2023 MLB Odds: Predictions for MLB division, league and World Series winners

Opening Day of the 2023 MLB season is set for Thursday, March 30. The Houston Astros are looking to repeat as World Series champions, but a lot can happen over a 162-game regular season. Before the start of the league year, we take a look at odds at DraftKings Sportsbook for divisional and league winners as well as 2023 World Series Champs while making predictions along the way.

Atlanta Braves +105 New York Mets +170
Philadelphia Phillies +425 Miami Marlins +2000
Washington Nationals +25000

Barring anything crazy, the odds suggest the Nats are out of the divisional race before the season even gets underway. This doesn't come as a surprise, as they are in the middle of a rebuild and are focusing on talent evaluation for the future. The Braves won the NL East last season, but the Mets and Phillies both made the playoffs, with Philadelphia falling to the Astros in the 2022 World Series. New York has a well-rounded team and seem to be the biggest threat to Atlanta, while the Phillies' lineup should keep them in the hunt.

Prediction: Braves

St. Louis Cardinals -125 Milwaukee Brewers +175
Chicago Cubs +650 Pittsburgh Pirates +3000
Cincinnati Reds +6000

St. Louis was the lone team to advance to the 2022 playoffs from the NL Central with a 93-69 record. They retained their powerful lineup and have one of the more exciting prospects in baseball in Jordan Walker, starting the year in the bigs. The Brew Crew should stay competitive if its pitching staff can stay healthy. The Cubs are an interesting team this season with their roster additions, and they should close the gap in the division but aren't likely to win it. Perennial rebuilders Pittsburgh and Cincinnati should also see better seasonal outcomes than their 62-win seasons a year ago but don't appear ready to end their respective playoff droughts.

Prediction: Cardinals

Los Angeles Dodgers -110 San Diego Padres +120
San Francisco Giants +950 Arizona Diamondbacks +4500
Colorado Rockies +18000

The Dodgers enter as the favorites to win the division again but are dealing with injuries to start the season. Yes, it is a long year, but if the Padres can start building momentum, they could get out to an early enough lead that they just have to focus on maintaining. San Francisco, Arizona and Colorado are really longshots as they have an influx of youth mixed with veteran pitching staffs that don't necessarily project to be competitive down the stretch.

Prediction: Padres

New York Yankees +130 Toronto Blue Jays +200
Tampa Bay Rays +340 Boston Red Sox +1500
Baltimore Orioles +2500

The Yankees have the best odds of winning the division, which is no surprise, with the home run king Aaron Judge looking to have an even better season. They do have some injuries in their rotation to start the year, and if the highly touted prospects don't pan out this year, it could be a down year. Meanwhile, Toronto has made savvy moves this offseason and has improved their lineup and rotation. I also don't think the Orioles deserve to have the worst odds in the division with how they finished out the 2022 season.

Prediction: Blue Jays

Cleveland Guardians +130 Minnesota Twins +215
Chicago White Sox +250 Kansas City Royals +3000
Detroit Tigers +3000

Future Hall of Famer Miguel Cabrera is heading into the final year of his career. That doesn't mean the Tigers are going to contend this year as they continue in their franchise rebuild. The Guardians, Twins and White Sox look to duke it out for the division title. Cleveland had the edge a season ago, but promising pitcher Triston McKenzie could miss the first two months of the season. The White Sox finished 500, and the biggest story for the Twins is their veteran rotation and the contract for shortstop Carlos Correa.

Prediction: Guardians

Houston Astros -175 Seattle Mariners +320
Los Angeles Angels +750 Texas Rangers +850
Oakland Athletics +25000

The Astros will be without second baseman Jose Altuve to start the year, but that doesn't mean their lineup is any less dangerous. Kyle Tucker, Jeremy Pena and Yordan Alvarez anchor the Astros' batting order looking to improve on their 106-win 2022 campaign. The Mariners are chomping at the bit to take over the division, and it feels like they have a good shot in 2023. The Angels, despite having the two best players in baseball, still sit at third, and the Rangers are in fourth, even with a billion-dollar middle infield and Jacob deGrom as their ace.

Prediction: Astros

Atlanta Braves +370 Los Angeles Dodgers +425
San Diego Padres +475 New York Mets +475
St. Louis Cardinals +750 Philadelphia Phillies +900

The National League was a slugfest a season ago. Despite being a 6-seed, the Phillies knocked off the Cardinals, Braves and Padres with ease. This year, the Braves have the best odds of representing the NL in the World Series. They have made powerful trade deadline moves the last two seasons and should be able to capitalize this season if they can stay healthy. My prediction for the NLCS is Braves vs. Padres, with Atlanta advancing.

Prediction: Braves

Houston Astros +310 New York Yankees +370
Toronto Blue Jays +650 Tampa Bay Rays +900
Seattle Mariners +900 Cleveland Guardians +1100

Houston received the first round as the No. 1 overall seed last year. They swept the Mariners and Yankees on their way to the World Series. Seattle upset the Blue Jays, who improved their lineup and pitching rotation in the offseason. These young teams are in a prime position to take a step forward, so I predict the ALCS will feature the Mariners facing the Blue Jays, with Toronto heading to the World Series for the first time since 1993.

Prediction: Blue Jays

Houston Astros +600 New York Yankees +750
Atlanta Braves +750 Los Angeles Dodgers +850
San Diego Padres +950 New York Mets +950
Toronto Blue Jays +1300 St. Louis Cardinals +1600

So it's Toronto and Atlanta vying for the World Series banner. Houston won it last year, and New York will likely have the best run differential in the league with its strong lineup and rotation, so it makes sense why they are included. The Braves have been able to get everything they can out of their young players, and that should continue in 2023. The biggest worry is the rotation, especially the back end of it. Spencer Strider, Max Fried and Charlie Morton should be fine, but Jared Shuster, Dylan Dodd and a returning Mike Soroka are large question marks.

The Blue Jays need to do their best to play consistently. They have veteran pitchers alongside Alek Manoah and Jordan Romano for a good balance. You could make an easy argument that they have the best lineup in baseball with no clear holes or areas to improve. If Toronto can stay healthy and play to their potential, they should be competitive in the Fall Classic and match up well with Atlanta.

Prediction: Braves in 6

  
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