Opening day is right around the corner, so let's take a look at which contenders have a chance at dethroning the defending champion Houston Astros. Every team made some type of trade or free agent signing this offseason to get ready for the upcoming season.
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| 2023 MLB World Series Odds |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Astros | +600 | +600 | +600 |
| New York Yankees | +750 | +750 | +750 |
| New York Mets | +750 | +750 | +750 |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | +800 | +800 | +800 |
| Atlanta Braves | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
| San Diego Padres | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | +1400 | +1400 | +1400 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | +1600 | +1600 | +1600 |
The teams that were busiest this offseason are the ones with World Series aspirations. The NL West has 2 teams in the top-5 for payroll. The San Diego Padres being big spenders in free agency indicates they have different expectations this season. They were so close to reaching the World Series last season but ultimately fell short in the NLCS to the Phillies.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are another team to watch with World Series aspirations. Considering they had the best record in baseball last year along with the most expensive roster in the sport. They were on their way to return to the NLCS for the 6th time in 7 seasons before being upset by the Padres.
Rounding out the rest of the contenders are the Atlanta Braves, New York Mets, and New York Yankees. The Yankees big move was keeping Aaron Judge. They also acquired Carlos Rodon during the offseason to shore up their starting rotation.
The Mets spent big to upgrade their pitching rotation adding Justin Verlander to pair with ace Max Scherzer. The Braves added catcher Sean Murphy from the Oakland Athletics along with some depth to their bullpen with the additions of Lucas Luetge and Joe Jimenez.
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Chances for the San Diego Padres
The Padres upset of the Dodgers in the playoffs validated their aggressive mid-season additions of Juan Soto and Josh Hader. They believe the gap has narrowed with their division rival Dodgers and have decided to go all in to try and win a championship.
The biggest weakness the Padres face is a shallow pitching rotation. They currently have three strong starters in Blake Snell, Yu Darvish, and Joe Musgrove. There are massive questions the Padres have to answer about who will fill out the rotation. However, this team looks better on paper than last year's team.
The reason they look better on paper this season is they have a top-5 payroll, bolstered by the signing of Xander Bogaerts, Michael Wacha, and Matt Carpenter. The return of Fernando Tatis Jr. also has Padres fans buzzing with excitement. Sportsbooks have taken notice, listing the Padres at +1000, the sixth-best odds in MLB.
Chances for the Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers have to replace superstar shortstop Trea Turner, outfielder Cody Bellinger, Justin Turner, and two pitchers. Walker Buehler is sidelined following Tommy John surgery and there are major questions regarding the depth of the lineup and pitching staff. Pitching injuries plagued the Dodgers late last season, contributing to a dismal finish, despite leading MLB with 111 wins.
The Dodgers have added Noah Syndergaard and Shelby Miller to help with their pitching staff. Despite missing out on big-name free agents, this front office still added J.D. Martinez and Miguel Rojas. While they may not win 110-plus games again, they likely make a move or two at the trade deadline making the roster more competitive for the stretch run of the season.
Even though the Dodgers have had to replace talented players they are still favored to win their division, and still have the fourth-best odds in MLB to win the World Series. The Dodgers are a World Series favorite for good reason, despite only winning one World Series since 1988, they've made the playoffs 10 years in a row.
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