Can you believe it? We’re only a few hours away from the start of the 2016 MLB Postseason and anticipation is building to a fever pitch for this great sporting spectacle. To further whet your baseball appetite, we’re going to break down the favorites, sleepers and long shot for the upcoming Fall Classic.
Can the red-hot Cubs finally end their 108-year title drought? Or will another team spoil their party? Read on below to find out. While you’re at it, you can check out our postseason team previews for the Chicago Cubs and the Boston Red Sox.
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Texas (+250) and Cleveland (+275) may have finished with better records than Boston but that didn’t prevent bookmakers from making the Red Sox the favorites at +200 to win the American League pennant this year. Empowering this belief is the Red Sox’s stellar play on the offensive end. They have scored 83 more runs than the next-best offense in the American League (Cleveland Indians). Spearheading the Red Sox attack is the retiring David Ortiz. Big Papi is a candidate for the American League MVP Award this season, batting .315 with 38 home runs and 127 RBI. He also led the league in doubles (48) and slugging percentage (.620).
It isn’t just their offense that’s playing lights out right now. The Red Sox bullpen is playing some incredible baseball as well heading into the postseason. Since the beginning of September, the Boston pen ranks second in the American League in ERA (1.81), and first in opponent average (.198) and strikeout rate (10.4 K/9). That lethal combination of pitching and offense makes the Red Sox the team to beat in the American League.
National League Pennant
Team
Odds to Win
Chicago Cubs
+120
Washington Nationals
+325
Los Angeles Dodgers
+350
New York Mets
+750
San Francisco Giants
+1,000
Can the Chicago Cubs finally break their World Series curse? That’s the question on everyone’s lips after their dominant performance this past regular season. The Cubs finished the season with an incredible 103-58 record. That’s their highest winning total since 1910, when they posted 104. The Cubs managed to pull off that feat thanks to their deep and talented rotation. They have in their ranks ERA leaders Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks, as well as 2015 Cy Young award winner Jake Arrieta.
It’s crucial for the Cubs that Arrieta step up his play this postseason. He has posted just a 4.44 ERA over his last 16 starts.It isn’t just pitching that’s taking center stage for the Cubs right now. The Cubs scored a whopping 808 runs this past regular season, third-best in the MLB. Kris Bryant had another monster season for the Cubs, leading the team not only in homers (39) but also in batting average (.292) and hits (176). No wonder they are the odds-on favorites at +120to win the National League Pennant this year.
If there’s one team, though, that can wreck the Cubs’ NL Pennant dreams, it’s got to be the Washington Nationals. The Nats finished the regular season with a 95-67 record. The good news for Washington is that its injury concerns are easing up heading into the division series. Daniel Murphy is fit and ready to go after recovering from a glute strain. He narrowly missed out on the NL batting title, finishing with 184 hits and a .347 average. The Nationals are pegged at +325to win the National League pennant this year.
World Series
Team
Odds to Win
Chicago Cubs
+240
Boston Red Sox
+550
Texas Rangers
+650
Washington Nationals
+750
Cleveland Indians
+750
Los Angeles Dodgers
+750
Toronto Blue Jays
+1,200
New York Mets
+1,200
San Francisco Giants
+1,600
Baltimore Orioles
+1,600
The Cubs will enter the 2016 MLB Postseason as the favorite to win the World Series, with their odds currently priced at +240. They proved their title credentials by becoming baseball’s sole 100-win team this season. No wonder Cubs fans are cautiously optimistic about their chances this year. The smart money, though, may be on the American League teams to win it all this year. By virtue of their win in the All-Star Game, the American League will have home field advantage in this year’s World Series. That’s great news for the Boston Red Sox who will be looking to capture their fourth World Series title in the last 12 years. They are pegged at +550to do just that.
The 2016 MLB Postseason is finally here. Create a betting account now and put your baseball predictions to the test!
