Braves are only getting better, but is it still too soon?
Last season saw the biggest upset in the World Series history since the MLB betting was official, with the Washington Nationals beating all the odds and calculations by winning the title over Houston Astros. National’s chances to win were around 0.1% at the end of May according to MLB Stats and their odds to win the World Series were still as high as +600 heading to the WS – before the start of the season it was around +2000 and the highest in June, +5500.
That rollercoaster of MLB odds tells a story of the unpredictability of baseball and especially the postseason, when things happen quickly and there’s no room for taking a longer slide. The new season in 2020 is likely to start some three months later than usual, but start nevertheless. Currently the biggest favorites to win the World Series are the usual suspects, New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers, with odds of around +300. American League challengers feature Houston Astros at +900 and Minnesota Twins at +1500. From the National League, chasing Dodgers are New York Mets +1700 and Atlanta Braves +1700.
While Yankees and Dodgers seem like certain contenders, along with Astros and Twins of AL, the National League seems a tad tighter. One of the top MLB picks and the best value in current odds seems to be with the Atlanta Braves. In Accuscore’s simulations, Braves are the top team in their division in the regular season and are matching up nicely with their NL counterparts in any playoff-scenario. The AL powerhouses still rank higher in the simulations, but their odds are less than decent at this point.
Braves have been on top of the league for two seasons, despite fielding a young and inexperienced team for the most part. While the Braves’ future seems so bright it is blinding, their performances last season should cause some worries to their rivals already. With the young core getting only better and new, raw talent emerging, Braves overall talent is unmatched in a couple of years – if not now. Young superstars Ronald Acuña Jr and Mike Soroka lead the line and off-season acquisitions of closer Will Smith, reliable veteran starter Cole Hamels and leftfielder Marcell Ozuna bring Braves even closer to legit push for World Series. Keep your eye on the Brave’s win total over under because there could be major value when the line is released.
If Braves are able to address the issues at 3rd base, either by improved performances by the current players or by trade(s) – which the Braves have more than enough assets for – there’s no question that they should be considered the main rivals for Dodgers and with these odds, the best bet to win World Series 2020. If you are looking to place a bet on the Braves to win the World Series you can check out these sportsbook promo codes to get free money in your account to bet.
