Peter Lewis
The new baseball season is in full swing and we’ve seen some incredible performances thus far. Between excellent pitching showcases and some monster homers, fans are loving what they’re seeing. So, who will go on to win it all? In this article, we’ve got Updated MLB futures picks for the 2022 season, and our selection to win the World Series shouldn’t surprise you one bit.
LA Dodgers are the favorites to win the World Series
As you might have been able to guess, the LA Dodgers are the favorites to win the World Series, as they’ve been given the best World Series odds and that’s not going to change anytime soon. This team is loaded from top to bottom and it’s going to be tough for anyone to try and bring them down, especially when the postseason arrives.
Already featuring superstar players like Mookie Betts, Cody Bellinger, Justin Turner, Clayton Kershaw and others, this team managed to get even stronger by signing first baseman Freddie Freeman to his mega deal during this offseason Freeman had been with the Atlanta Braves for so long, but he and the team couldn’t get on the same page contract wise.
| World Series |  |  |  |  |
| Dodgers to win | +470 | +470 | +470 | +470 |
| Blue Jays to win | +850 | +850 | +850 | +850 |
| Astros to win | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Braves to win | +1200 | +1200 | +1200 | +1200 |
After Atlanta traded for Matt Olson, the Dodgers jumped in and signed Freeman, really turning heads across the bigs. With the addition of Freeman, the lineup has gotten even more potent for the club, which is wild to think about. Freeman is already mashing dingers for the team, which LA supporters are loving, no question.
Per the best rated sportsbooks, the Dodgers hold +470 odds to win the World Series this year. They’re not the only ones in contention, though, as the Blue Jays, Astros, Braves, White Sox and Mets are in the hunt as well. Despite all the other competition, we think the Dodgers will get the job done. They’re our pick to win the World Series.
The Astros should win the American League this year
No one has forgotten about the heartbreak for Houston last season, losing to the Braves in the World Series. Despite that, the Astros should win the American League this year and get back to the Fall Classic. While we expect the Dodgers to win it all, that doesn’t mean that Houston won’t be ready to put up a fight the rest of the way.
Despite losing Carlos Correa in free agency, as he signed a three-year contract with the Minnesota Twins, the Astros still have one of the best offensive lineups in the game. Jose Altuve is a beast, as is Yuli Gurriel and others. On top of that, don’t forget for a second that this team features a truly outstanding pitching staff.
The return of starter Justin Verlander is already proving to be giant for the club and the team’s supporters are loving it. Earlier this month, Verlander took the bump at T-Mobile Park in Seattle and put on a show against the Mariners. He tossed eight shutout innings, needing only 87 pitches to record that kind of a performance.
After missing last year due to Tommy John Surgery, Verlander is back and looking like his old self. This could prove to make the difference for the Astros next fall when they try and take down the Blue Jays, White Sox and more to grab another AL pennant. We think they will, which is why we’re picking the Astros, who have the best AL MLB betting chances, to win the American League and get back to the World Series.
"It's such a long season. You have to just keep going." @Cody_Bellinger (2-4, 3B, 2B, RBI) talks with @kirsten_watson about not getting too high or low on his recent results at the plate. pic.twitter.com/XOD1CSuPFD
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) April 20, 2022
The Blue Jays should move on to win the AL East
Taking a look at division winners, we think the Blue Jays should move on to win the AL East over the New York Yankees. Starting with the Yankees, they’ve once again shown so much inconsistency on the bump and at the dish that it’s been disappointing to see. Fans are growing increasingly frustrated with manager Aaron Boone too.
Meanwhile for the Blue Jays, this team is playing strong right now and that shouldn’t change. With guys like Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and others, the offensive power is tough to match. This is going to be big for Toronto late in the season, especially if the Yankees or Red Sox try and make some big moves ahead of the trade deadline.
New York knows there’s a ton of pressure on them to try and win it all this year. General manager Brian Cashman is going to be on the hot seat sooner or later, and he’s simply got to deliver. Adding guys like Joey Gallo, Josh Donaldson and Anthony Rizzo has been nice to see, but this team still can’t get over the bump.
With Toronto, they have a payroll way less than New York, but they’re still looking like the better pick to win the AL East. We don’t have much belief in Boston either. With all of that said, we’re sticking with our guy and picking the Blue Jays to win the division.
Spwitter fingers > Twitter fingers 🖖@KevinGausman's day: 8 IP, 1 ER, 8 Ks! pic.twitter.com/i7rtghKKVd
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) April 21, 2022
