Why sportsbooks still see the Yankees as American League betting favorites

The Yankees ended the first half of the season with four straight wins, but the streak did little to quell concerns around yet another midseason slump in the Bronx.This season they are 18-19 since June 1 and on pace to repeat the same losing trend that cost them the American League East division crown, and eventually the AL pennant, to the Blue Jays.While fans may be experiencing some PTSD from previous seasons, sportsbooks seem unfazed by the Yankees’ recent poor play.“We’re positioning them where we believe that the Yankees do have one of the better teams in baseball,” said DraftKings Director of Sports Operations Johnny Avello.

The pinstripes remain the favorites to win the American League with +230 odds at DraftKings.The Rays, who lead the Yanks by three games and are 6-3 head-to-head, are listed at +475.

The Yankees also have the second-best odds to win the World Series (+550) behind only the Dodgers.So, what’s the source of optimism for bookmakers?Avello thinks the Yankees, being a veteran team, just haven’t mustered up the enthusiasm to play up to their peak level.But he isn’t overreacting to what he sees right now.“Baseball’s such a long season,” Avello said.

“When you’re playing 162 games, how motivated are you to go out every night and play? It’s not like they’re going out and tanking it.It’s just that the motivation doesn’t seem like it’s there sometimes during the summer.”Whether it’s a lack of motivation or a failure of leadership at the managerial level, the Yankees have dropped off a cliff to start the summer for the fourth straight season.

Since 2023, the Yanks have had a losing record in June and July, going 71-80 combined during those months.The bright side is the Yankees have a knack for rallying late in the season to put themselves in postseason contention.They finished with the American League’s best record in both of the last two seasons, reaching the World Series in 2024 before an ALDS exit last yea...