The 2023 MLB Divisional Series: Best Betting Odds for Thrilling Matchups
Tomorrow, Saturday, the 2023 MLB Divisional Series will kick off, featuring four series that promise to be spectacular. At stake? A spot in the MLB League Championship Series.
Eight teams will compete for the Commissioner’s Trophy in November. Four of these teams, the Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Philadelphia Phillies, have already shown their mettle. They swept the Toronto Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers, and Miami Marlins, respectively, with a 2-0 score in the MLB Wild Card Series.
Now, these victorious teams will face off against the top two teams from each league. Let’s dive into the 2023 MLB Divisional Series matchups.
American League Divisional Series
Minnesota Twins vs Houston Astros
After 19 long years, the Twins not only secured a playoff win but also clinched a series victory without losses for the first time in 102 years. Now, the ecstatic Twins will face a massive challenge in the defending MLB champions, the Houston Astros.
The Astros, who clinched the American League West division title for the sixth time in seven years and have appeared in four of the last six World Series, stand as a formidable opponent. Since 1997, the Astros have bested the Twins 46 times out of 85 matches, including two Wild Card games in 2020. However, in 2023, the Twins defeated the Astros in four out of their six matchups. Whether recent performance or historical dominance will prevail in this series remains to be seen.
The odds in game 1 favor the local team, Houston. With a -1.5 run line, a moneyline of -152, due to Justin Verlander’s first game appearance in this playoffs.
Twins vs Astros Betting Odds
| TEAM | RUN LINE | MONEYLINE | OVER/UNDER | TEAM TOTAL |
| TWINS B. Ober (R) | +1.5 | +137 | O 7.5 | 3.5 |
| ASTROS J. Verlander (R) | -1.5 | -152 | U 7.5 | 4.5 |
Twins vs Astros AI Predictions and SBAI Picks
| TEAM | AI PICKS | SBAI PICKS | |||
| TWINS | 3.6 Runs | 7.9 Runs | RUN LINE MIN +1.5 | MONEYLINE BAL -160 | TOTAL O 7.5 |
| ASTROS | 4.3 Runs | ||||
AI Prediction: Score (Minnesota 4-5 Houston)
SBAI Picks: (Run Line: Twins +1.5, Moneyline: Orioles -160, Total: Over 7.5)
Texas Rangers vs Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles, the undisputed best team in the American League, aim to end their nine-year drought without reaching a Championship Series. However, they must first overcome the Texas Rangers.
The Rangers, after dispatching the Tampa Bay Rays with a 2-0 series win in the Wild Card round, are highly motivated. Their history with the Orioles is noteworthy. In 2012, after their World Series appearances in 2010 and 2011, the Rangers faced Baltimore in the Wild Card and suffered a 5-1 defeat, marking a significant upset.
Out of their 693 encounters, Baltimore leads with 410 wins, including the previously mentioned Wild Card matchup. This year, both teams secured three wins each in their head-to-head contests. It’s a matchup between a team chasing its first-ever MLB title and another that hasn’t appeared in the World Series for 12 years.
The odds, as equal in the Twins-Astros game, favor the local team, Baltimore, with a run line of -1.5 and a moneyline of -142.
Rangers vs Orioles Betting Odds
| TEAM | RUN LINE | MONEYLINE | OVER/UNDER | TEAM TOTAL |
| RANGERS Undecided | +1.5 | +125 | O 8 | 3.5 |
| ORIOLES K. Bradish (R) | -1.5 | -142 | U 8 | 4.5 |
Rangers vs Orioles AI Predictions and SBAI Picks
| TEAM | AI PICKS | SBAI PICKS | |||
| RANGERS | 4.3 Runs | 9.3 Runs | SPREAD MIN +1.5 | MONEYLINE BAL -150 | TOTAL O 8 |
| ORIOLES | 5 Runs | ||||
AI Prediction: Score (Texas 4-5 Baltimore)
SBAI Picks: (Run Line: Rangers +1.5, Moneyline: Orioles -150, Total: Over 8)
National League Divisional Series
Arizona Diamondbacks vs Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers, similar to the Houston Astros in terms of consistency, have been regular playoff contenders since 2012. They’ve seen both highs, with a World Series win in 2020, and lows, with losses in 2017 and 2018.
The Dodgers will face the 2001 MLB champions, the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks last reached the playoffs in 2017, where they suffered a 0-3 series defeat at the hands of the Dodgers. Out of their 455 games since 1998, the Diamondbacks won 193 while the Dodgers claimed 262 victories. The contest will determine who progresses to the Championship Series.
The odds favors Dodgers. The run line is -1.5 and the moneyline is -205. The team of LA is clearly the favorite. Clayton Kershaw will start for LA.
Diamondbacks vs Dodgers Betting Odds
| TEAM | RUN LINE | MONEYLINE | OVER/UNDER | TEAM TOTAL |
| D’BACKS M. Kelly (R) | +1.5 | +175 | O 8 | 3.5 |
| DODGERS C. Kershaw (L) | -1.5 | -205 | U 8 | 4.5 |
Diamondbacks vs Dodgers AI Predictions and SBAI Picks
| TEAM | AI PICKS | SBAI PICKS | |||
| D’BACKS | 2.6 Runs | 7.4 Runs | SPREAD LAD -1.5 | MONEYLINE LAD -200 | TOTAL U 8 |
| DODGERS | 4.8 Runs | ||||
AI Prediction: Score (Arizona 3-5 LA Dodgers)
SBAI Picks: (Run Line: Dodgers -1.5, Moneyline: Dodgers -200, Total: Under 8)
Philadelphia Phillies vs Atlanta Braves
A marquee matchup awaits as the last two National League Pennant Winners go head-to-head.
For the second consecutive year, the Philadelphia Phillies will face the Atlanta Braves in this round. Historically, the Braves have had the edge, but last year the Phillies emerged victorious in the Divisional Series, reminiscent of their iconic 1993 National League Championship Series win. The all-time record is 1321 wins for the Braves and 1208 for the Phillies out of 2541 games. This series marks their third playoff clash.
The odds favor the Braves. With a run line of -1.5 and a moneyline of -200, marks the team of the state of Georgia as the favorite for this game.
Phillies vs Braves Betting Odds
| TEAM | RUN LINE | MONEYLINE | OVER/UNDER | TEAM TOTAL |
| PHILLIES R. Suarez (L) | +1.5 | +170 | O 8.5 | 3.5 |
| BRAVES S. Strider (R) | -1.5 | -200 | U 8.5 | 4.5 |
Phillies vs Braves AI Predictions and SBAI Picks
| TEAM | AI PICKS | SBAI PICKS | |||
| PHILLIES | 4.1 Runs | 9.8 Runs | SPREAD ATL -1.5 | MONEYLINE ATL -215 | TOTAL O 8.5 |
| BRAVES | 5.7 Runs | ||||
AI Prediction: Score (Philadelphia 4-6 Atlanta)
SBAI Picks: (Run Line: Braves -1.5, Moneyline: Braves -215, Total: Over 8.5)
2023 MLB Divisional Series Format
In this round, the teams compete in a best-of-five series. The higher-ranked team hosts the first two games, followed by two at the lower-ranked team’s home. If necessary, a deciding fifth game takes place at the higher-ranked team’s venue. The first team to secure three wins progresses to the Championship Series.
Clearly, these series promise unforgettable moments and will undoubtedly leave a lasting imprint on MLB Divisional Series history.
