2023 National League Pennant Future Odds at the Start of Spring Training
The Los Angeles Dodgers are the favorites to win the 2023 NL Pennant at SI Sportsbook.
After winning the National League pennant three of the last six seasons, the Dodgers once again look poised to take home the honors in 2023. Despite losing shortstop Trea Turner to the Philadelphia Phillies, the lineup remains dangerous with Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and a healthy Max Muncy. Los Angeles had the most wins in baseball last season (111), though they were eliminated in the NLDS by the division-rival Padres in what could be considered a stretch of bad luck. The Padres ultimately fell to the Phillies, who opened the season at +1000 to win the NL pennant, providing those who backed Philadelphia a nice payout. The Dodgers opened as the favorites last season as well, at +220.
Mookie Betts and the Dodgers are the team to beat in the National League.
Mark J. Rebilas/USA Today Sports
Tied for the next-best odds are the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves at +400. The Mets added the reigning AL Cy Young winner, Justin Verlander, in the offseason and they will now be anchored by a pair of Cy Young Award winners in Verlander and Max Scherzer. Their lineup, which tied for the fifth-most runs scored last season with the Cardinals (772), remains mostly intact.
The Braves are only one season removed from winning the World Series and they are the team I would back for value. They have a glut of young talent on both the hitting and pitching sides, including the NL Rookie of the Year Spencer Strider and the NL ROY runner-up, Michael Harris Jr. Add to that a full season of healthy Ronald Acuna Jr. plus a pitching staff that has successful postseason experience, and 4-to-1 odds looks very attractive. The Braves and the Mets tied for the third-most wins last season (101), behind only the Dodgers and the Astros.
- 2023 Division Futures: AL East | NL East | AL Central | NL Central | AL West | NL West
The San Diego Padres also present value at +450, assuming they can get past the Dodgers – which they finally proved they could in the NLDS after struggling to beat their rivals all season. San Diego is stacked on paper with Juan Soto, Manny Machado and the newly acquired Xander Bogaerts. Fernando Tatis Jr. will also rejoin the team shortly after the season starts. Starting pitchers Joe Musgrove and Yu Darvish anchor a strong rotation, and don’t forget the Padres acquired arguably the most elite closer in the league in Josh Hader at the trade deadline last season.
The reigning NL champion Philadelphia Phillies come in next at +650 in their second season under Rob Thomson. Despite Bryce Harper likely missing the first half of the season, they still look intriguing at this value -- especially after adding shortstop Trea Turner from the Dodgers.
The St. Louis Cardinals have an excellent mix of veteran and young talent and they have a winning culture. If their pitching staff can hold it together, they represent some value at +850.
Coming in at the bottom of the list with the longest odds are the Washington Nationals at +22000. The 2019 World Series team is far in the rearview mirror. Don’t bet on this miracle.
NL Pennant Odds
Dodgers +350
Mets +400
Braves +400
Padres +450
Phillies +650
Cardinals +850
Brewers +1300
Giants +2000
Cubs +3500
Marlins +3500
Diamondbacks +4500
Pirates +7500
Rockies +9000
Reds +9000
Nationals +22000
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