Baseball season is finally here with pitchers and catchers already reporting to spring training. Soon enough, MLB teams will compete in actual games, getting ready for the 2017 season.
Final rosters will be determined at the end of spring training, but it isn’t difficult to tell which teams will have a chance to win the World Series. Most of last year’s playoffs teams will be back in the hunt this season, and some offseason acquisitions could have a major impact on how teams perform in the coming months.
Here are the 2017 World Series betting odds, courtesy of Bovada.lv:
Favorites: Chicago Cubs +450, Boston Red Sox +450
After leading MLB with 103 victories and winning the World Series, it’s no surprise that the Cubs are favored to repeat. Chicago’s offense could be even better in 2017 with the return of the injured Kyle Schwarber, and the trio of Jake Arrieta, Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks gives the Cubs a top of the rotation like no other in baseball.
Boston was swept in the first round of last year’s ALDS, but they could be significantly improved this season. With the best offense in baseball, the Red Sox shouldn’t have much trouble making it to the playoffs. Their rotation was a liability in 2016, but the acquisition of Chris Sale makes them the AL’s best team entering spring training.
The Chicago Cubs celebrated their World Series title on Nov. 2, 2016 at Progressive Field in Cleveland, and they are favored to win the World Series again in 2017. Photo: Reuters/Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Second Tier Contenders: Cleveland Indians +800, Washington Nationals +1000, Los Angeles Dodgers +1000, San Francisco Giants +1200, Houston Astros +1400
It wouldn’t be surprising to see any of these teams win the World Series. Cleveland nearly won the title a year ago despite injuries to some of their top pitchers, and the addition of Edwin Encarnacion created even more separation between themselves and the rest of the AL Central. The Dodgers and Nationals are consistently among the NL’s best teams, and this could finally be the year that one of them gets the job done in the postseason.
San Francisco has won three titles since 2010, and they are always a threat in the playoffs with the best big-game pitcher in MLB. Houston has a talented young core that could be ready to take the next step in 2017.
Could Make a Run: New York Mets +1800, Toronto Blue Jays +2000, St. Louis Cardinals +2200, New York Yankees +2500, Texas Rangers +2800
No team has a young rotation that’s as good from top to bottom as the Mets, though it’s unknown if their offense will be good enough for the team to win the pennant. The Blue Jays can have a top offense, at least on paper, though it fell short of expectations last season.
St. Louis and Texas are mainstays in the playoffs, though they aren’t as talented as they were in years’ past. New York’s young core of hitters could keep them in contention for much of the season, but their rotation will be an issue all year long.
Middle of the Pack: Seattle Mariners +3300, Detroit Tigers +3300, Baltimore Orioles +3300, Kansas City Royals +3300, Pittsburgh Pirates +4000, Colorado Rockies +4000
All six teams missed the playoffs in 2016. Colorado is the only one that made a significant addition in free agency, though the signing of Ian Desmond won’t improve a pitching staff that ranked near the bottom of the league.
Cleveland is the favorite to win the AL Central, but Detroit and Kansas City are certainly good enough to challenge for playoff spots. The middle of the Tigers’ batting order is one of the best in the league, and Justin Verlander is back to being a top flight pitcher. The Royals aren’t among the favorites, but they did make consecutive World Series appearances in 2014 and 2015.
Long Shots: Chicago White Sox +7500, Miami Marlins +7500, Los Angeles Angels +7500, Tampa Bay Rays +7500
After posting losing records in 2016, it’s hard to imagine any of these teams contending for a title. Both Chicago and Miami have lost their aces, and Tampa Bay plays in MLB’s toughest division. The Angels have the best chance to make the postseason, but Mike Trout can only do so much by himself.
No Chance: Atlanta Braves +10000, Arizona Diamondbacks +10000, Milwaukee Brewers +15000, Oakland Athletics +15000, Cincinnati Reds +15000, Minnesota Twins +15000, Philadelphia Phillies +15000, San Diego Padres
It’s easy to become significantly better in one season in some sports, but that isn’t the case in baseball. None of these teams won more than 73 games last year, and it will be difficult for any one of them to even make a run towards the playoffs.
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