The ultimate showdown of the MLB season has arrived—baseball's biggest stage is set as the New York Yankees face off against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a thrilling World Series battle starting Friday, October 25.
Despite encountering tougher competition on their journey to the Fall Classic, the Dodgers enter Game 1 as the slight favourite to claim the title (-120 to win the World Series at BET99). Meanwhile, the Yankees, having lost only two games on their path to the big stage, find themselves as narrow underdogs at +100.
Major League Baseball could not have dreamed up a more ideal matchup, with its two biggest franchises — situated in America’s two biggest cities — doing battle for the World Series. Yet, despite the storied ball clubs involved, the individual star power threatens to overshadow the teams involved.
Shohei Ohtani
After a season for the ages, in which he shattered the mystique of the 40/40 club and established the 50/50 club, Shohei Ohtani enters as the World Series MVP favourite at +200.
The phenom came up big in a pivotal moment in the NLCS, dominating Games 3 and 4 in New York to help the Dodgers take a commanding 3-1 series lead after the New York Mets had stolen Game 2 in Hollywood.
Aaron Judge
Similarly, Aaron Judge saved his best moments at the plate this October for some of the biggest moments, homering in back-to-back games to drive in five runs as the Yanks breezed through the Cleveland Guardians.
Though the power-hitting outfielder has gotten plenty of help from Juan Soto (+500 to win MVP) and Giancarlo Stanton (+800 to win MVP) this October, it is Judge who oddsmakers view as the Bronx Bombers’ talisman, second to just Ohtani in World Series MVP odds at +400.
It’s only a matter of time until Judge and Ohtani are awarded their respective regular season MVP honours. After a postseason that has seen the superstar pair continue to power their teams, it appears inevitable one of the two will be clearing out a little extra space on the mantle — for World Series MVP.
Click here to view MLB World Series odds on BET99.
*Odds as of October 22, 2024