost Trevor Rosenthan for the season but has still performed above expectations.

The Seattle Mariners went 17-8 in their 25 games before the All-Star break. This is a young team; the latest prospect to come up to the big club is Cal Raleigh, a catcher who put up a 23-game hitting streak earlier in 2021 at Triple-A. If they can keep winning, a wild card is not out of the realm of possibility.

The Toronto Blue Jays have gotten a terrific season so far out of starting pitcher Robbie Ray, and Alek Manoah has outperformed expectations in the rotation as well. Vladimir Guerrero Jr and Bo Bichette bring two explosive bats to the offense. They need to win at a slightly greater clip to hope for a wild card, as they came into the break just three games above .500.

Previous Betting News

With the talent discussion in Major League Baseball focusing on the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres, the American League is flying a bit under the radar as far as World Series consideration. However, as we saw two years ago, when the Washington Nationals beat the Houston Astros, the underdog has a way of running away with the World Series once they start to build momentum.

Let’s take a look at the sports betting odds for the American League teams to win the pennant in 2021.

MLB News: Way Too Early AL Pennant Odds

The New York Yankees have an extremely high ceiling, as their rotation could contain Gerrit Cole, Luis Severino, Corey Kluber and Jameson Taillon at full strength. However, they also have a low floor, as Severino, Kluber and Taillon all have durability questions. Kluber only pitched about an inning for Texas last year, but he also has a Cy Young Award in his cabinet.

The Minnesota Twins has gone through some turnover in the bullpen, particularly at setup man and closer, but the changes represent upgrades. Bringing in Andrelton Simmons to play shortstop upgrades the defense significantly — which will help the pitchers as well.

The Chicago White Sox made a major upgrade by adding Lance Lynn to the middle of the rotation. He was a rare bright spot for Texas the last two seasons, and having that solid #2 or #3 pitcher who can just eat up innings is crucial for teams in the marathon known as the MLB season.

The Toronto Blue Jays will pound the ball all over the yard this season. If they can get even serviceable pitching over the course of the year, they will push hard for a wild card, and if the Yankees’ rotation has some issues (or if the Yankee batters hit injury woes again), the Blue Jays could take the AL East title.

The Houston Astros don’t have George Springer leading off anymore. They still have Carlos Correa, Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman in the lineup. Will they be hungry? Will opponents still have an animus toward the Astros because of their cheating scandal? How will the pitching staff perform?

The Oakland A’s find ways to grind out competitive seasons year after year, despite the fact that their owners will not spend. The offer they just made to Marcus Semien shows the bargain basement approach the team is taking. However, the talent in Oakland is still above average because of their quality front office.

The Los Angeles Angels still have Albert Pujols, who is in his contract year. That’s right, he is finishing a ten-year deal with the Angels. They have Shohei Ohtani back at full strength. Mike Trout is still patrolling the outfield. Can the Halos actually contend this year?

Cleveland now has seen Carlos Carrasco and Francisco Lindor leave town, which means that the rebuilding process may be about to begin. The team still has Jose Ramirez and Shane Bieber, but the Tribe is trending downward for now.

The Kansas City Royals are trying to move up in the AL Central. They added underrated Mike Minor, along with Carlos Santana, Andrew Benintendi and Wade Davis. Will it be enough, with the White Sox and the Twins at the top of the division?

The Seattle Mariners will run out a lot of youngsters this season, as they have picked up a lot of prospects who could jell into a contender in a year or two. With the Astros on the wane and with the A’s, Angels and Rangers still figuring out a way forward, there is room for a new contender in the AL West.

The Texas Rangers are going back to the 1980s by bringing in Khris Davis to join Joey Gallo in a power lineup, but if you think back to the Rangers of the 1980s, that may not be the best approach. With the best starting pitchers from the last two years now in the AL Central, it will be interesting to see how Texas rebuilds.

Previous Betting News

Major League Baseball has announced potential plans to start the 2020 regular season in May — with all play taking place in Arizona, at least for the time being. The games would be played in front of empty stadiums, not just the Diamondbacks’ Chase Park but in the network of spring training stadiums all over the area. Players would live sequestered in hotels and go to and from the stadiums and training complexes and then back afterward. Instead of sitting in dugouts, the players would sit six feet apart in the empty stadium seating. There are a lot of questions to answer before this becomes reality, but if MLB becomes the only live league up and running in the United States, the money from television would help make up for the loss of revenue at the ticket booth. If you’re considering MLB futures in your sports betting, then take a look at the latest odds to win the American League pennant as well as our insights on some of the contenders.

MLB: Latest Odds to Win the AL Pennant

Team Odds

The New York Yankees were looking at starting 2020 with Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton on injured reserve, but the coronavirus delay has given them more time to heal. Starting pitcher Luis Severino will miss the 2020 season no matter what, but the Yankees could start the season at almost full strength. Adding Gerrit Cole to their starting rotation gives them an ace, but is the rest of their rotation strong enough?

The Houston Astros should get Justin Verlander from his groin injury by the time this delayed Opening Day comes around. Lance McCullers Jr will return to the rotation from his year off for Tommy John surgery and should have more freedom in terms of inning pitched. Perhaps most importantly, the Astros would not get booed in every road stadium by fans still outraged by their cheating scandal — it’s hard to get booed when no one is in the stands.

The Tampa Bay Rays could benefit if offenses start slowly. Rob Mains, from Baseball Prospectus, argues that hitters will take more time to get their swing timing back the longer the league delays. Tampa Bay has an elite rotation, but most of them have durability concerns. However, a shortened season wouldn’t make that as much of a problem. The Rays also have a terrific defense, so if they start hot and the Yankees’ bats take a while to wake up, the AL East could end up surprising a lot of people.

The Minnesota Twins were scrambling to figure out how to get by without Rich Hill (elbow) in their starting rotation until June, but now they won’t have to wait as long. Michael Pineda’s PED suspension (five weeks) won’t begin until play begins, so having Hill back sooner helps. Byron Buxton can keep rehabbing that shoulder as well. Veterans such as Josh Donaldson and Nelson Cruz won’t wear down over a shorter season either.

The Oakland A’s have two terrific starting pitchers in A.J. Puk and Jesus Lazardo. However, in typical A’s fashion, they are both prospects. Oakland is seen as a contender, but they are the sort of contender that emerges from the scrum with a wild card and either flames out in the play-in game or loses in the Division Series. That’s not the sort of team I’m putting money on to win the pennant.

The Cleveland Indians could now have starting pitchers Carlos Carrasco (elbow) and Mike Clevinger (knee) both back for Opening Day. The Tribe won 93 games in 2019 but did not make it to the postseason. Their offense has been a problem for them in recent seasons, and they’ve been rumored to be ready to shop Francisco Lindor.

Previous Betting News

Things are getting interesting in the American League Central, as it looked for a while that the Minnesota Twins would run away with the division, building an 11-game lead over the Cleveland Indians as of June 21, but since then the Tribe has gone on a tear — with ace Corey Kluber on the injured list and starter Carlos Carrasco dealing with a leukemia diagnosis — and have still pulled within four games of the Twins and in possession of the first wild card position in the American League. In the East, the New York Yankees have pulled to an eight-game lead over Tampa Bay, but things are getting a little tighter in the West, as the Oakland A’s have won eight of ten to pull within 5 ½ games of the Houston Astros. As one might expect, the three division leaders are the current favorites to win the MLB AL pennant and advance to the World Series, but you’ll want to take a look at the latest MLB odds and our thoughts about several of the contenders.

 2019 MLB AL Pennant Odds for the Second Half

The New York Yankees are getting a splendid season from Domingo German, and no team in MLB has a better record than the 12-3 slate that the Yanks have gotten from German in the games that he has started. The Yankees have one of the top rotations in the junior circuit, with Masahiro Tanaka, Luis Severino and C.C. Sabathia joining German, and closer Aroldis Chapman has been virtually ironclad in save situations. Even so, the Yankees are in “buy” mode going into the trade deadline, which will make them even scarier to deal with.

The Houston Astros are suddenly looking a little thin in their rotation, as Brad Peacock (shoulder) remains on the shelf with stalled progress, and Framber Valdez has been ineffective as a fifth starter. So the Astros have Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole — two great arms — but then it drops down to Wade Miley. The Astros are looking at such big names as Noah Syndergaard, Madison Bumgarner, Robbie Ray and Marcus Stroman, as the A’s are coming hard in the division.

Who Else Should You Look At?

The Minnesota Twins got Eddie Rosario (ankle) back after about three weeks off, and the Twins’ offense could use the jolt. Rosario has pounded 20 home runs and driven in 60 runs, scoring 51 runs in 75 games while posting an .841 OPS. Any positive momentum would be a good thing in the Twin Cities, as Minnesota beat Cleveland two out of three over the weekend but has seen the Tribe pull two games closer since then.

The Tampa Bay Rays have gotten their money’s worth from Travis d’Arnaud. On Monday night, he drove in all five runs as the Rays beat the Yankees, 5-4, hitting three home runs — but the Yankees won the next three and have a 12-5 record against the Rays this season. D’Arnaud has put up an .884 OPS, slugging nine home runs and driving in 26 runs in 39 games, but the Rays need some other contributors if they want to get a wild card, let alone win a pennant.

The Oakland A’s went 18-8 going into the All-Star break and then just kept winning for a week after the break. They added Homer Bailey via trade from Kansas City, a name that doesn’t sound all that glamorous until you remember that he has a 2.48 ERA over his last five starts. If he can keep up that momentum, the A’s could make another unlikely push into the playoffs, where anything can happen.