The Padres have made their big move
The Padres made their World Series intentions known right as midnight past for those on the east coast.
San Diego reportedly agreed to an 11-year, $280 million contract with Xander Bogaerts. The National League West club has been linked to many of the top free agents but continued to fall short until Thursday.
Bogaerts will soon join a team that includes Juan Soto, Manny Machado and Fernando Tatís Jr., who will continue his 80-game suspension through the first 20 games of the 2023 Major League Baseball season due to a performance-enhancing drug violation.
The Red Sox reportedly agreed to a five-year, $90 million contract with Japanese star Masataka Yoshida on Wednesday, but Boston is feeling the loss of its unofficial captain.
The Padres hope to compete in what is expected to be a competitive NL West with the Los Angeles Dodgers and their talent-rich roster and the San Francisco Giants, who also hope to sign a big free agent. Many sportsbooks had San Diego’s odds to win the World Series at around +1500. Here’s how those odds shifted after the reported Bogaerts deal.
DraftKings: +1200
FanDuel: +1000
Caesars: +1400
BetMGM: +1400
PointsBet: +1500
FOX Bet: +1200
These prices have the Padres at worst with the eighth-shortest odds and at best the fourth-shortest odds to win the World Series, which shows how bullish or bearish oddsmakers are on San Diego’s outlook. Of course, there are still more dominoes in the free agent market that could continue to shift the market.
The Red Sox still have Rafael Devers, who likely will be leaned on to lead the team, and Boston’s reported signing of Kenley Jansen should improve its pitching staff. Here’s how oddsmakers see the Red Sox’s World Series outlook.
DraftKings: +3500
FanDuel: +5000
Caesars: +3500
BetMGM: +4000
PointsBet: +3300
FOXBet: +3300
Boston still has an opportunity to sign one of the other top shortstops on the market — Carlos Correa or Dansby Swanson. Again, the market could shift depending on how chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom shapes the roster for manager Alex Cora.