An interest thing you can see embedded within the latest World Series odds?
The other divisions in baseball aren’t especially competitive:
World Series odds:
LAD +250
NYY +275
HOU +400
MIN +750
ATL +800
CHC +1400
BOS/TB +1800
MIL +2000
STL +2500
PHI +2800
CLE +3000
TEX/WAS +4500
COL +5000
CIN/OAK +6000
NYM +7000
ARI +7500
SD +8000
LAA +10000
PIT +17500
CWS +20000
SF 1000/1
SEA 2000/1
BAL/DET/KC/MIA/TOR 2500/1— Odds Shark (@OddsShark) June 24, 2019
Relatively speaking, the betting market digs the Cubs to win the NL Central much more than the other teams in the division – and/or do a little more with a Wild Card Game berth – but the biggest gap in the odds are owing entirely to how competitive the Central is, and how much of a route the other divisions already are.
Consider:
The MLB season is roughly half finished, yet only five teams are within 5.5 games of first place in their division –and four play in the NL Central. Crazy.
— Josh Frydman (@Josh_Frydman) June 24, 2019
At 4.5 games over the Rays, the Yankees enjoy the league’s largest divisional advantage outside of the NL Central. The Red Sox are a whopping 8.0 games back already.
The Indians are 8.0 games behind the Twins in the AL Central, and the Rangers are 6.5 back of the Astros in the AL West.
Over in the National League, the Braves are 6.5 up on the Phillies in the East, though hopefully the Cubs will help put a dent in that this week by beating up on the Braves. And the Dodgers are blowing out the West to the tune of a 13.0-game lead in mid-June. Absurd.