The American League East has been considered one of the best divisions in MLB for several seasons, and this year is no different.
The division features two World Series contenders in the Yankees and Blue Jays, a perennial playoff team in the Rays, an improving Orioles ball club, and a Red Sox team that may be a bit underrated.
Let’s look at current betting odds to determine the best bet to win the 2023 AL East division.
AL East Betting Odds 2023
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2023 AL East MLB betting odds as of Thursday, Feb. 16, at 10 a.m. ET on Caesars Sportsbook.
- New York Yankees (+115)
- Toronto Blue Jays (+190)
- Tampa Bay Rays (+400)
- Boston Red Sox (+1800)
- Baltimore Orioles (+2500)
The Yankees and Blue Jays are the cream of the crop of this division. Each team features a stacked lineup with a strong rotation and deep bullpen.
The Rays always seem to find a way to stay in the mix, while the Orioles are flush with young talent, so we can’t rule them out.
Let’s also not forget the Red Sox, who still have a good lineup, along with a pitching staff that has some upside.
AL East Best Bet 2023
Blue Jays Win AL East (+190) | Caesars Sportsbook
Wager: 1 Unit
The Blue Jays’ front office did a terrific job adjusting their roster this off-season. They added lefties Daulton Varsho, Brandon Belt, and Kevin Kiermaier to what was a righty-heavy lineup.
Varsho and Belt provide some power, while Kiermaier brings elite outfield defense.
They replaced Ross Stripling with Chris Bassitt, who bolsters the rotation due to his innings-eating ability. This gives them a solid quartet that includes Kevin Gausman, Alek Manoah, and José Berríos.
There’s also an elite prospect in the pipeline in Ricky Tiedemann.
The bullpen may be the most improved part of the team. The addition of Erik Swanson gives the Jays another viable late-inning option.
This group now has good depth, featuring relievers like Jordan Romano, Yimi García, and Tim Mayza.
When you combine each of these factors, you come away feeling that the gap between the Yankees and Blue Jays should not be as wide. Toronto looks like the best bet in the AL East.
See the latest MLB futures odds and picks
- World Series Predictions & Odds
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AL East Contenders 2023
Yankees (+115) | Caesars Sportsbook
Wager: 1 Unit
The Yankees are favored for a reason, featuring a stacked roster in each facet of the game. The offense remains strong led by Aaron Judge, but it could be upgraded with the arrival of prospects like Oswald Peraza and Anthony Volpe.
The biggest catch is in the rotation with the Carlos Rodón signing, providing another ace to pair with Gerrit Cole. Continued health from Luis Severino could make this a dominant trio.
However, the Frankie Montas injury means that they will need Nestor Cortes to have another strong year or Clarke Schmidt to emerge.
The bullpen isn’t as strong as in previous years, but the loss of Aroldis Chapman may be addition by subtraction. There are still solid options like Clay Holmes, Jonathan Loáisiga, and Michael King, making this an above-average group.
While the Blue Jays look like the best bet in terms of value, the Yankees still have the upper hand due to their elite combination of offense and starting pitching.
Rays (+400) | Caesars Sportsbook
Wager: 1 Unit
The Rays’ offense should get a boost if Wander Franco can play a full season, as the former elite prospect was limited to only 344 plate appearances last year.
We may also see some of their young talents reach the big leagues, such as Jonathan Aranda, Kyle Manzardo, or Curtis Mead.
While it was tough losing Tyler Glasnow to an oblique strain, he could be back by May or June. Glasnow looked terrific in limited action last season and can form an elite duo with Shane McClanahan.
This is a strong group that also includes Drew Rasmussen, Jeffrey Springs, and Zach Eflin.
The bullpen has a chance to be among the best in baseball. You have pitchers with elite strikeout rates like Pete Fairbanks, Jason Adam, and Garrett Cleavinger.
The Rays always know how to mix and match their relievers to optimize matchups.
This team is clearly the third-best in the division, but you can’t count out their chances of finishing first here. At +400 odds, we’re getting terrific value in taking Tampa Bay.
