Major League Baseball is coming back. The 2020 MLB season is set to kick off next month, with the league planning Opening Day for July 23 or 24. MLB announced plans for a season Tuesday night as commissioner Rob Manfred mandated a schedule after owners and the Players Association failed to reach a new deal about a return-to-play plan.
However, the two sides did find common ground on a new health and safety protocol and players are set to report to "spring" training by July 1. Some hurdles remain, but MLB hopes to be playing ball again in a month with a 60-game sprint of a regular season before a more traditional 10-game postseason in October.
The shortened season could very well play out differently than what we might've seen over 162 games (the 2019 champion Nationals were 27-33 through 60 games, after all), but the usual suspects are still the favorites to win it all. The New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers -- who are both ready to debut new stars in Gerrit Cole and Mookie Betts -- head into the 60-game season with the best World Series odds, per William Hill Sportsbook. The Dodgers are the favorite by a slight margin. Dave Roberts' club has 13/4 (+325) odds, while Aaron Boone's Yankees have 7/2 (+350) odds.
The Astros have the third-best World Series odds in baseball at 12/1, while the Twins, A's, Braves, Nationals, Mets, Angels and Cubs have odds of 20/1 or better.
Things are bound to change once play resumes, and each game will carry more weight this year. Below are the updated 2020 World Series odds following MLB's return-to-play announcement.
(All odds from William Hill Sportsbook as of June 24)
World Series odds
- Dodgers: 13/4
- Yankees: 7/2
- Astros: 12/1
- Twins: 16/1
- A's: 16/1
- Braves: 17/1
- Nationals: 18/1
- Mets: 18/1
- Angels: 18/1
- Cubs: 20/1
- Rays: 22/1
- Reds: 22/1
- Cardinals: 30/1
- Indians: 30/1
- Phillies: 30/1
- White Sox: 30/1
- Red Sox: 35/1
- Brewers: 40/1
- Diamondbacks: 50/1
- Padres: 50/1
- Rangers: 100/1
- Giants: 125/1
- Rockies: 200/1
- Blue Jays: 200/1
- Pirates: 300/1
- Mariners: 300/1
- Royals: 300/1
- Orioles: 500/1
- Tigers: 500/1
- Marlins: 500/1
