MLB Betting News This Month | Tarik Skubal Trade, World Series Shift & Market Analysis | August, 2026
by
Braulio Perez
The MLB Trade Deadline has come and gone, and plenty of people are still losing their minds over some of the big deals that went through. With the Los Angeles Dodgers winning back-to-back World Series, the hope for plenty of people was that an emerging team would make enough moves to potentially take down the Dodgers this fall.
However, countless headlines have been made after the Dodgers clearly won the trade deadline, bringing in superstar left-handed pitcher Tarik Skubal. Skubal was a standout for the Detroit Tigers, but with the AL Central side being in sell mode right now, it opened the door for the Dodgers to get things done. In this piece, we cover that and much more for baseball fans to enjoy.
Top MLB betting storylines
There have been some pretty eye-opening MLB betting storylines this week, starting on Aug. 1, for fans to follow closely. Here are the main ones on our minds:
- Tarik Skubal joining the Dodgers has seen a massive statement
- Aaron Judge is still planning to return this season
- The Seattle Mariners have been on the decline a bit
- The Braves are in cruise control to win the NL East
- Adley Rutschman joining the Red Sox has people talking
- The Tigers are building towards the future
- Yordan Alvarez remains the AL MVP favorite
- New York Yankees are still dreaming of the World Series
For the first time in MLB history, a player who won MVP each of the previous 2 seasons (Shohei Ohtani) and a player who won the Cy Young each of the previous 2 seasons (Tarik Skubal) will play together on the same team. pic.twitter.com/IfYGkJDKS2
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) August 2, 2026
World Series odds movement
As you might have been able to guess, the trades made ahead of the deadline have had a massive impact on the World Series betting odds. The Dodgers were already huge favorites to win it all, but that number has since climbed up to +150. This is the highest the Dodgers have been, which is incredibly telling, and it speaks to the impact Skubal can make.
We can’t stress enough just how talented of a pitcher he is, which makes this such a strong coup for the NL West powerhouse. With that, it feels like the Dodgers are essentially becoming a lock to win the NL, and then potentially cruise to a three-peat. This is what the MLB betting trends are focusing on, and it’s truly hard to argue with what’s in front of everyone.
Over in the American League, the hope was that the Yankees were going to be a bit more aggressive in trying to make a splash, but not enough work was done. The Yankees have been decimated by injuries, with Aaron Judge still working his way back. However, there’s no set date for when he’ll be back in action, which is something that continues to make people all over New York a bit nervous.
Yordan Alvarez is the new Home Run king favorite
If you want to talk about someone who is getting hot behind the dish, we’ve of course got to bring up Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez. A powerful lefty, Alvarez has been turning heads of late, which has been great for the Astros. In the blink of an eye, Alvarez has made a strong claim to not only keep things competitive with Kyle Schwarber for the home-run king in the league. A lot can change, but Alvarez is now viewed as the favorite.
Yordan Alvarez is the clear favorite to win AL MVP
And in a bit of a double dip, plenty of MLB betting analysis continues to point to Alvarez also taking home AL MVP honors. With Alvarez slamming plenty of homers and driving in plenty of runs for Houston, who is hoping to win the AL West this season after the Mariners got that job done last season, it’s only going to help his case of capturing the honor. The longer Judge is injured too, the better his MVP betting odds will become.
This Yordan Alvarez season is no surprise. This dude has always been a great hitter with power not a power hitter who at times can hit. His durability in 2026 has been a monster reason he will win the MVP. He kept this team alive thru key injuries to others. Not many (some) can…
— Sean Salisbury (@SeanUnfiltered) August 2, 2026
Shohei Ohtani as NL MVP is no longer a lock
It sure is funny how things can change. Had you asked us in early July, we would have told you that Shohei Ohtani was a lock to win NL MVP, as he has played a huge role in the Dodgers having so much success. However, things have changed in a big way there, as he is now tied with Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Chicago Cubs at -120 as the favorites. With the Cubs on the rise, it has changed quite a bit here. It’s tough to say who will win, but Ohtani now has someone competing with him.
Cam Schlittler leading the AL CY Young race is big for NY
With New York being the favorites to win the AL Pennant this year, no one can argue with the fact that young pitcher Cam Schlittler has been a joy to watch for the Bronx side. Schlitter has been dominant, and his -130 MLB betting odds speak to that. Blue Jays hurler Dylan Cease is trying to make things interesting here, but he’s got an uphill climb himself to close the gap. Yankees fans are confident here, and we don’t blame them for that.
NL Cy Young odds continue to turn heads
While things seem to be a bit closer over in the American League, the same sure can’t be said about things over in the NL in terms of the CY Young battle. As things stand, it feels like a bit of a lock that Jacob Misiorowski is going to capture the honor, as he holds -500 odds to get that done. It will be interesting to see if something wild will happen towards the end of the season, but those odds are wild.
Chris Sale of the Atlanta Braves seems to have the best chance of potentially doing so, but his +750 odds aren’t going to make a ton of people believe like that’s going to be the smart bet here. You never know what Sale might get done, but again, we think the Cubs star is the one who’s going to get some good news down the road.
AL Division futures odds include questions in the AL West
When looking at the American League West, there’s a three-game race for the title. The Astros, Mariners, and Rangers are all hoping to capture things, but the fact that Seattle has been so inconsistent after winning it all in 2025 is rough. Manager Dan Wilson is a Seattle legend, but fans have been calling for him to get fired, which is not great to see. Meanwhile, Houston has been on the rise, with Alvarez playing a major role in things.
The Rangers are a team that can’t be forgotten about either, but plenty of people seem to be convinced that Houston is going to be ready to run away with things. Seattle can still make a ton of noise if they catch fire at the right time, but the Astros indeed are looking solid and turning heads.
The Braves are now running away with the NL East
In what has been a bit of a shocker this summer, the Phillies have lost their footing, and while they were aggressive ahead of the MLB trade deadline, Atlanta has been looking spectacular. With Atlanta posting strong wins left and right too, it gives their fans more of a reason that they can win the division. Not only that, but there’s now plenty of hope that Atlanta can go on a deep run in the postseason as well.
MLB odds and news updates from the past
- [July 2026]: With Aaron Judge out injured with the New York Yankees, it has opened the door for Astros star Yordan Alvarez to make a claim for the AL MVP honor.
- [June 2026]: Thanks to great play, the Seattle Mariners saw their AL West and World Series odds rise. In the NL, Kyle Schwarber became the new favorite to be the 2027 home run king.
- [May 2026]: Things really heated up in May, with Aaron Judge and the Yankees taking a step forward, while Paul Skenes was the clear favorite to win the NL Cy Young.
- [April 2026]: With a full month of MLB action underway, several favorites are emerging in divisional titles, plus individual awards. That list includes league MVPs, Cy Young races and more.
- [March 2026]: Major League Baseball early sharp action targets undervalued teams, especially those with strong bullpen depth, creating value on underdog moneylines in the first week of the season.
- [March 2026]: MLB Opening Day drives heavy betting volume, with public money backing favorites and causing odds to shorten by 20–30 points across multiple matchups.
- [March 2026]: Major League Baseball injury reports impact early lines, with starting pitcher setbacks moving opening day spreads by up to 1.5 runs and adjusting moneyline prices significantly.
- [February 2026]: Major League Baseball spring training markets begin to take shape, with World Series futures shifting as key offseason signings push contenders from +1800 into the +1200 range.
MLB Sports News FAQ
Find answers to common questions bettors like you have when researching which sportsbook to join.
We see odds move fast when key updates break, especially injuries, lineup changes, or unexpected results. Spreads can shift by several points, while moneylines adjust to reflect new probabilities.
Injuries, player form, and scheduling spots tend to have the biggest impact. Travel fatigue, back-to-back games, and weather conditions can also influence totals and spreads.
Markets are most volatile right after lineup news breaks and closer to first pitch. Late sharp money can still move moneylines, run lines, and totals before the game starts.
Yes, player props and smaller leagues tend to move quicker because limits are lower and sportsbooks react faster to sharp action.
We use early news to identify value before the market fully adjusts, especially on underdogs, alternative lines, and mispriced props.
Braulio Perez is a sports journalist with more than a decade of experience covering major US sports leagues and international soccer. Since beginning his journalism career in 2011, he has covered a wide range of topics, including college football, recruiting, the NFL, and global soccer, developing a strong understanding of the teams, players, and storylines ...
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