New York Yankees, Houston Astros Separate Themselves As Top World Series 2019 Contenders In AL

There’s still nearly two months remaining in the 2019 MLB season, but the chase for the American League pennant is starting to look like a two-team race. The Houston Astros and New York Yankees have far and away the best odds to represent the AL in the 2019 World Series.

Houston became the favorites to win the championship when they acquired Zack Greinke from the Arizona Diamondbacks at the trade deadline. The Astros have better World Series betting odds than the Yankees, who own the best record in baseball with 76 wins in 115 games.

The Yankees were heavily criticized for not making a major addition at the trade deadline. New York still hasn’t lost since then, going on a nine-game winning streak that began on July 31.

New York hasn’t simply beat up on losing teams, though they’ve won four straight games against the hapless Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays. The Yankees’ hot streak includes a four-game sweep of the Boston Red Sox, effectively ending the defending champions’ AL East hopes and severely damaging their playoff chances.

Boston is 5.5 games out of the AL Wild-Card race, looking like little threat to the AL’s top teams. The winner of the AL Central could finish well behind the Yankees and Astros in the overall standings.

The Minnesota Twins have a one-game advantage over the Cleveland Indians in the AL’s weakest division. Minnesota is five games behind Houston and six games behind New York. The Twins are 14-12 since the All-Star break

The Tampa Bay Rays have the fourth-best record in the AL, trailing the Yankees by 10.5 games. New York is 12-5 against Tampa Bay this season.

Houston nearly has even odds to win the AL pennant. Greinke, Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole give the Astros one of the best starting pitching trios in recent history.

The Yankees are at +200 with MLB’s No.1 offense. New York has outscored its opponents by 159 runs. Houston has a plus-163 run differential.

The Twins and Indians are a distant third, tied with +750 odds to reach the World Series. The Rays have +1400 odds and the Red Sox have +1800 odds.

The Oakland Athletics, who trail the Rays by a half-game for the second wild-card spot, have +2000 odds. No other AL team is better than +6600.