The start of the 2018 online MLB betting season is close. In fact, before the month closes out, sportsbook players will be able to bet on this year’s Major League Baseball action. The stakes will be relatively low since the season is just commencing. Nevertheless, sportsbook players should still have a clear picture of who the biggest contenders in the league are. To help bettors in this plight we’ve assembled a detailed list of the biggest contenders for the 2018 season. Take a look at out 2018 MLB outlook.
2018 MLB Outlook || Betting Favorites
Houston Astros || 101-61 in 2017 || Reigning Champions
Coming into this year’s season as the reigning champions, it’s easy to understand why the sports parlay odds are favoring Houston right off the bat. Also, it doesn’t hurt that the club was able to retain their main driving force. In other words, Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, George Springer and Alex Bregman will all be suiting up for the Astros next season. That coupled with their incredible reserves and dynamic pitching talent and it’s easy to see why so many bettors are backing Houston.
Los Angeles Dodgers || 104-58 in 2017 || 2017’s Runner-ups
The Dodgers will enter this year’s action with a bit of a chip on their shoulder. However, that chip might end up doing more to motivate this team than hindering it. Not to mention the fact that Los Angeles will be retaining most of their big-name talent. This includes Clayton Kershaw, Kenley Jansen, Rich Hill and Alex Wood. Ultimately, losing the World Series has given these players a heap load of experience to draw from for this upcoming season. Few teams will want to cross the Dodgers’ path.
Cleveland Indians || 102-60 in 2017 || AL Divisional Runner-up
The Indians turned countless heads last year when they mounted a whopping 22-game win streak. But with that feat culminating in an AL Divisional loss, what good was it to Cleveland? Sure this team has what it takes but most online MLB betting players now believe they can’t handle the heat. In other words, it’s unlikely that too many players will be backing them to win the title. But with a solid starting rotation, bettors can expect them to make a deep playoff push once more.
New York Yankees || 91-71 in 2017 || ALCS Runner-ups
All things considered, the Yanks should probably be higher up this list. For no other reason than the fact that they wield such incredible power at batting. Aaron Judge is unquestionably the next biggest star for the MLB. Not only that, both Gary Sanchez and Luis Severino have demonstrated tremendous value to New York. They have a couple of hiccups to work through, but expect New York to find great success in 2018.
Washington Nationals || 97-65 in 2017 || NLDS Runner-ups
The Nats looked impressive last season but failed to get the job done in the final stretch. Nevertheless, the club has retained most of their talent. With Bryce Harper, Anthony Rendon, Daniel Murphy and Ryan Zimmerman leading the charge, Washington knows they’ll be able to find plenty of success this year. Our 2018 MLB outlook paints a decent picture for this year’s Nats. They’ll just need to focus on finding success late in the postseason.
