Introduction
Eight talented teams are battling for glory in the MLB playoffs after emerging victorious in a scintillating Wild Card Series last week. The Astros, Rays, Yankees, Braves, Dodgers and Marlins all sauntered to clean sweep triumphs against their Wild Card Series opponents. The Padres battled to a 2-1 series victory over the Cardinals, while the Athletics got the better of the White Sox to complete the final eight.
The Division Series round is now underway and it promises to serve up a great deal of excitement, drama and intrigue in the coming days. The League Championships begin the following week, and the World Series is slated to start on October 20 at Global Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The Dodgers are the clear favorites to lift the Commissioner’s Trophy, but they face a ferocious challenge from the Rays, the Yankees and several other talented teams.
The leading MLB sportsbooks have released a number of exciting futures betting markets on the playoffs, and you can find a great deal of value in betting on individual games too. Read on to learn more about the eight teams vying to be crowned World Series champions in 2020, the odds on offer at the best MLB bookmakers and where you can watch the action unfold.
How will the MLB playoffs work in 2020?
The postseason format was extended from the usual 10 teams to a full 16 teams for 2020 only. All 16 teams took part in Wild Card Series, with the eight winners progressing to the Division Series. The division winners will lock horns for the Championship Series, and then the World Series begins on October 20.
Where will the World Series be held?
The entire World Series will be held at Global Life Field in Arlington, Texas, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It will therefore be the first World Series since 1944 to be held at just one ballpark. The action could run to October 28 if it goes to Game 7.
Where can I bet on the MLB playoffs?
We recommend that you stick to safe, trustworthy and secure betting sites that have the liquidity to cover your winnings. William Hill, 888 Sport, Bet365 and Unibet are all great MLB betting sites, offering compelling bonuses, attractive odds and a superb user experience. You can also try your hand at exchange betting by visiting Betfair.
How many games are there in the Division Series?
The American League Division Series and National League Division Series are best-of-five series, so a team must win three games in order to progress to the next round. The winning teams will go through to the ALCS and NLCS, with the winner of each game then meeting to contest the World Series.
Who are in the playoffs?
MLB Futures Odds
The Dodgers have been named as the favorites to win the World Series after finishing the regular season with the best record in the country. They eased past the Brewers in the Wild Card round, and teed up a Division Series against the Padres. They are odds-on to win the National League, and the Padres, Braves and Marlins are all clear underdogs in the baseball betting odds.
The best MLB betting sites believe that the Yankees and the Rays are the strongest teams in the American League. They are both priced at +400 to win the World Series, and it will be thrilling to see them lock horns in the AL Division Series this week. Whoever prevails in the clash between the Astros and Athletics will be the clear underdog in an AL Championship Series against either the Yankees or the Rays.
Team | World Series Winner Odds | League Winner Odds |
---|---|---|
LA Dodgers | +275 | -110 |
Tampa Bay Rays | +400 | +200 |
New York Yankees | +400 | +180 |
Atlanta Braves | +750 | +350 |
San Diego Padres | +900 | +375 |
Oakland Athletics | +1100 | +380 |
Houston Astros | +1300 | +550 |
Miami Marlins | +2000 | +1000 |
These odds were compiled from Bet365, William Hill and 888 Sport, three of the best sites for betting on the MLB playoffs. We offer competitive bonuses for each of these sites at ThePlayer.com.
Last year's MLB
MLB TV & Streaming Guide
Fox Sports and MLB Network will televise the Division Series matchups after ESPN and TBS shared the rights to the Wild Card Series. Fox will televise the Championship Series and the World Series. Sling TV and AT&T Now are among the streaming options, or you can watch in on delay by subscribing to MLB.tv. BT Sport has the rights to MLB action in the UK through 2021, and ESPN holds the broadcast rights in various countries around the world.
MLB 2020 Playoffs Preview
Can Anyone Stop the Dodgers?
The Dodgers boast the best line-up, the most talented rotation, an elite bullpen and an extremely strong defense, so they certainly deserve their status as World Series favorites. They breezed through the regular season with a .717 win percentage ratio, which is vastly better than any other team managed.
The Dodgers went 21-9 at home and 22-8 on the road. They closed out the regular season with eight wins from their final 10 games, and then eased past the Twins in a 2-0 Wild Card Series sweep. Clayton Kershaw was on fire against Milwaukee, throwing eight shutout innings with 13 strikeouts. Walker Buehler is also in terrific form right now.
Los Angeles will start with that duo in the SoCal showdown with the upstart Padres, with Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May and Julio Urías waiting in the wings. The pitching department looks a little unsettled, as Buehler has some blister issues, but that is a minor concern.
It will be interesting to see how Kershaw and co fare against a far more talented Padres lineup, but even if they struggle, there is a sense that the offense will get them out of trouble. Mookie Bets looks unstoppable right now. He hit three doubles against Milwaukee, which goes some way towards justifying his $365 million contract.
Their clash with the Padres could well be the highlight of the Division Series. It pits an experience Dodgers team against the most exciting group of youngsters in baseball. Yet experience should triumph over youth, particularly when you consider that the Dodgers have been really fortunate on the injury front.
They boast a strong, settled, healthy roster, and it will be difficult for anyone to stop them winning their first World Series since 1988. A clash with either Atlanta or Miami awaits if they can get past the Padres, and once again they would be the heavy favorites to prevail.
Some MLB betting sites will only offer -152 on the Dodgers winning the National League, but William Hill has an attractive -110 on them clinching the pennant, which looks really tempting.
Will the Rays Still Own the Yankees?
The Rays and the Yankees are joint favorites to win the American League with most MLB betting sites. The prevailing logic is that whoever wins their Division Series will go on to crush either Oakland or Houston in the ALCS. That could spell good news for the Rays, who absolutely owned the Yankees in the regular season.
The teams played 10 times this year, and the Rays won eight of them. Tampa should therefore enjoy a significant psychological advantage as they head into battle against the Yankees this week. However, it still somehow feels like a David vs. Goliath clash.
The Yankees are blessed with phenomenal roster, they are healthier than they have been in a long time and their offense really dazzled against Cleveland last week. That is a terrifying prospect.
Yet the Rays have potency, precision and unpredictability on their side. Despite being hit with a barrage of injuries, the bullpen still looks formidable. Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow are devasting, while Charlie Morton is dangerous and Diego Casillo, Nick Anderson and Pete Fairbanks can cause the Yankees all sorts of problems. Kevin Cash loves to keep his opponents guessing at the plate, constantly varying the order in which his relievers appear.
Tampa put up the second-lowest ERA in the regular season, behind only Cleveland, with Anderson putting up scary stats.
The only potential weakness for Tampa is the lineup. It could require a big performance from someone like Randy Arozarena or more heroics from the unheralded Mike Zunino and Hunter Renfroe for the Rays to edge the Yankees. William Hill makes them the +110 underdogs to win the series, which could prove to be a popular bet. Either way, it could well go to five games, and it promises to be tense, tight and extremely entertaining.
Can the Yankees Stay Healthy?
The Yankees were the red-hot favorites to win their division this year. However, they went 2-8 against the Rays and ended up finishing seven wins behind Tampa. The regular season proved to be a rollercoaster ride. A blistering start saw them go top with a 16-6 record, but they then lost 15 of their next 20 games. The Yankees rediscovered the momentum and won 10 in a row, only to go 2-6 in their final eight games.
There were serious question marks over this roster ahead of the playoffs. However, the Yankees answered their critics in emphatic fashion. They obliterated the Indians in the AL Wild Card Series, and their powerful offense was a joy to behold.
Gerritt Cole looks worth every penny, Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge are outrageously talented, and DJ LeMahieu, Luke Voit and Gio Urshela are all brilliant. Urshela in particular was devastating down the stretch. He hit .390 with a .433 on-base percentage during September, and then swung Game 2 in the AL Wild Card Series in the Yanks’ favor by smashing a go-ahead grand slam. He ended the series with three hits, five RBIs and three runs scored.
Yet Urshela is just one superstar within a vast collection. This lineup is utterly relentless, but the Yankees are patient, experienced and disciplined too. Most importantly, they are healthy, and the Yankees are the most dangerous team in baseball when healthy.
It is intriguing to see the MLB betting sites install the Yankees as odds-on favorites to topple the Rays in the Division Series, despite having a horrible regular season record against them. However, it is always difficult to paint the Yankees as underdogs due to the depth of quality within their ranks. They could win a first World Series if key men stay healthy, but that is a big if, particularly if they have to play 12 games in just 13 days.
Will Atlanta’s MVP Candidates Shine?
MVP candidates Freddie Freeman, Ronald Acuna Jr. and Marcell Ozuna lead a powerful Atlanta lineup into the Division Series. The Braves’ offense looks superior to that of Miami, so they have a great chance of surging through to the NLCS.
The Braves faced the Marlins 10 times during the regular season and secured six wins. In three of those victories, they scored nine or more runs, so they should go into this series full of confidence.
The Braves are the overwhelming favorites to beat the Marlins. 888 Sport has market leading odds of just -303 on them, and some sites will only offer -350. Despite the short odds, all the money is still going on the Braves, and it is easy to see why.
The pitching staff produced 22 straight scoreless innings against the Reds in the NL Wild Card Series sweep. Max Fried’s return to health has galvanized the bullpen, which now looks seriously impressive. Ian Anderson is a fantastic No. 2 starter behind Fried, and that duo could strike fear into the hearts of the Miami offense.
They may lack a bit of depth beyond Fried and Anderson, but Kyle Wright is decent and they have a few strong relievers within their ranks. The Marlins have provided a real feelgood story this year, but the Braves just look too loaded. If they can win that series, they are likely to face the Dodgers in a thrilling Championship Series.
Can the Padres Step Out of the Shadows?
The Padres are bidding to win their first NL West title since 2006 this year. It all went downhill after Bruce Bochy left, and they have been powerless to prevent the Dodgers from dominating the division in recent years. However, San Diego fans are now daring to dream of dethroning their vaunted SoCal rivals.
They may have finished second in their division, but the Padres had the third best record in the regular season, behind only the Dodgers and the Rays. They are now gearing up to face the Dodgers in an eagerly anticipated Division Series, and it promises to be an exhilarating battle for supremacy.
The Dodgers won six of their 10 meetings this year, and the Padres are +230 underdogs to win the series with William Hill. However, there are a few reasons for San Diego fans to feel optimistic.
The phenomenal Fernando Tatis Jr. leads a delightfully potent lineup. The 21-year-old superstar hit a pair of homers, five RBIs and three walks to lead his team to victory over the Cardinals in the Wild Card Series, going 5-11 in an eye-catching display. This is a team nicknamed Slam Diego after hitting a grand slam in four consecutive games earlier this year, and they are likely to give the Dodgers a run for their money.
However, their two best pitchers are struggling with injuries, and that could ultimately derail the Padres’ chances of stepping out of the large shadow cast by the Dodgers in the NL West. If they could rely on a fully fit Dinelson Lamet and Mike Clevinger, their clash with Los Angeles could develop into one of the greatest of all time, but as things stand it is hard to see the Padres toppling the Dodgers.
Can the Athletics Deal with Elite Pitching?
Oakland ended a run of nine straight defeats in do-or-die playoff games when they beat the White Sox in the final game of their Wild Card Series. It also represented their first playoff series victory since 2006, which should provide the team with a shot in the arm as they prepare to take on the Astros.
It is unlikely to be a classic series for neutral fans to watch. The A’s have one of the best bullpens in the business. It posted an MLB high 2.72 ERA in the regular season, which is seriously impressive. Chris Bassitt will start ALDS Game 1 and he is a genuine superstar, while there is a great deal of talented across the bullpen.
They restricted the Astros to a mere 2.5 runs per game during their 10 regular season meetings, and emerged with a 7-3 head-to-head record. That explains why the A’s are -133 favorites with 888 Sport to win this series, while the Astros are [11/10] underdogs.
However, the jury is still out on the Oakland offense. It finished in the bottom half of almost every offensive category in the majors this year, and it was pretty woeful against the White Sox. Oakland hit .194 in three games against White Sox, and only won Game 3 due to errors within the Chicago Bullpen. The A’s are significant outsiders to win the pennant due to their toothless offense, and it will struggle to hit elite pitching.
Do the Astros Have the Pitching Depth for a Deep Postseason Run?
The Astros will aim to pull off a slight upset when they tangle with Oakland in a delicately poised ALDS. The lineup is their key strength, whereas they lack depth in the bullpen, so it promises to develop into an absorbing clash of styles.
It is fair to say that the Astros are the least popular team left standing in the playoffs. The specter of the sign stealing scandal still looms large over the 713, and baseball fans across the world will be willing Kyle Tucker, Michael Brantley, Framber Valdez and Cristian Javier to fail.
The A’s certainly had their number in the regular season, but an Oakland win is by no means a foregone conclusion. Houston may lack many key components from recent playoff teams, but Zack Greinke, Lance McCullers Jr. and Ryan Pressly are all supremely reliable. Relative newcomers like Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, Carlos Correa and George Springer have all shown plenty of promise this year.
The Astros made short work of a strong Twins team last week, so they will carry a great deal of momentum into the Division Series. They need more length from the starting pitchers, and members of an inexperienced bullpen will have to step up, but they are in with a chance of success. There was a fight between the two teams earlier this year, so tensions will be running high. The A’s have the better team and should win the series, but anything can happen at this stage of the season.
Will the Bottom Feeders Feast on Atlanta?
The Marlins have now firmly embraced the “Bottom Feeders” nickname bestowed upon them by an exasperated Phillies analyst earlier this year. They relish the role of the underdog, and they managed to sweep the Cubs in the Wild Card Series.
There are undoubtedly concerns about a lineup that scored in just two out of 18 innings against the Cubs – they hit five in the seventh of Game 1, and two in the seventh inning of Game 2 – but the Cubs are blessed with strong starting pitchers. They have an impressive ability to hit at the right time, and they have already overcome all sorts of obstacles this year.
Miami shrugged off the worst Covid-19 outbreak of the year, and somehow kept on going despite being lumbered with an offense that ranked in the lower third in home runs, OPS and weighted on-based average.
They face a really stern test of their mettle against the Braves, but we should no longer be surprised if they pull off a few victories in tight, low-scoring games. Sixto Sanchez and Sandy Alcantara have impressed, but there is a depth issue in the bullpen, so the offense may need to become more prolific if Miami is to advance.
League Leaders
World Series Winners
Here is a list of all previous World Series winners - all the way back from 1903!
Year | Winner | Runner-Up | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2019 | Washington Nationals | Houston Astros | 4-3 |
2018 | Boston Red Sox | Los Angeles Dodgers | 4-1 |
2017 | Houston Astros | Los Angeles Dodgers | 4-3 |
2016 | Chicago Cubs | Cleveland Indians | 4-3 |
2015 | Kansas City Royals | New York Mets | 4-1 |
2014 | San Francisco Giants | Kansas City Royals | 4-3 |
2013 | Boston Red Sox | St. Louis Cardinals | 4-2 |
2012 | San Francisco Giants | Detroit Tigers | 4-0 |
2011 | St. Louis Cardinals | Texas Rangers | 4-3 |
2010 | San Francisco Giants | Texas Rangers | 4-1 |
2009 | New York Yankees | Philadelphia Phillies | 4-2 |
2008 | Philadelphia Phillies | Tampa Bay Rays | 4-1 |
2007 | Boston Red Sox | Colorado Rockies | 4-0 |
2006 | St. Louis Cardinals | Detroit Tigers | 4-1 |
2005 | Chicago White Sox | Houston Astros | 4-0 |
2004 | Boston Red Sox | St. Louis Cardinals | 4-0 |
2003 | Florida Marlins | New York Yankees | 4-2 |
2002 | Anaheim Angels | San Francisco Giants | 4-3 |
2001 | Arizona Diamondbacks | New York Yankees | 4-3 |
2000 | New York Yankees | New York Mets | 4-1 |
1999 | New York Yankees | Atlanta Braves | 4-0 |
1998 | New York Yankees | San Diego Padres | 4-0 |
1997 | Florida Marlins | Cleveland Indians | 4-3 |
1996 | New York Yankees | Atlanta Braves | 4-2 |
1995 | Atlanta Braves | Cleveland Indians | 4-2 |
1993 | Toronto Blue Jays | Philadelphia Phillies | 4-2 |
1992 | Toronto Blue Jays | Atlanta Braves | 4-2 |
1991 | Minnesota Twins | Atlanta Braves | 4-3 |
1990 | Cincinnati Reds | Oakland Athletics | 4-0 |
1989 | Oakland Athletics | San Francisco Giants | 4-0 |
1988 | Los Angeles Dodgers | Oakland Athletics | 4-1 |
1987 | Minnesota Twins | St. Louis Cardinals | 4-3 |
1986 | New York Mets | Boston Red Sox | 4-3 |
1985 | Kansas City Royals | St. Louis Cardinals | 4-3 |
1984 | Detroit Tigers | San Diego Padres | 4-1 |
1983 | Baltimore Orioles | Philadelphia Phillies | 4-1 |
1982 | St. Louis Cardinals | Milwaukee Brewers | 4-3 |
1981 | Los Angeles Dodgers | New York Yankees | 4-2 |
1980 | Philadelphia Phillies | Kansas City Royals | 4-2 |
1979 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Baltimore Orioles | 4-3 |
1978 | New York Yankees | Los Angeles Dodgers | 4-2 |
1977 | New York Yankees | Los Angeles Dodgers | 4-2 |
1976 | Cincinnati Reds | New York Yankees | 4-0 |
1975 | Cincinnati Reds | Boston Red Sox | 4-3 |
1974 | Oakland Athletics | Los Angeles Dodgers | 4-1 |
1973 | Oakland Athletics | New York Mets | 4-3 |
1972 | Oakland Athletics | Cincinnati Reds | 4-3 |
1971 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Baltimore Orioles | 4-3 |
1970 | Baltimore Orioles | Cincinnati Reds | 4-1 |
1969 | New York Mets | Baltimore Orioles | 4-1 |
1968 | Detroit Tigers | St. Louis Cardinals | 4-3 |
1967 | St. Louis Cardinals | Boston Red Sox | 4-3 |
1966 | Baltimore Orioles | Los Angeles Dodgers | 4-0 |
1965 | Los Angeles Dodgers | Minnesota Twins | 4-3 |
1964 | St. Louis Cardinals | New York Yankees | 4-3 |
1963 | Los Angeles Dodgers | New York Yankees | 4-0 |
1962 | New York Yankees | San Francisco Giants | 4-3 |
1961 | New York Yankees | Cincinnati Reds | 4-1 |
1960 | Pittsburgh Pirates | New York Yankees | 4-3 |
1959 | Los Angeles Dodgers | Chicago White Sox | 4-2 |
1958 | New York Yankees | Milwaukee Braves | 4-3 |
1957 | Milwaukee Braves | New York Yankees | 4-3 |
1956 | New York Yankees | Brooklyn Dodgers | 4-3 |
1955 | Brooklyn Dodgers | New York Yankees | 4-3 |
1954 | New York Giants | Cleveland Indians | 4-0 |
1953 | New York Yankees | Brooklyn Dodgers | 4-2 |
1952 | New York Yankees | Brooklyn Dodgers | 4-3 |
1951 | New York Yankees | New York Giants | 4-2 |
1950 | New York Yankees | Philadelphia Phillies | 4-0 |
1949 | New York Yankees | Brooklyn Dodgers | 4-1 |
1948 | Cleveland Indians | Boston Braves | 4-2 |
1947 | New York Yankees | Brooklyn Dodgers | 4-3 |
1946 | St. Louis Cardinals | Boston Red Sox | 4-3 |
1945 | Detroit Tigers | Chicago Cubs | 4-3 |
1944 | St. Louis Cardinals | St. Louis Browns | 4-2 |
1943 | New York Yankees | St. Louis Cardinals | 4-1 |
1942 | St. Louis Cardinals | New York Yankees | 4-1 |
1941 | New York Yankees | Brooklyn Dodgers | 4-1 |
1940 | Cincinnati Reds | Detroit Tigers | 4-3 |
1939 | New York Yankees | Cincinnati Reds | 4-0 |
1938 | New York Yankees | Chicago Cubs | 4-0 |
1937 | New York Yankees | New York Giants | 4-1 |
1936 | New York Yankees | New York Giants | 4-2 |
1935 | Detroit Tigers | Chicago Cubs | 4-2 |
1934 | St. Louis Cardinals | Detroit Tigers | 4-3 |
1933 | New York Giants | Washington Senators | 4-1 |
1932 | New York Yankees | Chicago Cubs | 4-0 |
1931 | St. Louis Cardinals | Philadelphia Athletics | 4-3 |
1930 | Philadelphia Athletics | St. Louis Cardinals | 4-2 |
1929 | Philadelphia Athletics | Chicago Cubs | 4-1 |
1928 | New York Yankees | St. Louis Cardinals | 4-0 |
1927 | New York Yankees | Pittsburgh Pirates | 4-0 |
1926 | St. Louis Cardinals | New York Yankees | 4-3 |
1925 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Washington Senators | 4-3 |
1924 | Washington Senators | New York Giants | 4-3 |
1923 | New York Yankees | New York Giants | 4-2 |
1922 | New York Giants | New York Yankees | 4-0 |
1921 | New York Giants | New York Yankees | 5-3 |
1920 | Cleveland Indians | Brooklyn Dodgers | 5-2 |
1919 | Cincinnati Reds | Chicago White Sox | 5-3 |
1918 | Boston Red Sox | Chicago Cubs | 4-2 |
1917 | Chicago White Sox | New York Giants | 4-2 |
1916 | Boston Red Sox | Brooklyn Dodgers | 4-1 |
1915 | Boston Red Sox | Philadelphia Phillies | 4-1 |
1914 | Boston Braves | Philadelphia Athletics | 4-0 |
1913 | Philadelphia Athletics | New York Giants | 4-1 |
1912 | Boston Red Sox | New York Giants | 4-3 |
1911 | Philadelphia Athletics | New York Giants | 4-2 |
1910 | Philadelphia Athletics | Chicago Cubs | 4-1 |
1909 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Detroit Tigers | 4-3 |
1908 | Chicago Cubs | Detroit Tigers | 4-1 |
1907 | Chicago Cubs | Detroit Tigers | 4-0 |
1906 | Chicago White Sox | Chicago Cubs | 4-2 |
1905 | New York Giants | Philadelphia Athletics | 4-1 |
1903 | Boston Red Sox | Pittsburgh Pirates | 5-3 |