2023 MLB Season Predictions
The 2023 MLB season has begun, and it is time for predictions. Follow along for my prediction on the final standings, playoffs, and awards.
First, let's start with standings. The American League East will be a battle between the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees. Toronto and New York will finish the season with 94 wins apiece. The Blue Jays will win the division due to their head-to-head advantage over the Yankees, who will clinch a wild card spot. Tampa Bay will finish in third with 87 wins, also clinching a playoff spot. Baltimore will finish fourth with 85 wins, barely missing out on the playoffs, and Boston will finish fifth with 78 wins.
The American League Central is radically different, with the Cleveland Guardians as the frontrunner to win the division. The Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins are dark horses to win the division, though they certainly lag. In the end, Cleveland will win the division with only 87 wins, Chicago in second with 83 wins, and Minnesota in third with 80 wins. Kansas City will finish in fourth with 68 wins, and Detroit in fifth with 66 wins.
The American League West is different from all other divisions as one team is almost guaranteed to win the division: the Houston Astros. The Seattle Mariners could challenge the Astros, though Houston will likely finish first. In the end, Houston will win the division handily with 102 wins, and Seattle will clinch a wild card spot with 92 wins. The Texas Rangers will finish third with 81 wins, missing out on the playoffs. Los Angeles will disappoint with 76 wins, and Oakland will finish dead last with 55 wins.
The National League East is the most competitive division and is a three-team race between the Atlanta Braves, New York Mets, and Philadelphia Phillies, which could come down to the very last game as it did a year ago. In the end, Atlanta will win the division for a sixth straight year with 95 wins, just ahead of New York with 94 wins and Philadelphia with 92 wins, both of which will clinch wild card spots. Miami will show some promise and finish with 77 wins, and Washington will conclude with 55 wins.
The St. Louis Cardinals are the clear frontrunner in the National League Central. However, the Milwaukee Brewers and the Chicago Cubs could challenge the Cardinals. Ultimately, I expect St. Louis to win the division with 89 wins. Milwaukee will finish with 83 wins and Chicago with 80 wins, both missing the playoffs. Pittsburgh will finish fourth with 64 wins and Cincinnati fifth with 59 wins.
Finally, the National League West. The Los Angeles Dodgers have been the best team in the division for years, taking the division title nine out of the last ten years. In 2023, the division race will be a two-team race between the Dodgers and Padres. In the end, Los Angeles will win the division barely with 94 wins, and San Diego will finish in second with 91 wins, clinching the last wild card spot. San Francisco will finish in third with 81 wins, Arizona in fourth with 79 wins, and Colorado in fifth with 68 wins.
The 2023 postseason will undoubtedly be exciting to watch, and it is anyone's guess who will make the World Series and win it. My American League Championship matchup is as follows: the Houston Astros and Toronto Blue Jays will match up in the American League Championship Series, with Toronto narrowly defeating Houston in seven games. Conversely, I expect the San Diego Padres and Atlanta Braves to match up in the National League Division Series, with Atlanta defeating San Diego in six games. Toronto and Atlanta will match up in a competitive and exciting World Series. Ultimately, the Toronto Blue Jays will win their first world series in thirty years, narrowly defeating the Braves in seven games.
Finally, awards. The American League Rookie of the Year frontrunner is certainly Third Baseman Gunnar Henderson of the Baltimore Orioles, who I expect to win the award. Yankees Shortstop Anthony Volpe, Astros Starting Pitcher Hunter Brown, Rangers Third Baseman Josh Jung, and Orioles Starting Pitcher Grayson Rodriguez all have strong cases, though Henderson is undoubtedly the frontrunner. The National League Rookie of the Year will be a close contest between many strong candidates. First, there is Corbin Carroll of the Arizona Diamondbacks, the second-best prospect in baseball and my pick to win the award. Mets Catcher Francisco Alvarez, Cardinals Third Baseman Jordan Walker, and Dodgers Third Baseman Miguel Vargas are also viable candidates and could break out in 2023, though Carroll is my pick.
The American League Cy Young is undoubtedly going to be competitive. First, Dylan Cease of the Chicago White Sox and Alek Manoah of the Toronto Blue Jays are strong candidates and were the runner-ups a year ago. Further, Yankees aces Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon, Mariners ace Luis Castillo, Guardians ace Shane Bieber, Rays ace Shane McClanahan, and newly signed Rangers ace Jacob deGrom are all strong candidates. My pick is Dylan Cease, who broke out last year in 2022. The National League Cy Young, similarly, is a tossup. Of course, there are New York Mets aces Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, the latter of which won the A.L. Cy Young a year ago. Brewers ace Corbin Burnes is also a viable candidate as are Braves aces Max Fried and Spencer Strider, Phillies aces Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler, Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen, and of course, Marlins Sandy Alcantara, who won the award a year ago. Ultimately, Zac Gallen will improve from his impressive 2022 season and win the Cy Young award in 2023.
The American League MVP race will be very competitive. The frontrunner is Angels two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani, though he will likely be traded at the deadline, possibly to an N.L. team. Yankees Right Fielder Aaron Judge, the previous winner in 2022, is a viable candidate to repeat, as is 3-time MVP winner, Angels Center Fielder Mike Trout. Astros Designated Hitter Yordan Alvarez, Blue Jays First Baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Guardians Third Baseman Jose Ramirez, and Mariners Center Fielder Julio Rodriguez are all strong candidates. My pick is Julio Rodriguez, who won the A.L. Rookie of the Year Award in 2022. The National League MVP race is even more of an unknown. There is no clear frontrunner in the National League. Padres Left Fielder Mookie Juan Soto and Third Baseman Manny Machado are strong candidates, as are Dodgers Right Fielder Mookie Betts and First Baseman Freddie Freeman, Braves Right Fielder Ronald Acuna Jr, and Cardinals stars Third Baseman Nolan Arenado and First Baseman Paul Goldschmidt, who won the award a year ago. My pick is Juan Soto, who was a contender for last season's award.
The 2023 season is undoubtedly going to be very exciting. The race starts now, and we will soon see who comes out in front.