Atlanta Braves Begin Playoffs as Betting Favorite to Win 2023 World Series

Posted on: October 3, 2023, 11:54h. 

Last updated on: October 4, 2023, 12:05h.

Pauly McGuire Read More
Expertise: Sports Betting, Sports.

The Atlanta Braves are the betting favorite at +310 odds to win the 2023 World Series, with the MLB playoffs beginning today.

Ronald Acuna Braves
Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr., seen above, celebrates a home run against the Philadelphia Phillies. (Image: Getty)

The Houston Astros won the 2022 World Series and began the season as the consensus favorite to repeat at +650 odds. There hasn’t been a repeat champion in MLB in 23 years since the New York Yankees won three-straight titles between 1998 and 2000.

2023 MLB PLAYOFF TEAM WORLD SERIES ODDS PRESEASON ODDS
Atlanta Braves +310 +750
LA Dodgers +400 +850
Houston Astros +450 +650
Tampa Bay Rays +1000 +1900
Baltimore Orioles +700 +7000
Texas Rangers +1600 +4500
Philadelphia Phillies +1300 +1800
Minnesota Twins +2000 +3500
Milwaukee Brewers +1700 +3500
Toronto Blue Jays +1600 +1200
Arizona Diamondbacks +3000 +18000
Miami Marlins +3500 +8000

The Astros (+650), Braves (+750), Yankees (+750), Los Angeles Dodgers (+850), New York Mets (+950), and San Diego Padres (+950) were the top six favorites to win the World Series at the end of spring training.

Three of those early betting favorites,  the Yankees, Mets, and Padres, failed to qualify for the playoffs, while having some of the highest payrolls in baseball this season.

The Yankees went off the rails during one of their worst losing streaks in 28 years, and the Mets gutted their team and dealt pitchers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander at the trade deadline.

Braves Hope to Avoid Another Early Exit

The Braves advanced to the playoffs in six consecutive seasons under manager Brian Snitker. But they won the World Series only once, in 2021.

The Braves won 101 games last season, but were eliminated in the NLDS by the Philadelphia Phillies in four games. It marked the third time since 2018 that the Braves were knocked out of the postseason in the NLDS. In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, the Dodgers defeated the Braves in the NLCS and denied them a trip to the World Series.

In the 2021 playoffs, the Braves ran the table with an 11-5 record and defeated the Astros in the World Series to win their first championship since 1995.

The Braves are seeking a fifth championship and have been a popular pick to win the World Series for most of the season.

The Braves ended spring training at +750 odds to win the World Series as the second co-favorite on DraftKings’ futures board with the Yankees.

The Braves passed the 100-win mark in back-to-back seasons for the first time in 20 years. They won 104 games this season and surpassed last year’s total of 101 wins.

With 104 wins, the Braves tied a franchise mark for the second-most wins in team history. The 1993 squad won 104 games, but were eliminated in the NLCS. The 1998 Braves won 106 games, yet lost in the NLCS that year.

This year’s Braves had identical home and road records at 52-29, and they are tied with the Baltimore Orioles for the best away record this season.

The Braves are the #1 seed in the National League and have a bye. They’ll meet the winner of the NL wild-card round between the #5 Miami Marlins and #4 Philadelphia Phillies.

Hotlanta’s Big 3: Acuña, Olson, and Strider

Right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. posted an MVP season with 41 home runs and 106 RBI. The speedster led the major with 73 stolen bases. He also slashed at .337/.416/.596.

First baseman Matt Olson was an ironman who played every game this season. He was the home run king, leading the majors with 54 home runs and 139 RBIs. Olson finished the season with a slashline of .283/.389/.604.

Designated hitter Marcell Ozuna bashed 40 home runs and had 100 RBI, and second baseman Ozzie Albies contributed 33 home runs and 109 RBI.

The Braves got most of their run production from Olson, Acuña, Albies, and Ozuna. All four players drove in 100-plus runs this season. Third baseman Austin Riley just missed the century mark with 97 RBI, but he also smacked 37 home runs. Their top five big bats combined for 151 home runs, or almost half of the team’s final tally of 307 long balls this season.

On the mound, ace Spencer Strider posted a 20-5 record with a 3.86 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in 32 starts. He led the majors with 20 victories and 281 strikeouts. Strider anchors a dinged-up rotation with starters Max Fried and Charlie Morton both nursing injuries.

Set-up man AJ Minter and closer Raisel Iglesias are a dangerous combo late in the game for Snitker. Iglesias saved 33 games and has a 2.75 ERA and 1.19 WHIP. Minter has 21 holds and 10 saves with a 3.76 ERA and 1.19 WHIP.