Thursday Night NFL Betting Odds & Lines Parlay
October 2, 2023
MLB National League Playoff Preview
October 3, 2023
The Baltimore Orioles have been the toast of the American League all season long. Baltimore was seen as a longshot to even make the postseason per the MLB futures odds that were released at the start of the season as the Orioles were 12-1 to win the AL East and had a season win total of 77. They were 100-1 to win the World Series at the start of the campaign, but they have proved to be the real deal and are now down to +650 to win their first title in 40 years by the baseball future odds
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Odds to Win American League
Houston Astros +215
Baltimore Orioles +280
Tampa Bay Rays +500
Texas Rangers +650
Toronto Blue Jays +750
Minnesota Twins +800
Although the Houston Astros were one of the last teams to qualify for the postseason, they are the favorites to win the AL pennant per the AL futures lines. Houston nipped Texas to win the AL West and earn a first-round bye despite going 39-42 at home this season, and the Astros are the most seasoned playoff team in the mix. They have made it to the ALCS for six straight seasons, and they have won the pennant four times, going on to win the World Series twice.
The Astros are battle tested and specifically built for the postseason. They brought back Justin Verlander to be their ace, and Framber Valdez has had a superb year on the mound. All their top bats are back now that Michael Brantley has returned from injury, so this is going to be a tough team to beat in the playoffs.
Baltimore was the only team in the AL to win 100 games this season, but the Orioles were more than a little lucky if you look at their run differential. They finished well-behind Tampa Bay and Texas in that department, and they were 35-18 in games that were either decided by one run or went to extra innings.
There’s no denying that Baltimore is a great story, but this is not a team that is going to strike fear into the hearts of its opponents. Gunnar Henderson (.814 OPS) and Adley Rutschman (.809 OPS) were the best hitters in the lineup, but they are both young players that are unproven in the postseason. Additionally, there is no true ace even though it’s a huge boost to have John Means back in the rotation.
Our favorite pick to win the AL at this price is Tampa Bay. The Rays had the best run differential in the AL during the regular season, and they have plenty of postseason experience at this point. It hurts not to have Wander Franco available, but players like Yandy Diaz, Josh Lowe, and Isaac Paredes have had great seasons. The loss of star Shane McClanahan was huge as well, but Tyler Glasnow returned and is pitching at a high level, making the Rays a real threat in the AL.
It’s a shame that Texas and Tampa Bay have to meet in the AL Wild Card Round. The Rangers are in the playoffs for the first time since 2016, and the front office hasn’t been afraid to shell out big bucks over the last couple offseasons. Unfortunately for Texas, the Rangers won’t have ace Max Scherzer available for a while longer, and the lack of strong starting pitching could really hurt this team.
Toronto was swept in its two most recent playoff series. The Blue Jays have been remarkably consistent over the last couple years, and this should be their most successful season since at least 2016 even though their young hitters haven’t been too impressive at the plate this season. This is a very good rotation that should be able to lead the team to multiple wins.
Minnesota has set a new mark for postseason futility. The Twins haven’t won a playoff game since 2004, losing 18 straight postseason games. That has installed them as longshots to win the American League, and they don’t have enough offense to carry them far considering Carlos Correa continues to be a pretty big disappointment given his contract.
