How Houston’s trade for Justin Verlander has drastically changed Astros World Series odds
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With the MLB trade deadline approaching, the Houston Astros took a step towards back-to-back World Series Championships by acquiring Justin Verlander from the New York Mets.
The Mets receive two outfield prospects in return, including Houston’s top farm-leaguer Drew Gilbert.
The reigning AL Cy Young winner helped lead the Astros to October glory in 2022, and now he’ll try running it back in the Lone Star State. In the short time that’s passed since news of Verlander’s deal was announced, the Astros World Series odds market has shifted considerably.
On Opening Day, Houston held +600 odds to repeat as World Series Champions, and that number shifted to +900 a few weeks ago. Sportsbooks have reacted to the news of Verlander’s deal by moving the Astros World Series odds to +700, trailing only the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Tampa Bay Rays.
The 40-year-old is 6-5 on the year with a 3.15 ERA, which ranks ninth in MLB. Verlander has been especially dominant lately, notching wins in three straight outings and allowing just two earned runs over 19.1 innings pitched.
Framber Valdez has been a solid arm atop the Astros rotation in 2023, but he’ll slide back in favor of the newly acquired veteran. Verlander is a two-time World Series Champion that, despite his age, remains a reliable option to help bring another parade to Houston.
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The Astros are now -130 favorites to win the AL West for a third straight year, with the Texas Rangers in second at +115. Despite being within five games of first place, the Seattle Mariners (+1600) and Los Angeles Angels (+2400) hold long-shot odds to win the division.
Houston trails the Rangers by half a game in the AL West standings, and the race to claim divisional supremacy will be tight until the season’s end. The Rangers made a trade deadline splash of their own, bolstering their starting rotation with Max Scherzer.
Verlander and Scherzer were expected to lead the Mets to long-awaited postseason success in New York, but the MLB landscape is greatly altered with the two elite arms now duking it out in the AL West.
The Astros and Rangers have each held top odds to win the division throughout the summer, and Texas was the top dog after the Scherzer acquisition was announced a few days ago. In light of the Verlander news, Houston has surpassed Texas on the odds board.
The Astros and Rangers square off once more in 2023, with a three-game set slated for early September. Houston is 6-4 against its in-state rival following a series win at Minute Made Park last week.
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