The start of the 2023 MLB season is only days away, which makes it the perfect time for baseball fans to lock in some futures in the sports betting market. There are a ton of ways to get in on the action, but backing a team to be World Series champions could result in a huge payout down the road in the fall.
W hile the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves have the best odds to hoist the Commissioner's Trophy, there are a few teams waiting in the wings ready to strike. Those teams remain underrated both at the plate and on the mound.
Here are three dark horse teams worth backing to win the World Series.
2023 World Series Dark Horses
1. Seattle Mariners (+2000)
The Mariners ended baseball's longest playoff drought when they reached the posts eason in 2022 for the first time since 2001. Players, coaches, fans and front-office members got a taste of what it's like to compete with the best of the best. Seattle has everything a team needs to make a World Series run. The M's finished last season ranked eighth in team ERA (3.59) and feature an exciting starting pitching trio in Luis Castillo, Robbie Ray and Logan Gilbert. Not only that, but they also roster one of the most electric relievers in baseball in Andres Munoz (career 12.9 K/9). Adding Kolten Wong and Teoscar Hernandez this offseason balances out Seattle's lineup, too, making this team even more of a threat.
2. Minnesota Twins (+3000)
The Twins have become k nown as the team that can't win in the playoffs, as they haven't won a postseason series since 2002. That could change this year, however, after a fruitful offseason by Minnesota's front office. Not only did the Twins upgrade the rotation by trading for Pablo Lopez, but they also found a way to bring back shortstop Carlos Correa and added a power bat in Joey Gallo. Byron Buxton is the key here as the speedy outfielder hasn't played in more than 100 games since 2017. Getting him healthy and back on track would help the team rise in a wide-open AL Central division.
3. Milwaukee Brewers (+3500)
There's no denying that last season was a major disappointment for the Brew ers, who missed the playoffs for the first time since 2017. They still posted a winning record (86-76), though, and head into 2023 with one of the best one-two punches in baseball. Corbin Burnes (NL-best 243 strikeouts in 2022) and Brandon Woodruff (career 3.18 ERA) give Milwaukee a chance to beat any team in a postseason series. Once those guys are off the mound, reliever Devin Williams steps in with a dominant arsenal of pitches. The Brewers' hopes will ultimately depend on whether players like Christian Yelich and Jesse Winker can put together bounce-back campaigns at the plate, which is a reasonable request from the former All-Stars.