With the postseason around the corner, there are still some close division battles that people will keep their eye on for the rest of the campaign. This includes the American League East, where the Yankees have seen their huge lead evaporate. In this piece, we have MLB picks for the AL East champion. Will New York be able to hang on the rest of the way?
What’s important to remember here is that the Yankees remain monster favorites to win the AL East. According to the best-rated sportsbooks – which includes the reliable Bovada review – the Yankees hold an unreal -2000 MLB betting odds to win the division. The Tampa Bay Rays are behind them at +2000, which tells you how much the oddsmakers believe in New York.
That said, Tampa Bay is now six games back of the Yankees, while the Blue Jays are only eight games behind them. Earlier this summer, the Yankees were up 15.5 games in the division, and it looked like they were going to walk to the title. However, this team has looked awful over the past month, and it’s been rough to see for manager Aaron Boone.
| AL East odds |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yankees to win | -2000 | -2000 | -2000 | -2000 |
| Rays to win | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Blue Jays to win | +2500 | +2500 | +2500 | +2500 |
| Orioles to win | +32000 | +32000 | +32000 | +32000 |
Not only that, but the fanbase is growing increasingly frustrated with how guys are performing on the bump, at the dish, in the infield, and outfield. Plain and simple, there’s been a lack of consistency for the Yankees, and it needs to get corrected as soon as possible. This club still has strong World Series betting odds, but they need to keep improving and wake up.
Surprisingly, people are betting on Tampa Bay to catch up this late in the season and take down the Yankees for the East title. If there were a little more season left, we’d also consider making that wager. However, we think the Yankees will be able to sneak out with the AL East title and then hopefully make some noise in the postseason. The Yankees are our pick.
As things stand, everyone is wondering can the Yankees go on a deep postseason run. It would have been a resounding yes if you asked us this question two months ago. Now, everything feels a bit up in the air for the club. New York has struggled of late, and there are plenty of question marks surrounding the club. Health is, of course, at the top of the list.
Everyone is hoping that Giancarlo Stanton will be fully healthy for the playoffs. He just returned from the Injured List and has made noise with his powerful bat. For the Yankees to potentially get back to the Fall Classic, they’ll need Stanton to be at his best. The same can be said for closer Aroldis Chapman. The hard-throwing lefty is on the IL, but should be back soon.
No one has to worry about Aaron Judge, as he recently reached the 50-home-run mark, and he’s well on landing a massive new contract. If Judge can power the Yankees to a World Series appearance, it will only allow him to demand even more money this offseason. We’ll see if the Yankees can win it all this year, as they currently hold +450 odds.
Switching gears a bit here for the American League, the Astros are a lock to win the AL West. Nothing will stop Houston from winning the division, as they currently hold +2000 odds to win as well. With the Astros holding an 11.5-game lead on the Mariners, it’s only a matter of time before Houston brings home another division title. Seattle won’t catch them, though the Mariners look well on their way to grabbing an AL Wild Card spot this year.
With Houston, they also have +400 World Series odds. They’re a threat to capture the title every season, and it feels like the stars are lining up for them again this year. Thanks to great pitching and star hitters, including Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez, Houston will always be a problem for the opposition. They’ll make a ton of noise in October. People are betting on them to win the AL West and the World Series this fall.
People are hopeful of seeing an ALCS matchup between the Yankees and Astros. That’d be quite the intriguing showdown and one that could potentially go seven games. If we had to pick between one of those teams right now, we’d have to go with Houston, thanks to its strong play. With New York playing so poorly, they’re not going to have much confidence leading up to the playoffs. The same can’t be said for Houston, as they look great.
