Astros, Red Sox World Series odds unaffected by scandal

The Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal has dominated the baseball news cycle, as general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager A.J. Hinch were handed one-year suspensions by MLB and then were promptly fired by owner Jim Crane. The reverberations have been felt across the sport, but especially in Boston, as the Red Sox decided to part ways with manager Alex Cora, the former Astros bench coach. Cora is expected to receive a “harsh” punishment for his role in the cheating scandal.

No players were disciplined by Major League Baseball in the Astros' investigation. While Mets manager Carlos Beltran was part of it, he was a player at the time and thus was not suspended.
Discipline for Red Sox manager Alex Cora is coming. It is going to be harsh, per sources. — Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 13, 2020

Despite the loss of their managers just a month before spring training, the World Series odds for both Houston and Boston have remained static at +550 and +1600, respectively. The Astros aren’t even sure if they’ll hire a full-time manager for 2020 or stick with interim manager Joe Espada, who was promoted from bench coach after two seasons at that post. The Red Sox have yet to name Cora’s successor.

Odds to win the World Series

Astros will miss Gerrit Cole

The Astros have most of the offense from their two World Series appearances over the last three seasons in place, including 2017 American League MVP Jose Altuve and 2019 AL MVP runner-up Alex Bregman. But they have a Gerrit Cole-sized hole to fill in their rotation, and Houston may have to face him and the Yankees to get back to the World Series.

Boston is looking to shed salary

As for the Red Sox, they have made no bones about their desire to get below the luxury-tax threshold in the offseason. Mookie Betts' one-year, $27 million deal through arbitration did not help that cause. Jackie Bradley Jr., Nathan Eovaldi, and David Price have all been discussed as potential trade candidates, but Boston is not a viable World Series candidate in 2020, barring a sudden change in philosophy.

Twins are all-in after acquiring Josh Donaldson

The Twins have had a positive offseason, yet their World Series odds still hang at +2200. The prize of their winter was third baseman Josh Donaldson, who inked a four-year, $92 million deal with Minnesota on Tuesday. The move will allow the Twins to slide Miguel Sanó over to first base, which gives them power at both corners of the diamond, not that they really need it. They had an MLB-high 307 home runs in 2019.

PUT THE DIVISION TO BED, MIGUEL SANO!!!!! pic.twitter.com/4bH3wZORlV
— SKOR North (@SKORNorth) September 15, 2019

The Twins also strengthened their pitching staff with the addition of veterans Homer Bailey and Rich Hill to the rotation, and Tyler Clippard and Sergio Romo to the bullpen. Bailey and Hill complement a formidable one-two punch, in Jake Odorizzi and Jose Berrios, while Clippard and Romo should offer solid middle relief in front of closer Taylor Rogers.

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