Unlocking MLB Preseason Value: Why Straight Division Forecasts Are a Smart Bet at DraftKings

The favorites in all three National League divisions are priced at +125 or shorter. In the American League, value is just as scarce, with the Yankees heavily favored in the East and the Astros sitting at +175 atop the AL West. To enhance your betting strategy, consider exploring Straight Division Betting Forecasts.

If you’re looking to back longer odds on division outcomes in 2025, betting a straight forecast at DraftKings might be the way to go.

A straight forecast requires you to pick the exact 1st and 2nd place finishers in a division — in order. The shortest price in the market is the Dodgers to finish ahead of the Diamondbacks at +170. A trifecta raises the difficulty, asking you to correctly predict the top three teams in order. Even the chalkiest trifecta (Dodgers > Diamondbacks > Padres) pays +320. Every combination in the AL East, NL Central, and AL Central is +900 or longer.

This article focuses on straight forecasts and trifectas, but bettors should also check out DraftKings’ markets for top-two finishes and exact finishing positions.

Chicago Cubs 1st, Pittsburgh Pirates 2nd – +850

The Cubs should win the National League Central comfortably. The other four teams are likely to hover near .500, creating a wide-open race for second.

Chicago added a superstar in Kyle Tucker. Projections may be underestimating their rotation — Justin Steele, Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd, and Jameson Taillon form a solid mid-tier group. Offensively, Matt Shaw and Pete Crow-Armstrong bring upside that could push this team toward 90 wins.

The Pirates, projected to have a bottom-five offense, don’t need to win 90 — 84 or 85 wins could be enough to grab second in a weak division. Pittsburgh’s rotation could be among the league’s best if Paul Skenes is joined by prospects like Thomas Harrington and Bubba Chandler. Spencer Horwitz upgrades a thin lineup.

Seattle Mariners 1st, Texas Rangers 2nd, Houston Astros 3rd – +800

The talent drain in Houston is finally catching up. Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman are gone. While Isaac Paredes and other additions help, this no longer looks like a team ready to win a fifth straight division title.

There’s no true juggernaut in the AL West — that’s how Houston has stayed on top despite marginal decline. But both Seattle and Texas have rosters that could leapfrog them. The Mariners arguably boast the best rotation in baseball, while Texas brings a top-10 offense with the upside to be elite.

The Rangers’ pitching health is a massive variable. They’re dangerously dependent on Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker making a leap. Seattle’s younger arms offer more durability and fewer red flags. While we could be talked into flipping these two, Houston falling to third feels like the safest call here.

Boston Red Sox 1st, Baltimore Orioles 2nd, Tampa Bay Rays 3rd – +4500

This might be the most intriguing longshot on the board.

The Yankees are an Aaron Judge injury away from being a .500 team. In the league’s deepest division, that could easily land them outside the top three.

The Red Sox had an excellent offseason. Depth Charts projects them just one win behind New York, and the ceiling could be much higher if Roman Anthony and Kristian Campbell contribute early. A 95-win season isn’t out of the question.

Baltimore, despite last year’s record, played like a .500 team over the final two months of 2024. Grayson Rodriguez’s early IL stint doesn’t help what already looks like a bottom-10 rotation.

The Rays are a wild card. Shane McClanahan and Shane Baz are healthy. Junior Caminero, Christopher Morel, and Jonathan Aranda give them bounce-back potential on offense after a brutal 2024 at the plate. And no one knows yet how George M. Steinbrenner Field will play as a full-time big-league park.

Minnesota Twins 1st, Detroit Tigers 2nd – +600

The AL Central isn’t the most talented or exciting division — but it is wide open. The Twins, Tigers, Guardians, and Royals all have a realistic path to the top.

Projection models are confident in Minnesota. PECOTA has them winning the division easily, and FanGraphs puts them clearly ahead of the pack. Sportsbooks, however, have them bunched tightly with the other contenders.

Detroit looks like the most complete team of the remaining three. Their second-half surge in 2024 wasn’t a fluke. Tarik Skubal might be the best pitcher in baseball, backed by Jack Flaherty, Reese Olson, and rising star Jackson Jobe. Offensively, Gleyber Torres boosts the floor and Jace Jung could elevate the ceiling.

Los Angeles Dodgers 1st, Arizona Diamondbacks 2nd – +170

The Dodgers are essentially a lock to win the NL West — this is a clean way to get plus-money on an outcome that feels highly likely.

There’s no need to sell Los Angeles. They’re favored to post the best record in baseball and have the depth to withstand injuries to multiple stars.

Arizona, meanwhile, has flown a bit under the radar. The addition of Corbin Burnes gives them one of the top five rotations in the league. Corbin Carroll’s .919 OPS in the second half suggests his early-season struggles were just a slump. Josh Naylor adds another bat, and Jordan Lawlar is a breakout candidate.

The Padres are a wild-card contender, but the Diamondbacks look clearly better on paper heading into the season. At +170, this forecast offers value on a likely top-two outcome.

If you liked this article, you may enjoy these too:

Ranking 10 Best MLB Players for 2025

Ranking Every Opening Day Pitcher Matchup

10 Best MLB Pitcher Props in 2025

3 Longshot Bets for AL and NL Cy Young Winners

Freddie Freeman and Austin Riley Best Bets to Lead League in RBI this Season

2025 Ten Best Home Run Season Prop Bets

 3 Value Longshot Bets for AL and NL MVP

5 Key Tips for Betting on MLB Player Props

 10 Key Storylines to Follow When Betting on the 2025 MLB Season

Seven Best Win Total Bets for the 2025 MLB Season

 Guide to Betting on MLB Win Totals

10 Breakout Players to Target in Fantasy Baseball Drafts

10 Tips to Win at Fantasy Baseball

MGM Cy Young Betting Favorites

Predicting Major Awards for 2025 MLB Season

Fantasy Baseball: Bold Predictions For Every Team

2025 MLB Season – What to Look Forward To