Author: rincon

Only two MLB division winners from last season are expected to repeat this season, meaning parity is alive and well in baseball.

Let’s check out the division winner odds at DraftKings Sportsbook as of March 24, as well as what to know about each division.

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NL WEST 

Dodgers: -650 (bet $10 to win $11.54 total)
Padres: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)
Giants: +1700 (bet $10 to win $180 total)
Diamondbacks: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)
Rockies: +30000 (bet $10 to win $3,010 total)

What to know: It’s the Dodgers’ to lose again. L.A. has won four straight and 12 of the last 13. The last time a different team won the NL West was in 2021, when the Giants took the division … before losing to the Dodgers in the NL Divisional Round.

NL EAST

Mets: +140 (bet $10 to win $24 total)
Phillies: +175 (bet $10 to win $27.50 total)
Braves: +250 (bet $10 to win $35 total)
Marlins: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)
Nationals: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)

What to know: The Mets last won the division in 2015, and that same year, they lost in the World Series to the Royals. The Braves won six straight from 2018-2023, before the Phillies won it in 2024 and 2025. Each of the last four NL East winners have lost their first postseason series, and are a combined 4-12 in those series.

NL CENTRAL

Cubs: +110 (bet $10 to win $21 total)
Brewers: +235 (bet $10 to win $33.50 total)
Reds: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total)
Pirates: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total)
Cardinals: +2800 (bet $10 to win $290 total)

What to know: Milwaukee has won four of the last five, and the Cubs last won it in 2020. The Brewers defeated the Cubs in the NLDS last season before losing to the Dodgers in the NLCS. It stands as Milwaukee’s only postseason series win during that span of four division titles in five years. 

AL WEST

Mariners: +100 (bet $10 to win $20 total)
Astros: +250 (bet $10 to win $35 total)
Rangers: +340 (bet $10 to win $44 total)
Athletics: +1300 (bet $10 to win $140 total)
Angels: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)

What to know: The Mariners will look to make it two straight, having captured their first division title since 2001 in 2025. The winner of the AL West has won at least one playoff series every year dating back to 2017, with the exception of 2024. Houston has won seven of the last nine AL West titles. 

AL EAST

Yankees: +180 (bet $10 to win $28 total)
Blue Jays: +250 (bet $10 to win $35 total)
Red Sox: +320 (bet $10 to win $42 total)
Orioles: +425 (bet $10 to win $52.50 total)
Rays: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)

What to know: Parity has been the theme in this division over the last 20 years. Since 2006, the Yankees have won the division seven times, the Red Sox five times, the Rays four times, the Jays twice and the Orioles twice. The last two AL East winners, and four of the last eight, have made it to the World Series, where each has faced the Dodgers. L.A. is 3-1 in those series, with Boston winning in 2018.

AL CENTRAL

Tigers: +110 (bet $10 to win $21 total)
Royals: +225 (bet $10 to win $32.50 total)
Guardians: +425 (bet $10 to win $52.50 total)
Twins: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)
White Sox: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)

What to know: The Guardians have won three of the last four and six of the last 10. The Tigers haven’t won it since 2014, and won four straight from 2011 to 2014. The AL Central represented the American League in the World Series in both 2015 and 2016. 

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

A lot of history has a chance to be made when it comes to MLB MVP awards this season. 

Let’s check out the odds for the AL and NL MVP race at DraftKings Sportsbook as of March 24.

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American League MVP

Aaron Judge: +215 (bet $10 to win $31.50 total)
Bobby Witt Jr.: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)
Cal Raleigh: +1100 (bet $10 to win $120 total)
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: +1300 (bet $10 to win $140 total)
Roman Anthony: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Nick Kurtz: +1500 (bet $10 to win $160 total)
Gunnar Henderson: +1500 (bet $10 to win $160 total)
Jose Ramirez: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)

What to know: Last year’s race was as close as it gets between Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh, with Judge receiving 17 first-place votes and Raleigh receiving 13. In the end, it was Judge winning his third AL MVP in four years, with him and Shohei Ohtani both repeating in their respective leagues. While Raleigh led the majors in home runs and the AL in RBIs, Judge led MLB in WAR, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging and OPS. Judge’s three MVP awards are tied with a host of MLB legends for the third-most all-time, including Yankee icons Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio and Yogi Berra.

National League MVP

Shohei Ohtani: -145 (bet $10 to win $16.90 total)
Juan Soto: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)
Ronald Acuna Jr.: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)
Fernando Tatis Jr.: +1900 (bet $10 to win $200 total)
Elly De La Cruz: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Bryce Harper: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Kyle Schwarber: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Paul Skenes: +2800 (bet $10 to win $290 total)

What to know: Ohtani will look to make more history via the MVP award this season. Two seasons ago, Ohtani became the first player in league history to record 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases. Then last season, he became the first player in league history to hit 50 home runs and record 50 strikeouts. With that, he won back-to-back NL MVP awards for the first time since Albert Pujols did it in 2008 and 2009. He won the AL MVP in 2023 and NL MVP in 2024, making him the first player in MLB history to win MVP back-to-back in each league. This year, if Ohtani is to win NL MVP, he will make a dent in Barry Bonds’ record of four straight MVP wins (2001-2004). All four of Ohtani’s MVP wins have been unanimous, with him receiving all 30 first-place votes. He has the second-most MVPs in history, trailing only Bonds’ seven.

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Outfielder Randy Arozarena insists everything is cool between him and his Seattle Mariners teammate Cal Raleigh after he made expletive-laden comments about the star catcher during the World Baseball Classic. Arozarena also apologized for the remarks he made about Raleigh.

“I understand that with Opening Day a few days away, I don’t want it to be a distraction. Cal and I have talked and I apologized for what I said after the game,” Arozarena said in a statement provided by the Mariners on Saturday. “Nothing in the WBC takes away from the fact that we are brothers and teammates. He’s family, and we are both focused on helping the Mariners win the World Series.”

Raleigh also expressed his appreciation for Arozarena following the Mariners’ 7-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs in their Cactus League game on Saturday night.

“We talked it out, and everything went great,” Raleigh said. “Randy knows that I love him, and he’s a brother, and it’s in the past and none of us are carrying this forward. We’re in a good spot. We talked it out. We were both sorry, and we both got in a good place and we’re both happy to be here, too. It was really good walking in the door and seeing everybody. As fun as [the WBC] was, it was nice to feel back here. It feels like the family’s all back together in a way.”

The drama between the two Mariners teammates was sparked by a moment during Team USA’s win over Mexico in pool play of the World Baseball Classic. During the March 9 matchup, Raleigh (playing for Team USA) turned down a handshake from Arozarena when he went up to the plate for Mexico. 

Following the game, Arozarena used profane language when discussing Raleigh’s actions in an interview with Mexican journalist Luis Gilbert. Arozarena said Raleigh could “f— off” and “go to hell” in Spanish. 

Arozarena opted not to speak about his comments when he returned to the Mariners this past week, saying “the WBC is behind us now.” Raleigh also downplayed his teammate’s remarks when he met with reporters the day after Arozarena made them. The star catcher iterated that there was “no beef” between the two and apologized to Arozarena if he felt disrespected by the situation. 

Now, Arozarena and Raleigh will look to lift the Mariners to back-to-back AL West titles and another deep postseason. Arozarena hit a career-high 27 homers in his first full season with the Mariners in 2025, adding 76 RBIs and 31 stolen bases. As for Raleigh, he made history with his 60 home runs last season, which marked the most ever for a catcher in a single season. 

The Mariners will open their season with a four-game home series against the Cleveland Guardians beginning on Thursday. 

 

 

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

The Philadelphia Phillies have agreed to a new six-year contract with Opening Day starter Cristopher Sánchez.

The deal announced Sunday for last season’s NL Cy Young Award runner-up begins in 2027 and will run through 2032 with a club option for 2033.

Terms were not made immediately available by the team. However, the deal will include $103 million in new money, ESPN reported.

Sánchez had been pitching under a $22.5 million, four-year contract that was through the 2028 season.

He went 13-5 with a 2.50 ERA in 32 starts last season and struck out a career-high 212 batters. He’s 30-21 overall in four full big league seasons.

Originally signed by the Tampa Bay Rays as an amateur free agent in 2013, Sánchez was acquired in a trade by the Phillies on Nov. 20, 2019, for infielder Curtis Mead.

Mead played in just 41 games for the Chicago White Sox last season, while Sánchez has blossomed into one of the best pitchers in baseball and helped key the Phillies’ run to consecutive NL East titles in 2024 and 2025.

The Phillies want to keep their postseason run going — four straight appearances headed into 2026 — and have locked up all veteran members of their staff to long-term deals.

Jesus Luzardo earlier this month finalized a $135 million, five-year contract that starts in 2027. Zack Wheeler has a $126 million deal through the 2027 and Aaron Nola a $172 million, seven-year agreement through 2030. Rookie Andrew Painter is under team control through 2031 and earned the fifth starter spot in the rotation.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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