Chris Sale starts a new chapter in his MLB career after moving from the Boston Red Sox to the Atlanta Braves. He’s always pitched best with a chip on his shoulder, whether in his early days with the White Sox, when 12 teams passed on him in the draft because they either thought his physique was too skinny or his delivery was too herky-jerky, or with the Red Sox, who introduced him to the pressures of playoff baseball. He got the last out of the 2018 World Series for the Red Sox and then fell prey to another slough of injuries. In Atlanta, he is healthy after overcoming elbow inflammation in 2019, a UCL tear in 2020, a fractured rib, pinky and wrist in 2022, and a stress reaction in his left shoulder blade in 2023 – basically spending part or all of the five seasons of his $145 million extension on the shelf. Can he rebound with the Braves? We will see – his arrival is one reason why the Braves are such heavy favorites to win the National League East. Check out the MLB Divisional Odds for each team to win their division this season, as well as our thoughts about each division.
MLB Betting Analysis: Early MLB Divisional Odds to Win this 2024 Season
MLB Divisional Odds AL East
- N.Y. Yankees +140
- Baltimore Orioles +275
- Toronto Blue Jays +275
- Tampa Bay Rays +750
- Boston Red Sox +1000
Yes, the Yankees added Juan Soto’s phenomenal bat to what was already a scary lineup. They’re still a starting pitcher or two from being the scariest team in this division, but the sports betting world has an annual tradition of overvaluing the Pinstripes. The Baltimore Orioles added Corbin Burnes to give their starting rotation an actual ace. They inked Craig Kimbrel to come and close after postseason runs with the Dodgers and Phillies. Gunnar Henderson won Rookie of the Year, and Adley Rutschmann is now the premier catcher in baseball. Toronto basically stood pat, and they do have a terrific roster. But that roster has been underperforming for several seasons now. Orioles to win.
American League Lines to Win Divisions
MLB Divisional Odds NL East
- Atlanta Braves -250
- Philadelphia Phillies +290
- N.Y. Mets +750
- Miami Marlins +3000
- Washington Nationals +12500
The Braves got the biggest press for the Sale acquisition, but signing Pierce Johnson to a two-year extension kept an important arm in their bullpen. They brough Jarred Kelenic to town from Seattle, an outfield addition who hadn’t hit well as a Mariner but did hit .253 through 416 plate appearances in 2023, his best numbers. That strikeout rate (31.7%) is still too high, but he’s under potential team control for five years, in case he pays off. What did the Phillies do? They re-signed Aaron Nola…and stood pat. Braves to win.
National League Lines to Win Divisions
MLB Divisional Odds AL Central
- Minnesota Twins -130
- Cleveland Guardians +300
- Detroit Tigers +300
- Kansas City Royals +1400
- Chicago White Sox +3000
Cleveland pitcher Tanner Bibee posted a 2.98 ERA in 25 outings, fanning 141 batters in 142 innings. Right hip inflammation forced him out of his last few starts, which should motivate him to prepare in the weight room for an even more emphatic 2024. The problem in Cleveland is the lineup, but the Guardians didn’t make any big moves there. Detroit starts with 17 of 31 at home, including a dozen day games, and with 18 of their first 31 against AL or NL Central opponents. That means lots of winnable games – and seven games against the Twins. That means opportunities to make a statement in the early going. The Twins saw great pitching out of Pablo Lopez, both in the regular season and in his two playoff appearances. Could he win the Cy Young – and lead the Twins to another division title? The Twins aren’t offering a lot of value here, but it’s hard to see either the Guardians or the Tigers catching them. Twins to win.
American League Lines to Win Divisions
MLB Divisional Odds NL Central
- St. Louis Cardinals +175
- Chicago Cubs +200
- Milwaukee Brewers +350
- Cincinnati Reds +400
- Pittsburgh Pirates +2500
Look to Freddy Peralta to anchor the Brewers’ rotation; he finally returned after a 2022 shoulder injury and posted a 2.81 ERA after the All-Star break in 2023. The Brewers saw Brandon Woodruff and Corbin Burnes head out without making any major additions, and their bats are still on the less impressive side. The Cardinals would bank on their starting rotation to climb to the top of a division that has no clear favorite. The Cubs brought manager Craig Counsell to town, and there are some interesting pieces on the roster, most of them coming up from the minors. The Reds won 82 games and almost snagged a wild card last year. Will all of those youngsters make leaps forward in their second seasons? With no clear favorite here, I’m going with the contender with the most value. Reds to win.
National League Lines to Win Divisions
MLB Divisional Odds AL West
- Houston Astros +140
- Texas Rangers +140
- Seattle Mariners +275
- L.A. Angels +4000
- Oakland A’s +20000
Why is Mike Trout still in Los Angeles? The Angels couldn’t make the playoffs with him and Shohei Ohtani, and the team didn’t make any significant moves to compensate for Ohtani’s departure. The Astros are expecting a bounceback season out of Yordan Alvarez, who came in third in the 2022 AL MVP balloting and was limited to 114 games in 2023 due to injuries – but still hit 31 home runs and drove in 97 runs. The Mariners should see more out of Julio Rodriguez at the plate. The Rangers have both Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer on the shelf until at least the All-Star break and are financially waiting on their TV deal to figure out if they can re-sign Jordan Montgomery, who helped pitch the Rangers to their first world championship. Astros to win.
American League Lines to Win Divisions
MLB Divisional Odds NL West
- L.A. Dodgers -375
- Arizona Diamondbacks +700
- San Diego Padres +850
- San Francisco Giants +900
- Colorado Rockies +12500
Can the Diamondbacks make the postseason again? Their youth movement got some significant additions in the off-season. The Dodgers have added Shohei Ohtani – just as a DH this year, but potentially as a pitcher as well in 2025 and beyond, and eventually those 100+ win seasons have to translate into multiple world championships. Right? The Padres get Fernando Tatis Jr back, but they haven’t re-signed ace Blake Snell. Dodgers to win.
National League Lines to Win Divisions
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