MLB Playoffs Odds: 2023 Wild Card Series

Betting preview for the MLB playoffs

Follow my early MLB Playoffs odds, updates and posts on OSGA and Forbes, where I provide added insight, picks and updated odds.

The 2023 Major League Playoffs begin and the top four teams in the National and American League get byes into the divisional round. The Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers are also the two favorites to win the World Series as the MLB Playoffs begin. The Houston Astros and Baltimore Orioles are next, and the Astros stole the AL West from the Texas Rangers on the final weekend of the season with four straight wins to capture their fourth-straight AL West title. The Rangers coughed up the division and lead in the final week losing 4-of-6 to close the season, and now have to hit the road at Tampa Bay in the best-of-3 MLB Playoffs odds Wild Card Round. The home team hosts all three games of the series if necessary.

MLB Wild Card Series Odds

I posted some winning picks in Game 1 on Phillies 1st 5 (-0.5) and under 4 runs MIA/PHI.  I’ve updated Game 2 odds and some picks as well at OSGA, and any additional MLB props.

The series odds looked like this at the start.

• Texas Rangers (+130) at Tampa Bay Rays (-160)
• Toronto Blue Jays (-110) at Minnesota Twins (-120)
• Miami Marlins (+151) at Philadelphia Phillies (-181)
• Arizona Diamondbacks (+140) at Milwaukee Brewers (-170)

With Minnesota and Philadelphia winning at home Game 1, and Texas and Arizona getting road wins, here are the adjusted series odds into Game 2 (SuperBook)

• Texas Rangers (-230) at Tampa Bay Rays (+185)
• Toronto Blue Jays (+325) at Minnesota Twins (-425)
• Miami Marlins (+425) at Philadelphia Phillies (-600)
• Arizona Diamondbacks (-300) at Milwaukee Brewers (+240)

Ranking the 12 teams postseason lineups and pitching staffs

As I noted in my MLB Playoffs coverage in Forbes, the team with the best regular season record hasn’t won the World Series since 2018 when the Red Sox won the championship trophy. The Atlanta Braves (104 wins) are loaded as the best team with the best record this season, but recall the Braves also won the 2021 World Series after winning just 88 games during the regular season. When I saw Los Angeles play last year during the summer at Dodger Stadium, I was watching a most dominant team that went on to win 111 games. But the Dodgers didn’t even make it to the NLCS.

Read more of my MLB coverage and check back for additional updates and follow me on X @FairwayJay