Just like that, we’re without baseball for the next 4 months until Spring Training. The 2023 season was a year of trying new things as, for the first time in MLB history, there was a pitch clock, the bases were made bigger and the shift was banned. All in all, Rob Manfred would say the changes were a smashing success. I was heavily against the pitch clock and the banning of the shift in Spring Training, but change was inevitable, and these changes were only a matter of time. The regular season was exhilarating from Opening Day to Game 162, and there were a plethora of records broken by players and teams.
In the end, it was one of the most bizarre yet exciting postseasons in recent memory. And while some were disappointed to see the Rangers and Diamondbacks in the World Series instead of the Braves, Dodgers, Orioles or Astros, well, that’s the beauty of baseball! The underdog label means nothing in October, and the Rangers and Diamondbacks proved that. The season ended with the Rangers winning their first World Series in franchise history by defeating the Diamondbacks in just 5 games. Unsurprisingly, Corey Seager was named the World Series MVP.
Now, we sit and wait for the dominoes to fall. Free agents will start to sign with their new home, and a flurry of offseason moves will happen in a flash. After all, there are only 101 days until pitchers and catchers report at Spring Training!
2024 MLB World Series Odds
It’s never too early to look ahead to next season. Below are the odds to win the 2024 World Series, courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. And remember — just because a team has good odds to win doesn’t mean they will win! Before Opening Day of this season, the Texas Rangers were at +5000 to win the World Series, while the Arizona Diamondbacks were near the bottom at +12000!
Atlanta Braves +600
Los Angeles Dodgers +700
Texas Rangers +800
Houston Astros +800
Philadelphia Phillies +1000
Tampa Bay Rays +1300
Toronto Blue Jays +1600
New York Yankees +1600
Minnesota Twins +1800
San Diego Padres +1800
Baltimore Orioles +1800
Seattle Mariners +2000
New York Mets +3000
Arizona Diamondbacks +4000
Chicago Cubs +4000
Boston Red Sox +4000
Cincinnati Reds +5000
Milwaukee Brewers +5000
St. Louis Cardinals +5500
San Francisco Giants +5500
Cleveland Guardians +6000
Miami Marlins +6000
Detroit Tigers +8500
Los Angeles Angels +10000
Pittsburgh Pirates +10000
Washington Nationals +20000
Kansas City Royals +20000
Chicago White Sox +20000
Oakland Athletics +25000
Colorado Rockies +25000
Before Opening Day of 2023, I locked in my Braves futures bet to win the World Series, priced at +750, and felt like a genius throughout the regular season. But then October baseball happened, and all the giants fell. Looking ahead at the 2024 season, it’s exactly who you would expect to see as the contenders for the World Series. But remember – there are going to be a lot of moves in the offseason that will directly affect the odds for certain teams.
For example, nobody knows which team Shohei Ohtani will play for on Opening Day of next season. He’s not the only free agent this offseason though, and here are some other notable names who are looking for a home: Cody Bellinger, Josh Hader, Matt Chapman, Aaron Nola, Blake Snell, Sonny Gray, Jordan Montgomery, Rhys Hoskins, Whit Merrifield and J.D. Martinez.
2024 MLB World Series Best Bet: Philadelphia Phillies (+1000)
For my way-too-early best bet for the 2024 World Series, I’ve honed in on an NL East team… but it’s not the Braves. Atlanta can’t seem to bridge the gap between the regular season and the postseason, which has caused its success to not translate to October. I’m sure the Braves will figure it out soon enough, but this time I’m choosing the Philadelphia Phillies. For the second year in a row, the Phillies snuck into the playoffs from a wild-card spot and nearly made back-to-back trips to the World Series. Unlike the Braves, the Phillies are made for October. The elite 1-2 punch of Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola, followed by a powerful but balanced lineup in one of the most raucous postseason environments in baseball, has been the key to success for Philadelphia. Although their 2023 season was cut short, the goal remains the same for 2024.
The Phillies don’t have a lot of impending free agents, but the few that they do have been crucial to the team’s success in the last few seasons. Nola, Rhys Hoskins, Michael Lorenzen and Craig Kimbrel are set to hit free agency this offseason. Nola is one of the biggest names on the market and is expected to get a ton of attention from teams around the league, and his expected contract is going to look something like 5 years for $125 million – a deal the Phillies can pay. As for Hoskins, the fan-favorite missed the entire 2023 season with an ACL tear, so it’s unknown the type of contract he will sign for. But since Hoskins loves Philly and the team loves him back, I would expect both sides to agree to something unless Bryce Harper doesn’t want to move back to the outfield.
Hoskins and Nola should be the top priority for the Phillies in the offseason, and I’m anticipating Kimbrel and Lorenzen to find a home elsewhere. Regardless of whether the Phillies re-sign Nola, they need another veteran starting pitcher. A Taijuan Walker start is a box of chocolates, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see Philadelphia go after Jordan Montgomery, Jack Flaherty or James Paxton. If the Phillies patch the few holes they have in their pitching staff, there’s no reason why they can’t be back next October ready to make another run at the Fall Classic.
2024 MLB World Series Longshot Bet: Boston Red Sox (+4000)
A new era of baseball is underway in Boston. The Red Sox have fired Chaim Bloom after they finished 5th in the AL East in 3 of the last 4 seasons. However, Bloom inherited a gutted farm system and turned it into a top 5 farm in just a few seasons. His hard work will be much appreciated by the newly hired Craig Breslow, who is also a former Red Sox pitcher. The plan is simple this offseason: spend. Boston has the money to make a big splash in the free-agent market, and some of the names being thrown around are Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Aaron Nola and Jordan Montgomery. Ohtani’s connection with former teammate Masataka Yoshida and close relationship with New Balance (which is headquartered in Boston) could play a big part in the pitch to Ohtani.
As for Yamamoto, Nola or Montgomery, the Red Sox are in desperate need of elite veteran pitching. Whether that comes in the form of the “Pedro Martinez of Japanese baseball” in Yamamoto or MLB veterans who proved themselves this season, Nola and Montgomery, Boston is willing to pay for the talent. But if the Red Sox don’t want to spend too much, they can dig into their impressive farm system and trade away some prospects for MLB-ready talent.
Around the diamond, the Red Sox have a lot of talent. Rafael Devers, Trevor Story, Triston Casas, Masataka Yoshida and Jarren Duran aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. At the top of the to-do list for the Red Sox this offseason is to get veteran starting pitching, get a big bat in the free-agent market, find a second baseman and sign defensive-minded fielders since Boston was the worst defensive team in 2023. If Boston can do that, a wild-card spot isn’t out of the question for 2024.
