Vegas: Tigers are awful, but not worst in AL Central
Las Vegas doesn't like the 2018 Tigers. Heck, few folks do.
But Vegas also doesn't see the 2018 Tigers finishing last in the American League Central, either, if you can believe that. Bovada recently set the Tigers' over-under win total at 68.5, which is a half-game better than it lists the Chicago White Sox. Interestingly, though, Bovada gives the White Sox the better chance to win the division.
In any event, both teams are in serious rebuild mode, with each trading multiple big-time superstars in the last two years.
The Tigers won only 64 games in 2017, their fewest since they went an American League-worst 43-119 in 2003. In 2017, they traded away Justin Verlander, J.D. Martinez, Justin Upton, Justin Wilson and Alex Avila, and this offseason traded Ian Kinsler.
In the last two years, meanwhile, the White Sox have traded away the likes of Chris Sale, Jose Quintana and Todd Frazier.
The Kansas City Royals, especially after losing Eric Hosmer to the San Diego Padres, also are rebuilding.
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The Cleveland Indians (94.5 wins) and Minnesota Twins (82.5) appear the class of the division, for now.
The Tigers, who've played baseball for 117 years, have finished with 68 or fewer wins seven times during seasons in which it played at least 162 games.
There's only one team with worse 2018 over-unders than the two AL Central rivals — the Miami Marlins, with Bovada listing them at 64.5. The Marlins have been in complete fire-sale mode since Derek Jeter took over as owner, trading away Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich, Dee Gordon and Marcell Ozuna.
Bovada released its latest over-unders on Friday before Hosmer signed with the Padres (69.5) over the weekend and ex-Tigers slugger J.D. Martinez with the Boston Red Sox (91.5) on Monday.
The two favorites, no surprise, are the Justin Verlander-led Houston Astros (96.5), the defending World Series champions, and the Los Angeles Dodgers (96.5), who lost to the Astros in the 2017 Fall Classic.
BOVADA'S LATEST OVER-UNDERS
Houston Astros, 96.5
Los Angeles Dodgers, 96.5
Chicago Cubs, 94.5
Cleveland Indians, 94.5
New York Yankees, 94.5
Washington Nationals, 92.5
Boston Red Sox, 91.5
Arizona Diamondbacks, 85.5
St. Louis Cardinals, 85.5
Los Angeles Angels, 84.5
Milwaukee Brewers, 84.5
Minnesota Twins, 82.5
Colorado Rockies, 82
San Francisco Giants, 81.5
Seattle Mariners, 81.5
New York Mets, 81
Toronto Blue Jays, 81
Tampa Bay Rays, 77.5
Texas Rangers, 77.5
Philadelphia Phillies, 75.5
Atlanta Braves, 74.5
Oakland Athletics, 74.5
Cincinnati Reds, 73.5
Baltimore Orioles, 73
Pittsburgh Pirates, 73
Kansas City Royals, 71.5
San Diego Padres, 69.5
Detroit Tigers, 68.5
Chicago White Sox, 68
Miami Marlins, 64.5
ODDS TO WIN AL CENTRAL
Cleveland Indians, 1-5
Minnesota Twins, 5-1
Kansas City Royals, 12-1
Chicago White Sox, 25-1
Detroit Tigers, 28-1
ODDS TO WIN AMERICAN LEAGUE
Houston Astros, 11-4
New York Yankees, 11-4
Cleveland Indians, 13-4
Boston Red Sox, 6-1
Los Angeles Angels, 14-1
Minnesota Twins, 18-1
Seattle Mariners, 18-1
Toronto Blue Jays, 20-1
Baltimore Orioles, 40-1
Tampa Bay Rays, 40-1
Texas Rangers, 45-1
Chicago White Sox, 75-1
Kansas City Royals, 75-1
Oakland Athletics, 75-1
Detroit Tigers, 150-1
tpaul@detroitnews.com
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