Bad news, Dodgers fans: Las Vegas oddsmakers anticipate your team will lose the NL West lead and miss the playoffs this season. RJ Bell of pregame.com sent us some projected odds for the second half of the MLB season, and it speaks well for the NL Central and many current division leaders.
Four of the six current division leaders are projected to win their division. The odds project the Cardinals will move up two spots and win the NL Central, and that the Pirates and Reds will take the NL wild card spots. The Giants are expected to beat out the Dodgers in the NL West. In the American League, the odds project the Angels and Red Sox to win the wild cards.
The Rangers are expected to finish with the best record in baseball with the Nationals and Yankees not far behind.
I like the AL playoff projections, but I would be surprised if the NL Central sent three teams to the postseason. I can see the Cardinals and maybe the Reds making it, but I think a second NL East team will make it too.
Below are the full playoff projections and World Series odds:
Playoff projections
AL Division Winners:
Rangers
Yankees
White Sox
AL Wild Cards:
Angels
Red Sox
NL Division Winners:
Nationals
Cardinals
Giants
NL Wild Cards:
Pirates
Reds
Missing playoffs: Tigers, Dodgers, Baltimore, Rays
World Series Odds
Rangers 5 to 1
Yankees 5 to 1
Angels 12 to 1
Nationals 13 to 1
SF Giants 14 to 1
Reds 15 to 1
Dodgers 18 to 1
Braves 19 to 1
Cardinals 20 to 1
Tigers 20 to 1
Red Sox 22 to 1
White Sox 23 to 1
Rays 25 to 1
Phillies 35 to 1
Pirates 35 to 1
Mariners 45 to 1
Marlins 45 to 1
Mets 45 to 1
DBacks 50 to 1
Indians 50 to 1
Orioles 50 to 1
Blue Jays 75 to 1
Brewers 100 to 1
Athletics 200 to 1
Royals 300 to 1
Astros 500 to 1
Rockies 500 to 1
Twins 500 to 1
Cubs 1000 to 1
Padres 1000 to 1
Image via Frankrupt
