Tigers go from long shots to among betting favorites entering playoffs

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Tigers didn't act like a franchise poised to make a playoff run when the trade deadline arrived.

Detroit dealt pitcher Jack Flaherty to the Los Angeles Dodgers, outfielder Mark Canha to San Francisco reliever Andrew Chafin and catcher Carson Kelly to Texas.

At 52-57, the Tigers looked to the future and their long-shot betting odds for this season reflected that thinking. One Caesars Entertainment bettor in Michigan, however, had a different idea, betting the Tigers at 500-1 odds to win the World Series.

As in this year.

That wager doesn't look nearly as foolish now. The Tigers have made an improbable run to the postseason and will Houston in a best-of-three Wild Card Series starting Tuesday.

“They're definitely a danger in any short series, so I wouldn't count them out at all,” Caesars lead baseball trader Eric Biggio said.

BetMGM Sportsbook also had the Tigers at 500-1 before they went on their run.

“They were trading pieces away,” BetMGM trading strategy manager Halvor Egeland said. “Most people thought that they should trade (Tarik) Skubal away and they obviously made the right decision.”

Skubal won the AL pitching Triple Crown, leading in wins (18), ERA (2.39) and strikeouts (228).

BetMGM lists the Tigers at 28-1 to win the World Series. Definitely lower than 500-1.

The expanded baseball playoffs have been more of a crapshoot in recent years.

Texas won an all-wild card World Series last year in five games. Philadelphia advanced to the World Series out of a wild-card spot on 2022 before a six-game loss to Houston. And in 2019, wild-card Washington beat the Astros in Game 7.

So it's little surprise that bettors are looking for more value, especially given there is no apparent super team. For the first time since 2014, no team won 100 games.

“Our top-five biggest liabilities are all wild-card teams,” Egeland said. “Some of them aren't the most bet, but they have these big plus-odds. The trend in recent years, these wild-card teams making a run to the World Series, it's standing out to bettors. You're seeing this big plus-money and teams that are hot.”

Even so, Egeland said BetMGM was taking more of a wait-and-see attitude before adjusting prices.

Biggio said he's seen a similar trend at Caesars, with San Diego in particular drawing notable action when the Padres were at about 21-1, dropping them to 11-1. San Diego plays the Atlanta Braves, which split with the New York Mets on Monday and enabled both teams to make the postseason as wild cards.

Even with so much attention on the underdogs, the New York Yankees and Dodgers still tend to draw the betting action, especially with casual bettors.

They're the top-seeded teams in their respective leagues and have first-round byes along with Cleveland and the Phillies.

“That would be great for handle if we were to have that World Series,” Biggio said. “If it turns out to be the case this year that the favorites advance, that would be fine with us.”

Three teams are nearly even favorites at BetMGM to win the championship — Dodgers at 13-4 and Yankees and Phillies each at 9-2.

The Astros usually are considered among the top contenders, having appeared in the World Series four times since 2017 with two titles.

But Houston's slow start this season put that club under the radar almost from the beginning, and bettors still aren't paying much attention. The Astros have 9-1 odds at BetMGM.

“I think they're in the ALCS every year, so I think it's worthy of a bet,” Egeland said. “But the public isn't there. If (betting was) legal in Texas, I have a feeling the Astros would be there in the top, but since we're not (in that state), it seems to trend more to the states we're in.”

The Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani and the Yankees' Aaron Judge are the leading candidates to win MVP awards and the same applies to the postseason.

Ohtani is the 17-2 favorite at BetMGM to become the World Series MVP, and Judge is right behind at 25-2. Judge, however, is tied with the Phillies' Bryce Harper.

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Aaron Judge waves to fans after the New York Yankees clinched the American League East title, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Austin Barnes (15) congratulates Shohei Ohtani (17) who crosses home plate after hitting a three-run home run off Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Anthony Molina in the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Houston Astros' Victor Caratini (17) is congratulated in the dugout after hitting a home run in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

The Detroit Tigers celebrate their AL wild card berth after the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Detroit Tigers' Kerry Carpenter celebrates his grand slam against the Chicago White Sox in the fifth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are off to a 3-1 start with a lot of room for improvement.

That was coach Todd Bowles' message in the aftermath of a 33-16 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles that left the Bucs in a familiar position — sole possession of first place in the NFC South. With a short week to prepare for Thursday night's game at division rival Atlanta, the team's next challenge may be the toughest it's had so far.

“Really just taking care of their bodies and staying healthy and making sure they’re ready to go,” Bowles said. "Getting treatment when you need to get treatment and getting rest when you need to get rest.”

That figures to leave players little time to pat themselves on the back for what they accomplished in September, and especially how they rebounded with perhaps their best all-around performance of the season against the Eagles after playing poorly in a 26-7 loss to Denver the previous week.

The offense gained 445 yards and scored on four of six possessions in the red zone. The defense limited the Eagles to 227 yards and sacked Jalen Hurts six times after only getting opposing quarterbacks on the ground twice in the first three weeks of the season.

“(We've) taken ownership of what we put on tape (against the Broncos). ... Everybody owned it, and that's an accountable team," Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield said.

Bowles said overall, it's a nice start to the season. Still, there's a lot of work left, beginning with back-to-back games against the Falcons and Saints.

“It’s definitely a huge opportunity for us, but we can only take it one game at a time, right?” receiver Chris Godwin said.

“We for sure cannot be looking past anybody, let alone one of our division rivals that presents a really big challenge for us,” Godwin added. ". It’s going to be a big game for us, especially on a short week. We’ve got to make sure that we’re on our P’s and Q’s in the film room and in our game plan to be able to go in there into a hostile environment. I’m sure their stadium will be rocking. It’s going to be a tough challenge for us, but I think we’re up to the task.”

Mayfield passed for two touchdowns and ran for a third against the Eagles. The offense scored touchdowns on its first two possessions — a rarity for Tampa Bay. In fact, the Bucs had gone 20 consecutive games without getting into the end zone on their opening drive.

The running game is not nearly as productive as it needs to be if the Bucs are going to be as good as they think they can be. Rookie Bucky Irving scored his first pro TD and finished with 49 yards on 10 carries. Starter Rachaad White also rushed for 49 yards on 10 attempts, but the ground game has been inconsistent at best.

Sterling Shepard had three receptions for 51 yards in his Bucs debut. The former New York Giants receiver was signed during the training camp, but got injured and never really had an opportunity to compete for a job. The Bucs brought him back on the practice squad and promoted to the active roster for Sunday's game.

“He’s very smart, he brings a lot of experience, he can still play ... he’s very fast, he’s very sure-handed,” Bowles said. "If he’s healthy, he’s a heck of a football player.”

Punter Jake Camarda was a healthy scratch after Trenton Gill was signed earlier in the week.

A total of 15 players were listed on the injury report Monday, but Bowles said it was too soon to speculate on who might not play this week. All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield (foot), DL Calijah Kancey (calf) and RT Luke Goedeke were all inactive against the Eagles.

596. WR Mike Evans became the Bucs' career scoring leader, surpassing Martin Gramatica (592) and becoming only the third non-kicker to lead a franchise in scoring. The others are Hall of Famers Jerry Rice (49ers) and Emmitt Smith (Cowboys).

Thursday night begins a two-game stretch against NFC South rivals. After facing the Falcons, the Bucs travel to New Orleans on Oct. 13.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield passes during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)