The four words that baseball fans have been waiting to hear: Opening Day is approaching. It’s been several months since the Houston Astros defeated the Philadelphia Phillies to hoist the Commissioner’s Trophy for the second time in six years. The 2022 season brought excitement, passion and the end to an era, as the MLB announced there would be several rule changes starting in the 2023 season. With less than two weeks until Opening Day, I analyzed the futures market and decided on who I think will be the last team standing this season. Here are the odds to win the 2023 World Series and my best bet.
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MLB Season Preview 2023
If you didn’t keep up with the plethora of offseason moves, you might be very surprised when you watch Opening Day. It also might shock you that Carlos Correa is still on the Minnesota Twins after being linked to the Yankees, signing with the Giants before that deal fell through, and signing with the Mets before New York had the same buyer’s remorse as San Francisco. But the offseason was more than just a Correa merry-go-round, as it was one of the biggest offseasons in years as several MLB superteams have developed.
The Mets inked Justin Verlander and Nippon Professional Baseball star Kodai Senga to add to an already stacked roster. The Rangers pulled off the unthinkable and signed Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi to create a deep pitching staff. The Padres signed their shortstop for the future, Xander Bogaerts, to team up with Juan Soto and Manny Machado. And finally, the Phillies agreed to terms with Trea Turner, who has become an American hero in the World Baseball Classic. While those four teams seem invincible, I’ve yet to mention the reigning World Series Champion Astros, Yankees, Dodgers or Braves. This could be one of the best baseball seasons we’ve witnessed in a long time, but let’s just hope the pitch clock doesn’t get in the way.
MLB World Series 2023 Odds
The Astros have the shortest odds to win the 2023 World Series as oddsmakers expect Houston to defend their title. After the reigning champions, it’s a close race. The Yankees, Braves, Dodgers, Padres and Mets all have odds below +1000, which is quite unusual. Before Opening Day in 2022, only the Dodgers, Astros and Braves had odds below +1000 to be champions. This upcoming season is anybody’s year, and the balance of star power in the American and National Leagues should create an exciting next couple of months. Here are the odds to win the 2023 World Series, courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
Houston Astros +600
New York Yankees +750
Atlanta Braves +750
Los Angeles Dodgers +850
San Diego Padres +950
New York Mets +950
Toronto Blue Jays +1300
Philadelphia Phillies +1700
St. Louis Cardinals +1700
Seattle Mariners +1900
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MLB World Series 2023 Best Bet: Atlanta Braves (+750)
If you asked me this question a few weeks ago, I would have leaned toward the Astros defending their title. However, injuries to Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez have me worried about their start to the season. That brought me to the Braves, and the more I looked into them, the more I liked what I saw. Atlanta might have one of the youngest teams in the league this season as their prospects continue to grow into stars of the game. Last year, Spencer Strider and Michael Harris II were in a heated race for National League Rookie of the Year, which marked one of the first times in baseball history that teammates were the two favorites for the award. And towards the end of the year, Vaughn Grissom burst onto the scene and hit .291 in 41 games. Because of Grissom’s success and his potential at just 22 years old, the Braves were content with letting Dansby Swanson walk in free agency.
The only new name that Atlanta added to their lineup was Sean Murphy. The Braves paid a steep price for the catcher, but the 26-year-old solidified himself as one of the best backstops in the game in 2022 with a 3.5 WAR. He will likely slide into the cleanup spot behind Ronald Acuna Jr., Matt Olson and Austin Riley – a stellar top of the order. The only weak link I see in their lineup is Marcell Ozuna, who the Braves are stuck with because of his big contract and off-the-field incidents.
With his tight pants, exquisite mustache and high-velocity fastball, Strider made a name for himself in 2022. The 24-year-old was absolutely incredible, posting a 2.67 ERA paired with a 2.39 xERA (96th percentile). His fastball was his bread and butter, and the young star had a 38.3% strikeout rate (98th percentile), .179 xBA (97th percentile) and .279 xSLG (96th percentile). Strider brings youth to a veteran rotation of Charlie Morton and Max Fried, and Kyle Wright is expected to be the 4th starter. But what I am most excited about is the return of Mike Soroka.
That name might not sound familiar, and that’s because he hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2020. Soroka was a budding star that was an All-Star and finished second in the Rookie of the Year vote in 2019, but he tore his Achilles while covering first base in 2020. Nearly a year later in 2021, Soroka tore his Achilles again while walking into the clubhouse. Fortunately for the 25-year-old, he is finally expected back this season and could be an x-factor for Atlanta when he returns in May or June.
The Yankees, Dodgers and Astros may have more all-stars in their lineup, but the Braves might have the best overall team in baseball this season. At +750 odds, I think Atlanta is being undervalued; it is my best bet to win the 2023 World Series.
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