MLB Odds: Atlanta Braves Now World Series Favorites, Rays 4th

There are a handful of MLB teams who have gotten off to hot starts during the first weeks of the 2023 season, but none more so than the Atlanta Braves and Tampa Bay Rays.

The Rays have been the talk of the league and all the rave. They have begun the year with an impressive 13-0 record, and are just the 4th team in MLB history to accomplish that feat. They are outstanding both on offense and with their pitching staff, with evenly distributed numbers amongst much of the contributors.

Atlanta Braves Are Now World Series Favorites

Series sweep! 🧹#ForTheA pic.twitter.com/N4SviAJ5mG

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) April 13, 2023

The knock on Tampa Bay’s start has been the quality of their opponents, as they have gone up against some of the league’s worst teams in their first few series of the season. But they are already 4.5 games up in what should be a tough AL East division. They’ll face their biggest test of the season this weekend when they take on the Toronto Blue Jays.

While they haven’t been as dominant, the Atlanta Braves are off to the best start of any team on the National League side. They are 9-4 and winners of three straight, and are solidifying their place as one of the teams to beat in 2023. They are led by Matt Olson and Ronald Acuna Jr., and are somewhat comfortably in first place in a division that promises to be a bloodbath.

The start for the Braves has been impressive enough for them to shoot to the top of the list of teams with the best World Series odds. Atlanta started the season in the top-5, giving them a head start, but they are now the team to beat according to the oddsmakers. They are currently listed at +650, overtaking the Houston Astros (+700) who began the season as the favorites.

Despite the Rays’ flaming hot start, they aren’t in the top-3 when it comes to the odds of them winning the championship. They began the season in the 8 to 12 range (depending on the betting outlet), but they now have the 4th shortest odds of any team according to BetOnline.ag. The Astros and Yankees (+800) are sandwiched in between them and the top, but Tampa Bay will continue to climb if they can keep the success rolling.

The Los Angeles Dodgers round out the top-5 with a +900 designation, followed by the Padres (+950) and Blue Jays (+1000).

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