Dodgers Overtake Astros as 2019 World Series Favorites

• The Los Angeles Dodgers’ 43 wins are the most in the Majors right now
• Cody Bellinger is the current favorite to win the National League’s MVP award
• Hyun-Jin Ryu hasn’t allowed a single run in five of his last six starts

The Houston Astros continue to play well, even through injuries that would devastate lesser teams. But it’s the Los Angeles Dodgers who have moved into the favorite’s role to win the 2019 World Series thanks to an incredible hot streak. The Astros are now +300, while the Dodgers are at +275.

Are the Dodgers the best bet to win it all at this point or should betters roll with the Astros, who are now offering a better payday?

2019 World Series Odds

*Odds taken 06/05/2019

Astros Playing Well, Dodgers Playing Better

The Astros have lost the top spot but it’s not as if they’ve fallen off. They enter Wednesday having won five straight and nine of their last 11 games, and that’s with Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, and George Springer sidelined.

The issue is that the Dodgers have been even better.

Los Angeles was 8-8 at one point this season but has won 35 of its last 46 games. They’re currently riding a seven-game winning streak and are playing lights-out baseball.

They’ve Answered All Of The Questions…So Far

If you were worried about the Dodgers offense heading into the season – especially after they batted just .205 as a team in the playoffs – those concerns have been allayed. The Dodgers are second in runs scored (338), third in batting average (.266) and OPS (.825) and sixth in home runs (98).

Teamwork.

(Dodgers x @JimBeam)

?: https://t.co/RS5XR5SG03 pic.twitter.com/EpdrfV1MSQ

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 5, 2019

Cody Bellinger was a star before but now he’s a superstar. He is having an incredible season and is arguably the frontrunner for MVP. He’s batting .374 with 20 home runs and 54 RBI’s in just 59 games.

As for the pitching, some people were worried about the depth behind Clayton Kershaw. Well, Hyun-Jin Ryu has elevated himself into an All-Star, going 9-1 with a 0.78 WHIP. He’s allowed zero runs in five of his last six starts. Walker Buehler has thrown well, too, posting a 1.00 WHIP and 3.69 ERA.

How ? has @HyunJinRyu99 been?

? 9-1 record
? 1.35 ERA
? Has allowed zero runs in 5 of his last 6 starts.
? Allowed 2 runs or less in all 12 of his starts this year. pic.twitter.com/iu8Trfr7DH

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 5, 2019

If there’s a hole on this roster, it’s hard to find it at this point.

Playoffs Still A Concern

It’s important to remember that the Dodgers were a 92-win team last season, had 104 wins in 2017 and 91 wins in 2016. They’ve actually won at least 91 games in six straight seasons. The issue has been the playoffs as they consistently underachieve there.

The Dodgers lost in five games in the World Series last year and in seven in 2017. The previous four years they lost in the first two rounds. It’s not that they’ve been far from a ring; many teams would cherish to have the recent “losing” playoffs history they have. However, they haven’t elevated their play when need the most.

Astros Are Still My Bet

There’s no question that the Dodgers are probably the deepest, best team in baseball right now. However, I think the Astros are still the better bet. They have one less win and one more loss but their lineup has been gutted with injuries. Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa and George Springer are out, yet they are still playing well.

With slight drop in price, this would be a chance to buy-in and I’m up for that.