Phillies fans will want to put the disappointment of last year behind them
It is getting to that time of year when everything becomes just a little more exciting in Major League Baseball. Some fans in Chicago or Oakland might already have given up on this year as the chance for their teams to regain some former glory. But some of the teams in our local area are looking far more like champs at the moment.Many of our readers will be Phillies fans, while there are sure to be some Yankees fans as well. There might even be some Mets supporters out there but we probably won’t be talking too much about them!
As the regular season begins to draw a close, all baseball fans will be checking the standings and trying to figure out which teams will be making it to the postseason. If you want some help with your MLB online betting picks for the World Series, read on. We’re taking a look at whether the Phillies or the Yankees have the best shot at winning the World Series in 2024.
Phillies fans have not celebrated a World Series victory since 2008 but there is a feeling growing that this could be the year that the drought will end. Looking at the standings, it is clear that Philadelphia is one of the best teams in baseball. Obviously, that doesn’t guarantee a championship – or even a spot at the Fall Classic – but if momentum can remain steady until the end of the regular season, there has to be a chance.
Pitching is a particular strength for this team. The starting rotation is one of the best in the league and there is also a very deep bullpen that the Phillies can depend on. Being able to rely on the likes of Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sanchez, Aaron Nola, and Ranger Suarez is huge going into the final months of the season and a major plus for the playoffs.
After a disappointing July and August, September has seen the Phillies return to form with a vengeance and that bodes well going into the playoffs. Winning the division – and potentially finishing as the number one team in the National League – should have Philly confident of a deep run in the postseason. There is a concern over the strength of the outfield, as anyone who had the misfortune of watching last year’s NLCS would know. But this could be the year after two seasons of postseason disappointment.
Although most of our readers will probably be Phillies fans, there is no doubt that the Yankees also get a lot of love in this part of the world. As the biggest team in baseball, that is no surprise – and anyone connected to the sport will know that the Bronx Bombers are looking good for the postseason once again this year.
The Yankees have not gotten further than the ALCS since 2008, as Phillies fans will enjoy remembering, and the league in particular will be hoping that the wealthiest team in the game can go all the way in 2024, ideally to face the Dodgers. That championship match-up is 42 years in the making and would bring together two of the classic names of baseball.
Winning the AL East is far from a foregone conclusion, however. The Red Sox seem to be falling away a little but the Orioles look set to take the Yanks all the way for the divisional title. New York’s season has taken a turn recently, though, as the Yanks have lost a number of series against teams not expected to play in October. However, with the hitting talent of Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, there is surely always a chance of yet another World Series appearance.
The Yankees haven't won a World Series since the days of A-Rod
What About the Mets?There will be fewer Mets fans in the region but is there any reason to get excited about the possibility of the “other” New York team making the World Series? The short answer would be a resounding “no”. After spending so much money in the last few years, even Mets fans have seemed to be content with just not being terrible and even just making the playoffs looks like a longshot at the moment.
There does seem to be a little more resilience in the roster now – and a Wild Card spot is not completely beyond the Mets. But Phillies fans should not get too excited about the chance of facing this New York team in the postseason.
There has only been one Fall Classic appearance for either of the Yankees and Phillies since the matchup between them in 2009 but at least one of them could well be playing for another championship this October.
The main battle for New York would seem to be being able to fend off the challenge of Baltimore for the AL East divisional title. If that race is won then the team will have more confidence going into the postseason. Making the playoffs would, hopefully, be a little more straightforward for the Phillies. But then there is the prospect of playing the Dodgers in the NLCS (we are going to completely blank out the chance of facing the Diamondbacks again).
When it comes down to it, the Dodgers may be slight favorites to win the World Series, with the Yankees and Phillies a close second. But a Philadelphia championship just seems right somehow. You heard it here first!facing the Diamondbacks
