The weekend of Major League Baseball action was a good one for the Baltimore Orioles. Baltimore brushed aside the New York Mets, sweeping them in a three-game series. The Mets surprisingly bad season continued. The Orioles, conversely, have now opened up a nice lead in the AL East.
Baltimore Orioles: In position to lead MLB in Wins
The pennant race is what summer baseball is all about. Yet, there is another ‘race’ in Major League Baseball that the Orioles are a part of. It’s one that is not necessarily all the important from some points of view. Baltimore is in contention to lead the Major Leagues in wins this season. They and the Atlanta Braves each have 70 wins following the weekend of action.
This is a ‘race’ that coaches do not necessarily strive to win. The reason for that is that Baltimore and Atlanta play in separate leagues. There isn’t a clear benefit to finishing first outright in the regular season. Yes, it could give you a home-field advantage in the World Series. But, then again, first, you have to make it to the World Series for that to come into play.
The Orioles have an interesting history in the betting market to lead the regular season in wins. According to my personal notes on the market, Baltimore was 150 to 1 to have the best record in baseball this season. Those odds are from the early weeks of the season. Currently, Baltimore is +450 (9/2) in the same market while Atlanta is 2 to 9 (-450). Tampa Bay is the next favorite out at 12 to 1 but they’ve been subpar for ages now.
In this two-horse race, there are some reasons to like Baltimore over Atlanta. Firstly, the Orioles pass the eyeball test. Whatever this team needs they seem to get. If they need a clutch double-play, then they are getting that. If they need a strong pitching performance, then they are getting that. They truly are a spectacle to watch and their recent form is a case in point. Since the All-Star break, the Orioles have gone 16-7. The chart below shows what Baltimore has done in the last two months.
Baltimore Orioles: Recent Form Alert
- Formerly: 37 – 24 on June 8th, 2023
- Currently: 70 – 42 (overall)
- Recent form: 33 – 18 since June 8th, 2023
- Recent winning rate: .647
Atlanta remains the team in Major League Baseball that is most comfortable. They have a double-digit lead in the NL East standings. They are the team most likely to make the playoffs.
But therein lays a reason why the Braves might not have the best record at the end of the season. You could picture Baltimore fighting to the very last series this season. Atlanta, conversely, might go into coast mode in mid-September. In fact, the Braves haven’t been at their very best in recent weeks. The chart below shows a dip in form since the All-Star break.
Atlanta Braves: Recent Form Alert
- Formerly: 60 – 29 entering the All-Star break
- Currently: 70 – 39 (overall)
- Recent form: 10 – 10 since the All-Star break
- Recent winning rate: .500
The best team in baseball has been a 50/50 thing for 20 games now.
Those that are interested in the Best Regular Season Record market might be a little late to the show. Odds of 150 to 1 on the Orioles are long gone. But +450 still looks good (bet365). This a talented team, Baltimore, that will likely have to go full throttle to the end of the season due to all the competition in the American League and, in particular, the AL East. Our recommendation is to back Baltimore in this market.
Further reading: Check out our picks for Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season!
