Trent Reinsmith
The Atlanta Braves won the 2021 World Series with a 7-0 victory over the Houston Astros. Atlanta finished the series in Game 6 in Houston. The win was the first Major League Baseball title for the Braves since 1995.
The Braves were not the favorite to win the National League or the World Series in 2022 according to the opening odds. The Los Angeles Dodgers were the early favorites and the club remains the favorite in those categories.
One team that has jumped up the board in the past month is the New York Mets. In late November, the Mets, who opened at +1800, were down to +2000. In the latest odds, the Mets have jumped up to +850.
Meanwhile, the Braves have fallen from +900 to +950.
Please check out the best sites for betting on MLB baseball and our guide on how to bet on the World Series.
Odds To Win 2022 World Series
Mets make moves
Perhaps the biggest move in free agency came when the Mets signed Max Scherzer to a three-year deal worth $130 million. Scherzer should make up for the loss of Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz. Scherzer is a three-time Cy Young award winner. He went 15-4 with a 2.46 ERA in 179⅓ innings for the Washington Nationals and the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2021. He had 236 strikeouts and finished third in the voting for the National League Cy Young.
Two of the most dominant pitchers in baseball are now in the same rotation. 👀 pic.twitter.com/hkoQQoHtT5
— MLB (@MLB) December 1, 2021
In addition to inking Scherzer, the Mets signed center fielder Starling Marte, infielder Eduardo Escobar, and outfielder Mark Canha to deals that are worth a combined $124.5 million.
The Mets spending has the oddsmakers very high on the team.
Los Angeles losses
According to Bovada, the Dodgers were +550 to win the 2022 World Series in 2022. The team is now +600 and if the club doesn’t get busy, that number could get worse. According to ESPN, the Dodgers got an F for their work on the free-agent mark. ESPN ranked the Dodgers 30th in the league after losing Scherzer to the Mets and Corey Seager to the Texas Rangers.
Astros add an arm
Justin Verlander won the 2019 American League Cy Young while pitching for the Houston Astros. Elbow problems and surgery kept him from competing in the 2020 and 2021 seasons. Technically, Verlander was a free agent, but he wasn’t on the market long as the Astros signed him to a one-year $25-million deal. Verlander has a 43-15 record with an ERA of 2.45 for Houston.
Keeping Verlander on the team means a great deal to the Astros.
Dusty Baker has been named the 2021 @BaseballAmerica Manager of the Year.
Congrats, Dusty! pic.twitter.com/5FX3O5Wn9n
— Houston Astros (@astros) December 7, 2021
MyTopSportsbook’s World Series 2022 Pick
My pick was the Los Angeles Dodgers before free agency. I’m sticking with that pick for now. My thinking is the Dodgers have deep pockets and they will be able to make moves to cover their early losses in free agency. My confidence in the team has dwindled, but for now, I’m sticking with the pre-season favorites.
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