The 2023 World Series may seem like a long way off, and that’s because it is — but it’s also true that the eventual winner usually comes from a select band of contenders that made their presence known early on in the season. And this season is unlikely to be any different. While there’s always a chance that a team comes out of nowhere and roars its way to the title, we’re pretty confident that it’ll be one of the teams that we’ve outlined down below.
So, without any further introduction, let’s take a look at which teams may well be dreaming of lifting the Commissioner’s Trophy.
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros were deserving winners of the 2022 World Series, so it’ll be no surprise if they go all the way this time around, too. They’re not quite the favorites to win, but they’re near the top, and that’s in large part due to the clever acquisitions they made in the off-season.
They’ve lost Justin Verlander, but they should be able to soften that blow thanks to Jose Urquidy and Framber Valdez. They’ll also benefit from the new MLB rules that allow shift hitting — the Astros lost more than 200 hits thanks to this rule between 2020 and 2022, more than any other team.
Now that the rules favor their batters, they’ll be winning more games.
Tampa Bay Rays
If you’ve been following baseball news, then you’ll know that the Tampa Bay Rays are having a moment. They’ve made the best start in MLB history, opening the campaign with 13 victories and zero defeats. Despite that, they still trail in the list of favorites to win the World Series. In fact, they’re positively outsiders.
Still, with early season form like this, there’ll be a lot of people using a free betting offer from OddsChecker to back the Tampa Bay Rays to go all the way. They’ve got a lot of outstanding baseball players on their roster, which suggests this is more than a lucky couple of weeks. They’ll likely plateau at some point, but they’ve shown they can handle pressure — and that can take a team a very long way in the pursuit of World Series glory.
New York Yankees
Is there ever a season when the New York Yankees aren’t tipped for World Series success? With a wage bill like theirs, the side has to be in contention. In recent years they’ve always underperformed, but that hasn’t stopped Yankees fans from dreaming.
This year, their dreams are grounded in reality a little more than they used to be, with good pitchers and reliable batters back from long-term injuries. And who knows if Aaron Judge can have one more great season to take the trophy back to New York?
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are the favorites to win the World Series, and it’s pretty easy to see why. They seem to be firing on all cylinders. They’ve got a killer starting lineup, which always helps, but crucially they’ve got a lot of reliable and useful backup, which can make all the difference once you enter the postseason. They haven’t started the season well, but that could actually be a blessing — they’re still winning games despite their key players underperforming. Once they hit their groove, the other teams better watch out.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers may not look as strong as they were last year, but they’re still stacked with talent. With Will Smith, Max Muncy, and J.D. Martinez all hitting form, we can expect the Dodgers to go far this year, if not all the way.
But There’s a Long Way To Go
The above teams will all have eyes on the World Series, but there’s a long way to go. One injury can derail a team’s chances, after all. For now, we’ll have to just keep a lookout on what should turn out to be an enchanting season of baseball.
