As the calendar turned the page to February, betting interest in the upcoming MLB season is on the rise. Starting with MLB futures odds to win each league pennant and the 2021 World Series, you can now find betting odds to win each individual division title race on the board.
There is no better place to start than in the highly popular American League East.
New York Yankees Team Preview 2021
AL East Division Odds: -175
As one or two of the most popular MLB franchises, the Yankees are perennial betting favorites to win the AL East. Yet, the reality of the situation points to just one AL East title over the past eight seasons.
New York’s lofty odds as the favorite to win this season’s division title are heavily tied to the money coming in from the betting public. Overall, the Yankees are still the most talented team in the AL East but history shows that this does not always lead to actually being the best team.
Tampa Bay Rays Team Preview 2021
AL East Division Odds: +375
The Rays start the new season as the defending Al East Champions. They went 40-20 in the shortened 2020 season to win the division by seven games over New York. There were some significant departures from that roster to cast some serious doubts on Tampa Bay’s ability to defend that title over the full 162-game schedule.
The first task is to replace some holes in the starting rotation. Fortunately, a team strength over the years has been a strong farm system. There is still a chance that Tampa Bay can tap into the dwindling free agent market to fill some needs.
Toronto Blue Jays Team Preview 2021
AL East Division Odds: +375
At 32-28 and eight games off the pace last season, Toronto may have the most upside when it comes to betting on the AL East winner. First and foremost, there is some tremendous value in the posted odds. Second, an active offseason could set the stage for a dramatic improvement in the Blue Jays’ 67-game win total in 2019.
Toronto already landed outfielder George Springer as the biggest free agent prize. The entire pitching staff has received a major face lift. Everything still needs to fall into place with more than a few breaks going the Blue Jays’ way. Yet, this would be my top-valued pick to win the AL East at +375 odds.
Boston Red Sox Team Preview 2021
AL East Division Odds: +1800
Oh, how the mighty have fallen. From 2013 through the 2018 season, Boston won the AL East four times in six seasons. It fell back to third in 2019 with a record of 84-78. The Red Sox slipped to last in the division with just 24 victories in 60 games.
The prospect for a dramatic turnaround this season does not appear to be all that encouraging. Boston has more than a few gaps to fill to return to its previous status in the AL East. While the team is moving in the right direction with the addition of pitchers’ Adam Ottavino and Garrett Richards, that is probably not enough to contend this season.
Baltimore Orioles Team Preview 2021
AL East Division Odds: +6600
Baltimore has been the division doormat since 2017 but it did manage to surpass Boston for fourth place last season at 25-35. The betting odds suggest a return to the bottom of the standings in 2021 but that is far from being a given.
If the future can come early, the Orioles could head in the opposite direction. Their farm system has five young guns in the MLB Top-100 prospects waiting to make an impact in the Majors.
Get the latest live MLB odds and free MLB predictions all season long at ScoresAndStats.
