Why you should bet on the Twins, Dodgers; Best MLB playoff futures bets

By Will Hill
FOX Sports MLB Betting Analyst

And then there were eight!

The MLB Wild Card Round was over rather quickly and without much fanfare, with all four series resulting in sweeps.

Taking a glance at the remaining teams, it’s a good mix of new blood, combined with some of the usual suspects who have become mainstays in October. We have the Braves, Dodgers, and Astros - all recent champions who are always expected to be among the last teams standing. The Phillies made last year’s Fall Classic and are seven wins away from returning. 

But we also have some fresh faces. The Orioles and Rangers hadn’t made the playoffs since 2016, and now, one of them will be in the ALCS. 

The Diamondbacks hadn’t made it since 2017 and look to reach their first NLCS since 2007, while the Twins mercifully broke their 18-game postseason losing streak en route to eliminating the Blue Jays.  

Now, we focus on finding where the betting value lies as we approach the Divisional round. 

Let’s look at a few bets that are perhaps worth sprinkling a couple of bucks on.

Minnesota Twins to Win the World Series (10-1)

I wrote about the Twins being a sleeper before the Wild Card Round, and I don’t see any reason to jump off the bandwagon now. 

They have a very formidable starting rotation featuring Pablo Lopez, Sonny Gray, and Joe Ryan, as well as an abundance of quality arms coming out of the bullpen. They take on an Astros team who is worthy of any accolades one could give as they look to reach a staggering seventh consecutive ALCS. 

However, the starting pitching for the Astros feels more vulnerable than in past years. Justin Verlander is still one of the best in the game, but he is 40 years old and did struggle last postseason, while Framber Valdez has had an up-and-down season. After that, the Astros’ pitching depth really falls off. 

The Twins broke one of the more embarrassing streaks in all sports when they snapped their 18-game postseason losing streak on Tuesday, and perhaps getting that monkey off their back sparks a deep October run behind their deep and talented pitching staff. 

World Series MVP - Carlos Correa (60-1)

If you want a little action and are looking for more bang for your buck than the 10/1 on the Twins, how about a lottery ticket type of bet on Carlos Correa at 60-1 to win the World Series MVP? 

Granted, Correa had a down year, but perhaps that gives us a better number here at longer odds than we’d typically get with a player of his caliber. 

Correa only hit .230 this season as he battled injuries. However, in just a couple of games so far in these playoffs, he’s looked healthy, going 3-for-7 and reaching base four times in eight at-bats.

He is no stranger to the big stage either. In 308 postseason at-bats, he has 18 career homers, including three in the World Series. 

If the Twins come out of the American League, Correa at 60-1 will be a nice bet to have in your back pocket.

Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 games over Arizona Diamondbacks (+120)

To clarify what this bet means, the Dodgers have to not only win their series over the Diamondbacks but also must do so in four games or less (winning in 5 games makes this bet a loss).

I almost refrained from giving this pick out because I really enjoy watching and rooting for this Diamondbacks team. They’re fun and athletic, and they have a young star in Corbin Carroll, who will be in MVP contention for years to come. I just don’t think they have the pitching to hang with the Dodgers. 

The Diamondbacks deserve all the credit in the world; they were an unlikely playoff team to begin with and trailed the Brewers 3-0 in Game 1 and 2-0 in the middle innings of Game 2 before storming back to win and advance — but this is no longer the Brewers.

The Dodgers were the second-best offense in baseball, scoring over 900 runs, which is bad news for a Diamondbacks’ pitching staff that was 20th in ERA and the bottom third in bullpen ERA. The Dodgers have certainly had their share of trip-ups in October, including getting upset last year in this round as big favorites to a team in their division. But the Diamondbacks don’t have enough quality arms to matchup up with the firepower from the Dodgers, who I expect will win a short series.

Will Hill, a contributor on the Bears Bets Podcast, has been betting on sports for over a decade. He is a betting analyst who has been a host on VSiN, as well as the Goldboys Network.