The All-Star break is over, and the second half of the MLB season is here. The two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers have the best record in baseball at 61-36. They’re the only team to reach 60 wins in the first half, but the Milwaukee Brewers (59-37) are close behind.
The Dodgers sit at the top of BetMGM’s MLB futures board at +185 to win the 2026 World Series. The banged-up New York Yankees (+550) are the second favorite, followed by the Milwaukee Brewers (+1000), Seattle Mariners (+1100), and Atlanta Braves (+1200).
Keep a close eye on some of these storylines in the second half of the season.
Dodgers Seek Historic Three-Peat
Love them or hate them, the Dodgers have been one of the best teams in the NL West since 2013. Manager Dave Roberts led the Dodgers to five World Series appearances since 2017 with three championships.
Another title this October would put the Dodgers in rare company. They would become only the third franchise to win the World Series in three consecutive seasons. The Yankees secured a three-peat three times (1936-1939, 1949-1953, and 1998-2000), and the Oakland A’s pulled off the rare feat once (1972-1974).
Shohei Ohtani has a slashline of .293/.403/.549 with 22 home runs and 58 RBI. On the mound, he’s 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP. The two-way superstar is a massive favorite to win another MVP at -1000 odds.
Other NL World Series Favorites: Brewers, Braves, Phillies
The Brewers (+1000) boast the second-best record in baseball, and only the Dodgers have a slightly better home record (30-17 vs. 30-19) in the NL. Pitcher Aaron Ashby (12-2) leads the MLB in wins. Human flamethrower Jacob Misiorowski (10-4) leads the majors with a 1.62 ERA and 167 strikeouts.
The Atlanta Braves (+1200) have the NL’s third-best record. Matt Olson smacked 25 home runs with a slashline of .267/.339/.534.
The Phillies (+1300) easily have the best turnaround story of the season. They were 10 games under .500 at their low point before Don Mattingly took over as manager in late April. Since then, the Phillies went 45-24. Kyle Schwarber leads the MLB with 32 home runs.
AL World Series Favorites: Rays, Yankees
The Yankees (+550) are the second-overall favorite at BetMGM, even though the Rays (+1600) are in first place with the best record in the AL at 56-38 and the best home record in the majors at 35-15.
The Rays offer the best value to win the World Series at +1600. Junior Caminero crushed 28 home runs with 59 RBI while slashing .279/.372/.555. In his first full season with the Rays, closer Bryan Baker ranks second in saves with 25, and he has a 1.73 ERA and 0.83 WHIP.
The Yankees are battling injuries to key players. They’re desperately missing sluggers Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, but it’s unknown when either will return. Starting pitchers Max Fried and Carlos Rodon are also sidelined but hope to return to the mound in August. Meanwhile, Cam Schitller (9-5, 2.05 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 137 strikeouts) has emerged as the Yankees ace this season. He’s also the favorite to win the AL Cy Young award at +120.
Hottest Team: Miami Marlins
Although the Cleveland Guardians swept the Miami Marlins last weekend, the Marlins have been the hottest team in baseball over the last six weeks. They were eight games under .500 (26-34) at the end of May before they caught fire with a 20-6 record in June.
The Marlins (52-45) are currently sitting in third place in the top-heavy NL East. They’re four games behind the first-place Braves, but within striking distance of winning their first NL East title.
Shortstop Otto Lopez leads the majors with a .334 batting average, while Sandy Alcantara (10-5) and Max Meyer (9-1) anchor the pitching staff.
Surprise Team: Chicago White Sox
Just two years after setting a modern record with 121 losses, the Chicago White Sox are one of the biggest surprises this season.
The White Sox won only 41 games in 2024, and 60 games last season. Their turnaround in 2026 has been amazing under manager Will Venable. The White Sox (50-45) occupy first place in the AL Central, and they’re tied for the third-best record in the American League.
Rookie slugger Munetaka Murakami from Japan missed all of June with a hamstring injury, but still contributed 20 home runs and 42 RBI.
Disappointing Squads: Blue Jays, Tigers, Royals, Mets, Padres
Four preseason contenders failed to live up to expectations, most notably the Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres, Detroit Tigers, and New York Mets.
The Blue Jays won the 2025 AL pennant before the Dodgers defeated them in the World Series. They clinched the AL East with a 94-68 record last season, but they’re currently six games under .500 at 45-51. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has struggled at the plate with a .262 average and only six home runs.
The Padres won 90 games last season, but they begin the second half at 48-48. They’re in third place in the NL West, 12.5 games out of first.
The Tigers narrowly missed out on the AL Central crown last season. They’re eight games under .500 and in fourth place in the division.
The Mets (40-57) have been an utter disaster. The basement dwellers of the NL East carry the highest payroll ($328.7 million) in the MLB. Their starting rotation is a dumpster fire, and Francisco Lindor is batting a career low .216 with only five home runs. The Mets fired manager Carlos Mendoza. Fans felt that GM David Stearns is the real problem, and he should’ve also gotten axed.
Tight Division Races: AL West Going Down to the Wire
The Dodgers (-1000) are running away with the NL West thanks to a 11.5-game lead. Compare that to the AL West, where 11.5 games separate first and last place. All teams in the AL East and AL Central are separated by 12 and 13 games, respectively.
The NL East remains a three-team race. The Braves (-150) lead the Phillies (+140) by two games and the Marlins (+1300) by four games.
The Brewers (-700) opened a five-game lead over the Cubs (+550) in the NL Central. Meanwhile, the Cardinals (+5000) trail the Brewers by 8.5 games, and the Pirates (+4000) are 9.5 games back.
The Rays (-150) and the Yankees (+130) are the only AL East teams over .500. Even without last year’s MVP Aaron Judge, the Yankees are in the thick of a division race.
The AL Central could be a four-team race if the Tigers figure things out in the second half. The Guardians (+120) and White Sox (+175) are tied for first place. The Twins (+900) are three games back, while the Tigers (+450) are 6.5 games out of first.
The AL West is the closest divisional race that might come down to the final week of the season. The Seattle Mariners (48-49) are 1.5 games back in second place, but they’re the division favorite at -120. The Texas Rangers (+175) are barely above .500, yet occupy first place. The third-place Houston Astros (+525) are only three games behind the Rangers.
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