With the 2024 Major League Baseball regular season winding down, both New York squads have positioned themselves to make some noise in the upcoming playoffs. The Yankees are looking to wrap up the top seed in the American League and an opening-round bye. Meanwhile, the Mets are in a dogfight with Arizona and Atlanta for the final two National League wild card spots.
The Bronx Bombers are the favorites to win this year's American League pennant, according to BetMGM - one of the most trusted New York sportsbooks. The Yankees (+180) boasts the shortest MLB betting odds to win their 41st American League title, followed by Houston (+350), Cleveland (+425), Baltimore (+450), Kansas City (+1200), Minnesota (+1600), and Detroit (+2000).
Unlike the Yankees, which have already booked a ticket to the postseason, the Mets have six road games against the Braves and Brewers to end the regular season. The Dodgers (+165) are the favorite to capture the National League pennant, followed by Philadelphia (+225), San Diego (+600), Milwaukee (+800), Arizona (+1100), the Mets (+1300), and Atlanta (+1600).
The Shohei Ohtani-led Dodgers are also the favorite to win this year's World Series. Los Angeles is a +325 betting favorite to win its eighth Commissioner's Trophy, followed by the Yankees (+450), Phillies (+450), Astros (+800), Orioles (+1100), Guardians (+1200), Padres (+1200), Brewers (+2000), Diamondbacks (+2200), Mets (+2200), Braves (+3000), and Royals (+3000).
New York has won eight of its previous 10 games heading into the final week of the regular season and leads the league with 229 home runs and 642 free passes. The New York Yankees have struggled at the plate after the All-Star break but remain among the league leaders in OBP (2nd), OPS (2nd), RBIs (3rd), and runs scored (3rd).
Aaron Judge is the Yankees' top offensive weapon. The 6-foot-7 slugger, batting .323 with 55 long balls, has already set career highs with 36 doubles and 138 RBIs. The 2022 American League MVP also needs two hits over the final six games to register 178 regular-season hits for the first time in his career.
Another hard-hitting Yankee - Juan Soto - has produced MVP-like numbers despite batting .273 with 59 hits, 17 homers, and 38 RBIs since the All-Star break. The soon-to-be free agent is hitting .287 and has set career highs with 40 dingers, 160 hits, and 124 runs.
Giancarlo Stanton finished third on the team with 26 home runs, while Gleyber Torres (15), Austin Wells (13), Alex Verdugo (12), Anthony Volpe (12), and Jazz Chisolm (10) also tallied double-digit long balls.
The Yankees' pitching staff has posted the league's fifth-best ERA with just days left in the regular season. New York hurlers have also allowed the sixth-fewest runs while recording the fifth-most strikeouts.
Carlos Rodon and Luis Gil headline a deep starting rotation that also includes Gerrit Cole (7-5/3.67), Nestor Cortes (9-10/3.77), and Marcus Stroman (10-8/4.04). Rodon is 16-9 with a 3.98 ERA and a team-high 190 strikeouts over 169.2 innings, while Gil is 15-6 with an impressive 3.27 ERA and 166 strikeouts.
Closer Clay Holmes has tallied a team-high 29 saves with a 3.28 ERA and 66 strikeouts, while reliever Luke Weaver has impressed with a 2.93 ERA, including four saves, 22 holds, and 101 strikeouts.
New York has won seven of its past 10 games heading into the final week of the regular season and is ranked sixth with 202 home runs. The New York Mets are tied with the Brewers for the fifth-most runs scored this season and are near the top of the big leagues with 275 two-baggers.
First baseman Pete Alonso leads the squad with 34 homers and 88 RBIs, while shortstop Francisco Linor has tallied 31 dingers and has drove in 86 runs. Lindor, who has been sidelined recently with a back injury, smashed 30-plus home runs for the fifth time in his career.
Brandon Nimmo is enjoying a productive season with the lumber and has uncorked 22 long balls to go along with 87 RBIs. Corner infielder Mark Vientos has crushed 25 homers and banged home 67 runs, while J.D. Martinez added 16 home runs and 69 RBIs.
22-year-old shortstop Luisangel Acuna has impressed filling in for the injured Lindor. The top prospect is batting .379 (11-for-29) with six extra-base hits and might have already sewn up a playoff roster spot. Other hitters include Jeff McNeil, Harrison Bader, Francisco Alvarez, Starling Marte, Tyrone Taylor, Jessie Winker, and Jose Iglesias.
The Mets' pitching staff has posted the major league's 13th-best ERA while posting the sixth-most strikeouts with 1,391 over 1,392.1 innings. Only four MLB teams allowed fewer home runs than New York hurlers, who have also surrendered the second-fewest hits this season.
Southpaw Sean Manaea is the top pitcher and is 12-5 with a 3.29 ERA and a team-high 183 strikeouts over 178 frames. Luis Severino is 11-6 with a 3.79 ERA and 156 strikeouts, while Jose Quintana (10-9/3.74), David Peterson (9-3/3.08), and Tylor Megill (4-5/3.98) round out the starting rotation.
Japanese right-hander Kodai Senga remains sidelined with a calf injury but has not been ruled out of the postseason if the Mets can hang onto a wild card spot. Senga is 1-0 with nine strikeouts and a 3.38 ERA over 5.1 innings in an injury-marred 2024 campaign.
Closer Edwin Diaz headlines a bullpen that has had nine different relievers register a save this season. Diaz has posted a team-high 20 saves with a 3.35 ERA along with 79 strikeouts and 18 walks in 51 innings on the hill. Veteran reliever Reed Garrett has also tallied stellar numbers with a 3.18 ERA, four saves, 14 holds, and 81 strikeouts over 56.2 frames.
As the 2024 MLB regular season reaches its thrilling conclusion, both the Yankees and Mets are fighting for postseason glory. With the Yankees aiming for another deep playoff run and the Mets battling for a wild card spot, the stakes have never been higher for New York's baseball faithful. Fans can enhance the excitement by betting on these outcomes through leading MLB sportsbooks, where odds fluctuate daily based on team performance and playoff positioning.
Whether backing the Yankees' pursuit of a record 41st American League title or the Mets' quest for a surprise playoff surge, there's plenty of action to follow both on and off the field.
