Red Sox’s World Series Odds, Projected Win Total For 60-Game MLB Season
It appears we’ll have baseball in 2020, as MLB commissioner Rob Manfred on Tuesday announced a return-to-play plan that includes a 60-game season.
The condensed schedule, combined with other uncertainties related to the COVID-19 pandemic, makes the upcoming campaign nearly impossible to predict, however, which might lead to some interesting action at the sportsbooks.
Could the Boston Red Sox shock everyone and win their fifth title since 2004?
The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees are the favorites to win the World Series, according to Bovada’s odds as of Wednesday afternoon. Both sit at +325. They’re followed at the top by the Houston Astros (+750), Atlanta Braves (+1500), Minnesota Twins (+1800) and the defending champion Washington Nationals (+1800).
The Red Sox, two years removed from their most recent championship run, have the 18th-best odds to win this year’s Fall Classic, tied with the Milwaukee Brewers at +5000.
Clearly, oddsmakers are expecting another step backward for the Red Sox, who missed the playoffs in 2019 and then traded their best player, Mookie Betts, to the Dodgers this offseason. Boston also is entering its first season under manager Ron Roenicke after parting ways with former skipper Alex Cora.
Here’s a quick snapshot of the Red Sox’s current odds, according to Bovada, via Odds Shark:
World Series: +5000
Win total: 31.5 (OVER -115, UNDER -115)
Odds to make/miss playoffs: +185 to make playoffs, -250 to miss playoffs
Updated World Series odds (Bovada):
LAD/NYY +325
HOU +750
ATL +1500
MIN/WAS +1800
NYM +2000
CHC/OAK/STL/TB +2200
CWS/CLE/LAA +2400
CIN +2500
PHI +3300
SD +4000
BOS/MIL +5000
ARI +6000
TEX/TOR +8000
SF +15000
COL +17500
KC +20000
PIT/SEA +30000
BAL/DET +40000
MIA +50000— Odds Shark (@OddsShark) June 23, 2020
American League OVER/UNDER win totals (Bovada):
Yankees 37.5
Astros 35
Twin 34.5
Rays 34
Athletics 33.5
Indians 32
Angels 32
Red Sox 31.5
White Sox 31.5
Rangers 29.5
Blue Jays 28
Mariners 25
Royals 24.5
Orioles 21.5
Tigers 21.5— Odds Shark (@OddsShark) June 24, 2020
Odds to make the American League playoffs (Bovada):
Yankees -240
Astros -180
Twins -160
Rays -150
Indians -115
Athletics -105
White Sox +155
Angels +180
Red Sox +185
Rangers +360
Blue Jays +450
Royals +475
Tigers +1000
Mariners +1300
Orioles +2000— Odds Shark (@OddsShark) June 24, 2020
Basically, Boston is projected to be a middle-of-the-road club in 2020, regardless of season length. A sprint to the finish line might bode well for the underdogs, though.
Without a 162-game slate for water to find its level, we very well could see some surprise postseason participants, and the Red Sox still have plenty of talent on their roster to make noise within the American League East.
