by OddsShark (@OddsShark) – Sponsored Post

The trade deadline has been a catalyst for some significant movement on the 2019 World Series odds, with the team that acquired the best-known pitcher on the market taking over at the top of the betting futures.

The Houston Astros are now the +230 (bet $100 to win $230) favorite on the 2019 World Series champion futures at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. The Los Angeles Dodgers (+285) are the second favorite, followed by the New York Yankees (+450), Atlanta Braves (+850), Minnesota Twins (+1200), Chicago Cubs (+1600) and Cleveland Indians (+1600).

Houston had 4/1 odds, or +400, in mid-July, but the Astros traded for six-time all-star pitcher Zack Greinke at the trade deadline on July 31. Greinke has joined a rotation where the top three of Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole and Wade Miley are all among the top eight pitchers in MLB in earned-run average, and strong frontline pitching is what tends to win the day in October.

The Dodgers’ price has just barely budged from its +280 in mid-July, as they remain in a strong position to finish with the National League’s best record and try to become the first team in 75 years to win three NL pennants in a row.

It might be best to fade or take a wait-and-see approach with the Yankees. They are pulling away virtually unopposed in the AL East but a run of rough outings by their starting rotation, including J.A. Happ and James Paxton, raises concerns about whether they could win one playoff series, let alone the three it takes for a division-winning team to raise the Commissioner’s Trophy.

Another stat that should give bettors pause is that the Yankees have more divisional wins than any team in baseball, and the AL East isn’t exactly a gauntlet. The Astros happen to be second in this, but their AL West has more depth with only one team wallowing well below the .500 mark.

At +1200 at online sports betting sites, the Twins have regained much of their betting value after being at +850 not too long ago. While their AL Central lead has been whittled away, they have stabilized with a 9-3 record in their last 12 games and offer potential to a bettor looking for something of a darkhorse.

Only two of 14 wild-card teams have reached the World Series since the introduction of the play-in game in 2012. With eight weeks left in the regular season, someone making a futures bet now should probably factor in the team’s likelihood of winning its division, not merely getting into the postseason.

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