The San Diego Padres sent shockwaves across the baseball world Tuesday, trading a sextet of players for 23-year-old superstar Juan Soto.
Soto was the winner of the MLB Home Run Derby in Los Angeles this year and is in the midst of another eye-popping season, with a 3.8 WAR (wins above replacement player), 21 home runs, and 46 RBIs for the last-place Washington Nationals.
His arrival in San Diego means the Padres have a fearsome hitter to complement power hitters Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr.
It also means the Friars find themselves skyrocketing up sports betting operators’ World Series and Senior Circuit odds boards.
Here’s a breakdown of where the Padres and L.A. Dodgers stand entering the home stretch of the MLB regular season.
There is no legal California sports betting.
But two initiatives are on the ballot for November. One, backed by national online sports betting brands, officially qualified for the ballot in late June.
World Series Odds 2022
Padres Rapidly Climb MLB Futures Boards
BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbook oddsmakers are keen on the Dodgers chances to win it all, but the Padres are an intriguing option for sports bettors down the stretch.
The acquisition of Soto, who has put up a 21.4 WAR across five MLB seasons, in addition to veteran first baseman Josh Bell in Tuesday’s deadline day trade, means the Padres have emerged as the frontrunner to challenge their SoCal rivals.
At BetMGM, the Dodgers are still the No. 1 World Series betting favorite with +350 odds. The Padres, though, lurk in the shadows, coming in at No. 5 at +1000.
Over at Caesars Sportsbook, the Dodgers are tied atop the World Series board at +360, while the Padres are again at +1000 to win the franchise’s first title this fall.
As far as NL odds are concerned, Los Angeles is listed at +160 to capture the pennant on BetMGM, while San Diego is listed at +475.
The Emperor has the Dodgers at +160 to win the NL, with the Padres at +475 on the Vegas mainstay’s board.
Odds to Win the NL West
Player Props to Keep an Eye On
BetMGM also lists a pair of SoCal players on its awards boards, in Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove and Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts.
Musgrove currently ranks fourth overall on the operator’s NL Cy Young list at +1600, while Betts ranks fourth with Pete Alonso of the Mets on their NL MVP list at +1800.
It’s worth mentioning the last Padres pitcher to win a Cy Young was Jake Peavy in 2007 — Mark Davis (1989), Gaylord Perry (1978) and Randy Jones (1976) are the other Padres to win the award.
Betts would be the first Dodger since Cody Bellinger in 2019 to win the NL MVP if he’s able to keep up his current pace — Betts also won the AL MVP with Boston in 2018.
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