Matt Olson

Inner-circle contenders and dark horses for the 2023 World Series as 60-game mark nears

Home » MLB » Inner-circle contenders and dark horses for the 2023 World Series as 60-game mark nears

With roughly one-third of the season played, it’s time to start taking a serious look at MLB World Series favorites in 2023.

The top teams have already separated themselves from the pack, so it’s started to become clear who the series contenders for the World Series will be this season.

MLB World Series favorites 2023

But who are the World Series favorites in 2023 and what team will eventually be lifting the World Series trophy? These questions are a little complicated because the teams playing the best right now aren’t necessarily the teams with the shortest odds to win it all.

With that said, let’s look at both the favorites and dark horses to win the 2023 World Series based on their current odds.

Twins, +2200

As the leaders of the AL Central, the Twins look like one of the dark horses in MLB this season. Offensively, Minnesota still leaves something to be desired, although there are good pieces there.

       

Of course, it’s all about pitching with the Twins. Sonny Gray and Joe Ryan might be the best duo in baseball while Pablo Lopez and Bailey Ober provide solid depth. If the Twins ever get going offensively or get their rotation fully healthy, this could be a scary team to face in October.

Rangers, +2200

The vast amount of money the Rangers have spent in recent years are finally paying off. Texas is a genuine threat to win the AL West and potentially go even further.

The Rangers have some heavy hitters not to mention a deep and talented rotation when everyone’s healthy. Nathan Eovaldi and Jon Gray have been spectacular, and if the Rangers can find a way to keep Jacob deGrom healthy, they will be a threat in the postseason.

Padres, +1700

At the moment, the Padres are one of the great disappointments in 2023. Nevertheless, they still have a tremendous upside. San Diego’s lineup hasn’t performed as expected, but if the Padres ever start to click, they will have one of the deepest lineups in baseball.

The same can be true of their underperforming rotation.

       

There’s still a lot of time left for the Padres to get their act together, which actually gives them valuable World Series odds.

Mets, +1700

The Mets are surely on the list of disappointments in MLB this year. Too many of their big-money players haven’t performed as expected.

On the other hand, Pete Alonso is on pace to hit 60 homers and looks capable of carrying the offense at times. The Mets have also gotten a nice boost from their farm system. Like a few other teams that have failed to live up to preseason expectations, if the Mets can get their act together and start living up to their potential, they are a team that’s capable of winning the World Series.

Blue Jays, +1500

The Blue Jays had to endure a truly dreadful month of May, during which they certainly didn’t look like a World Series contender. But the star power on this team, especially offensively, is undeniable.

They just can’t seem to get all of their best pitchers to perform well at the same time. However, Toronto is a great example of a team with a huge upside if the Jays can put the pieces together and start clicking at the right time.

Yankees, +1200

It’s certainly been a rocky season for the Yankees thus far. But the Bronx Bombers started to perk up during the latter part of May.

When things are clicking, the Yankees certainly look like one of the best teams in the American League. They know they can rely on Aaron Judge to lead the offense and Gerrit Cole to carry the rotation. If the supporting cast can continue to step up, the Yankees will be a threat in October.

Astros, +700

While the Astros haven’t been an overly dominant force thus far in 2023, they’ve been to the ALCS in six straight seasons and played in four of the last six World Series, winning it all last year.

That makes them a team to watch carefully and take seriously when it comes to competing for a championship.

Outside of a few injuries to the Houston rotation, the Astros don’t have a lot of obvious weaknesses. If their rotation gets healthy and starts performing at a high level, the Astros will be a serious threat to repeat.

Rays, +600

Despite an incredible start to the season in April and the best record in baseball, the Rays still aren’t World Series favorites. Tampa’s lack of spending and star power still give skeptics reason to doubt them.

But there’s no denying that most of Tampa’s lineup could make the All-Star Team or that they have a strong rotation behind Shane McClanahan. If nothing else, the Rays are at least the favorites to reach the World Series out of the American League.

Dodgers, +550

The Dodgers are always one of the top World Series contenders. This year, they are far from dominant and have some health concerns with their starting rotation.

However, with Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts leading the way, they have a formidable lineup that should carry them a long way. It’s just a matter of the Dodgers getting their pitching staff healthy in time for the playoffs.

Braves, +525

While the odds are tight, the Braves appear to be the leading MLB World Series favorites in 2023. For starters, Ronald Acuna is one of the best players in baseball right now.

But Matt Olson, Austin Riley, and Sean Murphy are also providing plenty of lineup depth as well.

Atlanta’s pitching has also been excellent behind Spencer Strider, Bryce Elder, and Charlie Morton. Plus, Mike Soroka is back while Max Fried and Kyle Wright could return at some point too. Perhaps the kicker with the Braves is they’ve already proven to be great on the road, which figures to be huge in the postseason. 

Leave a Reply