We’re getting down to the business end of the MLB season, and with the playoffs soon to be appearing on the horizon, head coaches and teams are starting to get nervous about what lies in store for them across the rest of the regular season.
Today we’re looking at the latest goings on in the Northern League’s three divisions. With the Dodgers running away with the NL West, there is no doubting who will take that crown. But elsewhere, there’s a good battle taking place in the NL East, and there is still a small chance the Brewers can upset the Cardinals in the NL Central.
The Atlanta Braves’ failure to win their mini-series against the in-form St Louis Cardinals has seen their odds lengthen in the betting to win the NL East division.
Ahead of the three-match mini-series, the Braves were +210 to win the NL East, with the New York Mets at -285. Now, after going down 2-1 to the Cardinals in the best of three series, the betting sees the Mets shortening to -550, with the Braves drifting to +350.
The Philadelphia Phillies have also drifted since last week. They went into the weekend fixtures at +7500 to win the NL East. They are now out to +12500, following a 2-1 series win over the struggling Pirates.
| NL East Division Winner Betting |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| New York Mets | -550 | -575 |
| Atlanta Braves | +350 | +325 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | +12500 | +12000 |
With just over 30 regular season fixtures remaining for Brian Snitker’s Braves, there is still time to claim the division. But the best sports betting sites don’t seem to rate their chances of overhauling the Mets.
After their round of fixtures against the Rockies has finished, next on the horizon for them is a three-match mini-series at home to the Marlins this weekend.
The Marlins sit fourth in the division. They are a side going nowhere as they are highly unlikely to be caught by fifth-placed Washington Nationals, and the Marlins are equally as unlikely to catch third-place Philadelphia Phillies.
I can only see another mini-series win for the Braves this weekend.
Elsewhere in the NL East, the Phillies might have drifted in the betting to win the division, but they are still in their fighting when it comes to making the postseason. The best postseason playoff betting sites have Rob Thomson’s team at +325 to not make the postseason, with some bookmakers making them -450 to be taking part in the playoffs.
Losing one of their matches to the Pirates wasn’t ideal. Pittsburgh is having an awful season, and Thomson and company would have expected three from three in that mini-series. Losing the follow-up match 13-7 to the Diamondbacks won’t have helped either.
Both the Pirates and Diamondbacks aren’t the strongest opposition in the Northern League. So any teams with aspirations to do well wouldn’t want to be losing to either, never mind both.
At the top of the NL West, the Cardinals continue to lead second-place Milwaukee Brewers. The Cardinals sit top with a win percentage of .581. While the Brewers are second with a win rate of .535.
In the betting, the best MLB sportsbooks don’t have it that close. BetOnline makes the Cardinals -900 to win the division. They also quote the Brewers at +550.
Coming up this weekend for the Cardinals is a three-match home mini-series against the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs are third in the NL Central, but they have been on a bit of a downward trajectory of late. They have had difficult series against the Cardinals and the Brewers recently, which has led to them recording a disappointing ten-match run of 3-7.
I expect to see the Cardinals keep their excellent form of late going this weekend and fully expect them to beat the Cubs in their mini-series.
As for the Brewers, they face the Diamondbacks in a four-match series starting in Arizona on Thursday night. They surely have to win that 4-0 to have any chance of closing in on the Cardinals.
Such is the form of the Dodgers that there is no market to win the NL West. The Dodgers have a .701 win record and are running away with the title. The best MLB World Series betting sites make them +300 to win again this year. And such is their form that it’s no surprise that bookmakers make the Dodgers favorites to win another World Series.
Their closest rivals, the San Diego Padres, have suffered a dip in form recently and are now down on a win percentage of just .546. The Padres are still odds on to make the playoffs, but it is getting tighter.
The best MLB betting sites make them -260 “yes” to make the postseason and +200 to not be playing after the end of the regular season. The safer bet would be to put your money on Bob Melvin’s team making the playoffs, but a further downturn in form could see them struggling yet.
The Padres do have a three-match mini-series coming up away to the Dodgers this weekend. So it will be interesting to see where the land lies after that has finished!
About the Author
Dean is primarily a fan of English football who regularly attends games, and combining his hobby with his job, he is now a full-time sports betting writer. Rather than going down the educational route into sports journalism, Dean learned his trade by writing for his English football betting website since 2009, where he now boasts nearly 15 years of experience. After writing about football daily for years, Dean has taken the skills he learned and now uses them to great effect writing for numerous affiliate sites across the internet. A general all-around sports enthusiast with a passion for English football and cricket, Dean is also well able to turn his hand to writing about golf, tennis, F1, boxing, snooker, darts, and North American sports. Combining his extensive knowledge and experience with British humor and wit, Dean has developed into a trusted voice within the sports betting industry.
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