World Series futures: Dodgers, Braves still favorites

The 2024 MLB season is right around the corner, with Spring Training in Arizona and Florida officially underway. And while the postseason is a long way from now, it’s never too early to take a look at some World Series futures, which are a great way to make some money down the road as a sports bettor. By no surprise, the Los Angeles Dodgers are the current favorite to win the Fall Classic, but the Atlanta Braves are right on their tail. Below, we’ll discuss several teams that should be in the mix when it’s all said and done.

Dodgers

Los Angeles made the headlines this winter, winning the Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto sweepstakes. Ohtani won’t pitch until next season but his bat will be a major addition to an already powerful Dodgers lineup. As for Yamamoto, he has the ability to potentially be the ace of this rotation for many years to come. On top of that, LA also signed the likes of Tyler Glasnow and James Paxton, adding more firepower to their staff. It truly does feel like the Dodgers will finally win a World Series in 2024. It’s hard to imagine them not being in the Fall Classic at the very least. 888sport is giving Los Angeles +350 odds to win it.

Braves

Atlanta is a powerhouse every single year. Ronald Acuna Jr, Ozzie Albies, Matt Olson, and Austin Riley, among others, are superstars and they all happen to play on the same team. The Braves had the best record in the bigs in 2023, going 104-58. But, for the second year in a row, the Philadelphia Phillies upset them in the NLDS. While there’s no question Atlanta is built to contend, they need to produce when it matters most. It’s that simple. A great regular season means nothing if the Braves go silent in the playoffs. There aren’t many changes to this squad, but as is, it’s extremely talented on both sides of the ball.

Astros

Houston barely fell short of making another World Series last year, losing to the eventual champion Texas Rangers in the ALCS. The core of this group is experienced as can be with Alex Bregman, Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, Justin Verlander, and Jeremy Pena. The rotation, which is led by Verlander, is also impressive with Framber Valdez and Cristian Javier after him. Oh, the Astros also signed Josh Hader this winter to be their new closer, which means Ryan Pressly is the new setup man. That’s a ridiculously scary one-two punch at the end of games. Most MLB betting sites have given Houston the third-best World Series futures.

Yankees

I know, the Yankees usually choke, but it feels different heading into 2024. They made a plethora of moves in free agency, trading for superstar Juan Soto, signing Marcus Stroman, and also acquiring Alex Verdugo from the Boston Red Sox. The staff was just fine last season but the offense struggled immensely outside of Aaron Judge. A new campaign and some more impact bats could be all the Bronx Bombers need to make a deep playoff run.

Orioles

Baltimore won the AL East in 23’ out of nowhere but was knocked out in the ALDS by the Ranges. Nevertheless, there’s a very bright future ahead for the franchise and we saw why. The Orioles have a perfect mix of young talent and experience. Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, Cedric Mullins, etc. Baltimore also signed Craig Kimbrel this offseason and traded for Corbin Burnes to be their ace.

Rangers

Although the champs are rather far down the list, they can’t be counted out. Part of the reason they’re probably not a frontrunner is due to the injuries to Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom, who will both miss a lot of the 24’ season. If they can manage to bring back Jordan Montgomery in free agency though, it would be a massive help. Offensively, Adolis Garcia, Corey Seager, and Marcus Semien are still leading the way.