The New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers are the two marquee franchises in Major League Baseball, certainly the two wealthiest ones, and have met in the World Series 11 times, four more than any other matchup. Both are solid favorites to win their respective pennants on the MLB odds, but one sportsbook has a prop up that has either Yankees or Dodgers winning the World Series as a slight underdog vs. the field.
Caesars Casino and Sportsbook has a prop bet asking if the Yankees or Dodgers will win the 2020 World Series, and no is the -145 favorite with yes at +125. That may surprise some MLB bettors, but it simply makes mathematical sense for the book to favor the other 28 teams combined over those two powerhouses. The Yankees have won an MLB-record 27 World Series but not since 2009 despite all their financial resources. The Dodgers haven't won a title since 1988 despite being winning the NL West the past seven years in a row.
The book gives the Yankees the highest win total this season at 102.5 despite the news that one of New York's best starting pitchers, James Paxton, would miss 3-4 months following back surgery. Or course, the Yankees added the best pitcher on the free-agent market this winter in Gerrit Cole. The Bombers are +350 favorites to win the World Series. New York's top competition to win the AL pennant should again come from Houston (+1000 to win World Series).
Los Angeles this week got much better with the trade for ex-AL MVP Mookie Betts and former AL Cy Young winner David Price from the Red Sox. The Dodgers have a win total of 100 and are +400 second-favorites to win the Fall Classic. L.A.'s top competition for the NL pennant likely will be from Atlanta (+1400 for World Series title) and defending champion Washington (+1800). Maybe St. Louis (+1200) if the Cardinals can ever trade for Rockies All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado.
The Dodgers and Yankees haven't met in the World Series since 1981.
