Next week, Major League Baseball fans can enjoy some regular season contests. Goodness, the time has flown and Opening Day truly is right around the corner. There’s going to be a ton of pressure on teams to deliver. With that said, the Atlanta Braves are now favored to win the National League in 2023. Will the NL East powerhouse be able to get the job done?
That’s what a lot of people in Georgia are hoping for, as this team surely is hoping to get back to the World Series for the second time in the past three years. Atlanta fell short of that goal last season, but stars like Ronald Acuna Jr., Ozzie Albies, Matt Olson, and others are ready to make plenty of noise for this team. Manager Brian Snitker is also fired up for this group’s potential. Guys like Tyler Matzek are also stepping up.
| MLB NL odds |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Braves to win | +350 | +350 | +350 |
| Dodgers to win | +380 | +380 | +380 |
| Mets to win | +500 | +500 | +500 |
| Padres to win | +650 | +650 | +650 |
“You come to spring training and you never know where Tyler Matzek is going to come from or those kinds of stories,” Snitker said via MLB.com about how things are going for his team thus far in spring training. “It gets exciting when your young players start taking strides forward. It’s good to see that. It just adds to the strength of your organization.”
According to the best-rated sportsbooks, which includes the reliable Bovada review, the Braves currently hold +350 MLB betting odds to win the National League this season. It won’t be easy for them, but they have what it takes to get the job done. While many people are rocking with the Braves to move on to play in the World Series, we’re going in a different direction.
While Atlanta is a slight favorite, the Dodgers are our pick to win this campaign’s National League. As good as the Braves are, Los Angeles is loaded with an insane amount of talent. The group is highlighted by the strong play of Justin Turner, Mookie Betts, Clayton Kershaw, Freddie Freeman, and so much more for manager Dave Roberts.
Soon enough, once Opening Day arrives, the Dodgers will look to get things going with a bang, as they will want to set the tone for the rest of the campaign. The Dodgers are eyeing another World Series title, which their supporters have high hopes for. Roberts knows that his group will also have a ton of pressure to deliver. At the same time, young guys, including Gavin Stone, are looking sharp.
Per the oddsmakers, the Dodgers hold +380 betting odds to win the National League, and +600 World Series betting odds. From our chair, we think it’s going to be tough for the Braves or anyone else for that matter to top the Dodgers once the postseason arrives. We’re going with the Dodgers to win the pennant and then move on to make a splash in the Fall Classic.
While everyone is focused on the Dodgers and Braves right now, other NL teams will be ready to make a splash this season as well. For starters, you’ve got to keep an eye on the San Diego Padres, as this team sure is buzzing. The NL West side features one of the most powerful lineups in the bigs, which includes Juan Soto, Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., and more. The list goes on for this offense.
Also, Yu Darvish is primed to have a big year for this team. Elsewhere, the New York Mets are also a team on the rise thanks to the addition of starting pitcher Justin Verlander. With Verlander and Max Scherzer leading the rotation, plenty of people are ready to see these two veterans be one of the best duos in the bigs.
However, some tough news came in for the team from Queens earlier this month over at the World Baseball Classic. That news was that standout closer Edwin Diaz will be out for the entire season after suffering a serious knee injury. That’s a massive blow for the Mets, but they’ll hope to overcome this adversity and still make plenty of noise in 2023. They’ve certainly got other bodies in the bullpen who can make a big difference.
The Phillies and Cardinals also have what it takes to turn many heads out there. With so much great play in the NL, things could go in many different directions during the regular season and then in the playoffs. That said, we think it will come down to the Dodgers or Braves. In this case, we’re going with LA to end up moving on. There could be another surprise team out there, too, as you never know what might happen.
