With the calendar switching to August and Pennant races ramping up across Major League Baseball, it’s the ideal time to examine which National League ball clubs are in contention to potentially host the NL Pennant and march onto the World Series.

In addition to the top-tier teams, a few intriguing clubs on the board offer prospective bettors with a ton of underlying value on a futures bet of their choosing.

Let’s dive in and assess various odds, best bets, favorites, contenders, and sleeper picks to win the NL Pennant in October.

National League Odds 2023

*MLB odds used for these National League Pennant best bets are current as of Wednesday, August 8th, and courtesy of bet365 Sportsbook.

Atlanta Braves (+130)
Los Angeles Dodgers (+210)
Philadelphia Phillies (+750)
Milwaukee Brewers (+1400)
San Diego Padres (+1400)
San Francisco Giants (+1500)
Cincinnati Reds (+1500)
Miami Marlins (+2800)
Arizona Diamondbacks (+3000)
Chicago Cubs (+3500)
New York Mets (+10000)
St. Louis Cardinals (+17500)
Pittsburgh Pirates (+35000)
Colorado Rockies (+200000)
Washington Nationals (+250000)

NL Pennant Best Bet

Philadelphia Phillies (+750)

After last season’s appearance in the World Series, the Philadelphia Phillies (59-49) continue to play excellent ball down the stretch. Winners of six of their last 10 games played, Philadelphia is led by Bryce Harper and Nick Castellanos, in addition to an excellent starting rotation.

The Phillies’ pitching staff has combined to rank first in the NL in both xSLG (.387), xwOBA (.298), and Solid% (6.9), per Baseball Savant.

Prior to the trade deadline, Philadelphia also went out and added Michael Lorenzen (4.44 SIERA) from the Detroit Tigers and switch hitter Rodolfo Castro, providing versatility throughout the Philly lineup.

At a very enticing (+750) price point, look for the Phillies to be among the best teams in the NL as we inch closer to the postseason.

NL Pennant Favorites

Atlanta Braves (+130)

The MLB-leading Atlanta Braves (68-37) get us rolling at the single-shortest odds to win the NL Pennant (+130). The Braves are the best team in baseball by a significant margin and have become a model franchise both on the field.

Atlanta is led by the likes of Spencer Strier, Austin Riley, Matt Olson and Ronald Acuna Jr., among others, and entered play on Wednesday a full 11 games ahead of the second-place Phillies in the NL East.

The Braves are also analytical darlings sitting atop baseball in a wide variety of advanced metrics such as wOBA, Barrel%, xSLG, and Whiff%.

Atlanta has all the makings for a deep postseason run this fall. Hop on the Braves train as soon as possible before their odds shorten even further.

Los Angeles Dodgers (+210)

Trailing the Braves are the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers (59-45), who own the second-shortest odds of winning the NL crown (+210).

The Dodgers have once again enjoyed an excellent campaign thus far and currently hold a 2.5-game lead over the second-place San Francisco Giants (59-49).

As a team, Dave Roberts’ group holds one of the best lineups in baseball, which will be further boosted by the recent trade deadline acquisitions of shortstop Amed Rosario, who came over from the Cleveland Guardians, and Kike Hernandez, who joined the team from the Boston Red Sox.

The Dodgers have also dominated the advanced statistics department ranking second in the NL in SLG (.457), Barrel% (9.9), and xwOBAcon (.403), per Baseball Savant.

If you’re banking on a favorite with longer odds than the Braves, look no further than the LA Dodgers.

NL Pennant Contenders

Milwaukee Brewers (+1400)

The Milwaukee Brewers (58-50) have enjoyed an up-and-down campaign in 2023, yet still find themselves only a half-game back of first in the NL Central and a one-game buffer for the last Wild Card Spot.

As a team, the Brewers’ bats have struggled this season, ranking last in the NL in both batting average (.232) and OBP (.302) and 13th in xSLG (.386).

Despite that, the Brew Crew boasts one of the most balanced pitching staffs in baseball, ranking fifth in HardHit% (38.6), fourth in Exit Velocity (88.7), and fourth in strikeouts (917), per Baseball Savant.

The Brewers were also active at the deadline acquiring Mark Canha and lefty Andrew Chafin, which should bode well for a team right in the thick of the NL playoff picture. At (+1400), this team offers plenty of value on a futures bet to win the NL Pennant.

Cincinnati Reds (+1500)

The baseball-crazed city of Cincinnati has had plenty to cheer about in 2023 with the stellar play of their beloved Reds. As it stands, the Reds sit atop the N.L. Central at 59-50 (.541), with a 0.5 game cushion over the second-place Milwaukee Brewers (58-50).

The Reds are led by a fantastic starting rotation that includes Graham Ashcraft, Andrew Abbott, and Brandon Williamson, and rookie phenom Elly De La Cruz, who has taken the Reds and baseball fans by storm.

At 21 years of age, De La Cruz ranks in the 90th percentile or higher in a wide range of advanced metrics, including max exit velocity, arm strength, sprint speed, and swinging-strike rate, per Pitcher List. To say that De La Cruz’s electrifying approach to the game has gone right to the legs of the Reds lineup would be a massive understatement.

After years of mediocrity and instability both on and off the field, it certainly feels like the Reds are here to stay in the National League. At (+1500), you’re getting excellent value on a team that can make some noise during the postseason.
NL Pennant Sleeper

Miami Marlins (+2800)

When selecting sleeper picks, I try to target up-swing teams with long odds, who are right in the thick of the postseason picture. The Miami Marlins check both of those boxes.

At 57-51 (.528), the Marlins have enjoyed an excellent bounce-back campaign and are a vastly improved ballclub from the one that went 69-93 in 2022. As it stands, Miami sits a single game out of a wild card spot in the N.L., providing prospective bettors with an intriguing value play.

The Marlins are led by a phenomenal pitching staff: Sandy Alcantara, Jesus Lazardo, and Braxton Garrett. Collectively, their arms have combined to rank near the top of the NL in a wide range of advanced metrics, which include first in Chase Rate (30.7%), second in Whiff% (28.2), and third in xBA (.239).

If you’re leaning towards a longshot sleeper selection with a ton of value attached, I’d lay a sprinkle on Miami.

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