
- Get updated Division-winner odds for all 15 American League clubs following the MLB trade deadline
- The Rays (-300), White Sox (+150) and Athletics (-250) are the favorites to win their respective divisions
- The Indians (+200) were sellers at the deadline despite being in the thick of the AL Central race
Like everything about life these days, the Major League Baseball trade deadline felt a little strange this year.
With the season shortened to 60 games due to the pandemic, teams only had five weeks to evaluate their roster before the deadline and now there’s only another month before the onset of an unprecedented 16-team postseason.
Let’s look at the updated odds in each American League division and pick the winners.
ODDS TO WIN AL EAST
Teams | Odds at Betway |
Tampa Bay Rays | -300 |
New York Yankees | +250 |
Toronto Blue Jays | +2000 |
Baltimore Orioles | +5000 |
Boston Red Sox | +6600 |
RAYS LEADING DIVISION (-300)
Way back in March, we predicted the Rays would knock off the heavily-favored Yankees in the AL East at +350. With a 4.5-game lead over the Bronx Bombers, Tampa Bay is now -300 chalk to win the division.
Both the Rays and Yankees (+250) stood pat at the deadline, but the third-place Blue Jays (+2000) loaded up, adding three new starting pitchers in Taijuan Walker, Robbie Ray and Ross Stripling.
11 wins in our last 15!
Goodnight, #BlueJays fans! pic.twitter.com/HjicUzVHxD
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) August 31, 2020
While it will be difficult to make up 5.5 games on Tampa, Toronto is currently red hot and could continue their push once Bo Bichette, Ken Giles and Nate Pearson all return from the injured list.
ODDS TO WIN AL CENTRAL
Teams | Odds at Betway |
Chicago White Sox | +150 |
Cleveland Indians | +200 |
Minnesota Twins | +210 |
Detroit Tigers | +2500 |
Kansas City Royals | +5000 |
WHITE SOX ON TOP (+150)
In the same article mentioned above, we recommended the White Sox at +350 to win the AL Central over the Twins and Indians. Chicago (+150) now sits just a game up on Cleveland (+200) and 2.5 games ahead of Minnesota (+210).
The White Sox chose to not to dip into their impressive prospect pool for starting pitching help and the Indians were actually sellers, dealing ace Mike Clevinger to the Padres in the biggest trade of the deadline.
111.2 MPH exit velocity
449 feetLuis Robert is out of this world. 🌟 pic.twitter.com/YsolkDUwH2
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) September 1, 2020
The Twins are in the midst of an ugly six-game losing streak, but should soon be buoyed by the return of Michael Pineda from PED suspension and Josh Donaldson from a calf injury.
ODDS TO WIN AL WEST
Teams | Odds at Betway |
Oakland Athletics | -250 |
Houston Astros | +175 |
Los Angeles Angels | +7500 |
Texas Rangers | +7500 |
Seattle Mariners | +7500 |
ATHLETICS FAVORED (-250)
You guessed it – we also picked the Oakland A’s at +300 to dispatch of the cheating Astros in the AL West, so we’re trending towards going a glorious 3 for 3 in our American League picks.
Oakland (-250) bolstered their rotation with the addition of Rangers lefty Mike Minor, but the impending free agent will have to greatly improve his 5.60 ERA to be any help down the stretch.
The A’s had one member of their organization test positive for the coronavirus, causing MLB to postpone the team’s game Sunday vs. the Astros. https://t.co/Dhx90WZnq5
— ESPN (@espn) August 30, 2020
Houston (+175) is only two games back in the division after beating the Athletics twice over the weekend, but they might have a hard time making up any more ground with 11 players on the injured list, including Alex Bregman and Justin Verlander.
A looming four-game series with Oakland starts next Monday and could go a long way in determining who wins the AL West.