Gross Bombs: NFL Props for Week 16
Josh Gross
A free-agent spending spree has turned the New York Mets into contenders to win the 2022 World Series. That’s what the Mets’ championship odds suggest, at least.
Only a handful of teams are given a better chance than the Mets to win the championship. Owner Steve Cohen has the most money of anyone running a baseball team, and he certainly acted like it this winter. From a $130 million contract to pitcher Max Scherzer to a $78 million deal for outfielder Starling Marte, New York spared no expense in its attempt to build a championship-caliber roster.
The Mets have the highest payroll in baseball, and it’s possible the team isn’t done spending. Maybe the most expensive team in league history is what it will take to maybe end the franchise’s 36-year title drought. The Mets have missed the playoffs in five straight seasons and finished the 2021 season with a 77-85 record.
Here’s a closer look at the Mets’ 2022 betting odds.
New York Mets Championship Odds
The Mets are fourth in the MLB with +1000 World Series odds (9.09% implied probability) at DraftKings Sportsbook. They aren’t far behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are baseball’s preseason favorites with +700 odds to win the championship. The Houston Astros (+900) and New York Yankees (+900) are the only other teams with better odds than the Mets.
With +320 odds to win the National League, the Mets are considered to be the biggest threat to the Dodgers in the Senior Circuit. That puts the Mets ahead of the defending champion Atlanta Braves. The Braves have +600 odds to win the NL pennant for a second straight year.
As +140 favorites to win the NL East, the Mets will aim to end the Braves’ streak of four straight division titles. Atlanta has +160 NL East odds, followed by the Philadelphia Phillies at +475. The Miami Marlins (+1000) have the same odds to win the division that the Mets do to win the World Series.
The Mets’ run to the 2015 World Series featured their lone NL East title of the last 16 seasons.
Do the Mets have MVP, Cy Young or Rookie of the Year candidates?
If this is the year that the Mets get their first MVP winner, shortstop Francisco Lindor or first baseman Pete Alonso will likely be responsible. They both have +3000 NL MVP odds at DraftKings Sportsbook, putting them behind six players and tying them with four others. Marte has +4000 MVP odds after hitting .310 with 47 stolen bases in 120 games last season.
It won’t come as a surprise if the top of New York’s rotation finishes 1-2 in the NL Cy Young voting. Jacob deGrom is a +450 favorite and already has two Cy Youngs to his name. The right-hander was well on his way to winning the award in 2021 before an elbow injury cut his season short at 92.0 innings and a microscopic 1.08 ERA. Scherzer is tied for second at +800 odds with Los Angeles’ Walker Buehler and Milwaukee’s Corbin Burnes. Scherzer owns three Cy Young awards and led the NL with a 0.86 WHIP a season ago.
The Rookie of the Year is unlikely to come from the Mets. Mark Vientos is the team’s best chance, though he’s a long shot with +9000 odds. The 22-year-old spent time at first base, third base and left field in 2021, hitting 25 homers in 83 games across Double-A and Triple-A.
Are the Mets better than the Yankees?
The answer to this question is usually a hard “no,” but the Mets have a real shot to win more playoff games than the Yankees for just the third time in the last 33 years. The Bronx Bombers and the Amazins have the exact same odds to reach the Fall Classic. The Yankees have +185 odds to win their division compared to the Mets’ +140 NL East odds.
The Yankees’ rotation is filled with question marks after ace Gerrit Cole. Star players like Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton have a hard time staying healthy. With no World Series appearances since 2009, the Yankees have had their own string of disappointing seasons.
Now, it’s the Mets, not the Yankees, who are trying their best to buy a championship.
How can I bet on the Mets?
Legal sportsbooks in New York like DraftKings offer the latest odds on the Mets for a variety of MLB betting markets. Sign up using a DraftKings promo code and see all the different options available to New York residents.
