MLB Odds: Race Heating Up for Top Spot in AL

· Sep 09 - 6 minutes read

Despite a home run slump by Aaron Judge, the New York Yankees still sit atop the American League standings.
The Kansas City Royals have pulled within 2½ games of Cleveland in the AL Central.
Check the latest MLB odds as 10 American League teams are in action on Monday.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

MLB Odds: Race Heating Up for Top Spot in AL — Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees | Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images/AFP

The New York Yankees made MLB news when they clinched their 32nd consecutive winning season. They also remained atop the American League standings. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Angels are guaranteed to finish with a losing record for the ninth year in a row.

The BetUS MLB odds could be impacted by a series between the Yankees and the Kansas City Royals while a matchup between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles is worth watching as well.

The Royals have the longest active winning streak in the majors with four victories in a row to pull within 2½ games of first-place Cleveland in the American League Central standings.

Reigning American League champion Texas is 7-3 over the last 10 games but it looks to be too little, too late as the Rangers are 6½ games out of the final playoff spot in the American League with 18 games left to play.

Just one game separates the New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles and Cleveland Guardians in the race for the top American League record. If the postseason began today, Houston, Kansas City and Minnesota would be the other playoff teams.

The Yankees lead the way at +250 in the American League Championship odds and they remain at No. 1 in the American League power rankings.

AL Power Rankings Top 5

1. New York Yankees (+250 to win the AL Pennant)

The New York Yankees have relied on the long ball all season long. However, New York has just four home runs in the first seven games in September. Aaron Judge‘s quest to break his own American League record for home runs in a season is not looking good these days as he has gone 12 games without going deep.

The pitching staff got a boost when Luis Gil returned to the mound. He allowed one hit and no runs with seven strikeouts in six innings in his first start in more than two weeks.

7 strikeouts for Luis Gil pic.twitter.com/nJx3yvBIFI

— Talkin’ Yanks (@TalkinYanks) September 6, 2024

However, seven blown saves in his last 22 appearances have cost Clay Holmes his role as the closer for the Yankees.

The Yankees are just 29-36 against the BetUS MLB run line as a home favorite this season. They are tied for the American League lead with 79 games landing over the total.

Bet on the New York Yankees to Win the World Series (+600)

2. Cleveland Guardians (+500 to win the AL Pennant)

Cleveland is just 23-25 since the MLB All-Star game after losing two of three games to the National League West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers.

Cleveland is 6-3 in the last nine games started by Tanner Bibee while closer Emmanuel Clase has allowed one run in his last 12 appearances. Getting Clase the chance to close out games has been a little challenging. Next up for the Cleveland Guardians are the lowly Chicago White Sox, but 10 of the final 12 games in the regular season are against teams with winning records.

Bet on the Cleveland Guardians to Win the World Series (+1600)

3. Baltimore Orioles (+325 to win the AL Pennant)

The Baltimore Orioles dropped one game in recent series against the Chicago White Sox and the Colorado Rockies, the teams with the worst records in the American League and National League. That is something that could prove costly as the Orioles try to regain the top spot in the AL East.

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The Orioles are the only American League team with at least 40 wins both at home and on the road.

Gunnar Henderson is starting to get hot again as he has a .429 batting average in September. However, youngsters Colter Cowser and Jackson Holliday are both batting under .200 in the month.

Gunnar Henderson now holds the single-season home run record by an @Orioles shortstop with 35! pic.twitter.com/rLc1sqpvQq

— MLB (@MLB) September 4, 2024

Grayson Rodriguez, who hasn’t pitched since July 31, could be returning soon for the Orioles.

Baltimore is tied for the American League lead by covering against the run line in 79 games this season.

Bet on the Baltimore Orioles to Win the World Series (+650)

4. Kansas City Royals (+1000 to win the AL Pennant)

Kansas City is closing in on its first playoff appearance since 2015. It has been quite the turnaround with the Kansas City Royals losing 106 games a season ago. Shortstop Bobby Witt continues to lead the majors with a .336 batting average. He also has 30 home runs, 41 doubles, 28 stolen bases and 98 RBIs. Witt is batting .365 with a slugging percentage of .702 since the MLB All-Star break.

Michael Wacha and Michael Lorenzen are a combined 7-1 since the MLB All-Star Game while Cole Ragans just recorded his 200th strikeout of the season.

After wrapping up a series with the Yankees, nine of the next 12 games come against teams with losing records.

Kansas City is 42-33 against the BetUS sportsbook odds at home this season.

Bet on the Kansas City Royals to Win the World Series (+2500)

5. Houston Astros (+325 to win the AL Pennant)

After being swept by the Cincinnati Reds, the Houston Astros bounced back to win two of three games versus reigning National League champion Arizona. With the last six games of the season against either the Seattle Mariners or the Cleveland Guardians, the Astros need to take care of business in the upcoming series to keep Seattle at arm’s length in the AL West race.

Playoff veterans Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez are batting .391 and .333 with OPS marks over 1.000 in September. However, Justin Verlander has allowed 23 hits and 17 runs in 12.2 innings over his last three starts. The Astros have lost the four games that Verlander has started since he came off the injured list.

Bet on the Houston Astros to Win the World Series (+750)