2024 MLB Pennant Odds and Predictions

The 2024 MLB Pennant races are still very much wide open as we head into the All-Star Break. 

Both the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers are the teams to beat in the AL and NL, but the gap isn’t as wide as you’d think.

So, should you back the Yanks and Dodgers to face off in the 2024 World Series, or are there superior bets to be had? Let’s take a look at the latest 2024 MLB Pennant odds and gauge which teams stand out the most.

It’s weird how the MLB Pennant races always seem lumped together. However, the reality is it’s not as simple as predicting whether or not both of the favored Pennant winners will reach the World Series.

After all, both could fail to even win their respective MLB Divisions, or one of the two could make it to the promised land. The other thing is both New York and L.A. are positively loaded. They have bats for days, and they have enough pitching to go the distance.

The question, of course, is will they? I’ll try to answer that by first inspecting the most current AL and NL Pennant odds. Let’s start with the American League Pennant odds first.

Why Are the Yankees and Dodgers Favored?

You could certainly make a case that betting on the current AL and NL Pennant favorites is the way to go. Between the two, the smart money may be on the Dodgers, as they have superior odds, but at +150 are still plenty inviting.

That, and they have an easier path to getting the job done. Regardless, these teams are favored for a reason.

New York was already looking good, but they also recently got a healthy Gerrit Cole back. Of course, it remains to be seen if his ailment will give him problems.

He joins a pitching staff that includes quality arms in Marcus Stroman, Clarke Schmidt, and Nestor Cortes. Carlos Rodon still offers upside, while Luis Gil (9-2 with a 2.77 ERA) has been a revelation.

The team did just once again lose slugger Giancarlo Stanton to the IL with another injury, but they still seem set offensively. New York has the second most runs scored in baseball at the moment, and they’re second in home runs.

Health will be key for the Yanks, and that may very well be true for L.A., too.

Mookie Betts is out for 6-8 weeks with a hand injury, while the team is slowly working Clayton Kershaw (shoulder) back to the mound. 

While not at full strength currently, the Dodgers are equipped to withstand some health woes. It certainly doesn’t hurt that off-season acquisition Shohei Ohtani has been blasting bombs.

Their depth and overall talent has them ranking third in home runs and total runs scored, while they have the pitching talent to go toe-to-toe with the nastiest of offenses.

New York has Baltimore nipping at their heels in the AL East, which arguably makes them the tougher sell. The Dodgers are running away with the NL West, however, and may not face as much stiff competition come playoff time.

That said, these are your clear MLB Pennant betting favorites. The only question is if someone else has the goods to unseat either of them.

Top 2024 MLB Pennant Contenders

The Yankees and Dodgers look like great bets to win the AL Pennant and NL Pennant, respectively. However, elite teams fail in the MLB playoffs all the time.

Here are a couple of teams that stand out as legit threats in both leagues this year.

2024 AL MLB Pennant Odds

MLB Pennant odds are up at multiple sports betting sites. Right now for the AL side, the Yanks are regarded as the most likely winner.

See who the rest of the American League grades out.

2024 AL Pennant Contenders

• Baltimore Orioles +375
• Seattle Mariners +600

The Orioles have completed a pretty awesome rebuild. They reached the MLB playoffs last year, which ended a six-year drought. This could be the year where they finally take that next big step and make a World Series push.

Offensively, there’s zero reason to not like the O’s at this price. Baltimore is loaded with talent at the plate, and they presently pace the entire league in home runs, runs, and are second in OPS (.778). Gunnar Henderson leads an explosive offense that could give any pitcher fits in the playoffs.

Their pitching isn’t quite as fearsome, but it’s still pretty good. They have a collective 3.31 ERA, which ranks third in MLB. Corbin Burnes is their top ace, and he’s been as good as advertised with 94 strikeouts, a .235 ERA and an 8-3 record across 16 starts.

Burnes is getting respectable help from the likes of Kyle Bradish and Grayson Rodriguez. This is not a super scary rotation on paper, but when paired with perhaps the best offense in baseball, it might be good enough to go all the way.

I may personally stop at the Yankees and Orioles this year. However, the Mariners are pretty interesting. They are still clinging to first place in the AL West, and they’ve been stingy defensively.

They have some of the best individual pitching talent in the majors, and they rank 7th overall in ERA on the year. More importantly, they’re setting their defense up for success, as the Mariners have the second best OBA (.217) at the time of this writing.

Logan Gilbert anchors a very strong pitching rotation that could spearhead a deep playoff run. It’s all about who can prevent runs, and the Mariners have a slew of dangerous arms to turn to.

Luis Castillo, George Kirby, Bryan Wood, and even Byce Miller round out a deep and talented rotation that make the Mariners stand out as a compelling value bet to win the AL Pennant.

Seattle’s offense strikes out a lot, but they do have a good amount of power (10th in HR). Is it actually good enough to make a run all the way to the World Series? That’s unknown, but at +600, I don’t mind a sprinkling of cash on them this season.

Best 2024 AL Pennant Sleeper

If you want value in the AL Pennant race, look no further:

This feels like an insane price for a team that is quite talented offensively, and also has one of the better pitchers in baseball. Bobby Witt Jr. plays a key hand in KC ranking inside the top 10 in runs scored, as he’s hitting a cool .314 on the year. He’s also chipped in 12 home runs and 53 RBI, while racking up 21 stolen bases. 

His elite defense doesn’t hurt, either.

Kansas City has been fantastic on the bases in 2024. They aren’t exactly the best at actually getting there, but when they do, they dazzle (7th in steals). Across the board, this is a fun offense that offers a little power and elite base-running.

As for pitching, the Royals are paced by lefty Cole Ragans, who sports a respectable 3.13 ERA and has struck out 109 batters at the time of this writing. He’s far and away KC’s best arm, but the Royals have also benefited from a random blow-up year from Seth Lugo.

Brady Singer, Michael Wacha, and Alec Marsh round out a better than expected rotation that ranks 17th in OBA and 13th in collective ERA.

 Kansas City Royals at +1400. 

2024 AL Pennant Predictions

The Yankees are still the odds-on favorite to emerge from the American League in 2024, but they’re not the team offering the most betting value.

That’d be the Orioles. Baltimore is even more dangerous than New York offensively, and at the moment they’re certainly healthier. The Orioles don’t wow you with their aces, but Corbin Burnes is still a terrific pitcher, and their rotation is actually underrated. 

Come playoff time, I trust the O’s a bit more than New York. The pinstripes are as talented as anyone, but they routinely fall apart under the bright lights. If the two meet up, it’s encouraging that Baltimore owns a 5-2 season series edge to this point, too.

 MLB Bet: Baltimore Orioles +375 

2024 NL MLB Pennant Odds

On the NL side, the Dodgers remain the team to beat when looking at the Pennant race. L.A. is the most stacked team in baseball, and they have a bigger pricing edge in the NL than the pinstripes do in the AL.

Of course, a few other teams may have something to say about that. Here are the rest of the MLB odds for this betting market.

2024 NL Pennant Contenders

• Philadelphia Phillies +290
• Milwaukee Brewers +1000

Is it a waste of time to bet on anyone to win the NL Pennant other than the Dodgers? Perhaps, but L.A. seemingly finds a way to come up short almost every year.

In fact, the only time they got it done in recent years, they required an oddball season thanks to COVID-19. Frankly, it may pay to consider some alternative options in 2024.

If Suarez is the same guy come playoff time, Philadelphia could be a real problem defensively.

Of course, the Phillies are also loaded at the plate. Bryce Harper leads a stacked lineup that owns the third best batting average in baseball, while sitting top-5 in runs scored and OBP.

The Phillies look like the other team to beat in the NL, but they don’t offer much more value than the Dodgers do. That’s why I’d consider stretching my neck a bet and looking to the Brew Crew, who are quietly a fun team to back at +1000.

Milwaukee seems to always fizzle out after reaching the playoffs, but once you’re in, you never know what will happen. On paper, this team is in terrific position to win the NL Central and lock up a playoff spot, and they have the offensive and defensive balance to give teams fits.

Few would have expected as much, seeing as the Brewers traded away ace Corbin Burnes before the season again. Yet, here they are, ranking inside the top-10 in collective ERA and saves.

Freddy Peralta heads Milwaukee’s underrated pitching, but it’s a group admittedly lacking star power. The team is hopeful that Carlos Rodriguez can add some juice to the rotation, while it remains possible that Milwaukee makes a splash trade to beef up their pitching.

Oddly enough, this year has been about the bats for the Brewers. Rhys Hoskins has played a key role in the Brewers lighting it up offensively, as he is responsible for 10 of their 79 home runs.

Milwaukee has made their living by simply getting on base and executing, though. They do have some power, but it’s their nasty OBP (4th – .330) and steals (2nd – 105) that makes them so dangerous. Only the Yankees and Dodgers earn more walks than the Brewers, too.

It’s true that the Brewers may have to flat out-work their opponents to make these +1000 NL Pennant odds pan out, but I wouldn’t say it’s impossible.

Best 2024 NL Pennant Sleeper

My favorite NL Pennant Odds has to be: the St. Louis Cardinals.

They looked dead in the water earlier this season, but they’ve come alive in recent weeks. As of this writing, the Cardinals have won seven of their last 10 games and have pulled into second place in the NL Central. They’re still not great bets to unseat the Brewers for the division title, but they could sneak their way into the Wild Card.

St. Louis still has a talented lineup with Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado leading the way. This group still has work to do, but they’re in the middle of the pack in home runs (16th) and it will be interesting to see if their recent success is more than just a blip on the radar.

The Cardinals have solid pitching, too. They rank 15th in collective ERA and are led by Sonny Gray. Lance Lynn, Kyle Gibson, and Steven Matz round out a more than capable group (in theory), but the Cardinals must continue to prove their recent surge is sustainable.

MLB Bet: St. Louis Cardinals (+3500). 

2024 NL Pennant Predictions

In the NL, I am fine with locking in on the Dodgers. You’re still getting plus money for the best team in baseball, and they’ll be healthy in a couple of months. The fact that they’ve been this good without one of their best pitchers – and remain nasty even with Mookie sidelined – tells you all you need to know.

It’s undeniable that the Dodgers have wilted in post-season play over the years, but I’m fine betting on their talent. Landing Ohtani this past off-season pushed them over the top, anyways.

The other thing is the NL isn’t as loaded as it once was. The Phillies are probably L.A.’s biggest threat, and they have playoff shrinking episodes of their own. I’ll chase some extra value with Baltimore, but the Dodgers at +150 are way too good to pass up.

MLB Bet: Los Angeles Dodgers +150

Past MLB Pennant Winners