The Padres will also acquire first baseman Josh Bell in the deal.

Nationals pick up prospect haul

In exchange, San Diego is sending lefthander MacKenzie Gore and first baseman Eric Hosmer to Washington. The Nationals will also pick up shortstop CJ Abrams, and three top Padres prospects: outfielders Robert Hassell III and James Wood, along with right-handed pitcher Jarlin Susana.

Last month, Soto turned down a potential 15-year, $440 million contract from the Nationals. While Washington had Soto under contract through the 2024 season, the failure to reach an extension turned Soto into an unusually valuable trade chip.

A Deadline Day shuffle!

The Padres are reportedly acquiring Juan Soto from the Nationals, per @jonmorosi. pic.twitter.com/f17rTxeA41

— MLB (@MLB) August 2, 2022

Every contender showed at least some interest in Soto, though the Padres and St. Louis Cardinals emerged as the leading candidates to land the 23-year-old.

FanDuel Sportsbook now lists the Padres as a +1000 pick to win the World Series in 2022. That places them fifth on the board, behind only the Yankees (+330), Dodgers (+350), Astros (+450), and the Mets (+650).

Soto, Bell join powerful San Diego lineup

Most pundits regard Soto as a generational talent. He has already established himself as one the best hitters in the majors, and even though he has not put up the best numbers of his career this year, he will make a massive impact on the Padres lineup.

Soto is hitting .246 this season, but has belted 21 home runs. He has also drawn a league-leading 91 walks, pushing his on-base percentage up to .408 and his OPS to a strong .894.

Bell rates as far more than a throw-in piece for San Diego. The 29-year-old is hitting .301 with 14 home runs on the year.

Meanwhile, the Nationals will pick up a mix of young talent that will help them build for the future. They also pick up a large contract in Hosmer, who is owed $13 million a year through 2025. (Update: Hosmer rejected a trade to the Nationals. The Padres instead sent him to the Boston Red Sox.)

When the Padres get back injured shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr., they’ll be able to stack him with Soto, Manny Machado, and Bell to create a deep and powerful lineup that lines up well against any team in the majors.

Currently, the Padres hold a 58-46 record. They are 12 games back of the Dodgers in the NL West race, but hold one of the National League wild card positions. Washington is 35-69 �?the worst record in the majors �?and in last place in the NL East.

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McIngvale is a businessman from Houston who is known in the community as “Mattress Mack” for owning multiple furniture stores. Over the last few years, Mattress Mack runs a special promotion at his stores where you can win back the cost of your furniture if you spend at least $3,000 and the Astros win the World Series.

These seven-figure bets on the Astros are nothing more than a hedge and publicity stunt for McIngvale, but a lot of people get excited when they hear the words “Mattress Mack” uttered. Real sports bettors loathe his antics because it’s nothing more than a business promotion, but Astros fans love his enthusiasm.

Who knew that the furniture racket was so lucrative. I’m clearly in the wrong business. Oh, and in case you’re curious, we love to fade Mattress Mack. Whenever he bets a team, we always bet the other way. I’m holding an MLB futures ticket on the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers to win the World Series. Betting chalk might not be sexy, but we love fading Mattress Mack.

Mattress Mack Bets $2 Million on the Astros… Twice

Sports betting and online gambling is illegal in Texas among other things, so McIngvale flies a private jet to states with legal sports betting.

During the All-Star Break, there was a “Mattress Mack Alert” at the Bellagio Casino in Las Vegas. McIngvale walked into the Bellagio and plopped down $2 million in wagers on the Houston Astros to win the World Series at +500 odds. BetMGM operates the Bellagio sports book, and Mattress Mack posted four single bets consisting of $500,000 each on the Astros to win. At 5/1 odds, Mattress Mack will bank $10 million from those wagers.

McIngvale was not done when he fired away another Mattress Mack wager in Iowa. Yes, Iowa. He flew to the middle of the country so he could access his Fan Duel account. He wagered another $2 million on the Astros to win the World Series at +500 odds. Once again, if the Astros win, he’ll add $10 million to his account.

In less than 48 hours in two different states, Mattress Mack wagered $4 million on his beloved Astros to win the World Series, which would pay out $20 million.

But wait, there’s more!

Mattress Mack made $3 million in wagers earlier in the season. In May, the Astros were anywhere from 10/1 or 12/1 odds to win the World Series. He got down $1 million on the Astros at +1200 odds, and then fired an additional $3 million wager on the Astros at +1000. If the Astros win, Mattress Mack will bank $42 million from his May wagers. If you include the most-recent bets in Louisiana, Las Vegas and Iowa, Mattress Mack has $72 million at stake with $10 million invested.

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The Dodgers come into 2022 as the clear team to beat, but there is a deep second tier of teams behind them that will all enter the season thinking they can win a title. Here’s a look at the top-10 contenders for the 2022 World Series, according to the odds at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Los Angeles Dodgers (+470)

The Dodgers could have stood pat and been a World Series favorite, but the addition of Freddie Freeman gives Los Angeles one of the most imposing lineups in the history of baseball. With depth of pitching, potential All-Stars at every position, and a history of playoff success, the Dodgers are a worthy favorite in 2022.

Toronto Blue Jays (+950)

The Blue Jays nearly made the postseason last year, and should see young stars Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette continue to improve this year. Losing Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray and MVP candidate Marcus Semien hurts, but bringing in Kevin Guasman and Matt Chapman will go a long way to making up for those departures.

Chicago White Sox (+1000)

The White Sox handily won the AL Central last year and should do so again in 2022. A nearly guaranteed playoff spot goes a long way to making anyone a World Series contender, and adding Kendall Graveman and Joe Kelly should help them lock down games in the postseason. If Chicago stays healthy, they’re as good as anyone in the American League.

Houston Astros (+1000)

Like Chicago, the Astros should enjoy a clear path to the playoffs in a relatively weak AL West. While Houston didn’t make waves in the offseason, and lost shortstop Carlos Correa, it brings back a deep lineup and strong frontline pitching with Justin Verlander, Lance McCullers Jr., and Framber Valdez heading the rotation.

New York Mets (+1100)

The Mets already knew they would have arguably the best pitcher in baseball in Jacob deGrom, but adding Max Scherzer to the mix has made their rotation truly imposing �?especially if they reach the postseason. If New York can avoid its historic issues with rampant injuries, they should hit more than enough to support their pitching staff and make a deep run in October.

Milwaukee Brewers (+1200)

The Brewers will enter 2022 as the clear team to beat in the NL Central. Not only did Milwaukee keep all of its key parts, but it added Andrew McCutchen and Hunter Renfroe to the lineup. They’ll both help the Brewers deal with their issues with strong left-handed pitching, something that plagued the team in last year’s playoffs.

Atlanta Braves (+1300)

The defending World Series champions aren’t favorites to repeat, but they remain strong contenders in 2022. While Atlanta lost the services of Freddie Freeman, Matt Olson is more than a suitable replacement. With a young core that includes a now-healthy Ronald Acuna Jr., the Braves are looking to win now — and win often — over the next few years.

Tampa Bay Rays (+1300)

As usual, the Rays exceeded expectations in 2021, winning 100 games to easily top the AL East. It won’t be easy to repeat that performance in 2022, but Tampa Bay brings back all of its key parts. The Rays also bolstered their rotation with the addition of Corey Kluber, and can count on continued development from Wander Franco and Randy Arozarena, among others.

New York Yankees (+1300)

The Yankees haven’t reached the World Series since 2009, an unbelievable drought for the biggest spenders in baseball. New York has enough talent to get back there in any given year, but there’s a reason why they’re so far down on this list. The Yankees didn’t do much to improve themselves in the offseason, with Josh Donaldson being perhaps the biggest addition on a team that’s starting to look dangerously old at key positions.

San Diego Padres (+1600)

The Padres expected to fight tooth and nail with the Dodgers for the NL West crown last year, but finished a distant third and out of the playoffs. San Diego brings back the core of that team, plus slugger Luke Voit. But another injury to Fernando Tatis Jr. is threatening to scuttle any World Series run for the Padres before it begins.

Ready to make your picks? Check out Online Gambling’s 2022 MLB Betting Guide.

The post Preseason World Series Odds: Dodgers Lead 10 Contenders with Real Title Hopes appeared first on nrxhb.shop | OG News.

It’s true that both sides have three months to come to an agreement. The issues, however, are difficult to resolve. Meanwhile, there will be no shortage of posturing or social media-fueled animosity.

MLB lockout issued at 12:01 am

The MLB lockout was only minutes old before the posturing began. At 12:03, Commissioner of Baseball Robert Manfred issued a statement addressed to the fans.

“Despite the league’s best efforts to make a deal with the Players Association, we were unable to extend our 26 year-long history of labor peace and come to an agreement with the MLBPA before the current CBA expired,” Manfred stated. “Therefore, we have been forced to commence a lockout of Major League players, effective at 12:01am ET on December 2.”

The MLB Players Association didn’t take long to respond.

Statement from the Major League Baseball Players Association: pic.twitter.com/34uIGf762W

— MLBPA Communications (@MLBPA_News) December 2, 2021

For the duration of the MLB lockout, there will be no further trades. Max Scherzer’s Mets deal was likely the last to close before the lockout. There will be no communication between coaches and players. Additionally, there will be no further offseason training.

Odds are against a March 31 season start

Both sides are willing to get back to the negotiating table, and neither side wants an MLB lockout that runs past the offseason. But the remaining issues are sizable and include revenue sharing and an end to the alleged manipulation of player service time. Although three months seems like sufficient time to come to a workable solution, the odds are already running against a timely start to the 2020 season, as one sportsbook is already noting in its recent prop bet.

The start to the MLB season is starting to show up on sportsbook specials boards, but sports bettors should read the terms and conditions carefully.

For instance, the BetOnline special only considers whether the season will start on time — not the reason for why it might not. So, a delay doesn’t have to be related to the MLB lockout. For instance, a delay due to COVID would also pay.

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New York signed Scherzer to a three-year, $130 million contract, according to multiple media sources.

Scherzer commands highest average salary ever

That deal will pay Scherzer an average of $43.33 million per year, the most ever for any MLB player. That far outstrips the $36 million annual average Gerrit Cole is earning on his nine-year deal with the New York Yankees.

The contract is the latest evidence that new Mets owner Steve Cohen will spend freely to make his team a contender. New York made several signings over the past week, including outfielder Starling Marte and infielder Eduardo Escobar.

But, the Scherzer signing dwarfs those deals. The 37-year-old veteran is a three-time Cy Young Award winner. Despite being late in his career, Scherzer continues to perform at an elite level. In 2021, he went 15-4 with a 2.46 ERA for the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Dodgers. That was good enough to finish third in the National League Cy Young race.

Betting markets reacted strongly to the signing. The Mets started the offseason far down the board, not ranking among the top 10 World Series contenders. Now, DraftKings Sportsbook lists New York at +1300, tied for the sixth-shortest World Series odds with the Toronto Blue Jays. The Dodgers remain the +600 favorites to win a title in 2022.

Mets rotation dangerous if healthy

That’s not to say that the Scherzer signing was a no-brainer for the Mets. New York is now committed to paying the veteran for three years, at a time when many players start to decline sharply. There are also questions over Scherzer’s durability: he missed one playoff start due to fatigue in 2021. deGrom is coming off of an injury-shortened season himself, making the Mets’ rotation seem fragile at the top.

But, the upside was simply too much for New York to ignore. Scherzer will replace Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz, both of whom left the Mets during the offseason. If they can stay healthy, deGrom and Scherzer will represent the most formidable 1-2 punch at the top of a rotation in the majors and provide a huge edge for the Mets if they reach the postseason.

Scherzer’s signing is just the latest in a surprisingly active offseason, as many expected owners to be cautious given the uncertainty over the expiring MLB CBA. The Texas Rangers have been particularly aggressive, signing Corey Seager to a 10-year, $325 million contract, and adding Marcus Semien on a seven-year, $175 million deal. Still, the Rangers remain a +9000 long shot to win the World Series in 2022.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers will once again come into the offseason as the World Series favorites, with DraftKings Sportsbook listing the 2020 champions at +550 odds.

Dodgers perennial World Series favorites

The Dodgers took that same position heading into the 2021 season, and remained the favorites until the Braves eliminated them in the NLCS.

The Astros start out as the +700 second pick after falling to the Braves in the World Series. They’ll be followed by the New York Yankees (+900) and the Chicago White Sox (+1000), both playoff teams in 2021.

Atlanta comes in as the +1200 fifth choice. The Braves had the worst record of any team to make the playoffs in either league, winning a surprisingly weak NL East to reach the postseason. Despite being a long shot to even get out of the National League playoffs, Atlanta knocked off the Brewers, Dodgers, and Astros in succession, never once facing an elimination game.

Other top contenders include the Toronto Blue Jays (+1300), San Diego Padres (+1400), and San Francisco Giants (+1500). The Padres disappointed in 2021, while the Giants emerged as the surprising team of the season, posting a league-best 107-55 record before falling to the Dodgers in a thrilling NLDS showdown.

Orioles, Pirates face long odds

At the opposite end of the spectrum, two teams share the dishonor of posting the longest 2022 World Series odds.

The Baltimore Orioles finished 52-110 in 2021, ranking last in the AL East for the fourth time in five years. Baltimore last reached the playoff as a wild card in 2016, and last won a playoff game in 2014, when they won the division and reached the ALCS. The Orioles head into the offseason as a +20000 long shot to win the World Series.

The Pittsburgh Pirates also sit at +20000 to win a championship in 2022. They are in the midst of an even longer drought than the Orioles, last making the playoffs in 2015. The Padres put up a 61-101 record in the 2021 season.

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The Astros will feel more confident playing at Minute Maid Park, but the Braves still hold a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Baker: Astros facing pressure of elimination

That means that Houston faces a win-or-go-home contest on Tuesday night in Game 6.

“The pressure’s still on us because they’ve got the lead,�?Houston manager Dusty Baker told reporters. “They’ve got to win one, and we’ve got to win two.�?/p>

The Braves say they feel the same way. While they would have preferred to finish off the series in Atlanta, they remain confident as the series enters the home stretch.

“We’re in a really good spot,�?Atlanta relief pitcher AJ Minter told reporters. “We’re up 3-2, going back to Houston. If you told us that at the beginning of the series, we’d be happy with that.�?/p>

Atlanta has some unfortunate history when it comes to holding 3-1 playoff leads. Last year, the Braves took a 3-1 advantage over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS, only to see a World Series berth slip from their fingers.

“What we went through with the Dodgers, having a 3-1 lead, I think it taught us to never take our foot off the game,�?Braves closer Will Smith told the media. “We obviously love the position we’re in, but we definitely know there’s a still a bunch of work to do.�?/p>

Fried, Garcia earn critical Game 6 starts

Atlanta will send 27-year-old Max Fried (14-7, 3.04 ERA) to the mound for Game 6. Fried gave up six runs on seven hits in five-plus innings back in Game 2, with almost all of the damage coming in the second inning. Now, Fried will take the opportunity to avenge that loss and bring a World Series title back to Atlanta.

“I’m ready to go out there and leave it all on the field,�?Fried said of the start. “It’s probably going to be my last outing of the year, so there’s nothing to hold back.�?/p>

Luis Garcia (11-8, 3.30 ERA) will start on short rest for the Astros. Garcia started Game 3 on Friday, throwing 3.2 innings and allowing just one run on three hits.

“We think he’s the best man for the job,�?Baker told reporters. “We realize that he has a short leash, but then everybody out there has a short leash and operating on low rest or not full rest.�?/p>

The Astros enter Game 6 as a -134 pick to beat the Braves (+114), according to FanDuel Sportsbook. However, Atlanta remains the -230 favorite to win the World Series, given their 3-2 lead. Jorge Soler currently leads all World Series MVP contenders, though his +600 odds show that the race is wide open heading into the final two games.

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No one player has broken out to stake a clear claim for the World Series MVP. But with Atlanta up three games to two, oddsmakers see a few Braves as the most likely contenders for the award.

Soler leads long list of Atlanta candidates

Jorge Soler leads the list. The Braves outfielder is hitting .294 with two homers and three RBIs in the series so far. That’s been enough for FanDuel Sportsbook to rate Soler as the +600 top pick to win the World Series MVP trophy.

But those odds show just how uncertain the race is at this moment. Three other Atlanta players sit right behind Soler, any of whom could rise up to claim the honor should they create a defining moment in one of the final two games.

Austin Riley (+650) has been solid throughout the series, hitting .381 and knocking in three runs for Atlanta so far. Freddie Freeman (+700) remains a popular pick for World Series MVP, especially after his Game 5 home run. He’s hitting .278 with that one homer and three RBIs of his own.

Adam Duvall (+750) entered the series as a less likely contender. But the 33-year-old has already slugged two homers and collected 6 RBIs, putting him right in contention for World Series MVP should Atlanta win the title.

The top contenders are all Braves, as Atlanta still holds the edge in the series. However, Houston is far from out of it, and there are a handful of Astros sitting in the wings should they ultimately win the World Series.

No pitchers among top World Series MVP contenders

Of that group, Jose Altuve (+900) rates as the top Houston contender for World Series MVP. While Altuve is hitting just .217 in the series, he already has two home runs and has scored six times in just five games. If he comes up big in Houston over the final two games, he could easily take home the trophy.

Other top candidates on both sides of the aisle include Travis d’Arnaud (+1000), Kyle Tucker (+1300), Michael Brantley (+1400), and Eddie Rosario (+1900). With no one player dominating the World Series this year, anyone could claim the MVP award with a memorable performance in a clinching game.

You might have noticed a major absence from the World Series MVP leaderboard: pitchers. Not only have starting pitchers failed to go deep throughout the series, no one starter or reliever has put up the kind of performance that could garner MVP consideration.

The leading contender from the mound is Ian Anderson (+2000), who threw five no-hit innings for Atlanta in Game 3. Anderson will get another start in Game 6, and if he puts away the Astros with another shutout performance, he could certainly gain consideration for the award.

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Atlanta came from behind to capture a 3-2 win at home on Saturday, taking a 3-1 series lead.

Astros ready to ‘go out there and fight’

Dansby Swanson and Jorge Soler hit back-to-back home runs in the seventh inning to give the Braves the lead after the Astros jumped out to an early 2-0 lead.

Now, the Astros must win three straight if they want to win the World Series, starting with tonight’s Game 5 contest in Atlanta.

“We’ve got to go out there and fight,�?Astros shortstop Carlos Correa told reporters. “Nobody said it was going to be easy, but if there’s one team that can do it, it’s us.�?/p>

The Astros have one major reason for hope. If they can win Game 5 in Atlanta, the series shifts back to Houston for the final two contests on Tuesday and Wednesday. Two wins at home would feel far more manageable than the current situation.

“You lean on your past,�?Houston manager Dusty Baker told reporters. “You really don’t have any choice but that. You know, how small is your faith if you just crumble under every circumstance? You’ve got to have faith that you can do it, and it will get done.�?/p>

Valdez vs. Braves bullpen in Game 5

The Braves will go with another bullpen game on Sunday. Tucker Davidson (0-0, 3.60 ERA) will take the ball to start Game 5. Davidson joined Atlanta’s World Series roster only after Charlie Morton fractured his right fibula in Game 1. Atlanta could ask Davidson to throw at least a few innings, as he totaled 20 innings in his four starts this season.

The Astros will again turn to Framber Valdez (11-6, 3.14 ERA). Valdez struggled against the Braves in Game 1, lasting just two innings while allowing five runs on eight hits. Obviously, Houston will need more out of Valdez in Game 5.

“I just can’t get too wrapped up in the bad things that happen in the outing beforehand,�?Valdez told reporters via an interpreter. “You acknowledge the bad things that happened and focus on what kind of adjustments you can make, just like I did last time. I’ll make those same kind of adjustments, especially staying down in the zone. That’s a big one for me that I wanted to focus on.�?/p>

Oddsmakers are showing some faith in Valdez and the Astros to extend the series. FanDuel Sportsbook lists Houston as the -120 pick to win Game 5, with Atlanta pulling in +102 odds.

But at this point, the Braves are the clear World Series favorites. Atlanta rates as a -550 pick to finish the job and win the series, with Houston at +420 to win three straight games.

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The Braves won Friday’s Game 3 on a combined two-hit shutout, with starter Ian Anderson going five no-hit innings.

Snitker relied on gut in pulling Anderson

Braves manager Brian Snitker pulled Anderson early despite the no-hitter bid, saying he did so out of a gut feeling and trust in Atlanta’s dominant bullpen.

“I mean, it could have backfired I guess,�?Snitker said after the game. “But I just thought at that point in time, in this game of this magnitude, that he had done his job.�?/p>

The Astros struggled against Anderson and the corps of relievers who followed him onto the mound. Houston manager Dusty Baker predicted Anderson might be difficult to hit before the game. Afterwards, he remained confident in his lineup.

“He was effectively wild,�?Baker said of Anderson. “He had a 1-to-1 ratio, balls to strikes, and our guys never could zero in on the strikes. It’s no secret they’ve got a good bullpen. So, we didn’t center too many balls tonight…but invariably when you shut us down, usually our guys come back the next day and score a bunch. So, I hope history repeats itself.�?/p>

Greinke gets Game 4 start for Astros

The Astros will send Zack Greinke (11-6, 4.16 ERA) to the hill for Game 4. The 38-year-old veteran has 20 career postseason starts, and has put up a 2.45 ERA in his two previous World Series appearances �?both with Houston in 2019.

“It’s super valuable to have a future Hall of Famer throwing for you,�?Houston’s Alex Bregman said of Greinke starting Game 4. “He’s pitched in big situations. He’s pitched great for us in the World Series before. So we have a ton of confidence in him, and we want to play good defense behind him and give him some run support.�?/p>

Greinke has pitched only 4.2 innings over the past five weeks, including a very short start against the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS and one appearance out of the bullpen against the White Sox in the ALDS.

“We don’t know how long he’s going to go,�?Baker said. “Just give us as much quality as you can, and then we’ll turn it over to somebody else.�?/p>

Atlanta hasn’t announced a starting pitcher as of yet, but it will be an opener out of the bullpen. With Charlie Morton hurt, the Braves will likely utilize the bullpen heavily in both Game 4 and Game 5, making for some difficult decisions for Snitker.

Despite that fact, FanDuel Sportsbook still sees the Braves as a slight -112 favorite over the Astros (-104) in Game 4. In addition, Atlanta is now the -180 pick to win the World Series, with Houston at +160 to come back from its 2-1 deficit.

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