The MLB postseason is in full swing and all four Wild Card series have now been decided. The Seattle Mariners stayed alive by orchestrating a massive comeback vs. Toronto. Now, they set their sights on the dangerous Astros. See the latest World Series odds
The 2022 MLB postseason has officially begun. The Division Series begin on Tuesday
The Seattle Mariners (+1,400) overcame an 8-1 deficit in Toronto on Saturday to advance past the disappointing Toronto Blue Jays, making this not only their first trip to the postseason since 2001 but also their first series win since that time as well. They
MLB futures understandably still have the Los Angeles Dodgers pegged to win it all, but the Houston Astros aren’t all that far behind at a number of books.
Los Angeles Dodgers (+300)
The Dodgers open up the NLDS against the San Diego Padres on Tuesday evening. Los Angeles finished the 2022 regular season with a 111-51 record and +334 run differential, both MLB-best marks for the year.
They won the NL West by a whopping 22 games over the rival Padres, making it the widest gap in any division this season — and San Diego still made the playoffs. It’s understandable why the Dodgers are perceived as the betting favorites as a result.
Led by a lineup that features three former MVP winners in Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Cody Bellinger, the Dodgers also have incredible offensive depth with Trea Turner, Will Smith, Max Muncy, and more. Factor in a pitching staff led by Julio Urias and Clayton Kershaw among others, and few teams have the sheer numbers to compete.
Los Angeles also owned the season series vs. San Diego, going 14-5 and outscoring the Padres 109-47. All signs point to the Dodgers advancing a step closer to another Fall Classic.
Houston Astros (+360)
If anyone can rival the Dodgers in the eyes of bookmakers, it’s the Houston Astros, who are crushing their competition. They clinched the AL West thanks to their fourth 100-win season in six years. Like the Dodgers, the Astros are an incredibly deep and consistent team on both sides of the ball. They’re the only other team with a collective ERA below 3.00 (2.90) in the regular season.
Justin Verlander isn’t showing his age as he appears poised to win his third career AL Cy Young, but the rest of the rotation ain’t half bad, either.
Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier, Jose Urquidy, Lance McCullers Jr., and Luis Garcia help form perhaps the deepest pitching staff in MLB.
And that doesn’t even take the offense into account. Even after losing a couple of big bats in subsequent offseasons, Kyle Tucker and Yordan Alvarez have more than made up for it alongside offensive stalwarts Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman.
Experience will be a major advantage for them once again, and they will be a problem for Seattle in the ALDS.
Atlanta Braves (+450)
The season started slowly for the defending champs, but the Braves still got the last laugh over the rival Mets, clinching the NL East for the fifth year in a row. Now the Mets are gone for good and Atlanta must contend with a different NL East rival: the Philadelphia Phillies.
The rotation is a concern for opponents. Ace Max Fried will open the series vs. Philly on Tuesday afternoon and will be followed by 21-game winner Kyle Wright on Wednesday. Rookie sensation Spencer Strider is on the roster after missing the last couple of weeks of the regular season with an oblique injury. He is a candidate to start Game 3 but the Braves could turn to Charlie Morton — who is no slouch of his own — if Strider isn’t quite ready.
With a deep lineup featuring the likes of Austin Riley, Ronald Acuna Jr., Dansby Swanson, and many more, the Braves are built for October.
New York Yankees (+475)
The Yankees got hot at the right time after a tumultuous downturn for much of the second half. New York held a 15-game lead in the AL East that it nearly coughed up, but ultimately still held on to finish atop the division for the first time since 2019.
Aaron Judge finished the season with 62 home runs, passing Roger Maris for the American League record. As a whole, the Yankees offense finished first in the AL in runs scored.
The pitching staff is still a concern, as even ace Gerrit Cole has had trouble in the postseason with the pinstripes. Nevertheless, this Yankees squad will be dangerous and will be tasked with facing Cleveland in the ALDS.