Two Best Longshot Bets to Win the 2026 World Series

One more sleep until we get an MLB game that counts!

Let’s take one final look at some futures and highlight a couple longer odds plays for ¼ unit each. The Dodgers are +225 to win the World Series which I get, I mean they’re obviously loaded yet again. They had actual holes in corner OF and closer and added one of the best hitters in MLB in Kyle Tucker and an ace closer in Edwin Diaz. So yeah, they’re ridiculous. 

But it's baseball and they will still have to work their way through three small sample size playoff series against other excellent teams. And there are 162 games between now and then, who knows about injuries. I think those odds are way too short even for a historically talented team like this, there’s too much randomness in MLB.

So what longer shots do I like to win the World Series?

Orioles +3000

The AL East looks super strong and incredibly even. All of the Orioles, Blue Jays, Yankees and Red Sox project for between 83.6 and 86.5 wins. The Orioles are at the bottom of that scrum but that’s really not that meaningful when we’re talking three games over 162. As I mentioned in my AL East betting preview, I really like how Baltimore has built up this team. They added two major power bats in Pete Alonso and Taylor Ward to a budding young offensive corps. 

They’re led by Gunnar Henderson, healthy now and off a big WBC. Even more importantly, their starting pitching has morphed from awful to excellent. Kyle Bradish is a near ace with a career 3.47 ERA and 1.16 WHIP. Tyler Rogers won’t repeat his 1.81 ERA, but the Orioles will take his mid 3’s ERA estimators. And I’m super optimistic that trade add Shane Baz will pop here, and so is everyone else in all my Fantasy leagues since I always get outbid. I’m super bullish this team returns to its 2023-2024 playoff levels, but now with more pop and way better arms.

Tigers +2800

It’s the last stand with Tarik Skubal as the two time defending Cy Young champ will hit free agency after this season. Detroit hasn’t exactly gone all in yet, but they’re clearly playing to win this year. They added Framber Valdez and he’s started 31 games in three of the last four seasons (28 in the other one) and has a 3.36 career ERA. That’s a fantastic 1-2 punch for a playoff series and Detroit should get there out of the weak AL Central. 

The offense is more good than great as they pretty much run it back from last year. There is one potential huge add in house however as uber prospect Kevin McGonigle will either make the opening day roster and get called up quickly. Oopsy projects him to have a 133 wRC+ with a .277.362/.476 slash line which is off the charts for a rookie. 

The question is more whether his glove can handle SS. The bullpen was already good and now adds Kenley Jansen to back end. Not that he’s that great at this stage of his career, but he can competently close and it pushes all the excellent relievers into spots where Detroit can really shorten games, which is obviously huge in short playoff series. Plus there’s every reason in the world this team is a buyer at the trade deadline.