MLB 2020 Division Winners: Favorites and Best Bets

Will the Yankees steamroll to back-to-back AL East titles? Will the Dodgers rule the NL West for an eighth straight season? Are there any value plays for bettors?

With spring training now in full swing, betting boards at the Westgate SuperBook are loaded with a massive variety of futures betting options. That includes prices to win each of the six regular season division championships. 

Will the Yankees steamroll to back-to-back AL East titles? Will the Dodgers rule the NL West for an eighth straight season? Are any dark horses poised to make a breakthrough? Here is an early look at each team's title chances.

New York Yankees Are Thick AL East Chalk

New York Yankees: -1200
Tampa Bay Rays: +800
Boston Red Sox: +1600
Toronto Blue Jays: +10000
Baltimore Orioles: +100000

AL East Pick: New York Yankees

After winning the AL East last season with a 103-59 record (seven games clear of the Rays), New York is a prohibitive favorite to go back-to-back. The Bronx Bombers' offense returns largely intact and the Yankees added ace pitcher Gerrit Cole during the offseason. The gap to second-favorite Tampa Bay is huge and that correlates with Westgate bookmakers setting the Yankees' win total at 101.5 while the Rays are projected to win 89.5 games.

Boston has endured a rough offseason as the Red Sox lost several players including Mookie Betts and David Price. To boot, manager Alex Cora stepped down after being implicated in the Astros' sign-stealing scandal. Toronto is slowly adding pieces but the Blue Jays need to win 14 more games than last season just to get to an 81-81 record. Baltimore will be well off the pace, as the Orioles are tied with Detroit with a 56.5 season win total the Westgate.

Minnesota Twins Favored to Repeat as AL Central Champs

Minnesota Twins: -160
Cleveland Indians: +250
Chicago White Sox: +400
Kansas City Royals: +30000
Detroit Tigers: +50000

AL Central Pick: Chicago White Sox

Minnesota went from 78-74 in 2018, which was still good for second in the weak AL Central, to 101-61 and won the division last season. The Twins finished eight games clear of Cleveland and were second behind league-leading New York (943) with 939 runs scored. 

Cleveland closed with 93 wins last season, but its 2020 win total odds are eight games off that pace at 84.5 wins. Chicago is poised to make a challenge as the White Sox have had a busy offseason. 

Although Chicago hasn’t had a winning season since 2010, when they posted an 88-74 record, the South Siders are making progress. The Sox added several players who will help bolster the lineup including C Yasmani Grandal, SP Dallas Keuchel and DH Edwin Encarnacion. That makes the AL Central a three-horse race as Kansas City (59-103) finished 42 games out of first place, while Detroit (47-114) was 53.5 games off the pace set by Minnesota last season.

Scandal-Plagued Astros Watching AL West Winning Odds Drop

Houston Astros: -275
Oakland Athletics: +450
Los Angeles Angels: +600
Texas Rangers: +2000
Seattle Mariners: +30000

AL West Pick: Houston Astros

Every passing day brings additional calls for Houston players to be suspended due to the sign-stealing saga. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has stated that Astros’ players are safe from suspension and managers A.J. Hinch, Alex Cora and Carlos Beltrán remain as the only big name casualties. Through it all, Houston has gained value as their opening odds to win the AL West dropped slightly. It’s difficult to see the Astros price falling much lower than it is.

The Athletics are a longshot second favorite, but are projected to fall short of the 97 wins they posted during each of the last two seasons (win total set at 89.5). The Angels added free agent star Anthony Rendon and still have three-time league MVP Mike Trout, but pitching is an issue in Anaheim. The Rangers and Mariners will both struggle just to reach .500 this season and they are longshots to ignore as AL West champs.

Three Teams Tied as NL East Championship Favorites

Atlanta Braves: +225
Washington Nationals: +225
New York Mets: +225
Philadelphia Phillies: +450
Miami Marlins: +50000

NL East Pick: Atlanta Braves

Bookmakers are projecting the NL East race to be the closet of any of the six divisions, as three teams are tied with the same odds. Atlanta is aiming for a third straight title and it’s not a stretch to suggest the young Braves are ahead of schedule. 

Atlanta was 97-65 last season and finished four games clear of Washington. The Nationals went on to win the 2019 World Series and, apart from the loss of Rendon, the core players are returning to defend the championship.

New York is looking to build on its third place finish in the NL East. Closing with a strong second half, including a 14-6 season ending run, the Mets posted an 86-76 record. Despite heavy investments in the free agent market, Philadelphia hasn’t posted a winning record since 2011. The Phillies will be competitive, but face a tough road to the top. Miami may finish last overall and that makes betting UNDER on the Marlins 62.5 win total odds an attractive futures wager.

Cardinals and Cubs Top Chalk in NL Central Race

St. Louis Cardinals: +200
Chicago Cubs: +200
Cincinnati Reds: +275
Milwaukee Brewers: +600
Pittsburgh Pirates: +30000

NL Central Pick: Chicago Cubs

Perennial MLB favorites, St. Louis shares that role with Chicago in the NL Central. The Cardinals (91-71) held off a late season surge by Milwaukee and finished two games ahead of the Brewers last year. St. Louis had a quiet offseason, so don’t expect much of an uptick in wins. 

After finishing third, seven games behind St. Louis, Chicago looks to improve on its 84-78 record. The Cubs’ core players remain in place and 90-plus wins would not be a surprise.

Cincinnati is getting respect as third favorites despite finishing 16 games behind the Cardinals last season. Needing to make a big leap after finishing 2019 with a 75-87 record, the addition of Mike Moustakas and Nick Castellanos will help the Reds' offense. 

Despite earning a NL wild card playoff berth last season, after closing on a 20-7 roll, Milwaukee has a thick underdog price. Pittsburgh needs to play well above its 72.5 win total projection to challenge for the title.

Dodgers Projected as Runaway NL West Winners

Los Angeles Dodgers: -1200
Arizona Diamondbacks: +1000
San Diego Padres: +1200
Colorado Rockies: +10000
San Francisco Giants: +50000

NL West Pick: Los Angeles Dodgers

Mirroring the Yankees' massive AL East odds differential, Los Angeles is projected to win an eighth straight NL West title. The Dodgers posted a 106-56 record last season and finished 21 games clear of second place Arizona. Mookie Betts joins the Dodgers’ already potent offense, while Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler headline a solid pitching staff. Westgate bookmakers project a bit of a drop off in victories as they have Los Angeles listed with a 98.5 win total.

Arizona played above expectations while posting an 85-77 record last season and are distant second chalk. The Diamondbacks are projected to win 83.5 games and that won’t be near enough to challenge the Dodgers. 

San Diego is expected to improve on its 70-92 record, but the Padres needing to add at least 25 wins keeps the Friars out of contention. San Francisco (77-85) and Colorado (71-91) haven’t added the talent needed to win the NL West title.

MORE FROM SI: 

MLB World Series 2020 Favorites and Underdog Plays

With Polarizing Red Sox Years Behind Him, David Price Ready for Fresh Start in L.A.

A Union Divided: Astros Cheating Scandal Rocks MLB Players Association

Early 2020 Heisman Odds: Fields, Lawrence Lead the Way

NFL 2020 MVP Odds: Any Long Shots Worth a Bet?