With the 2021 MLB regular season just about 10 games old, the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers are off to an 8-2 start. That solidifies their role as the favorite to win it all again in 2021.
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It’s no surprise that the Dodgers are listed at +300 to win the World Series and +165 to win the National League pennant. The problem with the Dodgers is that, as they keep winning, their betting value will continue to diminish.
What about a longshot? Is there a longshot bet worth making to capture the AL and NL pennants? Of course there is. Here are the longshots to win an MLB pennant in 2021.
American League Winner: Los Angeles Angels
All eyes are pointed toward the New York Yankees winning a 41st American League pennant in 2021. The Yankees have one of the most potent lineups in baseball. Sluggers Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton are healthy to start the season.
Facing those two is bad enough for AL pitchers, but there is also SS Gleyber Torres, C Gary Sanchez, and OF Brett Gardner. All can hit the long ball at any time. Don’t forget D.J. LeMahieu, who won the AL batting title last season after hitting .364.
The Yankees are listed at +675 to win the World Series and at +280 to win the AL Pennant. While they most certainly will be in the race, New York has started the season just 4-5.
Their AL counterpart, the Los Angeles, on the other hand have been tearing it up in their first nine games. The Angels are 7-3 and boast two of the best players in the majors – Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani.
Trout, an early season AL MVP favorite, is off to another outstanding start in 2021. He is hitting .394 with four homers and eight RBIs. Ohtani, in his role as DH, is 13-for-39 (.333) and also has three homers and 11 RBIs. Ohtani also has struck out seven and given up just one earned run in 4.2 innings on the mound.
The Angels did lost Dexter Fowler for the season, but for the first time in a long time L.A. has the pitching to go the distance in the AL pennant race. The Angels are a longshot at +1200, but with the best player in baseball in Trout there is the potential for a huge payday.
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National League Winner: Philadelphia Phillies
Can anyone knock off the Dodgers in the NL? There are a couple teams that could, most notably their NL West rival San Diego Padres. The Padres are next in line at +450 to win the NL pennant. That’s not quite a longshot.
The Philadelphia Phillies, however, are definitely a longshot bet. The Phillies worked in the offseason to keep 1B Rhys Hoskins and C J.T. Realmuto. Keeping those two has definitely paid off early in 2021 as the Phillies lead the NL East with a 6-3 record.
The Phils have two aces in Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler and reliever Connor Brogdon already has three wins in 2021. This is a team that goes deep in the batting order with the likes of Didi Gregorius and Bryce Harper to add to Realmuto and Hoskins.
If anyone can knock off the Braves – Philly swept Atlanta in a season-opening series – and the Dodgers in the NL, it may very well be Philadelphia which offers a great payout at +2200.
