Contrary to urban myth, the ‘LA’ on their caps does not stand for Lost Again. It just seems that way after the Dodgers have continually come up short of expectations in the playoffs.
If the Dodgers fail to win the National League in 2024, they will fall short of the chalkiest of expectations at top-rated online sportsbooks that have priced Los Angeles +175 to rep the Senior Circuit in the World Series for a 26th time.
Los Angeles isn’t the only team that will be disappointed without an NL Pennant. The Atlanta Braves are close behind the Dodgers with a +250 return after making it to the Fall Classic just once during their string of six NL East titles.
Well back in the shadows of this projected 2-team race are the Philadelphia Phillies (+800), Chicago Cubs (+1400) and Cincinnati Reds (+1400).
Odds to Win the 2024 National League
- Los Angeles Dodgers: +175
- Atlanta Braves: +250
- Philadelphia Phillies: +800
- Chicago Cubs: +1400
- Cincinnati Reds: +1400
- Arizona Diamondbacks: +1600
- New York Mets: +2000
- St Louis Cardinals: +2200
- San Diego Padres: +2500
- San Francisco Giants: +2500
- Miami Marlins: +3500
- Milwaukee Brewers: +4500
- Pittsburgh Pirates: +6600
- Washington Nationals: +8000
- Colorado RockiesL +12500
All odds from BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
Dodgers: Regular Season Champs, Postseason Chumps
With 10 NL West crowns in the last 11 seasons, and finishing just a game short in 2021 of it being 11-for-11, it’s no surprise to see the Dodgers at the top of the baseball futures list to win the division once again.
Los Angeles is going off -500 after a big spending spree during the offseason landed Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the free agent market, plus added Tyler Glasnow in a trade with Tampa Bay.
Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman add to an impressive roster that has a 103½-win total at BetOnline. However, winning in the regular season hasn’t been the problem, and that has manager Dave Roberts on the hot seat to take the team all the way.
Arizona came up just a few wins short of going all the way last year when the Diamondbacks made a Cinderella run to the NL flag. Their +700 price to win the NL West this season puts them second behind the Dodgers…though a full 20 wins according to win totals.
San Francisco (+850) places third in the futures hierarchy for the NL West followed by San Diego (+1100), and way down at the bottom as the favorite to wind up with the No. 1 pick in 2025 are the Colorado Rockies (+12500).
Phils Look to Upend Braves
Another one-&-done in the postseason by Atlanta, and talk will turn to the Braves joining the Dodgers in the ‘lost again’ club.
Atlanta is substantial chalk once again to take home the AL East flag at -285, but the Braves are expected to face a stiffer challenge in their division than the Dodgers. Fresh off the first 40-70 season in MLB history, Ronald Acuña Jr. leads the lineup while Spencer Strider tops the arms.
Philadelphia is expected to be Atlanta’s stiffest competition in the division. The Phillies are +350 on the MLB odds after coming up just one win short of their second consecutive National League Pennant last year.
This time last year, the New York Mets were being touted as the team that would stop Atlanta’s dominance in the division. But they went from contenders to pretenders by midseason when the Mets jettisoned their twin aces, Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander.
New York is +800 to win the NL East as the 2024 campaign gets underway, a pretty lousy return, if you ask me, for a team with 80.5 for the projected win total.
Miami (+1600) is a distant fourth on the NL East futures board, with Washington (+5000) even further back in the basement.
The Wild & Crazy Central
Just as it is in the American League, the East and West Division dominate the National League projections for 2024. That doesn’t mean the NL Central won’t at least be entertaining.
Just how crazy the division is can be found in the futures odds: Chicago and Cincinnati are chalkier than St. Louis to win the National League, but it’s the Cardinals who are pegged as the favorites to win the division on a +150 price.
The Cubs (+200) and Reds (+310) are close behind St. Louis on the board, making for what could be an exciting 3-team race in the NL Central. Even the Milwaukee Brewers (+650) are in the picture to repeat in the division.
Pittsburgh (+2000) is expected to bring up the rear of the NL Central, but that could change if pitcher Paul Skenes becomes a regular in the rotation, and an instant MLB pick for the NL Rookie of the Year.
For bettors who think the NL Central is undervalued, there’s a +450 offer that one of the teams will rep the National League in the World Series. The NL East (+115) and NL West (+130) offer lesser returns for the same wager.
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
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