Giants Have Best Odds To Win 2016 World Series
Thanks to making a big splash in the free agency pool, the San Francisco Giants now have the best chance of winning next year's World Series with 6/1 odds according to Bovada.lv. The Chicago Cubs are also at 6/1 odds, leading the rest of the MLB.
The Giants, who finished at 84-78 last season - good for second in the NL West division - signed pitchers Jeff Samardzija (five years, $90 million) and Johnny Cueto (six years, $130 million) within a week of each other, solidifying their rotation as one of the MLB's most lethal.
The projected starting rotation is Madison Bumgarner (who finished sixth in NL Cy Young award votes last season), Cueto (who finished second in Cy Young votes in 2014), Samardzija, Jake Peavy and Matt Cain. All together, the Giants have more than $320 invested in starting pitching over the next six seasons ($45 million over four years for Bumgarner, $15 million for one season of Peavy, $42 million for Cain's next two years, plus the $130 million for Cueto and the $90 million for Samardzija).
The odds for the Giants to win the World Series jumped from 8/1 to 6/1 once the signing of Cueto was announced Monday afternoon.
With Hunter Pence and Joe Panik expected to return to full health next season, the Giants have only one need: left field. In light of the recent signings, the Giants are not expected to be after top tier outfield pieces such as Alex Gordon, Justin Upton and Yoenis Cespedes like they were before. However, GM Bobby Evans has made it clear all options are still on the table.
It's an even year, so most Giants fans have known all along another championship is very possible - now that they have elite pitching once again, they have become the favorite.
Below are the odds for the rest of the MLB:
San Francisco Giants -- 6/1
Chicago Cubs -- 6/1
Boston Red Sox -- 9/1
New York Mets -- 14/1
Kansas City Royals -- 14/1
Los Angeles Dodgers -- 16/1
Toronto Blue Jays -- 16/1
St. Louis Cardinals -- 16/1
Washington Nationals -- 18/1
Houston Astros -- 18/1
Pittsburgh Pirates -- 18/1
Texas Rangers -- 20/1
Arizona Diamondbacks -- 20/1
Cleveland Indians -- 25/1
Los Angeles Angels -- 25/1
New York Yankees -- 25/1
Detroit Tigers -- 25/1
Seattle Mariners -- 33/1
Baltimore Orioles -- 50/1
Minnesota Twins -- 50/1
Chicago White Sox -- 50/1
Tampa Bay Rays -- 66/1
Miami Marlins -- 66/1
Milwaukee Brewers -- 75/1
Oakland Athletics -- 75/1
Cincinnati Reds -- 100/1
San Diego Padres -- 100/1
Atlanta Braves -- 100/1
Colorado Rockies -- 100/1
Philadelphia Phillies -- 100/1
