At DraftKings, the Phillies’ 30/1 World Series odds remained hours after the signing news broke, as did their 20/1 NL pennant odds and 7/1 odds to win the NL East. At FanDuel, the Phillies were 35/1 to win the World Series prior to news of the signing and moved all the way to 33/1. January 20 Update. How Horse Matchup Betting Works Your horse could finish fourth, and as long as the other runner finished fifth or worse, you win your bet. There is generally a favorite and an underdog in matchup wagering. For instance, the favorite might be -125 and the underdog listed at +105. Maybe it’s time to check out the head-to-head matchups that are available most weeks. Just like football or basketball, it’s simple: Pick the winner of the matchup between two players and cash in. Wild Card Series matchup simulations (1). Projections Sportsline gives every playoff team of getting to each round past the Wild Card Series and winning the World Series. American League odds. And that would be the top betting choice in World Series matchup odds available at 5Dimes this week. And at a +1735 payout, that is a tempting wager, even if it will take a lot of luck and a lot of months for that wager to settle. World Series matchups involving the Tigers are the most popular betting choices.
- World Series Matchup Odds
- World Series Matchup Odds Monday Night Football
- World Series Matchup Odds Wild Card
The 2020 MLB season wrapped up on Oct. 27 with the LA Dodgers hoisting the Commissioner’s Trophy. Looking at World Series odds for 2021, the Dodgers are now +350 at DraftKings Sportsbook to win it all again after landing reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Trevor Bauer in free agency.
The Yankees have the second lowest odds to win it all, coming in at +550. The Padres and Mets have made moves up the odds boards with big off-season acquisitions. San Diego was +1300 at DraftKings right after the World Series concluded but is now +800. The Mets were +3300 at DK right after the 2020 Fall Classic but are now +1000.
World Series odds 2021
MLB Futures Report (Feb. 26)
The Favorites
Los Angeles Dodgers (+350): The rich got richer on Feb. 5 with the signing of reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Trevor Bauer. Bauer will join a star-studded rotation that already features the likes of Walker Buehler and Clayton Kershaw.
New York Yankees (+550): The Yankees were outmaneuvered and out-managed in the ALDS by a Rays team that has the lowest payroll in baseball. They seem to be addressing those issues by turning to their farm system, and had no issues declining team options on veterans Brett Gardner and J.A. Happ. Losing flamethrowing reliever Tommy Kahnle could hurt their bullpen depth.
The Contenders
San Diego Padres (+800): The Padres front office continued its aggressive pursuit of a ring by trading for Yu Darvish and Blake Snell. They re-structured Mike Clevinger’s contract and retained promising LHP Matt Strahm, adding further depth to a rotation that will include Dinelson Lamet and Chris Paddack.
Chicago White Sox (+850): The White Sox have a promising future, but might be a few years away from competing for a World Series title. Their odds jumped from +1500 to +1000 after a mildly successful offseason in which they acquired Adam Eaton and 33-year-old RHP Lance Lynn.
Atlanta Braves (+1000): The Braves were a hair away from their first World Series appearance since 1999 and might have added the missing piece by signing veteran ace Charlie Morton to a one-year-deal. With Ozzie Albies and Ronald Acuna Jr. leading a fearsome lineup, they’re justifiable favorites in the loaded NL East.
New York Mets (+1000): New Mets owner Steve Cohen wanted to make a splash and he did just that by trading promising prospects for Franciso Lindor and Carlos Carrasco. If their starters stay healthy, the Mets should have the best rotation in the Majors, with Carrasco following Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard.
The Longshots
Minnesota Twins (+2000): Every year, the Twins put together a marvelous regular season, only to get smoked in the playoffs. Minnesota has lost 18 straight postseason games, but maybe this is the year they find success.
Oakland Athletics (+2200): If you’re searching for a team that could replicate Tampa’s success with a new-age approach, the Athletics are the best candidate. They’ve yet to put it together in the postseason, but have earned a playoff berth in three straight seasons under Bob Melvin.
Houston Astros (+2500): The Astros lost George Springer to the Blue Jays, and their cheating scandal is going to hurt their free agency prospects for some time.
Tampa Bay Rays (+2500): Behind an incredible bullpen and advanced defensive strategies, the Rays won 68.9% of their close games last season. Then Kevin Cash made a boneheaded move by playing the numbers and yanked ace Blake Snell too early in the deciding game of the World Series. Now Snell and Charlie Morton are gone.
St. Louis Cardinals (+2500): The Cardinals re-signed the heart and soul of their team, bringing Yadier Molina back on a 1-year deal.
Cincinnati Reds (+3300): These odds are too high considering Trevor Bauer basically carried the Reds into the playoffs during a shortened 2020 season and he rejected their qualifying offer.
Washington Nationals (+3300): Howie Kendrick retired, Ryan Zimmerman is back but Asdrubal Cabrera remains a free agent. The Nationals are a great buy-low candidate since they have a studly rotation, but they need to find more offense.
Philadelphia Phillies (+4000): The Phillies are addressed their brutal bullpen by bringing in former Rays reliever Jose Alvarado. They also re-signed J.T. Realmuto and Didi Gregorius.
Chicago Cubs (+4000): There is talk of the Cubs trading Kris Bryant in his contract year rather than losing him in free agency. That would be a sign of a potential rebuild rather than a team trying to win a title.
Basics of MLB Futures
Betting on the World Series is available all season long in the form of futures bets. It’s simple — find a team that you like and bet on them at their odds to win it all. For example, the Dodgers were +380 to win the World Series before the start of the 2020 season. If you bet $100 on LA to win it all before the season began, you would have won $380 with a total payout of $480. A $10 bet would have netted you $38.
Futures bets may also include the winner of the American League, National League, and each division. Some sportsbooks delve deeper with “prop bets” on individual achievements, such as who will lead the Majors in home runs, wins, strikeouts, etc.
Generally, books take bets on futures in between game action. When teams are competing on a full slate of night games, your sportsbook of choice might hold off on updating odds in the event there is a catastrophic injury or another event that might change the prospects of a contender.
Here is a quick summary of how the odds are displayed for MLB Futures bets:
- Some sportsbooks will use a system that shows the odds as 5/1, while some display them as +500. This is just semantics, as both systems indicate that a winning $100 bet on the team would cash out at 5x that amount ($500).
- Odds can also be split into fractions. A team may be listed as a 9/2 favorite on one book, which is the same as a +450 favorite, i.e. a winning ticket pays out 4.5x the amount of the bet.
History of MLB futures
Placing a longshot Futures bet on baseball is a very risky proposition. In the NBA, for one, it’s almost akin to throwing away your money. The NFL is a bit more unpredictable with its single-elimination postseason, and the MLB is somewhere in between.
Rarely has a team come out of “nowhere” to win the World Series over the past several years, but plenty of fringe contenders have started the season with long odds before getting hot at the right time. According to archives compiled by William Hill Sportsbook, the Kansas City Royals were listed with +3300 odds to win it all during the first month of the 2015 season. Those odds dropped to +1400 in May, +1000 in June, and were down to +550 by the time the playoffs began.
In 2014, the San Francisco Giants opened the season with +2500 World Series odds and went on to win it all. The Boston Red Sox were getting +2800 odds prior to the 2013 season, and the St. Louis Cardinals were getting +2500 odds prior to the 2011 season.
Hence, there is value in placing a small bet on an underdog early in the season. The Washington Nationals, Chicago Cubs, and even the slugging Colorado Rockies come to mind as fringe contenders with long odds this year. The past three years, the World Series crown has gone to one of the favored teams. The Cubs, Astros, and Red Sox paid off after opening the season with odds around +1000 or lower. There is a chance that an unexpected champion is crowned, but it is not guaranteed in today’s MLB due to the importance of pitching in the postseason.
Other ways to bet on the World Series
For those with wagering experience in other sports, much of the baseball terminology and concepts will be familiar. However, as with all sports, there are certain bet types and props that naturally are particular to the individual sport.
Here are the various ways to get a wager down on the World Series.
- Moneyline: As with other sports, the moneyline represents the odds of a team winning a game. A “minus” sign indicates the favorite. The number next to the minus sign represents the amount of money a bettor would need to wager to win a theoretical amount of $100. A “plus” sign indicates the underdog. The amount next to the plus sign represents the amount of money a bettor would win on a theoretical amount of $100.
- Runline: Typically set at either -1.5 or +1.5, the runline functions much like the point spread in other sports. In a conventional runline scenario, the favored team must win by two or more runs or the underdog must lose by two runs or less in order for the runline to be covered. Odds are assigned next to the favorite (which is designated with a runline of -1.5) and underdog (which is designated with a runline of +1.5).
- Total runs (over/under): The total combined number of runs projected to be scored in the game by both teams. As with other sports, bettors can place bets on the total either being exceeded or being greater than the amount of total runs scored.
- Series line: With baseball usually being played in multi-game series between two teams — three- or four-game series being the most common — wagers are also available on which team will emerge as the winner in each matchup.
- Player props: A variety of wagers based on individual players reaching certain benchmarks within a game or in a season. Seasonal examples include over/under wagers on the number of hits, extra-base hits or home runs a player might hit in a season. In-game examples include over/under wagers on the number of hits, walks or home runs a player might hit in a game.
- Team props: A variety of wagers based on teams reaching certain benchmarks within a game. Examples include over/under wagers on whether a team will score a team will score a certain amount of runs in a game. Or, how many runs a team will score by a certain inning within a game.
- Parlays: Parlay wagering is defined as a series of bets that must all be correct in order for a bettor to be paid. Parlay bets feature more favorable odds and payouts due to the increased difficulty involved in predicting multiple outcomes correctly.
MLB betting FAQ
Where can I bet on the World Series in the US?
Currently, there are 18 states that offer legal sports betting. Residents of those states can use top online sportsbooks (if available) or casino sportsbooks to place legal, real-money bets.
Who is the favorite to win the World Series in 2021?
After winning the 2020 World Series, the Dodgers are again the favorites to take it all in 2021. They were +400 at FanDuel Sportsbook to claim the trophy again right after the 2020 season ended.
Where can I get MLB betting tips?
PlayPicks.com provides free updates on the movement of MLB Futures lines and offers up-to-date advice on the best bets for games and Futures. Those interested in Daily Fantasy Sports can also check out our free plays and picks each day with advice relevant for DFS contests on DraftKings and FanDuel. Options in perspectives.
Fun fact: Once the 16 playoff teams are determined, there will be 64 potential World Series matchups. Right now, there are even more series in play, given the tight nature of the National League playoff race standings. Of course, all matchups are not created equal from an interest standpoint. Thus, here is my annual list of World Series matchup tiers -- the best World Series showdowns I want to see. (Needless to say, we all want to see our favorite team in the World Series, but most of us will not have that fortunate outcome.)
I like to see teams that were great in the regular season rewarded. This season is a little different given the 60-game schedule and expanded postseason format, which makes it more likely that a mediocre team -- or even a sub-.500 team -- could find its way all the way to the World Series. Other factors for me include how exciting a team is to watch, recent playoff appearances or World Series droughts, and the historic nature of a matchup.
This year, we're adding the Doolittle Classic Score, courtesy of colleague Brad Doolittle. He created a formula that rates each matchup based on a set of criteria, such as how old the franchises are, whether this is a World Series rematch and whether the teams are from the same city. Baseball history is important, and the Doolittle score is one way of weighing the historic nature of a series. We've also included Brad's odds of each matchup occurring, based on the latest results of his simulation engine.
On to the tiers .. with my five favorite matchups at the end.
Matchups we don't want to see
Indians vs. Braves
Doolittle Classic Score: 74.51
Odds: 1.8%
Doolittle Classic Score: 74.51
Odds: 1.8%
This would be the opposite of the classic 1995 World Series showdown between these franchises, in which Atlanta's dominant rotation of Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz bettered Cleveland's formidable lineup featuring Albert Belle, Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez and Kenny Lofton. This time, it would be Cleveland's stellar rotation facing Atlanta's powerful lineup. Shane Bieber battling Freddie Freeman? Thank you very much. The issue is that the protests of the Native American nicknames would overshadow the baseball. That's an important discussion to have, though, of course, so maybe this pairing would be the quintessential 2020 World Series matchup.
A's vs. Giants
Doolittle Classic Score: 90.56
Odds: 0.3%
Doolittle Classic Score: 90.56
Odds: 0.3%
No, no, no. Because we know all that would happen. The A's, on the heels of an impressive run through the Astros, Rays and Yankees in the American League playoffs to finally reach a World Series under Billy Beane, would face a Giants team that squeaked into the playoffs with a .500 record and then stunningly defeated the Dodgers, Padres and Braves. The Giants would win. Of course they would. It would probably be a sweep. Chadwick Tromp would be World Series MVP.
Yankees vs. Cardinals
Doolittle Classic Score: 96.21
Odds: 1.1%
Doolittle Classic Score: 96.21
Odds: 1.1%
This one rates high on the Doolittle scale -- the Yankees are first and the Cardinals second in all-time championships, and they've met five times in the Fall Classic, though not since 1964 -- but for the sake of my friend KJ's sanity, we cannot allow this to happen. This potential series would be so 2020, of course: a World Series between a Yankees team that could very well have the seventh-best record in the AL facing a Cardinals team with the seventh- or eighth-best record in the NL.
Twins vs. Phillies
Doolittle Classic Score: 31.81
Odds: 0.6%
Doolittle Classic Score: 31.81
Odds: 0.6%
Some matchups just don't feel right, you know? The Twins and Phillies don't seem to have any interconnected history beyond Jim Thome playing for both franchises; there is obviously no rivalry here; and even though both are Original 16 franchises (the Twins as the Washington Senators), this series doesn't score particularly high on the Doolittle score (46th overall). There are more alluring matchups involving these teams, including:
• Yankees vs. Phillies: Joe Girardi's revenge, Gerrit Cole versus Bryce Harper
• Twins vs. Braves: a rematch of the 1991 World Series, arguably the most exciting ever played
• Blue Jays vs. Phillies: a rematch of the wild 1993 World Series
• Twins vs. Brewers: an old AL rivalry, with the Brewers still trying to win their first title
• A's vs. Phillies: The A's were born in Philadelphia, so that bit of history is neat. Plus, we could make the A's play every game in their kelly green tops and the Phillies in their beautiful, cream-colored jerseys (my two favorite uniforms).
Over-under An over-under or over/under bet is a wager in which a sportsbook will predict a number for a statistic in a given game, and bettors wager that the actual number in the game will be either higher or lower than that number. For example, in Super Bowl XXXIX, most Las Vegas casinos set the over-under for the score of the game at 46.0. Whats over under mean. What does 'over under' mean as a sports betting term? 'Over Under' refers to the betting line on the total number of a certain statistic — usually points or goals scored — in a sporting event, with.
Astros vs. Dodgers
Doolittle Classic Score: 34.35
Odds: 2.5%
Doolittle Classic Score: 34.35
Odds: 2.5%
This would certainly be interesting, given the 2017 World Series and the subsequent fallout of the Astros cheating scandal last offseason. The Dodgers have made 13 playoff appearances since their most recent World Series win in 1988 -- and this will be their eighth year in a row playing in October -- and it would be a cathartic release for them to end their bad October luck against the evil Astros. On the other hand, this one loses value for a few reasons. Nobody wants to see the Astros in the World Series. The Astros have bumbled their way through the regular season and don't deserve to play for a title. Most importantly, my heart couldn't take Clayton Kershaw starting Game 7 against Justin Verlander with everything on the line.
Intriguing intrastate showdowns
Rays vs. Marlins
Doolittle Classic Score: 8.11
Odds: 0.1%
Doolittle Classic Score: 8.11
Odds: 0.1%
Of the 116 potential World Series matchups currently in play, this one ranks 115th on the Doolittle Score (only Rays-Rockies scores lower). If there's a reason to root for this one, it would be the perennially awful Marlins -- they never finished above .500 in the previous decade -- reaching the World Series after posting a .352 winning percentage last season (57-105). The teams that had the five worst winning percentages the year before they made the World Series (in the divisional era):
1. 1991 Braves (.401, 65-97 in 1990)
2. 2008 Rays (.407, 66-96 in 2007)
3. 2013 Red Sox (.426, 69-93 in 2012)
4. 1993 Phillies (.432, 70-92 in 1992)
5. 2006 Tigers (.438, 71-91 in 2005)
5. 1987 Twins (.438, 71-91 in 1986)
2. 2008 Rays (.407, 66-96 in 2007)
3. 2013 Red Sox (.426, 69-93 in 2012)
4. 1993 Phillies (.432, 70-92 in 1992)
5. 2006 Tigers (.438, 71-91 in 2005)
5. 1987 Twins (.438, 71-91 in 1986)
The Miracle Mets of 1969 don't even make it -- they went 73-89 (.451) in 1968. If the Mets were a miracle, what would that make the 2020 Marlins? A sign of the apocalypse? (Don't answer that question.)
Indians vs. Reds
Doolittle Classic Score: 54.91
Odds: 0.1%
Doolittle Classic Score: 54.91
Odds: 0.1%
A little aside: The 2010s don't get enough credit for the parity in the decade. The Royals won a World Series. The Giants won three without ever having a super team. The Astros won for the first time, and the Cubs for the first time in forever. The A's made the playoffs five times; the Indians and Rays made the postseason four times; the Brewers had success; and even the Pirates and Reds had little runs at the start of the decade. Anyway, I thought the Reds would be more interesting this season, but the offense has really struggled, and they could end up with their seventh straight losing season, which would be a huge disappointment, given their offseason moves. However, they made a bit of a push this week, and though the odds of a Bieber-Trevor Bauer showdown are slim, it would be fun to see the guys who have been arguably the two best starters this season face off in the Battle of Ohio. Given that the World Series will be played at a neutral site, I suggest moving this one to Columbus.
Yankees vs. Mets
Doolittle Classic Score: 36.71
Odds: 0.1%
Doolittle Classic Score: 36.71
Odds: 0.1%
This one would feel empty because it wouldn't be played in New York, even though it would be the 20th anniversary of their 2000 showdown. Still, it would inevitably lead to a letdown, unless you think we would see Cole chucking the broken shard of a bat at Pete Alonso.
A's vs. Padres
Doolittle Classic Score: 20.21
Odds: 2.8%
Doolittle Classic Score: 20.21
Odds: 2.8%
This would be a worthwhile matchup, but when you think of California rivalries, you don't think of Oakland versus San Diego.
White Sox vs. Cubs
Doolittle Classic Score: 90.01
Odds: 1.7%
Doolittle Classic Score: 90.01
Odds: 1.7%
Similar to Yankees-Mets, this would lose a lot of luster if played in Arlington, Texas, instead of Chicago. But this matchup has everything else you would want for a great World Series matchup: the upstart White Sox trying to knock off their spoiled big brothers, built-in storylines with the young and exciting White Sox and David Ross in his first year as Cubs manager, two teams that played well and would be deserving World Series participants. The teams have met only once in the World Series, back in 1906, when the Hitless Wonder White Sox beat the 116-win Cubs in one of the biggest World Series upsets of all time.
Original 16 showdowns
A's vs. Braves
Doolittle Classic Score: 80.01
Odds: 2.4%
Doolittle Classic Score: 80.01
Odds: 2.4%
All of the matchups in this tier will score high on the Doolittle Scale. This one is a little odd given that the A's moved from Philadelphia to Kansas City to Oakland (in 1968), and the Braves moved from Boston to Milwaukee to Atlanta (in 1966). The Braves have a high-powered offense with Freddie Freeman, Ronald Acuna Jr., Marcell Ozuna and suddenly scorching-hot Adam Duvall (10 home runs in September), while the A's rely heavily on a tremendous bullpen. It will be difficult for the A's to get here without Matt Chapman, who is out for the season because of a torn hip labrum. Also, though we all know about Oakland's tortured postseason history under Beane, don't underestimate the Braves' recent October foibles: They've lost 10 straight postseason series (including one wild-card game).
Twins vs. Dodgers
Doolittle Classic Score: 81.46
Odds: 6.7%
Doolittle Classic Score: 81.46
Odds: 6.7%
The game that cemented Sandy Koufax's legend was Game 7 of the 1965 World Series, in which he started on two days of rest and fired a three-hit shutout to stifle the Harmon Killebrew-led Twins and outduel Jim Kaat. Koufax and Kaat can throw out the ceremonial first pitches in this one -- and then maybe Clayton Kershaw could go out and toss a three-hit shutout in Game 7.
Yankees vs. Cubs
Doolittle Classic Score: 101.31
Odds: 1.0%
Doolittle Classic Score: 101.31
Odds: 1.0%
This matchup would have had a lot more drama before 2016, of course, but Yankees-Cubs would still feel like something special (it ranks fourth on the Doolittle Classic scale). Although the Cubs were an NL powerhouse for the first 45 years of the 20th century -- reaching 10 World Series -- they played the Yankees just twice, in 1932 and 1938. The first matchup was the year Babe Ruth called (or didn't call) his home run off Charlie Root. Forget bat flips; let's bring back the 1932 version of bravado and see Giancarlo Stanton and Javier Baez call their shots.
White Sox vs. Reds
Doolittle Classic Score: 101.15
Odds: 0.1%
Doolittle Classic Score: 101.15
Odds: 0.1%
A rematch of the 1919 World Series, when the infamous Black Sox threw the series against the Reds, in 2020 .. what could go wrong? This one rates fifth on the Doolittle scale, and though the odds are slim, if the Reds manage to squeak into the playoffs, they could be tough with Trevor Bauer and Luis Castillo (though Sonny Gray is currently on the injured list because of a back issue). I'd love to see Bauer trying to carve up that White Sox lineup.
Yankees vs. Dodgers
Doolittle Classic Score: 117.25
Odds: 5.0%
Doolittle Classic Score: 117.25
Odds: 5.0%
It's no surprise, but this would rank as the all-time classic showdown, dating back to their days as New York rivals and their three monumental showdowns in 1977, 1978 and 1981. There would be a lot on the line, of course, with the Dodgers having so much at stake and the Yankees in the Fall Classic for the first time since 2009. That's right: There are 11-year-old Yankees fans who have never seen their team in the World Series. What a pity. There is an argument to put this No. 1 on my list, but sticking to my criteria, the Yankees get knocked down for their mediocre regular season (including a 2-8 record against the Rays). The Yankees are 7-0 against Boston and 7-3 against Baltimore and might make the playoffs only because of the expanded field. That isn't World Series-worthy.
The top five matchups
5. White Sox vs. Braves
Doolittle Classic Score: 32.50
Odds: 2.9%
Doolittle Classic Score: 32.50
Odds: 2.9%
If you like offense, come on down for this one. The White Sox lead the American League in runs per game, and the Braves lead the National League (and the majors). In terms of wOBA, the White Sox have two of the top 12 hitters in the game in Tim Anderson and Jose Abreu and the Braves have three of the top 11 in Freddie Freeman, Marcell Ozuna and Ronald Acuna Jr. According to defensive runs saved, you also have two of the top defenders in White Sox center fielder Luis Robert and Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson. Sign me up.
4. Indians vs. Padres
Doolittle Classic Score: 20.20
Odds: 2.2%
Doolittle Classic Score: 20.20
Odds: 2.2%
Longest World Series droughts, American League:
Indians: 72 years (last won in 1948)
Rangers: 59 years (born in 1961, moved to Texas in 1972, no titles)
Mariners: 43 years (born in 1977, no titles)
Orioles: 37 years (last won in 1983)
Tigers: 36 years (last won in 1984)
Longest World Series droughts, National League:
Padres: 51 years (born in 1969, no titles)
Brewers: 51 years (born in 1969, moved to Milwaukee in 1970, no titles)
Pirates: 41 years (last won in 1979)
Mets: 34 years (last won in 1986)
Dodgers: 32 years (last won in 1988)
So, yes, Indians-Padres would be fun. (They would have to agree to play one game in garish 1970s throwback jerseys, however.)
3. Rays vs. Dodgers
Doolittle Classic Score: 16.0
Odds: 5.8%
Doolittle Classic Score: 16.0
Odds: 5.8%
I'm partial to this one because it was my preseason prediction, but both teams have played up to expectations. What's interesting is how they've done that. The Rays have had a long list of pitching injuries, and their trio of Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell and Charlie Morton hasn't been as dominant as projected, but the offense has been better than expected, and the pitching depth has been remarkable. The Rays aren't flashy, but they're good, and we could see Kevin Cash pull out all sorts of maneuvers -- bullpen games, openers, an all-lefty lineup (the Rays had one earlier this season, the first time that happened in MLB history). The Dodgers, meanwhile, have the best record in the majors despite down years or slow starts from Cody Bellinger, Max Muncy and Joc Pederson. The rotation has been solid, the bullpen is superb, and Mookie Betts is an MVP candidate. In the 2010s, the Dodgers won the most games; the Rays won the fifth most. Neither won a title. Both are due.
2. A's vs. Dodgers
Doolittle Classic Score: 97.21
Odds: 6.0%
Doolittle Classic Score: 97.21
Odds: 6.0%
This matchup has a lot going for it. It rates high on the Doolittle score (sixth overall). Both teams not only are good in 2020 but also have been good in recent seasons. It's a rematch, of course, of the memorable 1988 World Series in which the Dodgers upset the Bash Brothers. We mentioned that the Dodgers have made 13 postseason trips since they last won it all, but the A's have made 12 since their 1989 triumph. This would be a contest with two fan bases that have suffered much October pain.
1. White Sox vs. Padres
Doolittle Classic Score: 20.21
Odds: 3.4%
Doolittle Classic Score: 20.21
Odds: 3.4%
Here are 10 reasons this is the World Series we want in 2020:
10. Fernando Tatis Jr. and Luis Robert: Seeing the two most dynamic players in the majors on center stage would be the perfect finish to this bittersweet season. Colleague Sam Miller just ranked them as the first (Tatis) and third (Robert) most exciting players in the game (with Juan Soto squeezed in between).
9. New aces. Chicago's Lucas Giolito has solidified himself as one of the best starters in the majors, averaging 12.2 K's per nine innings and holding batters to a .187 average. Meanwhile, Dinelson Lamet has become perhaps San Diego's No. 1 starter, relying on a fastball that averages 97 mph and maybe the most unhittable slider in the game. He's averaging 12.0 K's per nine and has lowered his ERA to 2.12.
8. Crafty veteran starters. Dallas Keuchel (6-2, 2.19) and Zach Davies (7-3, 2.69) show that you don't have to light up the radar gun to succeed.
7. Slugging first basemen. Jose Abreu and Eric Hosmer have been overrated at times in their careers, but both have been bashing in 2020. Abreu leads the majors in RBIs, and Hosmer has knocked in 32 runs in 31 games.
6. Bold moves deserve to be rewarded. The White Sox made their big splash in the offseason (Keuchel, Yasmani Grandal, Edwin Encarnacion), and Padres GM A.J. Preller followed up a busy offseason with a hyperactive trade deadline, acquiring Mike Clevinger, Mitch Moreland, Trevor Rosenthal and Austin Nola.
5. Tim Anderson. Highest hand in 3 card poker. Worth the price of admission.
World Series Matchup Odds
4. Old-school second basemen. Rookies Nick Madrigal and Jake Cronenworth are throwback-type players in that they actually like to put the ball in play. Chicago's Madrigal is already showing that he is the best contact hitter in the game (albeit with little power), and Cronenworth, who came to San Diego from the Rays in the offseason, is the likely NL Rookie of the Year, hitting above .300 with extra-base pop.
World Series Matchup Odds Monday Night Football
3. New Padres uniforms. Love 'em.
2. It has been a long time since these teams were good. In some ways, this would remind me of the 1991 Twins-Braves World Series, when both teams went from worst to first place. This would be a similar case. The White Sox were 72-89 in 2019 and last finished over .500 in 2012. The Padres were 70-92 in 2019 and last finished over .500 in 2010.
World Series Matchup Odds Wild Card
1. They're the most exciting teams in baseball. They're young, flashy, full of confidence and absolutely fun to watch. With everything going on, watching baseball hasn't always been as enjoyable this year as it normally is. This is the World Series we need to remind us how much we love this game.