MLB betting odds: 3 teams with plummeting World Series chances
With Major League Baseball’s Opening Day creeping ever closer and the vast majority of impact free agents already finding their new home for the 2022 MLB season, there have been some significant changes in the betting odds for which teams will win the World Series.
Here are the three teams who have seen their MLB betting odds for winning the World Series take a nosedive
Let’s start with the team that, of the three we’ll cover here, took the smallest dip in the betting odds rankings. And, as a note, let’s make sure to explain what these odds mean. For example, below, the Washington Nationals currently come in at +10000 at WynnBet to win the World Series. That means that, if you bet $100 on the Nationals to win it all and they did, you would receive $10,000 in profit.
As a note, all odds listed in this article are courtesy of WynnBet.
Drop in World Series betting odds for the Washington Nationals
In our previous look at World Series betting odds just after the Atlanta Braves captured the 2021 World Series, the Washington Nationals were tied with the Cleveland Guardians at +6000 to win the Fall Classic. Now, as mentioned above, the Nationals are at +10000, tied with four other teams (Chicago Cubs, Kansas City Royals, Oakland A’s, and Texas Rangers). Meanwhile, Cleveland has slid to +7500.
So why the drop for Washington?
Well, to start, the National League East has gotten a lot stronger this offseason (look at all of the additions by the New York Mets and how the Atlanta Braves have retooled their roster after winning it all last season). Additionally, Washington is still trying to figure out how to improve its pitching from a team that finished 11th in the National League in ERA last season (4.80) and 15th (dead last) in home runs allowed with 247.
Nelson Cruz is now on the roster so there’s something for Washington fans to like, but it’s been too little good news for the Nationals as the offseason has progressed, including an injury to starting third baseman Carter Kieboom.
A big drop in World Series betting odds for the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati is one of the teams that has made it clear that it is shedding payroll this offseason … and those putting together the betting odds for the World Series have definitely noticed.
In early November, Cincinnati was +4000 to win the Fall Classic. Now, the Reds sit at +20000, tied with the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks as the second-worst odds of any team to win it all (we’ll detail one of the teams with the worst odds shortly).
So what happened? Well, the Reds have made a number of trades since the lockout ended (starting pitcher Sonny Gray to the Minnesota Twins, plus outfielder Jesse Winker and infielder Eugenio Suarez to the Seattle Mariners) and watched as Nick Castellanos signed with the Philadelphia Phillies after opting out of the final two years and $34 million in his contract with the Reds. And even before all of that, the team placed starter Wade Miley on waivers, where he was quickly snapped up by their division rivals (Chicago Cubs).
Cincinnati could also be without one of its remaining top pitchers (Luis Castillo) for Opening Day and perhaps beyond because of shoulder soreness. And the news got worse for the Reds recently when they learned that Justin Dunn (acquired from the Mariners in the above-mentioned trade) will miss months of time because of a shoulder injury.
Please Cincinnati, free Joey Votto.
The Pittsburgh Pirates drop even further in World Series betting odds
In early November, the Pittsburgh Pirates were next-to-last in terms of MLB betting odds to reach the World Series, coming in at +20000. That was, at the time, at least ahead of the Baltimore Orioles and Arizona Diamondbacks, two teams locked in then at +50000.
Well, the offseason hasn’t been kind to the Pirates, and they have officially dropped to the longest of longshots in the new WynnBet odds.
The Pirates now join Baltimore at the bottom of the list, currently sitting at +50000.
Why? There are still plenty of questions of exactly what Pittsburgh’s rotation and closer will look like heading into the Opening Day at the St. Louis Cardinals on April 7. Both Miguel Yajure and Max Kranick have been slowed from competing for a rotation spot because of injury.
There are still plenty of trade rumors swirling around Bryan Reynolds, who earned a spot as Pittsburgh’s All-Star representative last season. The Miami Marlins have been linked to Reynolds as a potential trade partner, and the Pirates and Marlins have already done a deal this offseason when Miami received Gold Glove catcher Jacob Stallings in a trade.
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Pittsburgh hasn’t had a winning record since the 2018 campaign and hasn’t made the postseason since losing to the Chicago Cubs following the 2015 season. Oddsmakers (and the vast majority of predictions) don’t see either of those changing in 2022.