Stop us if you’ve heard this one before. The Los Angeles Dodgers signed the most coveted free agent and are now runaway favorites to win the World Series.
The Dodgers were already the consensus favorite to win a third straight championship before signing Tucker to a four-year deal worth $240 million, but the move slashed the number to a historic range.
Los Angeles has +225 odds to pull off the three-peat at BetMGM Sportsbook, which would make them the biggest favorite entering a season since the 2003 Yankees, who were +200 to win the Commissioner’s Trophy on Opening Day (per Sports Odds History).
The Bronx Bombers lost to the Marlins in the World Series that October.
This will also be the third consecutive season, and fourth time in the last five years, that the Dodgers will enter the campaign as the outright favorite.
Tucker, who will turn 29 on Jan. 17, posted an .841 OPS, .363 wOBA and 4.5 WAR to go along with a .266 batting average and 22 home runs in 136 games with the Chicago Cubs in 2025.
The outfielder spent the first seven years of his career with the Astros.
And it’s not just who Tucker signed with that impacted the market, but who didn’t join.
The Mets, Blue Jays, and Yankees were connected with the outfielder to some degree this offseason, as the three contenders tried to bridge the gap between them and the Dodgers.
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Instead, Tucker expanded the gulf, forcing the clubs he spurned to pivot to Plan B.
Tucker’s decision to make the rich richer caused the Yankees to drift from +750 to 10/1. The Pinstripes were the only other team with single-digit odds before the news broke.
2026 World Series odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles Dodgers | +225 |
| New York Yankees | 10/1 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 13/1 |
| Seattle Mariners | 13/1 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 13/1 |
| Houston Astros | 14/1 |
| Atlanta Braves | 16/1 |
| Boston Red Sox | 16/1 |
| New York Mets | 16/1 |
| Chicago Cubs | 20/1 |
There is one premier free agent remaining in Cody Bellinger who could impact the odds, but the Dodgers will be the rampant favorite when the curtain rises on the 2026 MLB season on March 25.
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Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
