MLB Betting Favorites, Smart Pick and Dark Horses for 2018 Season

This Thursday will mark Opening Day for the 2018 MLB regular season, which means that it’s time to look at your sports betting futures wagers about the outcome of the six divisional races in the American and National Leagues. The Houston Astros return as the defending World Series champions and should have an easy road to another AL West title, but the road to the World Series is a grueling marathon, and it’s hard to repeat as World Champions. Take a look at some of our MLB betting  picks in each of the races.

MLB Betting Favorites, Smart Pick and Dark Horses for 2018 Season

TOMORROW. #OpeningDay pic.twitter.com/uKddrbQGc1

— MLB (@MLB) March 28, 2018

National League East

Favorite: Washington Nationals

This team already had Stephen Strasburg but added Max Scherzer to give the team two legitimate aces on their staff — but they still couldn’t escape the National League Division Series. With Bryce Harper and Jayson Werth slugging, and with the Nats’ pitching staff, this team should win at least 95 games and breeze to a division title.

Dark Horse: Philadelphia Phillies

This is a young team that had decent pitching but an overmatched batting order last year. They hung around until Memorial Day before fading down the standings. Now, though, they’ve added ace Jake Arrieta from the Chicago Cubs via free agency, and if they can pick up some big bats in the early going of the season, this is a team that could take off.

National League Central

Favorite: Chicago Cubs

Remember when St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and the Cubs all had terrific teams? Well, the Cubs won that World Series two seasons ago and have reloaded, while the other three teams have sunk into the rebuliding process, and the Milwaukee Brewers are still well behind the Cubs in the development phase too. Adding Yu Darvish to the rotation replaces Arrieta (although Darvish’s World Series performance last year, as well as his early 2017 in Texas, should make you wonder how clutch he would be in big games this year).

National League West

Favorite: Los Angeles Dodgers

Clayton Kershaw is now 30 years old, but he has shown no signs of slowing down in his march toward the Hall of Fame. If his back acts up again, the Dodgers could suffer, but they have others in the rotation, such as Rich Hill, who can fill the gap that Kershaw might leave. The Dodgers had plenty of offense down the stretch last year, and they have lost no key free agents.

Smart Pick: Arizona Diamondbacks

Zack Greinke returns to lead a Diamondbacks pitching staff that performed well last year, leading the team to one of the two National League wild cards. Paul Goldschmidt returns as just the best of a budding batting order in the desert. If the Dodgers lose their hunger or get bitten by the injury bug, the Diamondbacks could make a run.

Dark Horse: Colorado Rockies

The Rockies won the other wild card in the National League last year, and while their pitching was inconsistent, their batting order was able to rescue them more often than not. Given the state of a lot of teams in the National League East and Central, it wouldn’t surprise me to see these two take the wild cards again.

American League East

Favorite: New York Yankees

The Yankees finished two games behind Boston in the East last year — and that was before they added basher Giancarlo Stanton to their lineup. They also have Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka and Sonny Gray anchoring their rotation. Boston did add J.D. Martinez, but they haven’t really addressed an iffy starting rotation.

Smart Pick: Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox could ride David Price to another division championship, particularly if Aaron Judge has a sophomore slump (along with Severino) and Gray and Stanton wilt under the klieg-light pressure of pitching in the Bronx.

Dark Horse: Toronto Blue Jays

The core that is led by Josh Donaldson is back for another ride. Can they overcome the pitching issues that hurt them down the stretch last year and snag a wild card?

American League Central

Favorite: Cleveland Indians

The Tribe has three dominant starting pitchers in Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar. They have an MVP favorite at the plate in Francisco Lindor. The rest of the division is mired in rebuilding projects. I like the Indians to break the 100-win barrier.

American League West

Favorite: Houston Astros

Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve return at the two interior infield spots, and Justin Verlander returns at the top of a talented rotation that also includes former Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel. Their talent level is still the cream of the division.

Smart Pick: Los Angeles Angels

Adding Ian Kinsler at second base and Shohei Otani as the DH/starting pitching phenom from Japan gives Mike Trout some big-time company. But can the Angels work their way around the Astros, or eke out Toronto for a wild card? Otani has struggled so far, but it’s only March.

Dark Horse: Texas Rangers

The Rangers have an elderly starting rotation, with Cole Hamels, Matt Moore and Bartolo Colon all candidates. They also have a veteran retread returning to try and close in Tim Lincecum. Their talent at the plate and in the field is better, so if this pitching staff can jell, this could be an interesting team.