Later this month, the MLB trade deadline will officially arrive and teams in both the American League and National League are going to be aggressive in trying to improve their teams. In this article, we take a look at things and offer up our MLB futures picks ahead of the trade deadline. Who will end up winning their divisions and who is ready to make a run for the World Series?
Things sure have changed over the past month, as the Brewers are massive favorites to win the NL Central. This of course came after the Chicago Cubs suffered their 11-game losing streak. With Chicago now needing a miracle to win the Central, they’re expected to be massive sellers before the deadline. We already saw them trade away Joc Pederson, and more could follow.
That’s of course going to be great news for Milwaukee. This club has looked tremendous in 2021 as they’re 56-39 on the season as of this writing, holding a seven-game lead over the Cincinnati Reds. Offensively, center fielder Avisail Garcia has been outstanding. Though he’s only hitting .253, the slugger has recorded 17 home runs and 53 RBI. This has been great to see.
| MLB odds |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mets NL East | -175 | -175 | -175 | -175 |
| Braves NL East | +600 | +600 | +600 | +600 |
| Brewers NL Central | -650 | -650 | -650 | -650 |
| Reds NL Central | +600 | +600 | +600 | +600 |
Luis Urias also has 13 homers on the year, while Willy Adames has added 11. Superstar Christian Yelich hasn’t quite been himself this year, but he surely has what it takes to go on a tremendous second-half run. Yelich is too good to stay quiet at the dish. With Milwaukee, they also have outstanding pitching. Brent Suter leads the team with nine wins, while Brandon Woodruff and Freddy Peralta both have seven.
Per the Las Vegas sportsbooks, the Brewers hold a head-turning -650 MLB odds to win the NL Central. The Reds are +600 and the Cubs are plus +1600. At this point, it would be an absolute stunner if the Brewers didn’t win the division this year. Their rotation has really impressed, while the offensive play feels like it’s only going to get better later this summer and in the fall. The Brewers are our pick.
Elsewhere in the National League, can the Mets hold off the Phillies and Braves in the NL East? That’s a question that folks want to know, especially with such high expectations for the club from Flushing. The Mets sit in first place of the NL East standings, but both the Phillies and Braves are hoping to make plenty of noise the rest of the way and steal the title from them.
As good as New York has been, the big concern has been Francisco Lindor and Jacob deGrom. With Lindor, he was acquired by the Mets and then signed a massive extension with the team. However, he hasn’t delivered in his first year in the NL. The superstar infielder is hitting .228, with 11 homers and 36 RBI. Those sure aren’t the numbers NY supporters were hoping to see.
Meanwhile, for deGrom, he’s currently on the Injured List with forearm tightness. This isn’t the first time he’s been on the IL this year. Throughout the year, injuries are starting to pile up for the superstar hurler. On the year, deGrom is 7-2 with a 1.05 ERA. His ERA is of course something that is out of this world. With that said, these injuries are concerning for skipper Luis Rojas.
It’d be wise for the Mets to try and trade for some pitching help ahead of the deadline, just in case deGrom ends up missing extended time down the road. Tigers hurler Matthew Boyd would of course be a prime target. Regardless of that, we feel like the Mets can get the job done. They hold -175 odds, with Philly at +320 and Atlanta at +600. New York is our pick. Do you agree? Check out our betting sites and get a wager in.
Over on the other side of things, the Red Sox should take down the AL East competition this fall. Boston and Tampa Bay are in the middle of a tight race, with Boston 0.5 games ahead in the division. However, Boston was brought back down to earth a little bit over the weekend as they traveled to the Bronx and suffered a series loss going up against the New York Yankees.
Despite that setback, it’s been a year to remember for Boston. Last season, they finished in dead last of the AL East standings, which no one expected. This campaign, though, Alex Cora is back as the manager of the team and J.D. Martinez is looking like the true slugger that he is. With Boston playing so well, they could go on a serious postseason run too.
The Vegas oddsmakers have given Boston +115 odds, which can be found at sites like Bovada, and Tampa Bay has been set at +125. With this, it figures to be a see-saw battle the rest of the way. Tampa Bay is also loaded with plenty of talent, which could make things interesting. With that said, it’s going to be a fun summer/fall at Fenway Park. Boston is our pick to win the division.
