The 2018 World Series ended on Sunday night, with the Boston Red Sox knocking off the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games. Baseball never sleeps, however, and free agency is just a few days away from officially beginning. As such, oddsmakers were quick to put out their figures on which teams are the likeliest to sign the winter's top free agents, like Bryce Harper and Manny Machado. Their answer, apparently, is the same team: the Philadelphia Phillies.
Take a look at Bovada's odds:
Updated odds for what team Bryce Harper will be on for the first game of the 2019 regular season (@BovadaOfficial):
— OddsShark (@OddsShark) October 29, 2018
Phillies EVEN
Cubs +300
Nationals +400
Giants +750
Yankees +800
Dodgers +850
Red Sox +1500
Angels +1500
Opening odds for which team Manny Machado will be on for the first game of the 2019 regular season (@BovadaOfficial):
— OddsShark (@OddsShark) October 29, 2018
Phillies +150
Dodgers +225
Yankees +300
Marlins +800
Angels +900
Braves +1400
Nationals +1400
Everyone's mileage may vary on these kinds of things. But even as a thought experiment, the Phillies do seem primed to go hog wild after their disappointing finish to the season. Signing Harper and Machado would give them two middle-of-the-order sticks who happen to be younger than the standard free agent. Those deals would enable them to trade Maikel Franco and an outfielder for help elsewhere. Will it happen? Hey, who knows. It is fun to think about though.
Harper's agent, Scot Boras (who used to also be Machado's agent), did say last week that the star outfielder has a deal in place already and knows who he'll be suiting up for in 2019. Though it's unclear how serious Boras was when he made the comment.
Fellow high-profile free agents Clayton Kershaw and Craig Kimbrel, meanwhile, are expected to return to their current teams: The Dodgers and Red Sox. Here are the Bovada odds on the two pitchers:
Opening odds for which team Clayton Kershaw will be on for the first game of the 2019 regular season (@BovadaOfficial):
— OddsShark (@OddsShark) October 29, 2018
Dodgers -150
Rangers +375
Astros +375
Cubs +800
Giants +800
Yankees +850
Reds +1600
Opening odds for which team Craig Kimbrel will be on for the first game of the 2019 regular season (@BovadaOfficial):
— OddsShark (@OddsShark) October 29, 2018
Red Sox EVEN
Braves +225
Cubs +500
Dodgers +500
Phillies +500
Tune in tomorrow when we break down the favorites to land Dixon Machado.