The dust has finally settled on another fast and furious trade deadline in Major League Baseball and with it the league winds up for a frenetic close to the season as the pennant races come to a head.
American League
In the AL East, the smaller budget Tampa Bay Rays are still forging ahead against the big spending behemoths of Boston and New York. The Red Sox are three games behind the Rays and the Yankees are 5.5 games off the pace. The Rays are 20/23 and the Red Sox are 9/4 to win the division.
The Toronto Blue Jays, who recently returned to playing in their home city, are keen on making it a four way race with a 59-50 record putting them seven games behind the Rays.
The Chicago White Sox own the biggest divisional lead in the MLB as they have ridden a 38-20 home record to put themselves 10.5 games clear of Cleveland in second place. The rest of the AL Central look unlikely to mount a challenge to the White Sox’s dominance.
The AL East is always one of the most competitive divisions in the Major Leagues and this season has been no different. The Houston Astros currently hold a three-game lead over rivals Oakland Athletics, who are not going down without a fight. The Seattle Mariners are 8.5 games behind and the Los Angeles Angels are 10 off the pace, but it seems likely this section will be a two-horse race once more.
National League
Arguably the most tightly contested division in baseball this year has been the NL East and three teams all stand within two games of each other at its head. The Philadelphia Phillies are top of the pile, with the New York Mets suffering a rocky run to put them a game and a half back.
Both teams are 29/20 to win the division and the Atlanta Braves are priced up at 23/10, they sit just half a game behind the Mets. As the tension rises, this is definitely a division to watch.
The Milwaukee Brewers have attained a six-game lead in the NL Central, but the Cincinnati Reds are nothing if not persistent and their 8-2 run in the last 10 games has kept them within touching distance. The Brewers are 1/11 to take the title and the Reds are 7/1.
This year’s surprise package in the MLB has been the San Francisco Giants and the owners of a league-leading 70-41 record are showing no signs of relenting.
The Los Angeles Dodgers will not relinquish their division title easily however and are four games behind. The Dodgers remain favourites at 5/8 to win the section, with the Giants at 6/4. The San Diego Padres are also up with the pace at 7.5 games behind. Whether the Giants can fend off their rivals is sure to be one of the stories of the regular season.
Pennant Races
In the pennant races, the American League favourite Houston Astros may be worth taking on at 23/10. The Chicago White Sox are second in AL ERA behind the Rays and with pitching so important in the playoffs, 11/4 about the White Sox appeals. The Rays themselves are 5/1 to repeat their pennant win of last season and the Red Sox and Yankees are 13/2 and 7/1 respectively.
In the National League, it appears hard to look past the Dodgers, who are 6/4 to take the pennant. The Brew Crew are 17/4 and the Padres and Mets are 23/4 and 27/4 respectively.
However at 11/2 the Giants may be worth siding with. They have put together the best record in the MLB in one of the toughest divisions and the acquisition of Kris Bryant shows that they mean business.
*All odds correct at time of writing