This article was contributed by DraftKings. For more sports betting insights, check out DraftKings.
These four teams had to put in some extra work to make it this far. That puts them all in a tough spot to start the Division Series, but they also have momentum. Here’s how the four Division Series underdogs rank, along with their DraftKings Sportsbook odds to win their respective series.
Follow along on Twitter (@Nick_Friar) for updates.
4. Guardians +175
In case it wasn’t already clear, Cleveland has some tough starting pitching. Shane Bieber and Triston McKenzie will get back to work after Cal Quantrill gives it a go in Game 1, and they could help push this series to five games. But the big problem for the Guardians is their offense. While that wasn’t an issue against the Rays, it won’t fly against the Yankees.
New York has one of the toughest lineups on right-handed pitching. Since Sept. 1, the Yankees have a .195 ISO against righties, which bumps up to .217 when you focus on home games. On top of that, the Yankees will trot out a strong starting rotation and one of the best bullpens in baseball.
3. Phillies +155
Much like with the Wild Card Series, Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola need to deal for the Phillies to win the series. While the Guardians have a tough twosome, Philadelphia has the best 1-2 punch of the underdogs.
The Braves will still be a challenging matchup for Philly, given their offense is much more potent than St. Louis’ and they’ll also trot out better starters. But the Phillies showed in the Wild Card Series they have the ability to battle on the road and climb back into games. Additionally, the Phillies only lost the season series 8-11 despite the up-and-down nature of their 2022.
2. Mariners +185
Seattle is the biggest underdog in the divisional round. It’s understandable since the Astros took it to the Mariners most of the season. But while the Blue Jays were a Wild Card team, they had an offense that’s on a similar level to Houston’s. Yet, Luis Castillo was able to hold them down, which bodes well for them. Still, that’s only one game.
What’s more important to take from the Wild Card Series: Seattle’s offense was able to hang with Toronto’s. Getting hot at the right time is huge, but it could be even more important for Seattle given the matchup they’re faced with. The Mariners saw Justin Verlander six times this season and Framber Valdez twice. They never saw Lance McCullers Jr., but he’s a familiar foe, too. Having that momentum and a series win under their belt could give Mariners hitters the edge they need against pitchers whose approaches they’ve seen quite often.
1. Padres +175
San Diego had its share of issues throughout the regular season, and the Dodgers sure took advantage of that throughout 2022. But the Padres proved something in the Wild Card Series: Their offense is not to be taken lightly, and the starting rotation can still stifle the toughest of lineups.
While the Dodgers had some of the best season-long numbers of any offense, they did start to slow down against right-handed pitching once September rolled around. They were on cruise control at that point, but that could also play into San Diego’s hand, given they’ve been battling adversity since the start of the season. Additionally, they have a guy who’s gone the distance in Juan Soto, who also happens to be a fairly good hitter.
Place your MLB bets at DraftKings Sportsbook or by downloading the DraftKings Sportsbook app.
All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN), ConnexOntario 1-866-531-2600 (ONT), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA).
21+ (18+ NH/WY; 19+ ONT). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/LA/MI/NH/NJ/NY/ONT/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions. DraftKings operates pursuant to an Operating Agreement with iGaming Ontario. Please play responsibly.