The Philadelphia Phillies had a magical postseason run in 2022 to claim the National League pennant.
In 2023, several teams will look to unseat the Fightin’ Phils as the NL representative in the World Series, including a pair of division rivals.
Let’s look at current betting odds to determine the best bet to win the 2023 National League pennant.
National League Pennant Betting Odds 2023
To see the most up-to-date NL Pennant odds from our favorite sportsbooks, adjust the module below and select MLB - National League - Winner:
2023 NL Pennant MLB betting odds as of Wednesday, March 8, 2023, at 8 a.m. ET on Caesars Sportsbook.
- Los Angeles Dodgers (+375)
- New York Mets (+375)
- Atlanta Braves (+500)
- San Diego Padres (+550)
- Philadelphia Phillies (+750)
- St. Louis Cardinals (+950)
- Milwaukee Brewers (+1800)
- San Francisco Giants (+2500)
- Chicago Cubs (+4000)
- Miami Marlins (+5500)
- Arizona Diamondbacks (+6000)
- Colorado Rockies (+10000)
- Cincinnati Reds (+10000)
- Pittsburgh Pirates (+12500)
- Washington Nationals (+20000)
The NL East makes up three out of the top three favorites to win the National League, with the NL West claiming the other two spots.
It is difficult to argue with that, as a vast majority of the league’s talent resides on those five clubs.
National League Pennant Best Bet 2023
New York Mets Win NL Pennant (+375) | Caesars Sportsbook
Wager: 1 Unit
There are several teams with a strong chance of challenging for the National League pennant.
That said, the Mets stand out as the most complete team in my eyes, even in a tough division. Both the Braves and Phillies are solid bets in terms of value to win the NL, and you could confidently place a futures bet on either of them.
New York lost two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom in free agency, then turned around and replaced him with three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander.
That is not an easy task to pull off.
In addition, the Mets added Japanese right-hander Kodai Senga and veteran southpaw José Quintana to a rotation that already includes future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer along with Carlos Carrasco. This starting five could rival any rotation in baseball.
New York will also return the same lineup that scored the fifth most runs in MLB last season after bringing back centerfielder Brandon Nimmo. The on-base machine will bat leadoff once again for a lineup that includes Pete Alonso, Francisco Lindor, Starling Marte, and NL batting champion Jeff McNeil.
Add in a stellar bullpen that is led by strikeout artist Edwin Díaz, and you have a complete ball club poised for a deep postseason run.
National League Pennant Favorites 2023
Atlanta Braves (+500) | Caesars Sportsbook
Wager: 1 Unit
The Braves are expected to once again battle the Mets and Phillies for the NL East crown and are a legitimate threat to win the National League.
Atlanta will look for a strong sophomore season from reigning NL Rookie of the Year Michael Harris III, as part of a strong starting lineup that boasts superstars such as Ronald Acuña Jr., Austin Riley, Ozzie Albies, Matt Olson, and newly acquired catcher Sean Murphy.
However, the Braves will be without standout shortstop Dansby Swanson, who departed in free agency, and will instead rely on rookie Vaughn Grissom.
Atlanta will also look for Spencer Strider to repeat his success from 2022 as part of a starting rotation led by left-hander Max Fried, Kyle Wright, and veteran Charlie Morton. A question mark remains in what to expect from Mike Soroka, who has missed most of the last three seasons with shoulder and elbow injuries.
San Diego Padres (+550) | Caesars Sportsbook
Wager: 1 Unit
San Diego is a wild card in terms of expectations due to the mystery surrounding Fernando Tatís Jr.
The Padres superstar has been away from baseball due to a shoulder injury and PED suspension, so there is no guarantee how quickly he will regain his elite form.
That being said, when healthy, there are few teams that can rival a top-four of Tatís, Manny Machado, Juan Soto, and Xander Bogaerts.
In fact, San Diego has three of the top five contenders for the National League MVP this season.
If the Padres lineup is banging on all cylinders, they have more than enough pitching with veteran Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove, and former Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell.
Philadelphia Phillies (+750) | Caesars Sportsbook
Wager: 1 Unit
At +800, the Phillies are one of the most intriguing values on the board in the preseason.
Philadelphia will be without star outfielder Bryce Harper until close to midseason after undergoing Tommy John surgery, but the Phillies’ offense should have more than enough firepower to survive without him.
Newly acquired Trea Turner will lead off in front of NL home run leader Kyle Schwarber, Rhys Hoskins, and J.T Realmuto. In addition, Nick Castellanos is a strong bet for a bounce-back season in Philly.
Meanwhile, Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler are a formidable duo at the top of the Philadelphia rotation in front of Ranger Suárez, Bailey Falter, and Taijuan Walker.
If the Phillies have a true Achilles heel, it is still their bullpen. While they have made clear upgrades this offseason with the addition of Craig Kimbrel, Gregory Soto, and Matt Strahm, almost every arm in the pen struggles when it comes to walking batters.
Los Angeles Dodgers (+375) | Caesars Sportsbook
The Dodgers are the opening favorite to win the National League but have more than their fair share of problems.
In addition to losing their starting shortstop (Turner), veteran Justin Turner, and former NL MVP Cody Bellinger on offense in free agency, they also will be without Tyler Anderson, Andrew Heaney, and ace Walker Buehler (elbow.)
Los Angeles still boasts a dangerous lineup headlined by Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, but at +350, they are not my favorite value on the board.
In fact, their Over/Under is among my favorite prop bets this season.
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
National League Pennant Sleeper 2023
Milwaukee Brewers (+1800) | Caesars Sportsbook
Wager: 1 Unit
The bottom line with Milwaukee is that they have the ability to compete with anyone in the postseason due to a combination of Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff at the top of the rotation.
If they can make the postseason and catch fire, they could be a very tough out with a lineup that could be sneaky dangerous with Willy Adames, Rowdy Tellez, Christian Yelich, William Conteras, and Jesse Winker.
