Yankees World Series Odds Following Positive Gerrit Cole Injury News

Gerrit Cole will return to the New York Yankees this week, a great sign for the team's odds in the futures market.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole. / Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

Don't look now, but the only 50-win team in Major League Baseball just got a whole lot better.

New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole will return to the rotation and make his season debut on Wednesday night against the Baltimore Orioles, according to manager Aaron Boone.

Gerrit Cole will be the starting pitcher for the New York Yankees on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium at 7:05 PM ET against the Baltimore Orioles, per Aaron Boone pic.twitter.com/IIx3Gd6JwZ

— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) June 17, 2024

This is a huge development for New York after Cole was sidelined during spring training due to an elbow injury. The reigning Al Cy Young award winner avoided Tommy John surgery -- a huge sigh of relief for the Yankees -- and now he appears to be ready to for the remainder of the 2024 season.

The Yankees have gotten out to a league-best 50-24 start, posting the best run differential in baseball at plus-124.

Cole was lights out in his last rehab start in Triple-A, striking out 10 batters across 4.1 innings of work.

That may have been all the Yankees needed to see to know that their ace was ready to re-join the rotation.

Gerrit Cole in his third rehab start:

4.1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 10 SO, 70 P pic.twitter.com/LWEG2F9CMK

— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) June 15, 2024

With starter Clarke Schmidt currently on the injured list, Cole should slide seamlessly into the Yankees' starting five.

New York was already the favorite to win the American League before the news that Cole would return was announced, but its case to win it all is undoubtedly stronger if the six-time All-Star is healthy.

Yankees Odds to Win the World Series

The Yankees are currently second in the odds to win the World Series at +500, behind only the Los Angeles Dodgers (+300) at DraftKings.

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Based on implied probability, New York has a 16.67 percent chance to win the title this season. With starters like rookie Luis Gil, veteran Carlos Rodon and newcomer Marcus Stroman all pitching well in 2024, the Yankees have on of the better rotations in baseball now that Cole is healthy.

New York currently ranks No. 1 in MLB in ERA (3.02) ahead of the Orioles (3.07). Now, it gets to add a starter that posted a league-leading 2.63 ERA and two shutouts in the 2023 season to the mix.

Yankees Odds to Win the American League

New York and Baltimore are the two top choices to win the American League at DraftKings, with the Yankees (+235) leading the way. Baltimore (+370) will look to make up some ground in the series between these two teams -- even with Cole on the bump Wednesday.

The Yankees have a 1.5-game lead on the O's in the AL East, and it's likely that whoever wins the division will have the best odds to win the league since they'd avoid a wild-card appearance.

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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