MLB Playoffs 2019: Updated Playoff Picture and World Series Odds
It is hard to argue against the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers meeting in the 2019 World Series.
The top seeds in the American and National Leagues have been tremendous throughout the regular season and hold advantages over the other playoff participants.
Houston is looking to reclaim the World Series crown after winning it two years ago over the Dodgers, while Los Angeles is still hunting for its first title since 1988.
Of the champions since 2010, Houston and St. Louis are the only ones in the playoff field.
Six of the 10 participants qualified for the postseason in 2018. Houston, Milwaukee and the Dodgers were the only ones to win a series.
Updated Playoff Picture
World Series Odds
Houston (+200; bet $100 to win $200)
Los Angeles Dodgers (+225)
New York Yankees (+450)
Atlanta (+900)
St. Louis (+1400)
Minnesota (+1400)
Oakland (+1800)
Washington (+1800)
Milwaukee (+2500)
Tampa Bay (+2800)
The Astros and Dodgers could be on a collision course for their second World Series meeting in three years.
In 2017, Houston won its first title in seven games versus the Dodgers in the first of their two consecutive failed attempts.
The 105-55 Astros and 104-56 Dodgers are two of four 100-win sides, which is the highest number in MLB history, per ESPN Stats & Info:
Houston clinched home-field advantage Friday, and it enters in remarkable form with three straight shutouts, as MLB.com's Brian McTaggart noted:
The trade deadline acquisition of Zack Grienke handed Houston the best staff in the majors. Greinke, Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole are 57-16 and all landed in the top five in wins.
Cole and Verlander are first and second in strikeouts. Cole's league-leading 316 strikeouts are the most the MLB has witnessed since 2002, per ESPN Stats & Info:
Offensively, Alex Bregman is third in on-base percentage, fifth in OPS, sixth in slugging percentage and tied for seventh in home runs.
The third baseman headlines an order with 2017 World Series MVP George Springer, Jose Altuve and Michael Brantley, who is 11th in the majors in batting average.
In case you needed another stat to support Houston's favorite status, it is 60-21 at Minute Maid Park.
The Astros went 13-6 on home soil against the four other AL playoff teams, with three of them occurring in September at the hands of Oakland.
While there is a possibility for the Athletics to spring an upset, Houston went 5-4 in Oakland. The Astros will play either the A's or Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS.
Los Angeles is 9-4 at Dodger Stadium in clashes with playoff teams, and it swept both Atlanta and St. Louis.
Milwaukee, who could face Dave Roberts' team in the NLDS, went 2-1 in Los Angeles, but those results came at the start of the season.
Clayton Kershaw, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Walker Buehler form their big three. Ryu leads the majors in ERA at 2.41, while the other two feature in the top 15.
The Dodgers have plenty of power, too, as Cody Bellinger, Joc Pederson and Max Muncy rank in the top 25 in home runs. Muncy is three RBI away from joining Bellinger in the century club of that category.
Bellinger entered the final weekend of the regular season with a chance to join Giancarlo Stanton as the only players since 2010 with 45 home runs, 120 runs, 115 RBI and an OPS above 1,000, per Dodger Insider:
The Astros and Dodgers have deep rotations, powerful lineups, postseason experience and home-field advantage. That is going to be a hard combination for any of the other eight teams to tackle.
If you are looking for a dark horse, Milwaukee could be your best bet. Without Christian Yelich, the Brewers reeled off a 13-3 record to lock up a postseason berth, and they could win the NL Central if they make up a one-game deficit on St. Louis.
The Brewers were one game short of the World Series a year ago when they pushed the Dodgers to seven games in the NLCS.
At +2500, they carry great value and would hand you a much larger payout than the two favorites at +200 and +225.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90
Statistics obtained from MLB.com
