At the onset of the season, the Yankees looked unbeatable with the baseball betting odds. New York ran away and hid in the American League East. And the Bronx Bombers bossed the cashier’s cage with massive profits. As a result of their strong start, gamblers blitzed the betting window for action on the pinstripes. However, the Yankees and their backers suffer from a stock market effect. New York was playing far above its actual ability. And over the past month, the Yankees have fallen back. Now, gamblers prefer the Houston Astros for the AL pennant.
2022 American League Pennant Futures
| Dates: | As of August 15, 2022 |
|---|
AL Pennant SBG Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Houston Astros | +160 |
| New York Yankees | +175 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | +600 |
| Seattle Mariners | +1300 |
| Chicago White Sox | +2000 |
| Tampa Bay Rays | +2500 |
| Minnesota Twins | +2500 |
| Cleveland Guardians | +2500 |
| All Other Teams | +6000 or higher |
Yankees Stock Market Crash
Late on, the Yankees have lost eight of their last ten games. New York has a sportsbook record of 72-43. Despite the recent dip, the Bronx Bombers have maintained a comfortable lead in the American League East. New York remains rated as the top American League team in the minds of most gamblers. But bargain hunters defected to the Houston Astros while the Yankees dropped.
Aaron Judge is having a monster year for New York. And he has a shot at the magical 61 home run record by Roger Maris set in 1961. Judge has 46 home runs, a .678 slugging percentage, and a 1.076 OPS.
Most important of all, the Yankees have strong pitching. Gerrit Cole is 9-4 with a 3.38 earned run average and 1.02 WHIP. And then Jameson Taillon is 11-3 with a 3.95 earned run average and 1.13 WHIP.
Astros Reaching New Orbit
While the Yankees have been slumping, the Houston Astros have taken over management of the payout window. Houston has won even of its last ten games. The Astros have a record of 75-41 with the MLB odds. As a result, the Astros are dominating the American League West.
The venerable Justin Verlander continues to dominate. To show, Verlander is 15-3 with a 1.85 earned run average and 0.86 WHIP. But Verlander has plenty of help. Framber Valdez is 11-4 with a 2.73 earned run average and 1.13 WHIP. In comparison, Jose Urquidy is 11-4 with a 3.85 earned run average and 1.16 WHIP. Closer Ryan Pressly has 23 saves in 27 chances. Pressly is 3-3 with a 2.86 earned run average and 0.95 WHIP.
Meanwhile, Yordan Alvarez has been launching rockets at the plate. Alvarez has 31 home runs, a .624 slugging percentage, and 1.025 OPS.
Blue Jays Set to Fly?
Although they would be a wild card team, the Toronto Blue Jays are a potentially dangerous one. Of great concern is that the Blue Jays have lost seven of their last ten games. Still, Toronto is 61-52, ranking second in the American League East. Pitching remains a worry for gamblers regarding the Blue Jays. Toronto ranks 18th for staff earned run average and 14th for bullpen earned run average.
2022 American League Pennant Free Pick
New York has been a perennial flop in the playoffs, and we see why. In sum, the Houston Astros have more postseason success to rely on.
SBG Best Bet: Houston Astros.