Article courtesy OddsShark (@OddsShark)
The Los Angeles Dodgers are on pace to finish with the best record in the National League for the second time in three years, and they are hoping to parlay that success into a third straight pennant along with their first World Series title since 1988.
In order for that to happen though, the Dodgers need to stay healthy and avoid slumping down the stretch, which could open the door for another NL contender to pull off an upset. Right now, Los Angeles is EVEN money on the updated National League pennant odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
With the MLB trade deadline passing Wednesday, several teams were looking to improve themselves so they can challenge Los Angeles for the pennant. The most notable challenger for the Dodgers is the Atlanta Braves, who are the +375 second choice (bet $100 to win $375) to take home the NL pennant for the first time in 20 years.
The Braves are trying to hold off the Washington Nationals and Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East, but they have a strong lineup and hope to improve their starting pitching and bullpen before the trade deadline.
Washington might pose the biggest challenge from a pitching perspective at +1200 to win the pennant at sports betting sites because few outside of Los Angeles can match the team’s top three starters in Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin. That trio could be tough to beat if the Nationals make the playoffs.
The NL Central also has three worthy pennant contenders in the Chicago Cubs (+850), St. Louis Cardinals (+900) and Milwaukee Brewers (+1200). All three teams have the potential to give the Dodgers fits if they can improve as well before the trade deadline.
The Cardinals were the hottest team in the NL Central before dropping two of three games against the Houston Astros this past weekend. Prior to that, St. Louis won six straight games, nine of 10 and 12 of 14 to get back into contention.
Chicago and Milwaukee have each faced Los Angeles in the 2017 and 2018 NLCS, respectively, so they have experience playing the Dodgers in the playoffs too. In fact, the Cubs beat them in the 2016 NLCS en route to winning their first World Series title since 1908.
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