Cleveland Indians Once Again Open Season as World Series Underdogs

The Cleveland Indians have great odds to win the World Series in 2017, but they are once again not the favorites heading into the season.

Cleveland Indians fans are expecting another trip to the World Series. It is not an unrealistic expectation, but rather one that is actually logical based on how the team nearly won it all a year ago. Add in a weak division and it seems like the path is laid out for this team.

But the oddsmakers don’t view the Indians as the clear favorites, according to the odds listed on Bovada.

Since that tweet was published on February 8, the Boston Red Sox have moved up to tie the Chicago Cubs with +450 odds.

So as of right now, the Indians are 8/1 underdogs to win it all. This could fluctuate leading up to the season based on how the betting goes, but this mark may surprise many Indians fans who see the team as the clear favorite not only to come out of the American League, but to win it all.

The Red Sox currently sit as the AL favorites thanks to the addition of Chris Sale. He joins Rick Porcello and David Price to form a super rotation, at least on paper, that sets the team as favorites to win the league. Yet Indians fans may want to question this logic after the Indians easily dispatched of the Red Sox in last year’s ALCS. Porcello and Price struggled, while the Indians were led by the likes of Trevor Bauer, Corey Kluber, and Josh Tomlin.

Add in Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar and the Indians easily have one of the most dominant pitching staffs in all of baseball. The abilities of Carrasco and Salazar may not stand out because of their absences in last year’s postseason, but this year should show the nation why the Indians should be the clear favorites to at least win the AL.

As for winning it all, the Indians will once again face tough competition in the Cubs. The defending champs should only continue to be great, as was the plan all along when Theo Epstein began his rebuild in 2011.

Next: Indians Must Fight For Attention

February is a bit early to begin talking about the World Series, but those who wish to bet on the Indians may want to get those bets in now. A strong start to the regular season will only see the team’s odds get better as the season progresses.

The Cleveland Indians have great odds to win the World Series in 2017, but they are once again not the favorites heading into the season.

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