Sox Getting Love From Vegas On Opening Day

The AL East has been anyone’s division in recent years and that does not look slated to change in 2015. The Blue Jays have added some keys pieces (though the injury to Marcus Stroman could be too much for their limited rotation to handle), the Orioles have a solid overall team, and the Rays will have amongst the best pitching in the division.

And yet, as the prognostications and projections from various big wigs in sports media on Opening Day, it’s clear many of them expect the Red Sox to make noise this year and possibly take the pennant.
 
It all comes back to the bats. In Ben Lindbergh at Grantland’s overview of the division, he goes as far as to suggest that if “[Boston] doesn’t turn out to be the best-hitting team in baseball, something will have gone wrong.” While that sentiment may not properly be accounting for the power that the Blue Jays will bring to the table, it’s encouraging stuff.

Obviously, this must all be taken with a large grain of salt and knock on wood. But what’s interesting is the amount that Vegas is following the hype. The Red Sox are given +600 odds for the AL pennant and +1,000 odds to win the 2015 World Series according to current MLB futures at TopBet sportsbook. If the books are putting their money behind it, there is a good chance there is some weight to their thinking.