The 2020 MLB season has crossed the halfway point of its 60-game regular season schedule. There have been some hiccups, though, as MLB decided to opt against playing in a bubble.
With more than 30 games in the book for nearly all 30 teams, there is some clear separation between the legitimate contenders gunning for a World Series title and the pretenders simply along for the ride.
Turning to the updated 2020 MLB futures odds at America’s Bookie to win this year’s championship, the numbers tend to speak for themselves.
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2020 American League Midseason Contenders
Starting in the American League, the Tampa Bay Rays (24-11) are the top team in the AL East. They extended their current winning streak to five games through Sunday, Aug. 30 as part of an 8-2 record in their last 10 games. They now have the best first half record in the AL.
The New York Yankees were the clear favorites to win the East but they find themselves 3½ games in back of Tampa Bay heading into the month of September and coule be buyers today at the 2020 MLB trade deadline.
The Houston Astros were touted as the team to beat in the AL West. Even with a pair of home wins against Oakland this past weekend, they are 2½ games off the pace set by the Athletics, who are 22-12 through their first 34 games.
The Cleveland Indians and the surprising Chicago White Sox top the standings in the AL Central Division race at 21-13. Chicago has been able to post an 8-2 mark over its last 10 games to close the gap. The Minnesota Twins (20-15) are just 1½ games off the pace.
Turning to the MLB futures odds to win the AL Pennant, they break down as follows for the Top 5 contending teams:
New York Yankees +285
Tampa Bay Rays +400
Oakland Athletics +500
Minnesota Twins +700
Houston Astros +800
You can also add Chicago and Cleveland to the mix at +900 before things really fall off from there.
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2020 National League Midseason Contenders
The Los Angeles Dodgers were the clear favorites to win the NL Pennant before the 2020 MLB season finally got underway in late July. Through 36 games, they have lived up to expectations at 26-10.
The Dodgers are five games in front of San Francisco in the NL West Division title race. They have won eight of their last 10 games after taking two of three games against Texas on the road the final weekend in August.
The other two NL Division races are far to close to call. There are just six games separating first place and last place in the NL East. The Atlanta Braves (19-14) are three games in head of the Miami Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies as a pair of surprises in that division. The New York Mets are next at 15-19 followed by the Washington Nationals at 12-19.
The top four teams in the NL Central are separated by just five games. The Chicago Cubs are leading the way at 20-14 with the St. Louis Cardinals (12-13) and Milwaukee Brewers (15-18) next on the list. The Cincinnati Reds are also within striking range at 15-19 on the year.
The Top 5 teams on America’s Bookie 2020 National League futures board include:
Los Angeles Dodgers +150
Atlanta Braves +700
Chicago Cubs +800
San Diego Padres +800
St. Louis Cardinals +2000
The Mets, Phillies and Brewers are also listed at +2000 to win the NL Pennant.
The Dodgers are +350 favorites to go on and win the 2020 MLB World Series. The Yankees are next at +525.
The odds fall off steeply from there (Tampa Bay +1000) to stay true to the preseason prediction of a Dodgers vs. Yankees World Series showdown.
