2023 World Series Futures Update
With Major League Baseball's regular season coming up to its halfway point a check in on the World Series futures odds finds a shakeup when compared to the beginning of the season.
At the Bovada Sportsbook the favorite on the World Series futures are the Atlanta Braves at +375. Atlanta boasts the best record in the National League and currently has a 6.5-game lead atop the NL East. Atlanta has ridden an MVP calibre season from Ronald Acuna Jr. and an 18-4 month of June to the top of the World Series odds. If the Braves do go on to win it all hopefully you made a World Series futures bet prior to the season when they were listed at +900.
Following the Braves on the World Series odds are the Tampa Bay Rays at +450, the Los Angeles Dodgers at +600, and the Texas Rangers at +1000.
The Rays still own the best record in baseball thanks to an incredible start that included opening with 13 straight wins. However, Tampa Bay’s once strong grip on top spot in the AL East has loosened and they’re only four games up on the surprising Baltimore Orioles. The Rays began the season as +2000 World Series underdogs.
The Dodgers’ offseason turnover may be catching up with them as they sit in third place in the NL West. Veterans Clayton Kershaw and Freddie Freeman have both been strong in the first half, but Julio Urias and the back of the Dodgers' bullpen have been a disappointment so far.
Rangers offense has led them up futures board
The Rangers look to have surpassed the defending World Series champion Houston Astros in the AL West. Texas boasts baseball’s best offense with Corey Seager, Marcus Semien, and Adolis Garcia carrying the load. The loss of Jacob deGrom for the season weakens the Rangers' pitching staff slightly, but they’ve weathered that loss quite well so far. Texas began the season as +3500 World Series underdogs.
Other teams that have also seen big improvements on the World Series odds since March include the Arizona Diamondbacks, up to +2800 from +10000, the Baltimore Orioles, up to +2500 from +7000, and the Cincinnati Reds, up to +7000 from +25000.
On the other side of the coin two of the biggest losers on the World Series futures include the New York Mets and the Chicago White Sox.
The Mets started the season at +750 but have since cratered to +5000. New York is currently seven games under .500 and 16 games behind the first-place Braves in the NL East despite owning the highest payroll in the league.
The White Sox have fallen from +2500 to +20000 thanks to a 34-47 record that puts them fourth in the AL Central. If things don’t change Chicago could be looking at a roster dismantle come the trade deadline.