Vegas oddsmakers say Cubs favored to repeat
Indians, Red Sox and Dodgers expect to challenge Chicago.
The Chicago Cubs have already broken the curse and won a World Series.
Now, oddsmakers in Las Vegas predict the team will become only the third in almost 40 years to win a second straight time.
The city’s sports books like the team to win it all, with some making the Cubs a 7-2 favorite. Other favorites are the Indians, Red Sox and Dodgers.
“It’s a team that wasn’t built for the short run; it was built for the long run, and they have the capability of being a strong contender for years to come,” Jay Kornegay, sports book director at the Westgate Las Vegas, said about the Cubs. “I’m not saying it’s a dynasty, but it’s certainly looking like it could be.”
The Cubs, who open against the Cardinals in St. Louis on Sunday, are 7-2 favorites at Westgate, followed by the Indians at 5-1.
Mariners: Starter Drew Smyly will begin the season on the disabled list and could be out up to two months because of a flex strain in his left elbow. Smyly will rehab the injury and surgery is not expected. “It’s a key loss,” GM Jerry Dipoto said. Smyly was slotted to be Seattle’s No. 4 starter after being acquired in an offseason trade from Tampa Bay. Ariel Miranda will take Smyly’s spot in the rotation after being optioned to Triple-A Tacoma on March 25.
Red Sox: First baseman Mitch Moreland, who has the flu and did not travel to Washington with the rest of the team Friday, will take batting practice in Florida today and then travel to Boston. The Red Sox open at home Monday against the Pirates.
Mets: Manager Terry Collins said outfielder Curtis Granderson will hit cleanup. The lefty hitter, 36, had 30 homers but just 59 RBIs in 2016 — tied for the lowest RBI total ever in MLB history for a batter who posted 30 or more homers. Granderson, however, drove in 21 runs after Sept. 1 when he was mostly batting cleanup, hitting .302 with a .414 slugging percentage. Overall, his batting average was .237 for the year. But in his 23 games hitting in the fourth spot, he had a .321 average, .440 on-base percentage and .605 slugging percentage, with six homers and 18 RBIs.
Cubs: Kyle Hendricks, who led the majors with a 2.13 ERA last season, threw five scoreless innings in Friday’s 6-3 win at Houston. The right-hander was 2-0 with a 1.66 ERA in six starts this spring.
Phillies: Ruben Amaro Sr., a gold glove shortstop for Philadelphia in the 1960s, died Friday in Miami. He was 81. No cause of death was listed.