As we move towards the end of May, we’re now two months into the 2021 Major League Baseball season. With some evidence to work with, let’s take a look and see which teams are in contention to win each respective pennant.
American League Betting Odds
The New York Yankees (+300) are currently one of the favorites to win the American League and are actually second in the odds to win the World Series at the end of the year. They have two starters in the top 10 for the AL Cy Young odds as of right now with Gerrit Cole and Corey Kluber. The Yankees are 28-19 overall and are third in their division at the moment but have so much talent on their roster. More importantly, they’re putting it all together these days.
The Chicago White Sox (+350) are not far behind as they are 26-19 on the season with a team batting average of .255. That ranks them fourth in the entire league. They also happen to be seventh in total runs scored and sixth in ERA with a 3.33. Chicago should battle with the Yankees for that top spot throughout the year.
The Tampa Bay Rays (+950) are lower down the board but should be among the favorites to win the AL. Few expected them to be this good as they are 30-19 on the year so far and are in first place in their division. The Rays have been doing everything at a high level this season, getting it done offensively and defensively. They are fourth in the league in total runs scored so far and are eighth in team ERA with 3.54.
National League Betting Odds
The San Diego Padres (+350) are among the favorites to win the National League. They are in first place in the NL West with a 30-18 record and have gotten fantastic play out of Fernando Tatis and Manny Machado. They do have a tough way to win the NL as the Los Angeles Dodgers happen to be right behind them.
The Dodgers are 29-18 (+175) on the season, slightly behind the Padres for the top spot in the division. They were one of those teams that had the best odds to win the World Series this year, so it is no surprise to see them as a favorite here. They are full of talent behind Clayton Kershaw and Mookie Betts also. They are third in hitting (batting average) and second in pitching (ERA) in the National League, so they are right on course.
The San Francisco Giants (+1800) are further down the board but could they be a team that ends up winning the National League pennant? They are in the exact same division as the aforementioned favorites but still have a 28-19 record. They have been playing better than expected to start this season out and offer a juicy payout if you believe they can still pull it off.