Blue Jays still getting World Series respect from oddsmakers

Odds just might be in the favour of the Toronto Blue Jays to make the World Series.

It’s been an up-and-down season for Toronto, who currently sit at 70-59 and occupy the third Wild Card spot in the American League. Despite that, oddsmakers are continuing to give the Blue Jays a high level of respect with regards to World Series odds.

The Blue Jays have the fifth-best record in the AL, but actually hold the third-best odds in the American League at winning the pennant this season.

Toronto sits behind both Tampa Bay and Seattle in the AL standings, but oddsmakers like the Blue Jays’ chances of figuring it out in the postseason a little more.

Stake.com is showing the Jays at 38/5 odds to make it to the Fall Classic out of the American League, sitting behind just the Houston Astros and New York Yankees. It, of course, would be the first World Series appearance for Toronto in 29 years, after winning back-to-back titles in 1992 and 1993.

The Jays have 3/25 odds to make the playoffs (i.e. very good) and 189/10 odds to win it all, the sixth-best odds of any team in either league.

This year, MLB has seen the introduction of the three-game Wild Card series, as well as six teams per league making the playoffs.

As the standings look right now, Toronto would visit Cleveland for as many as three games in a best-of-three set to look to land a spot in the American League Division series.

Toronto hasn’t hosted a playoff game at the Rogers Centre since the 2016 ALCS, where they fell to Cleveland in five games.

American League odds to advance to World Series

1. Houston Astros, 3/2
2. New York Yankees, 19/10
3. Toronto Blue Jays, 38/5
4. Seattle Mariners, 89/10
5. Tampa Bay Rays, 54/5
6. Cleveland Guardians, 101/5
7. Minnesota Twins, 26/1
8. Chicago White Sox, 143/5
9. Baltimore Orioles, 51/1
10. Boston Red Sox, 124/1
11. Texas Rangers, 1499/1
12. Los Angeles Angels, 1699/1
13. Kansas City Royals, 3199/1
14. Oakland Athletics, 3899/1
15. Detroit Tigers, 3899/1

National League odds to advance to World Series

1. Los Angeles Dodgers, 3/2
2. New York Mets, 23/10
3. Atlanta Braves, 87/20
4. St. Louis Cardinals, 91/10
5. San Diego Padres, 23/2
6. Philadelphia Phillies, 69/5
7. Milwaukee Brewers, 112/5
8. San Francisco Giants, 374/1
9. Arizona Diamondbacks, 999/1
10. Chicago Cubs, 1399/1
11. Miami Marlins, 1599/1
12. Colorado Rockies, 1899/1
13. Cincinnati Reds, 2799/1
14. Pittsburgh Pirates, 3399/1
15. Washington Nationals, 4699/1