World Series 2019: Latest Odds for Red Sox Repeat and More Contenders

The Red Sox celebrated their 2018 World Series title with the parade that rolled through Boston on Wednesday, capping off a season that included winning 108 regular-season games and dispatching the New York Yankees, Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers in the postseason.

Not only did the Red Sox win their fourth world championship since 2004 and ninth in team history, but they are also being compared with some of the greatest teams in Major League Baseball history.

The Red Sox are clearly in a strong position for the future, and they are the co-favorites to win the 2019 World Series along with the Astros. Both teams are +700 favorites (bet $100 to win $700) to win the World Series next year, per OddsShark.

Top 10 World Series favorites for 2019

1. Boston Red Sox, +700
1. Houston Astros, +700
3. New York Yankees, +800
3. Los Angeles Dodgers, +800
5. Chicago Cubs, +900
6. Cleveland Indians, +1200
7. Milwaukee Brewers, +1400
7. Atlanta Braves, +1400
9. Washington Nationals, +1800
9. St. Louis Cardinals, +1800

The Red Sox clearly have some concerns going into the offseason, and two of the biggest involve closer Craig Kimbrel and Nathan Eovaldi.

Kimbrel has been an excellent closer for the Red Sox the past three seasons, although he struggled quite a bit in the postseason. He will be a free agent in the offseason, and the Red Sox are going to have to decide if they want to bring him back and at what price.

Eovaldi proved his value several times during the regular season and then cemented his status in the postseason. With a fastball that exceeds 100 miles per hour, Eovaldi is a major presence on the mound. However, it was the command that had eluded him prior to this year that made him a special pitcher in the offseason.

He pitched six-plus innings in Game 3 of the World Series, and while he ultimately suffered the loss in that 18-inning game when he surrendered a walk-off home run to Max Muncy, he steadied the Red Sox when they needed it most. Manager Alex Cora cited him in front of the team after the heartbreaking loss for his brilliant performance, and his teammates gave him a standing ovation.

Eovaldi is also a free agent, and bringing him back would be a positive move for the pitching staff.

The Astros could lose free-agent pitchers Dallas Keuchel and Charlie Morton. While they might be able to survive one of those two pitchers leaving, losing both would be a problem for the 2017 World Series winners.

The Yankees are usually one of the top offseason stories, and they traded for Giancarlo Stanton last year. The Bronx Bombers could make a move for a free-agent pitcher such as Arizona left-hander Patrick Corbin or possibly get involved in the Manny Machado or Bryce Harper sweepstakes.

The Dodgers seem unlikely to bring Machado back, but they may need to address their bullpen after significant failures in that area during the World Series.

Offseason moves will clearly impact the odds on which team will win the 2019 World Series, and the numbers are quite fluid and could change frequently in the offseason.