Jacob’s 2024 MLB predictions

By Jacob Zanolla:

Baseball season is here! Sure we’ve had two games between the Dodgers and Padres already, but I’m not counting those. It’s time for my 2024 season predictions. Let me know what you think, but just know that every single one of the predictions I make today will come true (not really, don’t quote me on that).

AL East:

1st Place: Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles were outstanding last year. They won 101 games, the second most in all of baseball last season (behind the Braves). They got bounced in the first round of the playoffs, but let’s not focus on that. Their team has a lot of current talent, as well as the best farm system in baseball. Jackson Holliday ring a bell? It should, and if not you better learn that name fast. The best prospect in baseball is only 20 years old, and will start the season in AAA. He will most likely be up quickly this year, possibly even by May. Adley Rutschman can hit absolute tanks from both sides of the plate, and reigning Rookie Of the Year Gunnar Henderson is manning third base. Pitching wise they traded for Corbin Burnes, bolstering the rotation even more. Kyle Bradish’s injury is worrisome, although the acquisition of Burnes is a perfect move to help improve their staff even with Bradish out. The Orioles are young, and are easily one of the most talented teams in all of baseball. I can’t wait to watch them absolutely dominate this year.

2nd Place: New York Yankees

Juan Soto is good at baseball. That’s all I need to say, right? The Gerrit Cole injury puts a massive question mark over the season, although he should only be out a couple of months. Aaron Judge was the home run king just two years ago, and easily has the potential to do it again. The main problem for the Yankees is injuries. Judge and Stanton have a lot of injury history, and that’s just on the offense. Volpe won a Gold Glove in his rookie year, and seems like he will continue to improve offensively this season. The rotation is also riddled with injuries, including Carlos Rodon and Nestor Cortes. If they are able to stay healthy this season, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them give the Orioles a run for their money.

3rd Place: Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays always seem to win. They started off the 2023 season by winning 13 straight games, and ended up winning 99 games total. Losing Wander Franco was a big blow, but I’d say it’s best if he’s not on the team. They traded Tyler Glasnow to the Dodgers, getting a very solid package in return. Randy Arozarena was involved in some brief trade rumors, but it seems like he’ll be in Tampa for a while longer. Yandy Diaz broke out in 2023, winning the Silver Slugger and making his first ever All Star Game. Even if they may not have the best roster, the Rays always figure out a way to win. With one of the best farm systems in baseball, their future is extremely bright. 20-year-old infielder Junior Caminero should be up at some point this year, and he is easily the best prospect in their system.

4th Place: Toronto Blue Jays

Their offseason highlight involved Shark Tank millionaire Robert Herjavec being mistaken for Shohei Ohtani. They tried for a lot of the big free agents, including Cody Bellinger. Toronto ended up losing more than they gained–Matt Chapman left for the Giants, while Brandon Belt still hasn’t signed with a team. They brought back Kevin Keirmaier, along with Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Bo Bichette is one of the best shortstops in baseball, and the best hitter in this lineup. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is the cover athlete for MLB The Show 24, which was quite confusing to many. The rotation is strong, and I think this would be a second place team in most divisions. Being in the AL East harms their chances, as it is easily the best division in baseball.

5th Place: Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox are a disappointment, there is no doubt about it. Jordan Montgomery was the free agent everyone assumed they’d sign, but they didn’t want to pay up for him. The problem is they don’t want to pay for anyone. Lucas Giolito was their big addition this offseason, signing a two-year deal worth $38.5 Million. A few weeks later he went down with a season ending injury, ending any small hopes that they would have a chance to compete this year. The Bello extension was nice, and I love that they locked him up early. They lack the talent to compete in any division, so being in the AL East just makes it even worse.

AL Central:

1st Place: Minnesota Twins

I had the Twins finishing third in my Twitter prediction list, although I honestly don’t remember why. I’m switching them for this list, as I do think they are the best team in the division. Losing Sonny Gray hurts their rotation, but having Pablo Lopez makes any rotation look pretty good. Byron Buxton is elite when healthy, and Max Kepler can really swing the bat too. My favorite player on the Twins right now is Royce Lewis, who was outstanding in 2023. Even though he’s only 24, Lewis is already one of the best third basemen in all of baseball. Even though the AL Central is a fairly weak division, the Twins are an intriguing team to watch throughout the year.

2nd Place: Detroit Tigers

The Tigers have improved a lot over the past few years. Their ace is Tarik Skubal, who many have as an underdog candidate for the Cy Young award this year. Kerry Carpenter and Spencer Torkelson provide solid offense as well. The Tigers won’t make the playoffs this year, but I think they’re definitely a team to watch in the coming years.

3rd Place: Kansas City Royals

The Royals are going to be a very fun team, probably in 2025 or 2026. There will be some exciting moments this year, as there always are, but I’m expecting their real championship window to be a year or two away. Extending Bobby Witt Jr. was the biggest part of their offseason, but they really bolstered the pitching as well. If they aren’t in contention come the trade deadline, these rentals can be shipped off for some prospects, helping the future of the team even more.

4th Place: Cleveland Guardians

I had the Guardians as first place on my Twitter predictions, as I mentioned above. I still haven’t figured out why, but I think they end up somewhere around fourth place. While they aren’t bad, there isn’t enough talent on this team that excites me. It wouldn’t be shocking to see Shane Bieber moved this season, and we know Josh Naylor has been in trade talks too. Emmanuel Clase is a top-tier trade target for many teams, leading me to believe he finishes the season elsewhere. They have some good players, but nowhere near enough to compete this year.

5th Place: Chicago White Sox

The White Sox are, to put it truthfully, a mess. They traded Dylan Cease for a respectable prospect package, a return that should truly impact them starting in 2025. Colson Montgomery is starting the year in AAA, but he’ll be up at some point this year. Luis Robert is the best player on the team by far, although a part of me has to wonder if they entertain trade offers for him around the deadline. The prospect return would be enormous, and it’s clear they aren’t trying to win anything in the near future–Robert just simply might not line up with their contention window. I guess we’ll see, but this team is looking pretty bleak.

AL West:

1st Place: Texas Rangers

The Rangers are the defending World Champions, and have a solid chance to do it again. While they did lose Jordan Montgomery this offseason, the addition of Michael Lorenzen is a decent replacement. The Rangers are absolutely loaded offensively. Their infield consists of Josh Jung, Corey Seager, Marcus Semien, and Evan Carter. When you go to the outfield, Adolis Garcia and rookie Wyatt Langford are ready to hit out there. There is so much talent on this team, especially offensively. While it will be very close, I think they will win the division for the second straight year.

2nd Place: Houston Astros

The Astros main addition was Josh Hader, who they signed to a massive contract worth $95 Million for five years. Justin Verlander is hurt, so Framber Valdez will be the Opening Day starter. The offense is strong as usual, featuring staples like Alex Bregman and Jose Altuve. Yanier Diaz did very well in his first season, so I’m really excited to see what he can do this year. Obviously Yordan Alvarez will hit well for them, along with Kyle Tucker. While I think the pitching may be a small worry if more injuries come about, I think they finish right there with the Rangers, just falling short by a game or two.

3rd Place: Seattle Mariners

For those of you that follow me on Twitter, you know that I am a Mariners fan after following the Cubs. One of the main reasons is because of the rotation, which I think is easily one of, if not the best, in all of baseball. Luis Castillo and George Kirby lead off the rotation, with Logan Gilbert (future Cy Young) and Bryce Miller following behind. Bryan Woo, who was supposed to be the fifth starter, just went on the 15-day IL with elbow inflammation. He should be back soon, adding another solid piece to this already elite rotation, and in the meantime, Emerson Hancock will fill in. Offensively they have Julio Rodgriguez and Cal Raleigh, along with JP Crawford at short. The offense needs some work, and I’m disappointed they didn’t do much this offseason, aside from trading away Eugenio Suarez, which hurt their overall offensive production. Thanks to their pitching, the offense may only need to put up a few runs per night in order to win.

4th Place: Los Angeles Angels

The Angels had a wild offseason. First they lost Shohei Ohtani, after Arte Moreno significantly underestimated Ohtani’s cost on the free agent market. Next they were connected to several big free agents, including Cody Bellinger, J.D. Martinez, and Blake Snell. The fact they got none of them is quite surprising, as I figured they’d spend on at least one to try and replace Ohtani to their best ability. I know there is only one Shohei Ohtani, but they could have at least tried. I loved the Robert Stephenson signing, as he was someone I hoped the Cubs would heavily pursue. Alas, he joins a club who has a ceiling of fourth place, and most likely a floor of fourth place too. O’Hoppe will be fun to watch, as well as Zach Neto. Don’t forget Mike Trout, who is still suffering in Los Angeles, waiting to make it back to the playoffs.

5th Place: Oakland Athletics

The Athletics are an absolute mess, so I won’t focus on them too much. Player wise, the biggest move they made was signing JD Davis after his release from the Giants. A bulk of their offseason has been spent dealing with the Los Vegas rumors, which seem to be higher on the priority list for John Fisher than actually winning ball games.

NL East:

1st Place: Atlanta Braves

The Braves are going to win the division, and I don’t think it’s much of a question. Their ace Spencer Strider is spectacular. While I think he is overrated, and Braves fans curse me out every time I say this, he is one of the best pitchers in baseball. That is true. Any team with Ronald Acuna Jr. is going to be fun to watch, but having Matt Olson and Ozzie Albies makes it even better. You still have Sean Murphy and Michael Harris II, along with Austin Riley. The offense is absolutely loaded from top to bottom, and is always a threat to put up seven to ten runs.

2nd Place: Philadelphia Phillies

Philadelphia didn’t bring in a major free agent, but they extended Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola. Their rotation is very strong, and the offense is even better. Losing Rhys Hoskins was rough, but he didn’t play last year so they can’t really feel too bad about it. Bryce Harper will move over to first, and is clearly their best player, with Trea Turner and JT Realmuto right behind. While they have fallen behind the Braves in the divisional standings a lot, they seem to make it farther when it comes to the playoffs. They’re a really fun team to watch, just not quite as talented as the Braves.

3rd Place: New York Mets

The Mets are quite confusing. They had Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander last season but traded them away at the deadline. Due to Senga’s injury, Jose Quintana is their Opening Day starter. Pete Alonso is their best bat offensively, followed by Francisco Lindor and Brandon Nimmo. I expect Alonso to be moved at the deadline, with the Cubs as a top destination for him. Whether he is shipped to Chicago or not, I doubt he finishes the year in New York.

4th Place: Washington Nationals

CJ Abrams leads a young Nationals squad that I think could be quite sneaky this year. Victor Robles patrols the outfield, with Joey Meneses at DH. Joey Gallo is their projected first baseman, although he was absolutely horrid this spring. One key element to the Nationals season is James Wood, who I’ll briefly mention later on. I foresee him getting a lot of playing time this season once called up. The Nationals aren’t a division favorite, or anywhere close to it. However, they’re moving in the right direction.

5th Place: Miami Marlins

The Marlins were going to be in fourth place, but I can’t put them there due to the injuries their rotation has had in the last few weeks. Jazz Chisolm was the face of their franchise and now is kind of overrated. As I said, the highlight was their rotation, which is now all banged up.

NL Central:

1st Place: Chicago Cubs

While people may claim that I am only choosing the Cubs due to my fandom, I believe they are the best team in the division. The lineup is pretty strong, with a decent rotation as well. Once healthy, I expect Taillon to continue his hot streak from the end of 2023. Imanaga showed a few weaknesses this spring, but the strikeout numbers were absurd. Thanks to having one of the best farm systems in baseball, even more talent is coming. It’s gonna be a fun year, Cubs fans.

2nd Place: Cincinnati Reds

I was considering putting the Reds in first, but similar to the Marlins, injuries have killed them the last few weeks. Hunter Greene is exciting, although I worry about how well he will really do this year. Alexis Diaz is one of the best closers in baseball, and will definitely lock down games if the Reds are up. With so many injuries, I don’t see them getting first. It’s a rather weak division when you think about it, so I think second place is still very attainable.

3rd Place: Milwaukee Brewers

Trading Corbin Burnes was the highlight of their offseason. Joey Ortiz and DL Hall are now Brewers, which was a decent return. The Willy Adames trade rumors were frequent, but I don’t think he’s moved until the trade deadline. Devin Williams is out for a few months, which kills the Brewers bullpen. Their farm system is solid, but I don’t see them really competing this year. In my opinion, a short rebuild seems more likely than making a real run at the division.

4th Place: St. Louis Cardinals

The Cardinals might as well be sponsored by a local nursing home at this point. Sonny Gray was the biggest acquisition of the offseason, but he’s already down with a hamstring injury. Next Tommy Edman got hurt, before Lars Nootbaar, and now Dylan Carlson. Don’t forget Kenyan Middleton too! Even if they were all healthy, I would have probably had them in third place. The rotation is old, and I expect them to be injured most of the year. Jordan Walker and Nolan Gorman are two players I expect to break out this year, along with possibly a Miles Mikolas resurgence (but even he could be in a nursing home). Masyn Winn can play incredible defense, but we’ve yet to see if the offense can translate from AAA to the big leagues.

5th Place: Pittsburgh Pirates

It hurt to put the Pirates in fifth place, as they’ve really improved from last year. Signing Aroldis Chapman and Domingo German was questionable morality wise, but they’re clearly doing something to improve the team. Mitch Keller is now extended, with an O’Neil Cruz extension possible in the near future as well. As I have said for other teams, such as the Nationals, I don’t see them truly competing this season. That being said, I hope they prove me wrong, and finish just behind the Cubs in the division.

NL West:

1st Place: Los Angeles Dodgers

Where do I start on the Dodgers. They spent an absurd amount of money, and on paper have one of the best teams in the history of baseball. Ohtani isn’t pitching this year, but will still hit at least 30 home runs. Mookie Betts will come close for MVP, with Freddie Freeman fighting for that award as well. Glasnow and Yamamoto lead a strong rotation, as long as they remain healthy. There isn’t much else to say on the Dodgers other than they’re absolutely loaded and have a chance to win 110 games this year.

2nd Place: Arizona Diamondbacks

I’m glad I waited to finish this piece until today (Opening Day), as I would have otherwise missed the Jordan Montgomery signing. This was mainly due to Eduardo Rodriguez’s injury, which will keep him out for the beginning of the season. When fully healthy, I think the Diamondbacks are right up there with the Mariners for the best rotation in all of baseball. Corbin Carroll is one of the best players in baseball, and that’s just the beginning when it comes to the talent on this roster. They made the World Series last year, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they do it again. If the Dodgers were to somehow lose the Division, it would easily be the Diamondbacks who take home the NL West crown.

3rd Place: San Diego Padres

The Padres acquired Dylan Cease a few weeks ago, bolstering their rotation before splitting the Seoul series against the Dodgers. The roster is exciting, but I worry how they’ll bounce back from a really disappointing season last year. Machado and Tatis headline a strong lineup, with Darvish and Cease leading the rotation. I wouldn’t be shocked if they make a trade at the deadline to help the team, as Preller is known to be very aggressive when it comes to trades. Losing Soto and Snell really hurts, but we’ll see how they respond.

4th Place: San Francisco Giants

The Giants are very confusing to me. They spent a lot of money this offseason. They brought in Lee, Chapman, and Snell. However, I still don’t see how they truly compete in this tough division. Chapman was quite dissipating after April offensively last year, but maybe he can bounce back. Snell has his own worries, even after winning the Cy Young. Chapman and Snell were both on short term deals, so the Giants don’t really have anyone locked up for the long term. Logan Webb is their ace (Along with Snell), and will be there through the 2028 season. I wish they would trade him (Cubs please), but we all know he likes it there and doesn’t plan on leaving anytime soon.

5th Place: Colorado Rockies

The Rockies have absolutely no chance to win the division. The saying is that “there’s always a chance,” but there is literally no world in which they win the NL West. Kris Bryant signed with them, after the 2021 season, and has been hurt ever since, and now appears to regret his decision to set up camp in Denver. Nolan Jones and Ryan McMahon are super exciting, and my favorite players on the team. I wish they would do more to improve the team, but that doesn’t seem likely for the next few years.

Playoffs:

AL Wild Card: Yankees Astros Mariners

NL Wild Card: Phillies Diamondbacks Padres

ALCS: Orioles vs. Astros

NLCS: Dodgers vs. Phillies

World Series: Orioles over Phillies

As I mentioned above, I’m extremely excited to see what the Orioles can do this season. With new ownership and a top farm system, a big trade at the deadline would make a lot of sense. For the World Series MVP, I’ll go with Adley Rutschman. Gunnar Henderson is another possibility, but I think Adley will dominate that series.

Award Picks:

AL Cy Young: George Kirby

While I considered Pablo Lopez, I think George Kirby takes home the award. He is currently the #2 in the stacked Seattle rotation, but easily has the stuff to be their ace. Watch for him to have an award worthy season this year.

NL Cy Young: Zack Wheeler

I have the Phillies as my National League Champions, with Zack Wheeler dominating all season long. He just signed a massive extension to stay in Philadelphia, and he’ll quickly prove it was worth it.

AL MVP: Juan Soto

Juan Soto looks like he was born to be a Yankee. He’s already one of the leagues best players, and I expect that to continue this season. Yankee Stadium is a lefty friendly park, although his numbers show that it’s not great for him. Nonetheless, I think he’ll finally get his first MVP award.

NL MVP: Seiya Suzuki

While there be a small amount of Cubs bias involved, I truly think Seiya will explode this season. We saw how good he was in the second half of the season last year, at the top of baseball in multiple hitting categories. This Spring Training he was easily one of the best players in all of baseball. Clearly it’s only Spring Training, but the hope is that he can keep that momentum going into the regular season.

Jake’s picks:

AL East: