The Texas Rangers are your new World Series favorites.
That's right, after claiming a 2-0 series lead on the top seed in the American League, the Baltimore Orioles, Texas jumped to the top of the odds board as of Monday afternoon.
The Rangers are +380 at FanDuel and can advance to their first ALCS since 2011 with a home win on Tuesday.
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The Phillies and Braves, who are locked in a heated NLDS matchup come in behind Texas, both at +450. The Phillies hold a 1-0 series lead entering Monday's Game 2 in Atlanta.
The Astros, who are tied 1-1 with the Twins in the other ALDS, are +500, followed by Minnesota at +550.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers are also looking to climb out of a 1-0 hole after a surprising loss to the Diamondbacks in their NLDS opener. They've seen their odds drop to +700, which is still ahead of their opponent as the Diamondbacks are +900.
Rounding out the odds board is the Orioles at +3000. Baltimore will need to win two straight in Texas to force a deciding Game 5 back in Baltimore.
The Rangers being favored speaks less to their dominance than to the uncertainty around the presumed favorites. The Braves, for example, were World Series favorites for much of the season and entering October, but have seen their odds drop after losing Game 1 at home with their ace, Spencer Strider, on the mound. They're looking to avoid being upset by their division rivals for the second consecutive season.
Similarly, the other two betting favorites entering the playoffs, Los Angeles and Houston, are either trailing or tied in their series', and both lost home-field advantage.
The Rangers are now 4-0 in the postseason after losing a heated race to the Astros for the AL West title — and a first-round bye — in the final week of the regular season. Instead of getting that lofty spot, Texas started the postseason as the No. 5 seed and had to face the Tampa Bay Rays, in St. Petersburg, Fla., in the AL Wild Card Round.
The Rangers cleaned up in Tampa, winning two games rather handily. They then went to Baltimore where their offense has carried them to two impressive wins over the top-seeded Orioles.
If they win on Tuesday, they'll undoubtedly keep climbing up the odds board. However, more clarity in the National League picture will likely stymie their momentum from an odds perspective.
