Congratulations to the Atlanta Braves for defying 2021 MLB World Series odds and shocking anyone betting on MLB. After posting a losing record until mid-August, they won the trade deadline and surged for the rest of the season, capping their historic run with a championship victory over the heavily favored Houston Astros.
So...now what? We begin thinking about 2022 MLB World Series futures, which currently peg the Los Angeles Dodgers and Astros as early favorites to win it all. That's what.
Yes, believe it or not, linemakers already have 2022 World Series betting odds. Here are the initial MLB odds for all 30 teams from BetOnline:
| Team |  |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles Dodgers | +480 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | +850 |
| Chicago White Sox | +950 |
| Houston Astros | +1000 |
| Atlanta Braves | +1200 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | +1200 |
| New York Yankees | +1300 |
| New York Mets | +1500 |
| San Diego Padres | +1600 |
| Tampa Bay Rays | +1600 |
| Los Angeles Angels | +2500 |
| San Francisco Giants | +2500 |
| Boston Red Sox | +2500 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | +2500 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | +3000 |
| Seattle Mariners | +3000 |
| Minnesota Twins | +4500 |
| Detroit Tigers | +5500 |
| Miami Marlins | +8000 |
| Cleveland Guardians | +9000 |
| Texas Rangers | +9500 |
| Kansas City Royals | +10000 |
| Cincinnati Reds | +13000 |
| Chicago Cubs | +13000 |
| Washington Nationals | +15000 |
| Colorado Rockies | +20000 |
| Oakland Athletics | +25000 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | +25000 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | +50000 |
| Baltimore Orioles | +50000 |
Depending on when you make your 2022 World Series picks, you will want to double-check these MLB betting odds. We have nearly six months before opening day. All World Series odds are going to move at BetOnline and other top online sports betting sites.
2022 World Series Best Bets
Analyzing the MLB World Series betting odds is a delicate balancing act this early into the game. We have yet to go through the offseason. There will be trades, free-agency signings and injuries for which we can't yet account. All of our World Series picks are subject to change as the league itself does.
Still, now is a great time to capitalize on initial World Series betting lines. You can find great value for certain teams when oddsmakers have to cake in a ton of future uncertainty. So let's get to identifying our best 2022 MLB World Series bets as of right now and, as always, wrap up with the 2022 World Series pick we'd ride with if forced to choose today.
Are the Reigning Champs Undervalued?
Reigning World Series champs tend to get the benefit of the doubt from oddsmakers. We don't see that happening for the Atlanta Braves.
Indeed, they wouldn't be a top-seven team without their current World Series win, but you'd normally be looking at something like 10-to-1 or 8-to-1 odds. From where we're standing, 14-to-1 is a bargain. The Braves aren't especially old and have just one top-25 free agent (Freddie Freeman) slated to hit the open market.
Atlanta is a team that should be back in the World Series fold next year.
Better Bet: Los Angeles Dodgers or Houston Astros?
Big-market bias is already creeping in here.
Yes, the Dodgers (+550) should be good. They remain a free-agent destination and have the means to spend a ton of money. But their pitching rotation is getting old. We saw it break down this year. The Dodgers also have a handful of key players entering free agency. Not everyone will come back.
The Astros (+700), on the other hand, have become a punchline. Some of it's justified. They are now 0-3 in their World Series bids. But they continue to have one of the deepest batting orders in the league, and a pitching staff that seems one starter and one additional bullpen arm away from running roughshod over the rest of the league.
For us, choosing between Los Angeles and Houston isn't even a decision. It's the Astros, by far and away.
Better Bet: Toronto Blue Jays or New York Yankees?
Both the Toronto Blue Jays (+1200) and New York Yankees (+1200) are laying identical World Series odds entering the offseason. We can see why.
New York disenfranchised many of their believers with inconsistent play this year. They have already overhauled their behind-the-scenes staff. But their offense was also wildly underachieved. They posted a below-average slugging percentage and bottom-five batting average. A team with Giancarlos Stanton and Aaron Judge, an MVP candidate, shouldn't do that again.
With the Yankees expected to be aggressive over the offseason, we'd recommend getting in on them at 12-to-1 before investing in the Blue Jays. Toronto has an ultra-scary cast of bats but could lose a few in free agency, and its pitching staff fared above its head for most of this year.
Early 2022 World Series Pick
Remember the San Diego Padres (+1400)? You know, the team that entered the 2021 season with top-four World Series odds only to flame out amid a haze of injuries and slumping bats?
Yeah, we still believe in them.
Between MVP candidate Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, Eric Hosmer, and others, we expect a bounce-back offensive season from the Padres. They also happen to have a pitching staff that can get strings of outs on the ground in a hurry and is positioned to add at least one significant arm in free agency.
The 2021 season didn't show out, but if they stay healthy, the Padres are one of the most dangerous World Series bets around.
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