2022 World Series Opening Odds, Contenders

The start of the MLB season may be delayed by the labor impasse between the owners and the MLBPA, but there is a clear favorite once things get underway. The Los Angeles Dodgers are considered the team to beat by DraftKings at just 7-1 to win the World Series in 2022. After lying dormant for decades, the Dodgers are finally starting to act like the New York Yankees of the West Coast.

2022 World Series Futures Odds 

• Los Angeles Dodgers +700
• New York Yankees +900
• Houston Astros +900
• New York Mets +1000
• Toronto Blue Jays +1100
• Chicago White Sox +1100
• San Diego Padres +1300
• Atlanta Braves +1400
• Tampa Bay Rays +1500
• Milwaukee Brewers +1500
• Boston Red Sox +2000
• All Other Teams +2500 or More

Odds provided by DraftKings - Subject to Change

The Los Angeles Dodgers have one of the scariest lineups in baseball. Trea Turner led the majors in batting average after being traded from the Washington Nationals in the middle of the season, and he can tear up the base paths alongside Mookie Betts. There are two aces on the pitching staff in Walker Buehler and Julio Urias, but long-time Opening Day starter Clayton Kershaw is a free agent. That has led to real concerns with the tail end of the rotation.

Anyone who thought that the New York Yankees would have one of the most feared lineups in the league last year was mistaken. The Bronx Bombers hit as many home runs as the Tampa Bay Rays, and they finished 23^rd in the league in batting average. There hasn’t been any real improvement to the lineup or rotation this offseason, so it’s hard to buy into the Yankees as the team to beat in the American league.

On the other hand, there is plenty to like about Houston. The Astros are in a much more manageable division than the Yankees, and their top six hitters are either the best or second-best in the MLB depending on what you think of Toronto. This rotation could be elite if Justin Verlander is even 80% of what he was in 2019, making the Astros the best bet on the board.

Steve Cohen has lived up to his promise of spending to make the New York Mets a contender. The Mets have the highest payroll in baseball this season, as they broke the bank with their signings of Max Scherzer, Starling Marte, Mark Canha, and Eduardo Escobar. This comes on the heels of signing Francisco Lindor to a massive deal prior to last season, but they need ace Jacob deGrom to stay healthy.