NL Division Winner Odds: Top Teams to Win Each Division

If you are looking for good division races as we are close to entering August, you will want to avoid the National League with all three leaders up by at least six games as of publication.

We break down that trio with their odds provided by MyBookie and whether there’s any point fading one of them.

National League East: Phillies MLB Pick -1205

Good thing the Phillies have an 8.5-game lead over the Atlanta Braves (+620) because the Phils are not playing well of late as they and NL Cy Young candidate Zack Wheeler were smashed in a series opener Monday by the Yankees, 14-7.

The seven runs were the second-most Wheeler has given up this season, as were the three long balls.

Philadelphia, once 61-32 and on pace to win 106 games, has now dropped nine of 13.

The offense is batting just .225 with a .702 OPS in this 4-9 stretch. Philadelphia hit .260 with a .755 OPS before.

Still, it’s just too big of a gap for the Braves to make up at this point even if they were to swing a blockbuster trade by today’s deadline.

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MyBookie MLB Wager Lines to Win Today

National League Central: Brewers MLB Pick -461

Milwaukee got a huge addition on Sunday but it wasn’t via trade. Instead, All-Star closer Devin Williams made his season debut off injury.

He was diagnosed with stress fractures in his back in spring training.

Williams protected a four-run lead in the ninth inning in Sunday’s win over the Marlins as he allowed a single and a walk, and struck out one. He threw 24 pitches.

The 30-year-old has been one of the game’s top relievers the last few seasons, pitching with a 1.97 ERA with a stellar 38.7% strikeout rate from 2021-23.

Williams could go right back to closing even though Trevor Magill has pitched really well in that role, going 20 for 22 in save chances and pitching to a 2.41 ERA.

Magill landed on the 15-day IL on Monday with a lower back injury. Megill will undergo an MRI to determine the extent of the damage.

I do think the Cardinals (+820), who are seven games back, have an outside shot to catch Milwaukee with St. Louis playing a lot better in recent weeks and upgrading the rotation and outfield on Monday by acquiring righty Erick Fedde and outfielder/former Cardinal Tommy Pham from the White Sox in a deal that also included the Dodgers.

Fedde, 31, left MLB to pitch in Korea in 2023 to try to get his career back on track.

He appears to have done just that, going 7-4 with a 3.11 ERA over 21 starts this season with the rebuilding White Sox.

Forced to be creative because of financial constraints both this season and in 2023, per a source, the Cardinals had to try to send out as much payroll as they were taking back in any potential deal.

National League West: Dodgers MLB Pick -2273

The Dodgers made a relatively important trade on Monday in acquiring utility man Tommy Edman from St. Louis and hard-throwing reliever Michael Kopech from the White Sox in a three-team deal.

Edman has yet to play for the Cardinals this season following surgery on his right wrist and his return attempts during the season were halted twice because of a right ankle sprain suffered when he awkwardly stepped on second base while fielding ground balls. But he adds needed versatility to the roster.

Edman has spent four-plus seasons in the big leagues, playing second base, shortstop, third base and all three outfield positions.

The Dodgers are without two infielders on the IL currently in Mookie Betts and Max Muncy.

While Betts should be back at some point in August, Manager Dave Roberts said recently that Muncy’s rehab progress from a strained right oblique has been “stagnant.”

Kopech is a former starter who has been used exclusively out of the ’pen in 2024 and saved nine games while pitching 43 2/3 innings of 4.74 ERA ball.

The ERA isn’t going to draw much fanfare, but Kopech has averaged 98.5 mph on his four-seamer, fanned 30.9% of his opponents and generated a gaudy 14.1% swinging-strike rate.

San Diego (+1725) has been playing as well as anyone out of the break and is 6.5 games back.

The Padres open a two-game home series vs. the Dodgers on Tuesday night and the Friars might have a chance at the division if they sweep.

We do expect them to earn a wild-card spot.

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