MLB Betting Props Roundup: 2018 American League Division Odds, Favorites

The Cleveland Indians had the best record of any team in the American League last season, going 102-60 to finish one game ahead of the eventual World Series champion Houston Astros (101-61).

Unfortunately for the Indians, they did not get the opportunity to use their home field as an advantage in the AL Championship Series because they were upset by the New York Yankees in the AL Division Series.

Regardless, Cleveland is the biggest favorite of any team in baseball to win its division in 2018, sitting at minus-400 (bet $400 to win $100) at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark on the odds to win the AL Central for the third straight season.

The Indians went to the World Series two years ago, but they failed to repeat by winning the AL Pennant last season after losing three straight to the Yankees following a 2-0 lead in the ALDS. The Minnesota Twins had earlier lost 1-0 to New York in last year's AL Wild Card game, and they are plus-600 (bet $100 to win $600) to take the division this season.

The Kansas City Royals (+1000) and Chicago White Sox (+2500) are considered long shots according to oddsmakers at sports betting sites.

The Yankees improved themselves in the offseason by trading for National League home run champion Giancarlo Stanton, and that move alone has vaulted them into the role of plus-150 favorites on the odds to win the AL East. New York (91-71) finished two games behind the reigning AL East champion Boston Red Sox (93-69), who are the plus-175 second choice. The Red Sox recently countered the Stanton move by signing free-agent outfielder J.D. Martinez (45 homers in 2017) to a five-year deal worth $110 million.

The defending AL champion Astros also got stronger with the acquisition of starting pitcher Gerrit Cole from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Cole was the overall No. 1 pick in the 2011 MLB Draft and should only help strengthen Houston's rotation.

The Astros are listed as minus-160 favorites on the AL West odds ahead of the Los Angeles Angels (+400), Seattle Mariners (+600) and Texas Rangers (+1000), who had won the division the previous two seasons. The Rangers also had the top record in the AL just two years ago at 95-67, but they ended up getting swept by the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALDS.

For more odds info, picks and a breakdown of this week’s top sports betting news check out the OddsShark podcast with Jon Campbell and Andrew Avery. Subscribe on iTunes, or check it out at OddsShark.libsyn.com.