2021 World Series: Dodgers favorites, Padres rise as challengers

This Day In Baseball

The 2021 Major League Baseball season is at full throttle, as we’re about to reach the end of the first half of the season. The reigning champions Los Angeles Dodgers are still the favorites to lift the Commissioner’s Trophy at the end of the season, despite being currently placed third in the National League West Division.

However, the Chicago White Sox, with 7 wins in their last 10 games, and the San Diego Padres, who are only two games behind the best record in the league, have shortened their odds and seem poised to fight for the title. The New York Yankees, who were expected to be top contenders this year, have underperformed throughout the season, but are still one of the favorites to win the World Series.

With the All-Star Game scheduled for July 13, and the postseason set to start in October, it’s still too soon to determine the 2021 pennant winners. But let’s take a look at the favorites with sportsbooks to win the title this year.

 

Despite injury struggles, Dodgers shortened their odds

After being crowned world champions last year, the Dodgers’ front office was able to retain most of their stars and improve the roster, and the team entered Opening Day with +350 odds to reclaim the title. With a sturdy batting lineup and great rotation possibilities, they were even expected to challenge the wins record before the start of the season.

However, with several injuries and COVID-related absences, the Dodgers weren’t capable of coming up with good results during the early months of the season. Cody Bellinger was out for two months, after suffering a hairline fracture in his leg on April 5. Corey Seager fractured his right hand on May 15, and could be out until the All-Star Break. And Mookie Betts also missed some games, due to issues in his left shoulder.

But with a deep roster and a strong starting pitching rotation, manager Dave Roberts had the tools to work around these issues, and the team now seems to be quietly returning to their best baseball. According to MGM sportsbook, the Dodgers are currently at +333 odds to win the World Series.

Padres aiming the top

After a surprisingly good season in 2020, when they reached the playoffs for the first time since 2006, the San Diego Padres are one of the hottest teams in this season so far. Bolstered by shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr., and third baseman Manny Machado, the Padres’ offense is one of the best in the league, and the starting pitching rotation, which significantly improved with the signings of Yu Darvish and Blake Snell in the offseason, was able to come up with first no-hitter in franchise history.

Despite having won only four of their last 10 games, the San Diego Padres are battling the San Francisco Giants for the best record in the league, and are just two games short of it. They are now at +700 odds to win the World Series, and +375 to win the National League.

 

White Sox and Yankees also in contention

The Chicago White Sox have won seven of their last 10 games, and are currently leading the American League Central Division, with a 36-23 record. On June 6, in a 3-0 win against the Detroit Tigers, manager Tony La Russa reached career victory No. 2,764, the second-most for a major league manager, trailing only Connie Mack. With great performances by catcher Yasmani Grandal, and starting pitcher Lance Lynn, the White Sox’s defence could carry the team to their first American League pennant since 2005. They are at +300 odds to win the American League, and +700 to win the World Series.

On paper, the New York Yankees have the potential to be a successful team this season, with great players that can certainly win ball games. However, they haven’t been able to perform what is expected from them, and, throughout the first third of the year, New York has been really inconsistent. Manager Aaron Boone said of this tough stretch, “We understand that over the course of a long season, adversity is coming for us. But if we’re going to be the club we expect to be, we’ve got to rally from that […] and hopefully start playing our best baseball”. Nevertheless, they are still one of the favorites with sportsbooks, with +850 odds to win the 2021 World Series.

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