MLB postseason betting preview: World Series, pennant, and wild-card odds

The grueling MLB regular season is officially in the books, and 12 teams enter October with a chance to lift the Commissioner's Trophy.

The top two teams from each league earned a bye, and the remaining four squads from each circuit will compete in the wild-card round beginning Tuesday. Let's take a look at who's favored to win the World Series, the respective league pennants, and the wild-card matchups.

World Series odds

⚾️ Check out the full World Series and playoff odds on ESPN BET and theScore Bet here

Although the Phillies are the No. 2 seed in the National League behind the Brewers, a loaded lineup and pitching staff earned Philadelphia its spot atop the oddsboard. The Phillies have made the postseason in four straight years, and the pressure is mounting after disappointing playoff exits in the last two campaigns.

The defending champion Dodgers had a worse regular season than last year, but their roster is similar to that championship group. While the Brewers finished with the league's best record this year, their elimination in last season's wild-card series after winning 93 games has left bettors and fans skeptical of their chances in 2025.

Although the NL is significantly better and deeper than the AL, somebody has to win the American League. While the Blue Jays are the top seed, the Mariners are one of the hottest teams entering the playoffs. The Yankees tied the Blue Jays for the AL's best record, but Toronto won the tiebreaker, meaning the Yankees face their rival Red Sox in the wild-card round.

The Dodgers and Phillies have received substantially more World Series bets than any other team, while the 6-seeded Tigers have garnered the third-most World Series action.

American League pennant odds

⚾️ Check out the full playoff odds on ESPN BET and theScore Bet here

The Mariners avoid the Blue Jays, Yankees, and Red Sox until at least the ALCS, which explains their short odds to win the pennant. The problem is that the Mariners haven't been in the playoffs since 2022. It's challenging to make a deep run without being able to draw on much experience. While the Yankees have a tough opening matchup, they've got plenty of playoff experience after winning the AL pennant last year.

National League pennant odds

⚾️ Check out the full playoff odds on ESPN BET and theScore Bet here

Despite dealing with various injuries, the Phillies appear equipped for a deep run. Zack Wheeler is out for the season, but Cristopher Sánchez, Ranger Suárez, Jesús Luzardo, and Aaron Nola are MLB's best starting ensemble. Philly also had a successful trade deadline, adding closer Jhoan Duran and an extra bat in Harrison Bader. Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and Trea Turner carried Philly throughout the season. Fans have watched the Phillies' bats go cold in critical playoff moments, but this could be the year they break through.

National League teams with a bye - and an entire week off - have struggled since the new playoff format was introduced. The 6-seed has made it to at least the NLCS the last three seasons. The Reds are the 6-seed this year. However, the odds reflect the wide talent gap separating the Phillies, Dodgers, and Brewers from the rest of the NL.

Wild-card series odds

Yankees vs. Red Sox

Does it get any better than one of the most storied sports rivalries taking center stage in the postseason? The Yankees are red-hot, having won nine of their last 10 games and 15 of their last 20. But the Red Sox have a trustworthy rotation and dominated the Yankees this season, winning nine of their 13 meetings.

Cubs vs. Padres

The Cubs' starting pitching, which has struggled recently, won't have an easy time handling Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. in the Padres' lineup. Chicago's offense carried it through the first half of the season but cooled off down the stretch. That said, the Cubs might have success against San Diego's pitching. The Padres don't have much depth behind Game 1 starter Nick Pivetta, making the opener a must-win for the Padres.

Guardians vs. Tigers

The Tigers have the likely AL Cy Young winner in Tarik Skubal, who will pitch Game 1 and give Detroit a massive leg up in the series. He only allowed two earned runs against the Guardians in 28 innings pitched. While the Tigers have a high strikeout rate, Cleveland's is worse. Even at home, it's hard to trust the Guardians to string together the necessary at-bats to win two out of three games.

Dodgers vs. Reds

It would be truly shocking for the Reds to eliminate the Dodgers. It's not like Cincinnati snuck into the playoffs by playing well: The Mets' historic collapse led to the Reds' berth. Cincinnati has a losing record in its last 40 games. The Dodgers are better by a remarkable margin. Even in a best-of-three series where anything can happen, it's hard to envision a scenario where the Reds advance.

Sam Oshtry is a sports writer at theScore. You can follow him on X @soshtry for more betting coverage.

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