At long last, MLB Opening Day is upon us and the 162-game marathon is set to commence.
While there has already been some regular season action overseas between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres, have just wrapped up spring training and made their final roster decisions. That being said, there is no better time to look at the book to find value in future World Series winners.
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Best Bets: Atlanta Braves (+450), Baltimore Orioles (+1100)
While the Dodgers enter the season as the odds-on favorite at +350 to win the World Series, there are lots of questions surrounding a loaded roster on and off the field that would make me shy away for the time being.
A team that I am very high on entering this year is the Atlanta Braves. While they fell short against their division rivals, the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS last season, the Braves have retooled in the offseason.
With additions on the mound like Chris Sale who could pay huge dividends if he stays healthy, Atlanta has one of the strongest rotations in baseball. Bolstered by big bats like Ronald Acuna Jr., Matt Olson, and Austin Riley, the Braves are one of the most complete teams in baseball and a clear favorite for the World Series.
The Baltimore Orioles come into the 2024 season with high expectations for the first time in what feels like forever. After putting the AL East on notice in 2023 by winning over 100 games, Baltimore is back with a replenished and more complete team than last season.
A change of hands at the ownership level allowed the Orioles to go out and spend money and make moves to invest in the roster. Those moves resulted in a defined, experienced closer in Craig Kimbrel, an established starter in Corbin Burnes, and two relief arms in Kaleb Ort and Jonathan Heasley. With some of the games’ youngest and brightest stars in Gunnar Henderson, and Adley Rutschman, and more reinforcements like Jackson Holliday waiting in the minors, the Orioles are a prime World Series candidate now and in the future.
Longshots: Toronto Blue Jays (+2000), St. Louis Cardinals (+3500)
Staying with the AL East, the Toronto Blue Jays have seemingly been World Series contenders in waiting for years now and have yet to get over the hump.
After believing they were signing Shohei Ohtani this offseason, the Jays were forced to pivot and still found a way to address roster weaknesses going into this season. The addition of Justin Turner, one of the best players on the Boston Red Sox last year, and a veteran presence in the clubhouse could be the boost the Jays need to make the leap from playoff hopefuls to World Series contenders.
The St. Louis Cardinals finished 20 games under .500 last year. While this may turn some bettors away, St. Louis dealt with a tremendous amount of injuries last year and has the roster in place to make some noise this season. With one of the best corners of the infield in all of baseball between Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt, each coming off down years, the value of the Cardinals at 35-1 is too enticing to not give some thought. Bringing in veteran starting pitching with Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn, and Kyle Gibson fills gaps in a starting rotation that was the team’s Achilles heel last season.
Shot in the Dark: Miami Marlins (+8000)
Last year, the Arizona Diamondbacks were +10500 to win the World Series in the preseason — one of the longest odds to ever make it to the World Series.
You may be looking for a team like that this season.
An option that could seemingly come out of nowhere and be a contender in the postseason is the Miami Marlins. Luis Arraez and Jazz Chisholm Jr. make Miami one of the most exciting offenses in baseball. Even though they had a relatively quiet offseason with minimal moves, with pitching like Sandy Alcantara and Jesus Luzardo, Miami is the definition of a dark horse in the National League.
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- FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK
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- CAESARS SPORTSBOOK
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- BET365
BET $5, GET $150 BONUS BETS OR $1,000 FIRST BET SAFETY NET! (Disclaimer: Deposit required. Paid in Bonus Bets. New Customers only. Bet $5 and get $150 in Bonus Bets. Sign up, deposit (minimum $10) to your account and place a qualifying bet of $5 to get $150 in Bonus Bets once your bet is settled with bet365. Bonus Bets winnings are added to Bonus Bets balance. Bonus Bet wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits & exclusions apply. The bonus code AMNYXLM can be used during registration, but does not change the offer amount in any way.)
- BETMGM
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21+ and present in participating states. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
Odds courtesy of DraftKings. For more, click here.