World Series Sleepers Worth Betting on in 2020

For months, the collective baseball world has assumed that the 2020 MLB World Series will come down to one of a handful of teams.

This has to be the year of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The New York Yankees are too loaded not to win.

The Tampa Bay Rays are a threat to win it all.

Wait, what?

Yeah, before the season started, I’m not sure that’s something many would say. Regardless, the Rays are prepared to enter the 2020 MLB playoffs with the third-best odds, and suddenly a team that was previously more of a sleeper has morphed into a legit contender.

That got me to thinking, which teams headed into the playoffs could return immense value, a la the Washington Nationals of a year ago?

Let’s take a gander at the latest 2020 World Series odds, and touch on my favorite World Series sleepers.

Keep in mind that the World Series odds can and will change on a daily basis. So, in a day or two from when this is posted, the pricing will understandably be at least a little different.

Before long, some of the teams listed above won’t even be in the 2020 MLB playoffs. I’m not really here to play the hypothetical game, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t point to at least a few value bets that could really pay off.

As things stand, of course, the top World Series betting websites like the Dodgers and Yankees to face off. I pegged New York to win it all (bold, I know), so you know where I stand there.

That said, there is an alarming amount of value to consider here. Given the current pricing, let’s take a look at my favorite 2020 World Series sleepers.

The four teams with the best 2020 World Series odds are priced at +900 or better, so you’re diving into sleeper territory pretty quickly.

Admittedly so, but the Braves easily won the NL East, and had one of the most explosive offenses all year.

Freddie Freeman and Ronald Acuna anchor a loaded lineup that ranks second in home runs, first in hits, and first in batting average.

This is not an easy offense to stop, folks. I’ll admit the pitching isn’t exactly where you want it to be, but given the state of this elite offense, it may just be good enough.

Let’s not overlook the Tribe. Sure, they seem to have regressed sharply since their World Series appearance of a few years ago, but that’s bound to happen when you lose so many arms.

Corey Kluber, Trevor Bauer, and even Mike Clevinger are all gone. Despite that, Cleveland remains as loaded as anyone on the mound.

Shane Bieber can slice through the best of lineups, while Carlos Carrasco, Zach Plesac, Aaron Civale, and even rookie Triston McKenzie round out a very good pitching rotation.

The Indians can play some ball at the plate, too.

Jose Ramirez and Francisco Lindor team up to give bettors a high upside, low floor offense. This team can be erratic, but when everything is clicking, they’re a title threat.

Are we seriously about to go into the 2020 MLB playoffs completely overlooking the team that won it all just two years ago?

Yes, the Astros cheated. Yes, they’ve taken quite the dive since. But they’re still going to the playoffs, and they have the talent to make a run.

Losing Justin Verlander to Tommy John Surgery probably ends up being too big of a blow to work around, to be sure.

Justin Verlander announces on Instagram he needs Tommy John surgery. He said he felt something in his arm during his simulated game the other day.

“We’ve determined Tommy John surgery is my best option," he said.

More to come

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) September 19, 2020

That said, the Astros do have plenty of other arms to turn to.

Zack Greinke, Lance McCullers Jr, and Framber Valdez could be a trio that’s good enough to help this team go the distance again.

If it isn’t quite where it needs to be, let’s not dispatch this stacked offense.

Do they need to cheat to win a championship? Maybe, but the big names still stand out, with Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, Carlos Correa, Michael Brantley, and George Springer making up a lineup even the best pitchers don’t want to face.

Lastly, we can’t possibly ignore the loaded Phillies. This is obviously a team that has under-performed, but as I write this, they’re one of the last teams that can make it into the Wild Card in the NL.

If Bryce Harper and company get in, lookout. Their offense is not consistent, but they have power for days, along with the ability to wreck pitchers from both sides of the plate.

The question is if they have the arms. Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler are two rock-solid aces they should be able to trust come playoff time, but who can they rely on after that?

If someone steps up – and this elite offense plays like it can – the Phillies could be an insane value bet at this +6000 price.

Probably not any of the World Series sleepers I just broke down, sadly. If you need one that stands out enough to bet hard on, it’s Atlanta.

Our own Michael Wynn called them as his title winners before the season even started. Considering he did the same with the Nats last year, maybe you should listen to that.

That said, I don’t see much reason to stray from my own preseason pick; the Yankees. Gerrit Cole gives them the elite ace they can lean on in the playoffs, and they’re loaded offense is getting healthy at just the right time.

This pandemic age we live in has created a mess of a playoff format, but I still think they get the job done when the dust settles.