2020 World Series odds: Dodgers close gap on Yankees following Betts trade

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The New York Yankees may be World Series favorites, but the Los Angeles Dodgers have closed the gap.

It had been a frustrating offseason for the Dodgers, missing out on signing Gerrit Cole and Anthony Rendon, and then finding out the Houston Astros cheated to beat them in the 2017 World Series.

That all changed on Tuesday night following L.A.'s acquisition of superstar Mookie Betts from the Boston Red Sox.

The former American League MVP joins reigning National League MVP Cody Bellinger in a star-studded Dodgers lineup that led the NL in runs, home runs, slugging, OPS, and WAR last season.

Betts' arrival also gives Los Angeles the second-best title odds, just behind the Yankees.

*only teams with odds 20-1 or shorter are displayed

After opening at 6-1 last month, the Dodgers are as low as 7-2 in some places to win the World Series, and they're now 3-2 favorites to represent the NL in the World Series.

The NL West was hardly competitive before the trade, and it's even less so now, with Los Angeles moving to 1-8 to win its eighth successive division crown. Its win total received a slight bump from 99.5 to 100.5.

Betts, who is due to make an arbitration record $27 million this season, provides the Dodgers with a much-needed right-handed bat in an otherwise left-heavy lineup. The 27-year-old will be a free agent following the 2020 season.

The four-time All-Star slashed .295/.391/.524 over 150 games in 2019, but he failed to reach the 20-20 mark for the first time since 2015, finishing eighth in MVP voting.

For the Red Sox, the deal is a dark cloud over the franchise that signals its passage into a clear rebuild. The team is receiving heavy criticism for the trade, which will save a marginal amount of money for billionaire owner John Henry while sinking Boston's World Series chances.

The Red Sox odds have lengthened from 22-1 to 33-1 following the deal, with their win total dropping from 88.5 to 86.5.

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.