Baseball is back, and with it the promise that everyone has a “this might be our year” moment (except for you, Rockies and White Sox fans). Spring is in the air, hope springs eternal, and on paper this is shaping up to be a phenomenally fun MLB season. Check out our full Opening Day power rankings here.
In honor of the start to the season Mark Schofield and James Dator sat down to give their picks on every division in baseball, as well as our picks for the Wild Cards and the eventual World Series winner. Let this be a living document so we can all laugh at them later about how wrong they were.
Mark: New York Yankees
James: New York Yankees
Yes, it was an unconventional offseason for the Yankees, who opted to keep their core together and not make any major additions. But getting Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón back healthy will be two big additions, and having a full season of Cam Schlittler will be another boost to this rotation. Even more help could be on the way this summer, as Carlos Lagrange is starting the year in Triple-A, but the flamethrower could join the big club soon. Oh, and they still have Aaron Judge, even if he is on pace to strike out 648 times after striking out four times against the San Francisco Giants Wednesday night.
Frankly, I love the approach Brian Cashman took this offseason, and I think it will pay off for New York this fall.
As much as it pains me to say as a Red Sox fan. — Mark
It takes a little leap of faith that Gerrit Cole will come back healthy, but I have a hard time looking past a rotation of Cole, Max Fied, and Carlos Rodón with depth behind them, AND two promising prospect pitchers in the pipeline. It gives the Yankees some offensive wiggle room, which is scary on a team with Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger (among others).
Moving Jazz Chisolm Jr. back to 2B puts him at his natural position, and there really aren’t many weaknesses here. New York made the postseason a year ago while fighting through injuries, and with everyone coming back they’, they’re my favorite in the ALCS. — James
Mark: Detroit Tigers
James: Detroit Tigers
With Tarik Skubal, the Tigers have a bonafide ace. With new closer Kenley Janser, the Tigers have an even better bullpen. The offense is a question mark, but if Kevin McGonigle lives up to expectations after making the Opening Day roster, Detroit will put more runs on the board this season. That should be enough in this division. — Mark
The AL Central is fairly open and when you’re splitting hairs you go with the best pitching. This is likely Tarik Skubal’s last season in Detroit before inevitably getting the largest free agent offer in history for a pitcher. There’s motivation for him to go out and have a mammoth year. Couple that with the fact that the Tigers functionally kept their entire roster, while adding to their pitching — well, I think they’re going to be tough to beat. — James
Mark: Seattle Mariners
James: Seattle Mariners
The Mariners were one game away from the World Series last year.
They have one of the best rotations in baseball, a top-flight bullpen, and an offense built to mash led by Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodriguez, Josh Naylor (acquired last year at the deadline) and offseason addition Brendan Donovan. This is a team that should do damage over the entire season, and deep into October. — Mark
A brilliant surprise from a year ago, the Mariners are poised to take that next step to assert themselves as perennial contenders. It was a relatively quiet offseason from them, but Seattle didn’t need to make noise. It’s about staying the course and hoping their stars in Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez can continue to be the best versions of themselves. When the competition is the AL West they should cruise into October fairly easily. — James
Mark: New York Mets
James: Philadelphia Phillies
Eventually, all the additions the Mets have made will pay off. Juan Soto’s slow start perhaps overshadowed his season — as did New York missing the playoffs completely — but adding Bo Bichette, Freddy Peralta, and Luis Robert Jr. has given this roster some depth beyond Soto and Francisco Lindor. And if the Mets need mid-season help, their farm system is much deeper than Philadelphia’s. Put it together, and I think the Mets break through this year. — Mark
My heart says Mets, my head says Phillies. That’s what happens when you pick the Mets too often in the past and get burned by them every single time. There’s no doubt that losing Ranger Suarez is a big hit to Philly, but their bats are just so prolific with Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper (who I think is going to have a bounce back year). I might look dumb for making this pick in a few months, but feel better about it than the Mets right now. — James
Mark: Chicago Cubs
James: Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers finished with the best record in baseball a season ago. But the Cubs have their highest payroll in recent memory, a bevy of young talent, and addressed their biggest need when they settled on Daniel Palencia as their closer. After some setbacks a season ago, and a stint in Triple-A, Palencia settled into a middle relief role down the stretch, but locked down the closer spot this spring. And if you saw what he did for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, you know why Craig Counsell is going to hand him the ball in the ninth. — Mark
The Cubs made some really nice moves in the offseason and the addition of Alex Bregman will be big for them, but the Brewers are just so dang consistent. They’re on a five-year streak of 85+ wins, and didn’t really lose or gain anything in free agency. Milwaukee might lack some power hitting, but they have so many steady, reliable contact hitters and solid pitching that I think they win the division again. — James
Mark: Los Angeles Dodgers
James: Los Angeles Dodgers
The defending World Series champions did have a few needs this offseason, which they plugged with perhaps the best closer available (Edwin Diaz) and one of the best free agents available (outfielder Kyle Tucker). Another division title, and trip to the World Series, feels inevitable. — Mark
I’m not picking against the Dodgers because I’d like to think I’m not an idiot. — James
Mark: Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Kansas City Royals
James: Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Guardians
You can call the Red Sox a homer pick from me, but after watching Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, and other members of this roster in the World Baseball Classic, Boston is in a good spot. Staying in the AL East, while many look at the Toronto Blue Jays as the next big threat out of that division, I love what the Orioles have done these past few months. If nothing else, there is a sense of urgency in the Inner Harbor, a welcome feeling in Baltimore. Then there is the AL Central, and I’m very high on what the Royals are building. This is a team that finished just five games out of a playoff spot last year despite key injuries, and has a talented young core led by Bobby Witt Jr. and Jac Caglianone. Plus, they get to see a lot of the Twins and White Sox, while a team like the Blue Jays will be seeing a lot of New York, Boston, and Baltimore. — Mark
I’m banking on another AL East-heavy wild card, strictly because I think the Jays and Sox are the two best teams in the AL other than the Yankees. The loss of Bo Bichette is definitely a think for Toronto, but getting Dylan Cease is a hell of a move that bolsters their rotation. When it comes to the Red Sox you have a young, uber-promising team and added Ranger Suarez to make their pitching absolutely terrifying. There are a few questions with their bats, but I’m not as worried as others. As for the Guardians, they’re just really good, won the division a year ago, and didn’t have any major changes through free agency. I absolutely understand Mark’s pick of the Royals here, and I think this could be a Bobby Witt Jr. MVP year — but there’s just a little too much inconsistency in their youth right now. — James
Mark: Philadelphia Phillies, Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres
James: New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres
While I think the Mets are the team to beat in the East, it is hard to count the Phillies out. They still have a strong rotation, bats like Harper and Schwarber that can match, and a strong veteran locker room. As James noted the Brewers are a consistent team (I just happen to give the Cubs the edge in the division) and if it were not for the Dodgers, we might be talking about the Padres as the team to beat in the NL West, if not the league itself. — Mark
We’ll start with the Padres, who are just so dang good — but unfortunately became great exactly when the Dodgers morphed into an all-devouring black hole. This is a place where I feel a little more comfortable projecting the Mets, whose mammoth roster will finally pay off, and this is a team I think can make noise in the playoffs if they can get there first. Having them as the Wild Card is mostly a product of thinking they might have a slow start to the season. Meanwhile baseball just feels right when the Cubs are doing something, and with their big-spending roster I think they’ll put together their chemistry and make a run of their own. — James
Mark: New York Yankees
James: Los Angeles Dodgers
I may never get to go home again.
But I love it when an organization has a plan, particularly when they try something different. That feels like what Cashman did this offseason in New York, and I think by the time the fall rolls around, they’ll be the best team in baseball. — Mark
Winning the World Series three times in a row is damn-near impossible, I get that. Dammit, if I still can’t help but think the Dodgers are going to dominate it all this season once more. Their roster effectively has no weaknesses. Adding Kyle Tucker extends their embarrassment of riches, and they’re getting back a healthy Blake Snell. Might as well cue up the takes about how L.A. has ruined the sport forever, because I think they’re going to win it all once again. — James
