Jason Flash
Baseball’s last stretch of the season is here! Before we get to the final days of the season, we should take a look at what markets are available and make the Best MLB futures bets for September 2021.
Best Bet to Win the American League
| To Win the American League |  |
| Tampa Bay | +190 |
| Chicago (AL) | +275 |
| Hosuton | +275 |
| New York (AL) | +550 |
| Boston | +1100 |
| Toronto | +1800 |
| Seattle | +2200 |
| Oakland | +2500 |
With only a few weeks left in the season, getting hot right now and taking it into the MLB Playoffs betting could be the biggest factor going into the postseason. What team is hot right now – and as talented as anyone in the junior circuit? The Toronto Blue Jays.
The Blue Jays enter play on Wednesday, September 7 with the top three run scorers in the American League. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has been arguably the best hitter in baseball this season, leading all batters a .321. If he keeps it up, he could take home the triple crown.
Vlad, along with Bo Bichette, Teoscar Hernandez, Marcus Semien, and George Springer (when healthy), give the Jays as potent a lineup as anyone. And with such a potent lineup, the MLB odds on the Jays are quite attractive with three weeks to go.
Things are getting WILD 🚀
Goodnight, #BlueJays fans 💙 pic.twitter.com/HHIRk5tb6t
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) September 8, 2021
The key for the Jays though is their starting pitching. Robbie Ray could win the AL Cy Young Award – as his 2.60 ERA leads the AL, while his 212 strikeouts are second to Gerrit Cole. Steven Matz has been one of the best pitchers in baseball since the All-Star Break – with a 2.19 ERA in ten starts and 52.2 innings. Those two, along with Hyun Jin Ryu and a now competent bullpen make the Blue Jays a serious threat (if they can keep winning and make the playoffs).
Best Bet to Win the National League
| To Win the National League | |
| Los Angeles (NL) | +130 |
| Milwaukee | +275 |
| San Francisco | +375 |
| Atlanta | +850 |
| Philadelphia | +1800 |
| San Diego | +1800 |
| Cincinnati | +2000 |
Maybe we are sick of seeing the Los Angeles Dodgers every year blowing through the National League to make the World Series, but they are just such a powerhouse, how can we go against them? They have the best-run differential in the Majors (at 1.6 per game) as the only team in the league to average over 5.0 runs scored and less than 4.0 runs allowed.
Outside of Cody Bellinger, the Dodgers offense is successful at every position. To help solve that problem, the team went out at the trade deadline and acquired Trea Turner. Turner’s 159 hits and 26 stolen bases lead the National League.
The pitching – despite Clayton Kershaw’s injury and everything surrounding Trevor Bauer – has been very productive. Walker Buehler is a Cy Young candidate this year with a sparkling 2.31 ERA and 0.944 WHIP. The team acquiring Max Scherzer at the trade deadline, though, is what really takes the Dodgers over the top.
Scherzer – a three-time CY Young winner- may be pitching the best ball of his career right now. Since joining LA, Max is 5-0 with a 1.05 ERA in seven starts. For the season, he leads all players with a 0.85 WHIP and 2.28 ERA (both bests of his career). If he keeps it up, and with Kershaw due back in September, I would not want to face the Dodgers.
Best Bet to Win the NL East
| To Win the NL East | |
| Atlanta | -330 |
| Philadelphia | +375 |
| New York (NL) | +550 |
The most interesting division race in September is either the clash in the NL West between the Giants and Dodgers, or the wackiness of the NL East. And we are deciding to focus on the NL East – and how the Atlanta Braves – despite losing their best player – will win the division.
The Braves have played better baseball (statistically speaking) than the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies. The Mets’ anemic offense ranks 28th in baseball, behind only the Pittsburgh Pirates and Texas Rangers.
Slugger @MaxFried32 had a good night on the mound too.#ForTheA pic.twitter.com/4Hgw1JOEqa
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) September 8, 2021
The Phillies are a relatively average team, not overly bad or good in any statistical categories. Bryce Harper and Zach Wheeler are both putting together strong seasons. However, without their contributions to the team, not one Phillies’ starter has an ERA better than 4.17 or has an OPS better than .800.
The Braves schedule is also very favorable, with only two teams over .500 – the San Diego Padres and a final weekend series against the Mets. The Mets could be below .500 by that point, shutting down some of their best pitchers to preserve them for 2021.
Quick Hit – Los Angeles Dodgers to win the NL West
| To Win the NL West | |
| Los Angeles (NL) | -175 |
| San Francisco | +130 |
The San Francisco Giants are the most shocking team in baseball this season. The Giants have finished below .500 the last four years, yet they have a chance to win 100 games this season. However, the Dodgers are the team to bet in the NL West – despite sitting just behind the Giants.
The Dodgers are getting everything right over the last month and a week. They caught the Giants at the start of September – after trailing by 3.0 games on August 1. The team is also getting Kershaw back in September and has nine games left against the Rockies and Diamondbacks.
They also have six against the Padres, who are only .444 in the second half of the season, compared to .570 before the All-Star Game.
Best MLB Sportsbooks
Find the best online sportsbooks to bet on the MLB – including futures, games, and everything during the postseason – below.
