World Series odds entering division series: Yankees jump the Dodgers as favorites

A new team is now the favorite to win the World Series. The New York Yankees (+325) are favored to be champions of baseball ahead of the start of the division series round. A trio of National League teams follow in this pecking order: the Los Angeles Dodgers (+340), Philadelphia Phillies (+400) and San Diego Padres (+550).

The surprising emergence of the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals into the final four in the American League appears to be the reason the Yankees slipped ahead of the Dodgers in the odds to win the Fall Classic. If the Bronx Bombers find a way to win the 11 games needed to capture the title, it would be their first championship since 2000, which is technically last century. Oh, how tough it is to be a Yankee fan.

2024 World Series odds

The odds for World Series winner are somewhat bunched into three categories: The NY-LA rivals in nearly a dead heat, then the Phillies and Padres, and then the rest of the field at +1000 or longer odds.

On the American League side, after the Yankees, it’s a party of the Midwest with an improbable three-team AL Central lineup. The Cleveland Guardians (+1000), Tigers (+1000) and Royals (+1100) are all viewed as long shots. The New York Mets (+1200), who needed an extra game to get into the NLDS but did so in thrilling fashion in the ninth inning, have the longest odds to win the World Series.

American League winner odds

The Yankees are overwhelming favorites to win the AL pennant despite their modest 54-49 record since June 1. Also, in the Aaron Judge Era, the Yanks are 21-23 in the postseason without a pennant to their credit. However, New York’s playoff nemesis, Houston, has been eliminated, which bodes well for that other Aaron (Boone).

With the Yankees as the glaring exception, the AL has been a story of underdogs this year. No one expected the Guardians to have the regular season they did, with some of the best stats in the league in players like Emmanuel Clase, Jose Ramirez and Steven Kwan. They played well enough to clinch a bye to the ALDS.

Meanwhile, the Tigers and Royals swept their Wild Card series as underdogs.

The Guardians (+340), Tigers (+350), and Royals (+400) are bunched together in AL winner odds.

National League winner odds

The Yankees and Dodgers met in the Fall Classic 11 times in the four decades between 1941 and 1981. Oddsmakers think it may happen again after a 43-year drought.

The Dodgers are favorites to be crowned NL champs at +180. Next are the Phillies (+200), Padres (+290) and Mets (+500).

ALDS series odds

The Royals’ reward for their Wild Card sweep of the Astros is to face the team favored to win it all. The Yankees are -210 to win the series, with the Royals at +170. The Yankees won five of seven games against the Royals in the regular season and boast the deadly combination of Judge and Juan Soto. But don’t forget about the Royals AL MVP candidate Bobby Witt Jr.

The No. 2 seed Guardians are -130 against Detroit, which is +110 to win the series. In the regular season, Detroit lost seven of the 13 meetings but actually outscored Cleveland, 60-50. The Tigers have the most dominant starting pitcher in the playoffs in Tarik Skubal. His starts feel like automatic wins, but how long can A.J. Hinch spin magic from his self-proclaimed “chaos” pitching strategy on other days?

NLDS series odds

The Padres (+115 to win NLDS) seek to eliminate the Dodgers (-135) for a second time in three seasons, while LA faces the challenge of winning it all or being a failure. When you have an expensive payroll, you’re expected to be the last team standing. San Diego may have the most balanced roster, with three sturdy starting pitchers and no gimme-outs in a lineup led by Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado.

Want must-see television for the Padres-Dodgers series? Keep an eye clear for the inevitable battle between SD lefty reliever Tanner Scott and Dodger presumptive league MVP Shohei Ohtani. The LA slugger is 1-for-9 with a mere single against Scott, who serves as the shutdown arm out of the Padre pen.

Philly people don’t like New Yorkers, and New York folks are wary of Philadelphia. The two teams reflect that East Coast rivalry. The Phillies (-185) are favored to win this series against the Mets (+150). Philadelphia not only gets the first two games at home, but they have twin aces Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola lined up to take the hill as well as southpaw Cristopher Sanchez.

(Photo of Aaron Judge: Luke Hales / Getty Images)