With the new baseball season quickly approaching, it's time to make some predictions for the 2024 MLB season. Before every season, people always think they know how things are going to go. But baseball is always unpredictable and has a lot of surprises. After all, who would have expected the Rangers and Diamondbacks to play in the World Series last year?
Bold predictions for the 2024 MLB season
In honor of this surprising showdown, we decided to go bold with our MLB season preview and 2024 World Series picks.
We may have gone a little further, but that may not be a bad thing. With that in mind, here are 10 bold and crazy predictions for the 2024 MLB season.
Tigers win over Central
This isn't as crazy as it sounds. Keep in mind that Detroit was just six games under .500 and nine games out of first place last year.
The AL Central will still be wide open and up for grabs. Detroit's young talent is starting to make an impact with veterans like Kenta Maeda, Jack Flaherty and Mark Canha added to the mix. In a weak division, the Tigers have a chance to win the AL Central for the first time in a decade.
Pirates earn a Wild Card point
Speaking of ending their playoff drought, this could be Pittsburgh's year. The NL Central is one of those divisions where almost anything can happen.
This gives the Pirates a chance to finish first or second. Consider that they went from 62 wins in 2022 to 76 wins in 2023. A similar step forward in 2024 could be enough to get them to the postseason. Also, the Buccaneers got off to a fast start last season, finishing April with a record of 20-9. Honestly, 76 wins is impressive for a team that has had so few losing streaks. Most importantly, the Buccaneers have assembled a good young core with O'Neil Cruz, Ky'Brian Hayes, and Jack Sowinski. Plus, they still have Brian Reynolds and a good mix of veterans who might surprise some people in 2024.
Astros miss the playoffs
Consider that Houston won just 90 games last season, taking a step back. The Astros had the same record as the Texans during the regular season and finished just two games back of Seattle.
Another step backwards for an aging team in 2024 could mean missing the playoffs, especially with the Rangers and Mariners up there and the AL East likely sending three or four teams to the playoffs. Although they still have one of the greatest second basemen of all time in Jose Altuve and a few other high-caliber players, this is not the deep and dominant Houston team of the past. The Astros were weak last year and would be more likely to miss the postseason last year.
Julio Rodriguez wins AL Most Valuable Player Award
With Shohei Ohtani showing up in the National League and Mike Trout showing the effects of aging, the AL MVP race is wide open for a young player like Julio Rodriguez to win it. Of course, Aaron Judge, Corey Seager and a few others will likely have a say in the race.
But Rodriguez was third in RBI and seventh in home runs in the AL last year while hitting .275. He is also only 23 years old and has already won two Silver Slugger Awards. Rodriguez will continue to improve, and with another big step forward, he has the tools to be an MVP as early as 2024.
Every team in the East finishes with a winning record
This almost happened last year with the Red Sox only falling short in a few games. But with fewer intra-division games on the schedule, a division as deep as the AL East could finish the year with five teams over .500.
The Orioles, Yankees, and Blue Jays are all safe bets to have a winning record. Tampa is missing some pieces but shouldn't fall by much. That means the Red Sox are the only worry. Despite not having much success, Boston has made enough incremental improvement to go over .500 in 2024.
Ohtani wins (by beating) the Triple Crown
If you thought we saw the best of Shohei Ohtani last year as a hitter last year, think again. If you dig deeper into the analytics, you'll see that he has improved in a variety of areas and should continue to improve in 2024. Keep in mind that he will be part of a deeper lineup with the Dodgers and he won't. This season will not be promoted.
This will allow Ohtani to play more games and focus entirely on batting.
In 2023, he led the American League in home runs and hit over .300. It's not far-fetched to think he can improve his average further while adding more to his career home run and RBI totals. Ohtani had fewer than 500 at-bats last year, but should surpass 600 if he can stay healthy, putting the Triple Crown within reach.
Dodgers win 118 games
With the addition of Ohtani and their other offseason acquisitions, the Dodgers look like an excellent team. Ohtani will have Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernandez and Max Muncy around him. Also, Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto now lead a Los Angeles rotation that also has good depth and talented young arms.
With all that in mind, this could be a special season at Dodger Stadium. Of course, winning 120 games is a bit ridiculous. But with 118 wins, the Dodgers will set a new record for wins during the regular season.
Dodgers lose in NLDS
Unfortunately for the Dodgers, a great regular season would not translate into postseason success. Last year, three of the four teams that received a bye in the Wild Card Round lost in the Division Series, including the Dodgers. In previous years, both the Dodgers and Braves lost in the NLDS after getting a bye.
In 2022, the top seed in both leagues lost in the Division Series to the Wild Card winner. This is a dangerous trend in baseball that cannot be ignored. Farewells take teams out of their rhythm and routine and become more of a curse than a blessing. With the Dodgers getting a bye and likely finishing the AL West early, they won't be sharp in the postseason and will suffer another disappointing defeat in the NLDS.
The Reds win the National League title
If the Dodgers don't win the NL pennant, who will? What about the Reds? They were close to making the playoffs last year and will be even better in 2024. Cincinnati's roster is full of young, talented players like Eli De La Cruz with a surprisingly deep starting rotation. The Reds are also in a good position to make some trades at the trade deadline to address their needs. That would allow them to rise to the top of the wide-open NL Central and make a shocking advance to the World Series in the same way the Diamondbacks did in 2023.
Orioles win East and World Series
Unfortunately for the Reds, they won't be able to beat the Orioles, who will be World Series winners in 2024. Baltimore wasn't ready to win the postseason last year, but the upstart Orioles will be better prepared this season. They already have young stars like Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson with more coming in the farm system. A young Baltimore team will be able to take another step forward while the playing field is deeper than people realize. Even without the biggest payroll, the Orioles have all the ingredients needed to shock the baseball world and win the World Series in 2024.
