Red Sox, Yankees remain co-World Series favorites

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If Manny Machado signed with the New York Yankees, then they would have more than likely been favored to dethrone the Boston Red Sox as World Series champions in 2019. Instead, Machado landed with the San Diego Padres, so the Red Sox and Yankees remain listed as +600 co-favorites (bet $100 to win $600) on the World Series odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.

Now the baseball world is waiting on free agent Bryce Harper to decide where he is going to play this season. However, more National League teams like the Philadelphia Phillies and Washington Nationals are still the favorites right now as pitchers and catchers have reported.

The big questions for the Red Sox include whether or not they can continue their momentum from their magical postseason run in 2018 that led to a ninth World Series title, and have the Yankees done enough to surpass them as the team to beat in the American League?

The Houston Astros are in the mix as the +800 third choice on the odds to win the World Series as well after taking home their first title two years ago against the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are right there with them again at +800. Boston took care of Houston in last year's playoffs, winning four straight in the American League Championship Series following a loss in Game 1.

The Dodgers edged the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 in the National League Championship Series to get back to the World Series for the second year in a row and then lost 4-1 to the Red Sox.

Philadelphia leads the second group of contenders to win the 2019 World Series at +1400 along with the St. Louis Cardinals, who acquired first baseman Paul Goldschmidt from the Arizona Diamondbacks in the offseason in an effort to get them past the Brewers (+1600) and Chicago Cubs (also +1400) in the NL Central.

The Phillies figure to move up into the top tier if Harper joins them while the Nationals would probably rise from +1600 if he re-signs there.

The Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Indians are two more teams to consider in the NL and AL, respectively, with both of them at +1600. Despite adding Machado, the Padres are longer shots to win the World Series at +4000 due to a lack of quality starting pitching and depth in a tough NL West where the Colorado Rockies (+2500) could be a factor again this year.

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