After a wild finish to the MLB regular season that saw several races go down to the wire, the 2024 MLB Playoffs officially start with the Wild Card Round on Tuesday, Oct. 1.
After 162 games, only 12 teams remain. Some are familiar faces, while others are complete surprises making their first postseason appearances in years.
Here’s a look at each team in this year’s playoff field, along with their betting odds to win the league pennant and World Series title, courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
Odds vary by sportsbook and are subject to change.
2024 MLB Playoff Odds
Los Angeles Dodgers (98-64)
- Odds to win NL: +175
- Odds to win World Series: +360
The Dodgers have been betting favorites all season long, and that remains true heading into the playoffs.
Led by likely NL MVP Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles rolled to the best record in baseball this year, guaranteeing a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Were it not for injuries to Mookie Betts and much of their pitching staff, the Dodgers likely would have topped 100 wins for the fourth straight season.
With Ohtani, Betts and Freddie Freeman anchoring its potent lineup, Los Angeles ranked second in scoring behind only the Arizona Diamondbacks. It also led the NL in doubles, home runs, walks and OPS, making it a brutal offense for opposing pitchers to navigate.
The Dodgers’ pitching isn’t as dominant given the injuries to Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw and Gavin Stone, so depth is a concern. The bullpen is a bit shaky as well, so manager Dave Roberts needs to bring his A-game if LA wants to survive a full month of playoff baseball.
New York Yankees (94-68)
- Odds to win AL: +180
- Odds to win World Series: +425
It was another typical season in the Bronx under manager Aaron Boone. New York started fast, faded in the second half and got a ton of home runs from Aaron Judge.
While Judge fell just short of his AL homer record, he and Juan Soto were one of the greatest tandems in MLB history. Unfortunately, they didn’t get much help from their teammates, as Giancarlo Stanton was the only other Yankee with more than 15 long balls.
New York’s pitching staff is top-heavy as well, so it will need its superstars to step up. Judge and Soto have both struggled in October in their careers, and Boone’s seat will get even hotter if the Yankees make another early playoff exit.
Philadelphia Phillies (95-67)
- Odds to win NL: +230
- Odds to win World Series: +475
The Phillies are arguably the most complete and talented team in the playoffs. They had a franchise-record eight All-Stars this season and are loaded with established veterans, many of whom are hungry for a title after coming up short the last two years.
With power, speed and plenty of pitching, Philadelphia is built to win it all. Eight Phillies clubbed double-digit homers this year, so there’s pop all over the lineup. Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola are a formidable 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation, and Carlos Estevez is one of the most underrated closers in baseball.
Philadelphia’s home-field advantage could also be a factor, as the team went 54-26 (.675 winning percentage) at Citizens Bank Park this year.
Houston Astros (88-73)
- Odds to win AL: +370
- Odds to win World Series: +800
Despite losing numerous key players to injuries and getting off to a terrible start, the resilient Astros still found a way to win the AL West for the fourth consecutive season.
Houston is battle-tested after winning four pennants and two World Series since 2017, largely with the same core. Led by Jose Altuve, Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman and Yordan Alvarez, the offense paced the AL in hits and is still as dangerous as ever.
The pitching staff is another story, however. Justin Verlander is coming off the worst season of his career and may not make the postseason roster, and Josh Hader’s ninth-inning struggles are concerning. Rookie manager Joe Espada also needs to prove he can handle the pressure of playoff baseball.
These Astros are older, thinner and more flawed than recent editions, but count them out at your own peril.
Cleveland Guardians (92-69)
- Odds to win AL: +350
- Odds to win World Series: +950
The Guardians were just fine without Terry Francona, flourishing under first-year manager Stephen Vogt and cruising to the AL Central title.
That said, Cleveland isn’t particularly frightening on paper. Its offense is middle of the pack and relies heavily on Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor. Its rotation lacks a true ace with Shane Bieber shelved and their starting pitchers have little playoff experience.
The Guardians had the best bullpen in baseball this year in terms of both WAR and ERA, which should help them in close games. If their young pitchers step up and their offense manufactures enough runs, they’ll be tough to beat.
Baltimore Orioles (91-71)
- Odds to win AL: +500
- Odds to win World Series: +1100
The Orioles didn’t play up to their potential this year, winning 10 fewer games than last season and playing .500 baseball (33-33) after the All-Star Break, losing the AL East to the Yankees in the process.
That said, Baltimore is arguably the most talented team in the AL and is overflowing with young talent. Nine Orioles socked double-digit homers this year, giving them one of the deepest and most powerful lineups in baseball.
Baltimore also has a legit ace in Corbin Burnes, which it was missing last year, and a strong No. 2 in Zach Eflin. The bullpen is an issue with Craig Kimbrel recently getting DFA’ed, however, and Brandon Hyde’s in-game managing is often puzzling.
The Orioles may need to slug their way to victory, and many of their players are still searching for their first postseason win after getting swept in last year’s ALDS.
San Diego Padres (93-69)
- Odds to win NL: +550
- Odds to win World Series: +1200
The Padres’ star-studded roster lived up to the hype this year, producing the most wins of any Wild Card team.
Even after trading Soto to New York last winter, San Diego still has plenty of firepower. Its lineup led MLB in hits and is full of players who can hit for average, clear the fences and steal a bag when needed.
On the mound, Dylan Cease threw a no-hitter and ranked second in the NL in strikeouts, while Michael King (who was acquired for Soto) was quietly one of the best starting pitchers in baseball. Yu Darvish returned to form after a down 2023, and Robert Suarez is one of the game’s top closers.
The Padres have never won a World Series, but this could finally be the year.
Atlanta Braves (89-73)
- Odds to win NL: +750
- Odds to win World Series: +1600
Despite being severely depleted by injuries to star players like Ronald Acuna Jr. and Spencer Strider, the Braves still managed to snag a Wild Card spot.
Atlanta’s offense has plenty of power (second in the NL in homers, nine players in double digits), but not much else. The team’s lack of speed without Acuna is particularly noticeable, as the Braves ranked third-to-last in MLB in stolen bases.
The rotation is led by likely NL Cy Young winner Chris Sale, but will his arm hold up after throwing more innings this year (177 ⅔) than the previous four seasons combined (151)? Sale is just the tip of the spear for a pitching staff that led the NL in ERA and strikeouts.
Even in its diminished state, Atlanta can still win games with its power and pitching.
Milwaukee Brewers (93-69)
- Odds to win NL: +800
- Odds to win World Series: +1800
The Brewers faced a lot of adversity this year after trading Burnes to the Orioles and losing manager Craig Counsell last offseason, then losing Christian Yelich and Devin Williams to injuries during the season.
However, none of that stopped Milwaukee from repeating as NL Central champs and winning its division by the largest margin in baseball (10 games).
The Brewers’ offense is solid, although losing Yelich hurts. Its main strengths are getting on base and speed, as it ranks second among NL teams in both walks and steals.
Milwaukee lacks a bona fide ace but has impressive depth in both the rotation and bullpen. The Brewers lack star power and may not be the most exciting team, but their roster gives them a high floor.
New York Mets (89-73)
- Odds to win NL: +950
- Odds to win World Series: +2000
The Mets were another team that overcame a slow start. They were 11 games below .500 in early June before turning things around and securing a Wild Card spot on the season’s final day after a furious second-half charge.
With NL MVP candidate Francisco Lindor and elite slugger Pete Alonso, New York’s lineup is dangerous. The rotation lacks an ace, however, and the bullpen is merely middle of the road.
The Mets may not have enough arms to make a deep playoff run. They didn’t get any time off before the start of the postseason, either, so fatigue may be an issue, especially after playing a do-or-die doubleheader against the Braves on Monday to get into the playoffs.
Kansas City Royals (86-76)
- Odds to win AL: +1000
- Odds to win World Series: +2500
Few expected the Royals to be here after losing 106 games last year, but here they are.
The offense has a legit MVP candidate in Bobby Witt Jr. and puts the ball in play, striking out less than every team except the Padres. Salvador Perez is still one of the best-hitting catchers in baseball at age 34 and is the club’s only holdover from its 2015 championship roster.
Kansas City has a good rotation fronted by Seth Lugo and Cole Ragans, but the bullpen is a bit of a soft spot and could be the team’s undoing in October. The Royals played poorly down the stretch (11-18 since Aug. 28) and seemed to run out of gas, so they’ll need to wake up if they want to make a deep run.
Detroit Tigers (86-76)
- Odds to win AL: +1100
- Odds to win World Series: +2800
Wait, what are the Tigers doing here?
Detroit sold at the trade deadline and seemed totally out of it by August, falling eight games below .500 through Aug. 10. According to FanGraphs’ playoff odds, the Tigers had a 0.2% chance of making the postseason at that point.
Detroit then went on a hot streak for the ages, going 31-13 to close the season and catch the collapsing Minnesota Twins in the Wild Card race.
Can the Tigers keep it up in October? AL Cy Young frontrunner Tarik Skubal might be the best pitcher in baseball, but he’s surrounded by young and inexperienced starters. The lineup is also young and ranks below average in most categories, so runs could be at a premium.
The bullpen is reliable and manager A.J. Hinch won a World Series in Houston, but Detroit will need a lot of luck for its Cinderella run to continue.
