With the baseball season starting up I thought there is no better time than the present to give my predictions for this upcoming season.
NL East
1. Washington Nationals
The Nationals need to take advantage of what could ultimately end up being Bryce Harpers last season with the team and with the NL East as a whole being poor behind the Nationals they shouldn’t have an issue winning the division for a third straight season.
2. Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies are coming off of a stretch where they haven’t been very good since their last World Series title in 2008. With the additions of Jake Arrieta and Carlos Santana in the offseason it shows they think they are ready to return to their former glory. The emergence of Rhys Hoskins last season along with Maikel Franco this is an offense that should be able to do some damage this season.
3. New York Mets
The Mets are coming off a disappointing season in which they went 70-92. They should be able to improve this year with their pitching staff regaining their health.
4. Atlanta Braves
The Braves are in the middle of rebuild and this will be another poor season for the team.
5. Miami Marlins
The Marlins are a team that only a couple years ago spent a ton of money bringing in big names in free agency to try and become relevant. Now under new management they are in full rebuild mode and could easily end up being the worst team in baseball with no short easy fix or players to trade away for prospects. They will have to rebuild through the draft.
NL Central
1.Chicago Cubs
The Cubs have one of the best rosters in baseball and shouldn’t have a problem winning the NL Central for a third consecutive season especially with the addition of Yu Darvish to replace Jake Arrieta who left in free agency.
2. Milwaukee Brewers
Last season the Brewers surprised everyone with how well they played and how close they came to making the postseason. The additions of Lorenzo Cain and Christian Yelich in the offseason will make the outfield situation a little crowded but given that manger Craig Counsell has tried Ryan Braun out at firstbase during Spring training this is a team that should be able to find their way into a wildcard spot in the National League.
3. St. Louis Cardinals
The Cardinals are an aging team that didn’t do a whole lot in the offseason to correct that. The Cardinals still have a solid pitching staff but will struggle to consistently score enough runs to stay relevant.
4. Cincinnati Reds
The Reds had a decent offense last season that didn’t receive much help from their pitching staff throughout the season and it looks like they will be in a similar situration this season.
5. Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates had a bad offense last season and didn’t do anything to improve it by parting ways with Andrew McCutchen in the offseason. If Starling Marte can prove to be the player he was before the PED suspension he should be one of the lone bright spots on an otherwise below average roster.
NL West
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers fell short last season after losing in the World Series and anything less than another World Series appearance would be a disappointment.
2. Colorado Rockies
The Rockies made the Wild Card game last season and they should be in the same position this season Nolan Arenado will be in contention for the NL MVP and this club should win a lot of ball games.
3. Arizona Diamondbacks
The D-Backs also made the wildcard this season but will have trouble making it back there this season after letting J.D. Martinez walk in free agency. He was an influential part of the Diamondbacks late season surge and wild card win. They will still be a good team and be in contention for the final wild card spot.
4. San Francisco Giants
The Giants’ acquisition of Andrew McCutchen will help improve one of the worst offensive teams in baseball last season but it won’t be enough to help this team get over the hump.
5. San Diego Padres
The Padres addition of Eric Hosmer will help them improve their offense but it won’t be enough to help them especially in one of the toughest divisions in baseball. They don’t have the pitching staff contend and will be sellers at the deadline.
AL East
1. New York Yankees
The Yankees had one of the best offenses in baseball last season lead by Aaron Judge and only improved it this season with their acquisitions of Giancarlo Stanton and Brandon Drury. They should have one of the best records in the American League while putting up historic offensive numbers.
2. Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox won the division last year but it is going to be a much tougher road this year with the moves that the Yankees made. The addition of J.D. Martinez should fill a power void that this lineup has lacked since David Ortiz retired. This should be an interesting race for the division title but the Red Sox will ultimately fall to the Yankees in the final weeks of the season.
3. Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays are only a couple years removed from having one of the best offenses in the league and still have the firepower to contend but it will be tough in the crowded AL East.
4. Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles are an aging club that will end up being sellers at the deadline if they’re lucky. If they end up winning enough games to be in contention it will end up costing them and delaying their ability to acquire assets and get back into contention quickly.
5. Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays will be sellers come deadline time and this could finally be the year that they deal Chris Archer to the highest bidder.
AL Central
1. Cleveland Indians
The Indians are coming off a season in which they set the record for consecutive wins in the American League. They still have very talented roster and should be able to win a bunch of games lead by superstar shortstop Francisco Lindor.
2. Minnesota Twins
The Twins are another team that surprised everybody with their play. They have a budding star in Byron Buxton and one of the best second basemen in the league in Brian Dozier. They are in position to do much of the same this season.
3. Chicago White Sox
The White Sox have a young lineup with the potential to score a lot of runs. If Yoan Moncada can turn into the star that the White Sox believed him to be when they acquired him last season then they will have a tough decision come trade deadline time.
4. Kansas City Royals
The Royals lost Eric Hosmer and Lorenzo Cain this offseason and will struggle offensively and don’t have the pitching to make up for their lack of offense.
5. Detroit Tigers
The Tigers are in trouble this season and will be sellers come trade deadline time. This could be end of Miguel Cabrera’s time in Detroit and if the Tigers are smart they will sell him to the highest bidder and go full rebuild mode.
AL West
1. Houston Astros
The Astros are coming off of a World Series title and look to repeat. They have one of the best all-around rosters in all of baseball and should run away with their division.
2.Los Angeles Angels
The Angels are coming off a string of disappointing seasons and with the addition of Shohei Ohtani and a healthy Mike Trout this could be the year they finally get it together and make their way back into the postseason.
3. Seattle Mariners
The Mariners are a team that has been on the cusp of making the postseason but just haven’t found a way to find their way in and this looks like another season of more of the same.
4. Oakland Athletics
The Athletics trading Sonny Gray away last season proved that they are into full rebuild mode and this looks like a season in which they will have a tough time stacking wins up.
5. Texas Rangers
The Rangers have roster mixed with young players and veterans but the veterans are past their prime and on the backend of their careers. This will be a tough season for the Rangers and their fans.
2018 Playoff Teams
AL
Astros
Yankees
Indians
Red Sox
Twins
NL
Dodgers
Cubs
Nationals
Brewers
Rockies
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