The Houston Astros enter the 2023 season as the defending American League and World Series champions.
However, several up-and-coming teams, such as the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners, will look to challenge them for the AL crown this season.
In addition, the New York Yankees made a massive upgrade to their starting rotation this offseason, while the Chicago White Sox will look to rebound from a disappointing 2022 campaign.
Let’s look at current betting odds to determine the best bet to win the 2023 American League pennant.
American League Pennant Betting Odds 2023
To see the most up-to-date AL Pennant odds from our favorite sportsbooks, adjust the module below and select MLB - American League - Winner:
Let’s focus on 2023 AL Pennant MLB betting odds on Caesars Sportsbook, current as of Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023, at 8 a.m. ET.
- Houston Astros (+250)
- New York Yankees (+350)
- Toronto Blue Jays (+650)
- Seattle Mariners (+800)
- Tampa Bay Rays (+1100)
- Cleveland Guardians (+1600)
- Chicago White Sox (+1600)
- Los Angeles Angels (+2200)
- Minnesota Twins (+2200)
- Texas Rangers (+2500)
- Baltimore Orioles (+3300)
- Boston Red Sox (+3500)
- Detroit Tigers (+5000)
- Kansas City Royals (+7500)
- Oakland Athletics (+20000)
There is little surprise among the favorites for the AL Pennant. However, there is a ton of value in dark horse teams to emerge from the pack, such as the White Sox, Angels, and Twins.
The only thing for certain is that the Oakland Athletics are not winning the American League.
American League Pennant Best Bet 2023
Blue Jays Win AL Pennant (+650) | Caesars Sportsbook
Wager: 1 Unit
The Blue Jays boast one of the most dangerous lineups in baseball, led by Vladimir Guerrero Jr, Bo Bichette, George Springer, Matt Chapman, and Alejandro Kirk.
In addition, the Jays bolstered their outfielder defense with the offseason acquisitions of Daulton Varsho and Kevin Kiermaier, which should help support their starting rotation.
A starting five of Alek Manoah, Kevin Gausman, José Berríos, Yusei Kikuchi, and the newly acquired Chris Bassitt give Toronto a strong foundation to get the ball to closer Jordan Romano.
The Jays have a strong roster that is capable of hanging with any team in the American League. If they catch fire in the postseason, there may be no stopping them.
American League Pennant Favorites 2023
Houston Astros (+250) | Caesars Sportsbook
Wager: 1 Unit
Houston may have lost the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, Justin Verlander, to free agency, but they are one of the few teams with strong enough pitching depth to survive (and thrive) such a loss.
A rotation filled with Framber Valdez, Christian Javier, Lance McCullers Jr., Luis Garcia, José Urquidy, and possibly Hunter Brown gives way to one of the most effective bullpens in baseball.
However, the real strength of the reigning champions is their potent offense, led by Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, Alex Bregman, and World Series MVP Jeremy Peña.
If that weren’t enough, the Astros added former AL MVP José Abreu during the offseason.
New York Yankees (+350) | Caesars Sportsbook
Wager: 1 Unit
The Yankees added star left-hander Carlos Rodón to a rotation that already features Gerrit Cole, Luis Severino, and Nestor Cortes, giving New York one of the strongest pitching staffs in baseball.
Unfortunately, right-hander Frankie Montas may be lost for the season due to injury, hindering the Yankees’ depth.
That said, the fortunes of the Bronx Bombers are likely tied to how Aaron Judge performs after a historic 2022 season.
The Yankees will need their star outfielder to stay healthy and lead an offense with large question marks surrounding health (Stanton, Donaldson, Hicks). Luckily, he once again among the favorites to challenge for AL MVP award.
That said, New York could receive a boost from their young home-grown talent, such as Oswald Peraza and Anthony Volpe.
See the latest MLB futures odds and picks
- World Series Predictions & Odds
- AL MVP Predictions & Odds
- AL Cy Young Predictions & Odds
- NL MVP Predictions & Odds
- NL Cy Young Predictions & Odds
American League Pennant Sleeper 2023
Chicago White Sox (+1600) | Caesars Sportsbook
Wager: 1 Unit
If the White Sox could stay healthy, they feature one of the most dangerous lineups in the game, featuring a core of Tim Anderson, Eloy Jimenez, Andrew Vaughn, and Luis Robert.
In addition, Chicago acquired veteran outfielder Andrew Benintendi to give more depth to their starting lineup.
If Lucas Gioltio can bounce back from his struggles in 2022, the White Sox could take a massive step forward with a front three that included Dylan Cease and Lance Lynn.
