Tampa Bay Rays Updated Pennant and World Series Odds

For most of the MLB regular season, the Tampa Bay Rays have been the class of the American League. Is there value in backing their current futures odds? The team went through a significant slump in July, but they appear to have gotten back on track to begin August. Will that benefit them in the long run?

American League Pennant & World Series Picks: Minnesota Twins | Seattle Mariners | Texas Rangers | Toronto Blue Jays | Baltimore Orioles 

Below, we’ll look into the Rays’ odds of winning the American League and World Series and whether or not they’re worth backing. 

The biggest question mark surrounding the Rays revolves around the health of starting pitcher Shane McClanahan. The Rays’ ace is seeing a specialist due to forearm tightness, and there are definite concerns from the club as a result. Even though the Rays continue to boast a potent offense, they’ve primarily been known as a pitching factory, and it’ll be difficult to see them find success in October without their top arm present. Acquiring Aaron Civale will help fill the void if McClanahan does miss time, but there are a lot of question marks with this group that make it difficult to trust them right now.

The opposite side of the coin suggests that the Rays have a lot of experience and a deep farm system, meaning they withstand the injuries they’ve suffered in their rotation this season and still make a run at the AL Pennant. We’re of the mindset that the Rays’ price hasn’t bottomed out yet and that the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros will soon entirely pass them in odds. As a result, for now, we’re comfortable fading their +330 price to win the American League and will feel more confident in that number in the +400 to +450 range. 

National League Pennant & World Series Picks: Atlanta Braves | Los Angeles Dodgers

Without McClanahan in the fold, it’s hard to see the Rays winning the World Series. Teams have done it before in the face of injuries; look no further than the Atlanta Braves in 2021. Still, with how this team is built, it feels unlikely Tampa Bay can survive the October gauntlet and be the last team standing without their ace. We’ve also taken a pessimistic approach with this news, and there’s still the potential that McClanahn does return down the stretch and contribute.

With how much the Rays struggled in July, you’d figure they’d likely have a better value price tag, yet instead, they continue sitting in a tie for the third-shortest odds of winning the World Series at +700. Unlike their AL Pennant odds, this is a number we’re content getting behind with where it stands on August 7. If the Rays get positive news surrounding McClanahan, there’s a strong chance this number will rise again, meaning now is a good time to invest at the current price. 

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