When the White Sox traded Chris Sale to the Red Sox Tuesday, it shook up the balance of power around Major League Baseball.
Wednesday morning, that power shift was present in Bovada's 2017 World Series odds.
On Nov. 3 (the day after the World Series ended), the Cubs were the frontrunners for the 2017 World Series at 7/2 odds. The Boston Red Sox were right behind at 9/1.
After acquiring Sale, the Red Sox have now bumped up to 11/2 odds to win it all while the Cubs have gone down slightly to 15/4.
[Complete coverage of the White Sox-Red Sox Chris Sale blockbuster trade]
Here is the complete list of the Top 5 odds, as of Wednesday morning:
1. Cubs - 15/4
2. Red Sox - 11/2
3. Nationals - 9/1
4. Indians - 12/1
5. Astros - 12/1
MLB
The Cubs' odds may also see a boost if/when the Wade Davis trade becomes official.
On the other hand, the White Sox odds fell from 40/1 the day after the 2016 World Series to 66/1 Wednesday morning after dealing away Sale.
Of course, Sale is only one player, but it's more so the Sox trading him away is a clear indication they are not "going for it" in 2017 for the major decrease. If the Sox continue to sell, look for those odds to fall even further.
As of Wednesday morning, the Colorado Rockies (before they signed Ian Desmond to a five-year deal), Arizona Diamondbacks, Cincinnati Reds and San Diego Padres were the only teams with lower odds to win a championship in 2017 than the White Sox.