Fewer than 100 games now remain for every team in Major League Baseball, an unofficial milestone that represents a great time to revisit 2022 MLB division futures.
The National League is, at this moment, home to perhaps the most intriguing division race, inside the NL West, where the San Diego Padres have for now overtaken the heavily favored Los Angeles Dodgers. We figure it’s a great idea to begin there before journeying on to the NL East and NL Central.
To start us off, here are the latest odds to win the NL West. Our baseball betting lines are coming from BetOnline, but you’re free to check out odds at any one of the best 2022 MLB betting sites we’ve reviewed:
| Division Winner |  |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles Dodgers | -230 |
| San Diego Padres | +250 |
| San Francisco Giants | +1000 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | +80000 |
| Colorado Rockies | +100000 |
Always ensure you’re double-checking these 2022 MLB futures before settling on any picks. Division winners won’t be crowned until the end of the season, and these odds for MLB are accurate entering Friday, June 17.
With so much baseball left to play, we definitely recommend shopping around prior to selecting a home for your MLB betting. And fortunately, we’ve compiled reviews of the best betting sites available in the United States, as well as a list of sportsbooks with the best mobile betting apps. Depending on where and how you place your wagers, the information we’ve collected can help you find the perfect home for all your 2022 MLB futures betting.
Oddsmakers still don’t appear ready to take the San Diego Padres (+250) all that seriously. They may only have a half-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers (-230), but to have them at a 2.5-to-1 underdog drastically undervalues what they’ve done this season.
While their roster screams “Offensive powerhouse!,” the Padres have actually established a pitching-first identity. San Diego ranks fifth in ERA and only two teams are holding opponents to a lower batting average on the year.
Perhaps oddsmakers are down on them because of the wrist injury superstar Fernando Tatis Jr. just suffered. The Padres have underachieved, for the most part, behind the plate. And if Tatis misses time, they could be in big trouble. It also doesn’t help that for as good as San Diego’s pitching has been, the Dodgers continue to have the best starting rotation in baseball.
Still, Los Angeles has not looked anything like a powerhouse in recent weeks. Their hitting has been more consistent than that of San Diego. And looking up and down the batting order, we believe the Padres have more room for immediate growth. Pair this with the potential payout of an underdog, and we’re smitten with San Diego’s value in the 2022 MLB Division futures department.
SBS Prediction: San Diego Padres (+250)
Here’s a look at the latest betting odds to win the 2022 NL East Division:
| Division Winner | |
|---|---|
| New York Mets | -175 |
| Atlanta Braves | +170 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | +1700 |
| Miami Marlins | +15000 |
| Washington Nationals | +250000 |
Handicapping the NL East is a lot easier than doing the same for the NL West. The New York Mets (-220) have maintained a stronghold on first place for the entire year, and we simply cannot get over the performance of their bats. No team in Major League Baseball has a higher on-base percentage at this writing.
Of course, this isn’t a no-brainer decision. After struggling to open the year, the reigning World Series champion Atlanta Braves (+240) are back to their old ways. Entering Friday, June 17, the Braves have won 14 straight and now rank first in on-base-plus-slugging-percentage for the year. They deserve to be taken seriously.
Then again, we don’t trust Atlanta’s pitching staff, which has struggled to dispatch batters when they have runners in scoring position. This isn’t to say they’re a terrible bet. If you have the stomach for high-risk investments, go ahead and consider the Braves. But our money is going toward the Mets.
SBS Prediction: New York Mets (-220)
Here’s a look at the latest betting odds to win the 2022 NL Central Division:
| Division Winner |  |
|---|---|
| Milwaukee Brewers | -165 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | +130 |
| Chicago Cubs | +25000 |
| Cincinnati Reds | +25000 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | +40000 |
Among all 2022 MLB division futures, the NL Central began the year as one of the league’s biggest mysteries. The Milwaukee Brewers (-145) have since emerged as the odds-on favorite, but we’re not quite sure they deserve to have this much of a lead. Their pitching staff has been fine, at both the starting and bullpen levels. Milwaukee ranks inside the top 10 of the most important pitching metrics.
The other side of the plate is a different story. The Brewers are very boom-or-bust, and they’ve recently showcased the bust element of their makeup. Milwaukee has now slipped all the way to 22nd in on-base percentage, which is the lowest ranking among any of the 12 teams that place first or second across all divisions.
It helps the Brewers that there is only one alternative in the 2022 MLB division futures department: The St. Louis Cardinals (+1100). They have been very hot and cold. Lately, though, they’ve been just hot—to the point that they’ve actually overtaken first place for the time being. Oddsmakers don’t seem to have faith in them. Frankly, we don’t, either. But we have even less faith in the Brewers’ offense.
SBS Prediction: St. Louis Cardinals (+1100)
Take a look at this list of the top online sportsbooks so you can decide which one to use for all of your 2022 MLB betting:
About the Author
Around the age of 12, Dan realized, sadly, he’d never become a professional basketball player. It turns out people under 6’0” who can’t dribble or shoot aren’t touted prospects. Who knew?! Anyway, once it became clear he could play professional sports, he figured the next best thing to do was cover them. So, that’s what he did. And continues to do. Dan has worked in the pro sports analysis industry since 2011, giving him almost 15 years total experience. Though started out covering and continues to be enamored by the NBA, he has spent the past decade or so expanding his expertise and analysis to the NFL, NHL, MLB, tennis, esports and golf. Over the past few years, Dan has cannonballed into full-on sports betting news coverage. He remains fascinated by the impact the legalization of gambling in the United States is having on the country. It has, in so many ways, changed everything about how we consume sports. Is that good? Bad? Does it all even out in the end? His coverage has always and will continue trying to reconcile the duality of this industry, pro sports at large and their influence. In his spare time, Dan enjoys honing his weightlifting, eating enough sweet potatoes to feed a rather large family, binge-watching his all-time favorite shows (Psych is the goat!) and hanging out with his three dogs, all of whom are Cockaliers, Thor, Wade and Cosmo. Typically, though, if he’s not eating or sleeping, Dan is watching or covering sports—and loving basically every minute of it.
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