With just two weeks left in the season, the Braves lead the Phillies by three games in the NL East. They have one more game with the Diamondbacks before they head to San Diego for four games (three full games and one abbreviated game that needs to be finished from earlier in the season). Then the Braves host the Phillies at Truist Park, which will likely determine the champions of the NL East. If Atlanta can hold a three-game lead or more heading into that series, you have to like their chances at winning a fourth consecutive division title, but what about their chances of winning their first World Series since 1995?
According to Covers (as of September 21st), the Braves have the seventh-best odds of holding up the Commissioner’s Trophy at the end of the season.
MLB teams with the best odds to win the World Series
Odds based on the @Covers line, full odds list here:https://t.co/G2plMJg2H7 pic.twitter.com/qIdjCLz0og
— Covers (@Covers) September 21, 2021
Bet365 currently has the Braves and Red Sox listed at 15/1 today.Â
Now, several factors go into this. Most importantly, all the teams listed in front of the Braves — outside the Dodgers and Giants — have locked up their respective divisions. They’ve at least punched their ticket into the divisional round.
So, if you’re expecting the Braves to take care of business and win the NL East, it’s best to lock in your bet now because those odds will come down substantially if they clinch the division. At 15/1, Atlanta is one of the best bets on this list. Do I think they’re the best team in baseball? Absolutely not, but the best team doesn’t always win in October, and the Braves have a few things working for them.
Atlanta’s rotation is much better than the one they had in 2020. Max Fried and Charlie Morton are a fantastic one-two punch and have been lights out for months now. Ian Anderson proved last season that the pressure doesn’t affect him, and Huascar Ynoa has stuff that will surprise many fans who have yet to watch him pitch.
The lineup, even without Ronald Acuna, is loaded with power from top to bottom. Oftentimes, postseason games are decided with one swing of the bat, and few teams can change a game as quickly as the Braves.
Lastly, the Braves are now one of the more experienced teams in the playoffs. Gone are the days when they were babies back in 2018. They may still be young, but they’ve been here before, which can be the difference in a playoff series. Atlanta’s far from full strength, but they are also better in a lot of areas than they were last season when they came one game shy of the World Series. I like their odds at 15/1.
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