The Major League Baseball playoffs are finally at full throttle, as we’re drawing close to the 2021 World Series. The 117th edition of the MLB championship series is scheduled to begin on October 26, with a potential seventh game scheduled for November 3. With the League Championship Series underway, the Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Houston Astros, and Los Angeles Dodgers remain in contention for the 2021 title.
After one of the most grueling regular seasons in recent years, with the league returning to a 162-game format following the shortened 60-game regular season in 2020, the defending champions Los Angeles Dodgers and the Tampa Bay Rays entered the postseason as the favorites to reach the World Series. However, after great performances in the Division Series, the Atlanta Braves and the Houston Astros have shortened their odds at a World Series title.
Following two games in the League Championship Series, the Braves are the odds-on favorites to win the title, at +205 odds, followed by the Houston Astros, with +220 odds to lift the trophy. With just over a week before the start of the 2021 MLB World Series, fans can already start picking their winners – and even click here to enjoy special promo codes – to place their wagers on the upcoming title contention.
Bad decisions on the Dodgers’ bullpen
The defending champions Los Angeles Dodgers entered the season as the overwhelming favorites to become the first team to claim back-to-back titles since the 2000 Yankees. However, several injuries and COVID-related absences during the early months of the regular season made the Dodgers drop in the National League standings. Therefore, manager Dave Roberts had to rely on a deep roster and a strong pitching rotation to work around these issues and lead the team to the second-best record in the National League, with 106 wins and one game behind the San Francisco Giants.
After eliminating the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Wild Card Game, the Dodgers faced the Giants in a heavily disputed series – the first postseason match-up between the two teams – that culminated in a controversial game 5, with the Dodgers overtaking the Giants and advancing to face the Braves in the NLCS.
Despite the strong run in the postseason, the Dodgers had a disappointing start to the series, and are now on the verge of blowing their championship defense, due to bad bullpen calls that made the team trail the first two games in the match-up. Ahead of game 3, Los Angeles is at +160 odds to win the National League pennant and defend their title in the 2021 World Series.
Atlanta Braves rise as favorites
In the sixth season under manager Brian Snitker, the Atlanta Braves have clinched their fourth consecutive National League East division title, and are on the chase for their first World Series appearance since 1999 and first title since 1995. Entering the regular season, the Braves had somewhat of a slow start, and by mid-season, the team had a terrible .494 winning percentage, which would certainly leave them out of playoff contention.
As the season progressed, however, Snitker was able to make some precise adjustments, by trimming the fat in the bullpen, and making major additions at the trade deadline, such as outfielders Adam Duvall and Eddie Rosario, who certainly strengthened the Braves’ clubhouse and brought a winning attitude to the team.
After upsetting the Milwaukee Brewers, who were the clear favorites entering the Division Series, the Braves now face the Dodgers for the second straight season in the NLCS – last year, they held a 3-1 advantage but saw the Dodgers win three straight to take the series. With two wins in the first two games, and amazing performances by Rosario and Joc Pederson, the Braves are at -190 odds to win the pennant and clinch a spot in the 2021 World Series.
Astros also in contention
The Houston Astros, a franchise still frowned upon for cheating during its 2017 World Series winning season, is also among the favorites to win the 2021 World Series. After beating the Chicago White Sox in a three-games-to-one division series win, the Astros advanced to their fifth straight American League Championship Series – the first franchise to do so since the Oakland Athletics in the 1970s – and now face the Boston Red Sox in a rematch of the 2018 ALCS.
Following two exciting games at Minute Maid Park, the series arrives at Fenway Park tied at 1-1. Ahead of game 3, the Astros are the favorites to win the series according to specialists and sportsbooks, with -190 odds to win the AL pennant and reach the World Series.
