World Series Betting Odds 2015: Royals, Dodgers, Mets See Chances Increase Ahead Of MLB Trade Deadline

Lorenzo Cain KC Royals — The Kansas City Royals are favored to reach the World Series for a second straight year. Getty

The Kansas City Royals have been the American League’s best team this year, and they created even more distance between themselves and the rest of the league this past weekend. After acquiring Johnny Cueto from the Cincinnati Reds, last year’s AL pennant winners are the clear betting favorites to win the 2015 World Series.

Kansas City looks to be a near guarantee to reach the playoffs, going 59-38 with a 7.5-game lead over the Minnesota Twins in the AL Central. They have a four-game lead over the New York Yankees for the top mark in the AL, and Cueto gives them the ace that they desperately needed.

The Royals have continued last year’s success with a solid lineup and a dominant bullpen. Their .733 OPS is good for fourth in the AL, and no team in MLB has a better ERA from their relievers than Kansas City’s 2.12. But the Royals’ rotation has been subpar, ranking 10th in the AL with a 4.26 ERA.

Cueto immediately becomes the best pitcher on Kansas City’s staff. After finishing as the runner-up for the NL Cy Young award last year, Cueto has posted a 2.62 ERA and a 0.93 WHIP while striking out 120 batters in 130.2 innings pitched. Edinson Volquez has been the Royals’ best starter with a 3.15 ERA in 20 starts.

The Los Angeles Dodgers haven’t made a trade, but they’re expected to be active at Friday’s deadline. They are rumored to be one of the favorites to land Cole Hamels, and L.A. is the favorite in the National League. Adding Hamels to a rotation that already includes Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw could help the Dodgers surpass the Royals as the favorites in all of MLB.

The New York Mets have seen their championship odds improve more than any team in recent weeks. They made a few small moves this weekend, trading for Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson, while calling up Michael Conforto to the majors. The Mets scored a season-high 15 runs in their win over the Dodgers on Saturday, and the likes of Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard give them one of the best rotations in baseball.

The St. Louis Cardinals have MLB’s best record, but they only have the third best odds to win it all. They could make a trade to improve their lineup, reportedly discussing a possible deal with the Milwaukee Brewers for Adam Lind.

Below is a look at the 2015 World Series odds during the week of the trade deadline, courtesy of Bovada.lv.

Kansas City Royals +500

Los Angeles Dodgers +650

St. Louis Cardinals +700

Washington Nationals +900

Los Angeles Angels +1200

New York Yankees +1200

San Francisco Giants +1400

Chicago Cubs +1400

Pittsburgh Pirates +1400

Houston Astros +1600

New York Mets +2000