The Major League Baseball season heads into the month of August with plenty of questions still remaining. With only about 50 games left on the schedule for each side, a lot of players and teams are beginning their stretch run.
After another month of play, West Virginia sportsbooks are featuring updated odds that look a little different than in July.
Betting lines have also shifted because of the impact felt by MLB’s trade deadline. Several notable players changed locations, with teams like the Chicago Cubs selling off almost all of their assets.
Just a few years removed from winning their first World Series since 1908, the Cubs traded the household names of Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Javy Baez. Each landed on a playoff contender.
Let’s take a look at some of the adjusted MLB futures odds for teams and players at WV online sportsbooks.
MLB Futures Odds, August 2021
Betting On The 2021 World Series
Since the long baseball season is down to basically its last two months, it’s easier to examine the World Series odds.
Currently, DraftKings Sportsbook West Virginia is showing a familiar name at the top. It has the Los Angeles Dodgers as the favorite to win the title again, with odds of +300.
These odds actually seem fairly generous considering the moves the Dodgers made at the deadline. Despite showcasing a loaded roster as is, they went out and upgraded by adding pitcher Max Scherzer and shortstop Trea Turner from the Nationals.
Part of the reason they’re not bigger favorites is that the Dodgers are still not in first place in their division. That honor belongs to the San Francisco Giants, who have a 3.5-game lead right now.
The Giants own the fourth-best odds at DraftKings to win it all this season. They’re available at +1000, compared to around +4000 in May.
A couple of AL teams fill in the gaps between the two rivals. The Houston Astros are posted at +450, while the Chicago White Sox have odds of +550.
Both teams looked to improve last week, as the Astros dealt for reliever Kendall Graveman and Chicago got Cesar Hernandez.
Unlike the NL West foes, both of these AL teams are in control in their division. Chicago holds a 9.5-game lead, and Houston is up 5.5 games on Oakland.
The next tier of World Series contenders at the online sportsbook includes several teams. Boston, Milwaukee, the New York Mets and San Diego are all listed at +1100.
Tampa Bay is just below this group with odds of +1200.
There are a lot of tough choices for bettors to make, but there are also more than enough teams with good value.
MLB Player Award Odds
2021 MVP Betting
The MVP is usually one of the most wagered-on futures markets and is typically an exciting race until the very end of the season.
Despite the fact that Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is competing for the AL’s Triple Crown, the MVP title appears to be out of his reach.
This is only because the Angels’ Shohei Ohtani is doing things on a baseball diamond that haven’t been seen before.
At FanDuel Sportsbook WV, Ohtani is available to bet on at -750. Guerrero is a sizable distance behind him with odds of +550.
If Guerrero doesn’t take it this season, it won’t be because of his stellar campaign. He’s second in homers behind only Ohtani, while he’s first in RBI with 85 and tied for third in batting average.
Most years, this would be enough to earn the award.
Unfortunately for Vlad Jr., Ohtani is doing everything well. Besides his 37 home runs and 82 RBI, he sports an ERA of 3.04 to go along with 100 strikeouts in 80 innings.
It doesn’t look like anyone in the AL can take this honor away from Ohtani as long as he stays healthy.
The National League race is much more interesting.
At the moment, Fernando Tatis Jr. is the favorite at FanDuel at -115. Although he’s having a great season, the Padres star shortstop is out injured right now. This isn’t his first time on the injured list, either.
This leaves the door wide open for the Dodgers’ new acquisition, Turner (+450), fellow Dodger Max Muncy (+450) and the Braves’ Freddie Freeman (+700).
Even the Phillies’ Bryce Harper is making a late surge to take home the MVP. He’s shown at +3000 thanks to a scorching July in which he hit .333 with an OPS of 1.023.
Cy Young Award Odds
There is a new leader at FanDuel for the AL Cy Young award. After the Yankees’ Gerrit Cole held the top odds for the entire season, Chicago’s Lance Lynn is the current favorite.
The White Sox ace is offered at -155.
Cole only dropped to second but is now an underdog at +260. Outside of looking inconsistent of late, he also just missed a start and is sidelined on the COVID-19 list.
Lynn is 10-3 and features a 2.07 ERA. After he struggled somewhat in June, Lynn bounced back with a 3-0 record in July with just seven earned runs in five starts.
It helps his odds that the White Sox are one of the better teams in the league this season, too. Lynn is leading his side to the postseason, as opposed to the Yankees, who still have work to do.
Lynn’s teammate, Carlos Rodon, is the only other AL pitcher with odds in the same ballpark as the leaders. He’s available at +410 to win the Cy Young.
The award is much more of a toss-up in the National League.
The Dodgers’ Walker Buehler is the favorite right now at +270; however, several pitchers are right on his heels. FanDuel shows the following odds:
- Zack Wheeler +290
- Brandon Woodruff +450
- Corbin Burnes +500
- Kevin Gausman +500
- Max Scherzer +900
- Jacob deGrom +1800
The Mets’ deGrom once looked like a lock for this, but he’s also fallen on some hard times. He hit the IL again at the beginning of July with an elbow issue.
Now the hardware will probably go to whichever one of the listed contenders finishes the strongest.
