There were a lot of questions regarding the American League West heading into the season. However, as we head into the second half, the division has become a two-team race.
Below we will use DraftKings Sportsbook to provide current World Series odds.
Favorites
Houston Astros -115
The Houston Astros are the betting favorite to win the American League West despite trailing the division-leading Texas Rangers by two games at the All-Star Break. It seems like questionable odds, with Texas +148 in run differential and Houston just +49. However, there is a lot of optimism surrounding the Astros in the second half. They played 30+ games without star slugger Yordan Alvarez, who is closing in on a rehab assignment as he recovers from an oblique injury. He was slashing .277/.388/.589 before getting injured. Starter Jose Urquidy is also near starting a rehab assignment. The sky is the limit if they can get former MVP Jose Altuve healthy too.
Texas Rangers +135
The Texas Rangers are a close second regarding the best odds to win the AL West. They have one of the deepest lineups in baseball, evident by their Major League-best 531 runs scored. They also have an ace atop the rotation in Nathan Eovaldi. The hurler is 10-3 with a 2.83 ERA in 18 starts. Starters Jon Gray and Dane Dunning have been solid in the absence of Jacob deGrom, but adding a co-ace at the trade deadline would elevate the Rangers to new heights.
Darkhorse Candidates
Seattle Mariners +800
The Seattle Mariners ended their 21-year playoff drought with a Wild Card birth in 2022. However, they have struggled to duplicate that same success this season. Unfortunately, they have not got the same production out of Julio Rodriguez, the 2022 American League Rookie of the Year. He’s hitting a lowly .249 with a .411 slugging percentage, a far cry from last season when he mashed 28 home runs. It’s not just Rodriguez, with not one Mariner (minimum 33 games) posting an OPS over .760 in the first half. Despite a lackluster first 89 games, the Mariners are 45-44 and have all the talent to make a run in the second half.
Los Angeles Angels +2800
Barring a miracle, the Los Angeles Angels will miss the postseason yet again despite housing the two best players, Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. They limped into the All-Star break, going 1-9 in their last ten. To make matters worse, Trout will be out for 4-8 weeks with a wrist injury. The odds suggest that two-way megastar Shohei Ohtani is on the move. Trading him would net a massive haul yet render the halos obsolete for the remainder of the year.
No Chance
Oakland Athletics +100000
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