Is this the weekend for the San Diego Padres to finally come to the party and announce to the rest of the MLB that they are serious contenders for the 2022 World Series?
The Padres visit LA for a three-match mini-series against the Dodgers this weekend. A winning series would send out a warning to the rest of their rivals that come the postseason, Bob Melvin’s team is a threat and could win their first ever World Series.
The betting says they have a chance. Ahead of their mini-series with NL West champions-elect, the Padres are fifth favorites in the betting to win the 2022 World Series. But they’re not a distant fifth.
Yes, the Dodgers and the Yankees lead the way at +350, and then there is Houston out alone at +525, but after that, it’s the toss of a coin between the Mets at +700, and Padres at +775.
| 2022 MLB World Series; Winner Betting |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| New York Yankees | +350 | +350 |
| LA Dodgers | +350 | +350 |
| Houston Astros | +525 | +525 |
| New York Mets | +700 | +700 |
| San Diego Padres | +775 | +775 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | +1200 | +1200 |
In the betting to win the NL West, the Padres are miles behind this weekend’s rivals with the best MLB betting sites. The Dodgers are -10000 to win the division, with Melvin’s team at +2000. The San Francisco Giants are +25000.
Yes, their offense isn’t the best, but most observers know there is room for improvement there. They are indeed underperforming, but there is still time for the Padres to improve their hitting power. And with names like Manny Machado (six times All-Star, including 2022) and Fernando Tatis Jr (two times All-Star), improvement can’t be ruled out.
Even with this underperformance, the Padres are still -650 to make the playoffs, and +425 to not have a postseason. This is a testament to how good their pitching and outfielding has been, and why if the offense can sort itself out, they could be a threat.
But what else can stand in the way of the Padres? Well, it’s fair to say that even if the Padres do pull off a shock series win at the Dodgers, and their star offensive players come to the party, there is still plenty standing in the way of a first World Series for San Diego.
Most namely, the LA Dodgers and New York Yankees. Sadly, as good as the Padres might potentially be, even if they do play to their full strength, if they are to come up against an inform Dodgers or Yankees in the postseason, it’s hard to see who beats either of them over the best of five or seven.
The Dodgers started the season as the team to beat in the eyes of the best MLB World Series betting sites. But thanks to a combination of a rough start for Dave Roberts’ team, coupled with a strong start for both the New York franchises, the Dodgers lost favoritism.
After a rampant July that saw the Dodgers winning 21 times, they shot back up to be favorites to win this year’s world series. Their form did taper off a touch towards the end of the month and the start of August. But by and large, the preseason favorites finally looked the part and ended up justifying their favorites tag.
Is this how the Dodgers will continue their season though? Or will they revert to their disappointing early season form? That’s the key question.
The Dodgers have the star quality, it’s just getting it to fire at the same time, and fire for a lot longer than just a month at a time!
The Yankees’ early season form was electric. They started behind the Dodgers in the betting, but after a few weeks, it was obvious that they had become the team to beat. And they rightfully took over from Los Angeles at the top of the betting.
The form of four times All-Star Aaron Judge has been outstanding, and he now finds himself as a huge odds-on favorite to be the MVP in the American League. It’s not just Aaron Judge though. The Yankees have a first-class pitching staff, and they have hitters throughout the team capable of bailing the team out when one or more isn’t firing on all cylinders.
In short, and in baseball terms, the Yankees have a lot of the main bases covered.
Sorry about that!
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It’s hard to make a case for the Padres when you put them up against the Yankees and the Dodgers. But this weekend’s mini-series should give us an indication of whether or not they are improving enough to provide a serious threat in the postseason. I have no issues about them making it past October 5th, but I can’t say with confidence they will take down the Dodgers in the NLCS or New York in the World Series.
They are a threat though, and as I said, they can’t be underestimated. As we saw last season with the Astros and the Braves, it’s not always the case that the preseason favorites win the World Series, or even get to the final. So with that in mind, the Padres have a puncher’s chance if they can click at the right time.
About the Author
Over the last 10 years, Dean has sharpened his expertise in crafting and revising content for his soccer and cricket betting platforms. Driven by his passion for sports betting and writing, he embarked on a journey of writing about sports wagering. Although Dean's preferred areas of focus are the English Premier League and cricket, his extensive sports knowledge enables him to tackle nearly any sport. Gone are the days of traveling the world to witness events like FIFA World Cups and Ashes cricket, as Dean now prefers the comfort of his own home while enjoying sports.
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