Adley Rutschman and Grayson Rodriguez aren't far away from reaching the majors, and bats like Cedric Mullins, Trey Mancini and Ryan Mountcastle have already proven they can mash in the big leagues. The model expects some regression, but the pitching will keep this as one of the best teams in baseball. The rotation will get a boost from the return of Mike Clevinger and the trade acquisition of Manaea. After the NL East race came down to the wire in 2022, with the Braves edging the Mets via tiebreaker after both won 101 games, the two teams had drastically different offseasons. Wander Franco, Shane Baz and Shane McClanahan are expected to take up major roles on the team in their second seasons with the club, and Randy Arozarena and Brandon Lowe will again be dangerous at the plate. The model's outlook of the AL Central is perhaps what differs from conventional wisdom the most in its projections. Something is going to give there -- in terms of sending one team down to the mid-80s in wins, this time around -- and the Red Sox total is 85.5. 2022 Year to Date: 2023 Projected Rest of Season: 2023 Projected Full Season: Team G . LAA Los Angeles Angels. Thats two huge additions, creating a lineup that should be among the NL leaders in home runs and RBI. I think Randal Grichuk will post huge power numbers there, too. ET. Top 2023 Gotham Stakes predictions One shocker: Demling is high on Lugan Knight, who is tied for third in the odds, at 6-1. If the rookies can play up to their projections and immediately become impact talents, this could be an underrated team in 2022. With the new campaign comes the intrigue over how it will turn out. Get the most up to date picture of the 2023 MLB season standings. CHW Chicago White Sox. We also like Clevelands pitching. MORE:Seiya Suzuki has won over Cubs' clubhouse; next impression will come with bat. Thats everything the Milwaukee Brewers already bring to the table. Offensively, there is room for improvement on this team in 2022. Seattle strengthened its young core of Jarred Kelenic and Julio Rodriguez by trading for Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suarez from Cincinnati and signing reigning Cy Young winner Robbie Ray. The White Sox and Astros were picked to reach the top two spots in the American League more than any other team, while the top four AL East teams were the most likely in the simulations to also reach the playoffs. Joey Gallo should improve without the shift, and Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Josh Donaldson make for three of the best right-handed power bats in the sport when healthy. Here are 10 predictions that go against general public sentiment, but I still think have a decent shot at happening. Patrick Wisdom and Frank Schwindel each had solid debut seasons in 2021, and return as established starters with Ian Happ and Willson Contreras. With just days to go until Opening Day, hope is high among all teams that this will be their year to win a World Series or at least have an enjoyable 162-game season. Toronto's lineup starring Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette and Teoscar Hernandez is the best in the American League, and its offense will carry it through the season to one of the league's best records. Below, we look at those 2022 World Series odds; be sure to check back for our MLB picks and predictions as the season ramps up. It was only the Cubs in 2016 and Cardinals in 2015, but the point stands. MLB playoffs 2023: MLB postseason predictions, World Series and playoffs info, Longest MLB hitting streaks ever: 2022 to baseball history, 5 biggest winners from 2022 MLB offseason, MLB top prospects 2022: Tracking latest stats and potential call-up dates, 3 Chicago White Sox trade targets to replace Lance Lynn, 2022 Boston Red Sox schedule, roster and predictions, MLB MVP race 2023: Evaluating 2023 AL, NL candidates and MVP history, MLB trade rumors Latest MLB rumors entering July, What is the fastest pitch ever? Sign In. The Fernando Tats Jr. injury creates a bigger separation from the Dodgers in the projected MLB standings, but hell be back by July. The model works by using past player data to project how they will perform in 2022. and that rotation is littered with question marks after Joe Musgrove. But that quickly changed, and the result was a disappointing 77-85 season. Payroll is the one thing keeping the Cleveland Guardians from putting up a great fight against Chicago. My hunch this year is they'll be less extreme and steadily work toward somewhere in the low-to-mid 80s in wins. We also like the depth pieces added to the staff (Carlos Martinez, Matt Boyd) and it will prove crucial this year. After signing Corey Seager, Marcus Semien and Jon Gray for a combined $556 million in 2021, the Rangers inked Jacob deGrom, Andrew Heaney, Nathan Eovaldi and Martn Prez and traded for Jake Odorizzi this offseason. This section is showing information that is up to date as of the end of the 2022 MLB season. Cactus League. As for Oakland, it already traded Chris Bassitt, Matt Olson and Matt Chapman. The Orioleshope to see top prospect Adley Rutschman soon (but not too soon) and are going to lose 100 games again but have players worth watching inCedric Mullins andRyan Mountcastle. There are question marks all over the place, as I explained in the preview. . [ MORE: How to watch Premier League in USA] After the break for the 2022 World Cup, the Premier League . Until those issues are addressed, even a .500 record feels unlikely. There is some volatility in our projections for theBraves, who look like the favorite to win the NL East but finish as low as third place in the division standings. The 2020 World Series champions have +600 odds to lift the Commissioner's Trophy in 2022, while the Pirates, Orioles and Arizona Diamondbacks are tied for the lowest at +25000. Jose Altuve continues to hit, and the cast around around him continues to get younger. The model doesn't think the signings make Texas a full-fledged contender just yet, but it sees this as a major step in the right direction. MORE: The Sporting News' 2022 MLB Opening Day Power Rankings Here are predictions for the 2022 MLB season from TSN's panel of baseball experts. Sure enough, thats exactly what they did. 7. In fact, they lost their top free agent, shortstop Dansby Swanson, to the Cubs. MLB.com. This forecast is based on 100,000 simulations of the season and . Was Steven Matz's 2021 season a real change or is he more the guy who was well below average from 2017-20? MORE:Reds, As top list of five MLB fan bases experiencing post-lockout blues. It's a good, though not great, mix of position players. 2022, 2021, 2022 MLB Pitching, 2022 MLB Batting, 2022 MLB Standings, 2022 MLB Attendance, 2022 MLB Rookies , . Standings. All major league baseball data including pitch type, velocity, batted ball location, But the top two teams in the NL are the same as last year's: the Dodgers and Giants. Now, did that stop us from asking a number of MLB . 8,128 plate appearances. Despite believing that the Astros are more likely to win the pennant, it sees the Rays as a slightly more likely team to win the World Series. And while the Rays have been able to work around stuff like this the last several years, I don't believe they have the same combination of depth and talent in the bullpen to absorb the starter workload shortfall. If I believe the Dodgers end the regular season with the most wins, I like my chances for hitting the over here. All Rights Reserved. I don't buy the Padres or Giants as 90-plus win teams, either. Tampa Bay Rays 98-64 2. It also highlights the risk of a starting rotation with so many durability worries. Marcus Semien might have left in free agency, but Toronto acquired Matt Chapman to man third and give the team a star defender to the left of Bichette. With that, multiple analysts within The Athletes Hub have sat down and explained their personal opinions on what could take place. The slugging corner infielders of Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado make up a powerful middle-of-the-order tandem, and Tommy Edman should help at the top of the lineup. Fernando Tatis Jr. is one of the brightest stars when he's healthy and Manny Machado gives him powerful protection in the lineup. The 2022 Major League Baseball season is almost here and Sportsnauts MLB predictions offer projections for the standings, award winners and more. Are the Braves even with the Mets, or way behind? And the Cardinals were basically a .500 team last season, save for a 17-game winning streak in September. Were using an Elo-based system that also accounts for starting pitchers, travel distance and rest, with an average team rating of about 1500. The Sporting News is unveiling a model to project the 2022 MLB season and make predictions based on the results. Losing Kevin Gausman (Toronto Blue Jays and Buster Posey (retirement) are two huge blows, leaving voids that cant be filled directly. Milwaukee had a relatively quiet offseason after finishing seven games behind St. Louis last season, but PECOTA projects the teams vaunted pitching staff to allow 41 fewer runs than that of St. Louis. The reason the model likes the Cardinals over Milwaukee comes from the lack of trust in the Brewers' lineup, but if Willy Adames can repeat and Christian Yelich can bounce back somewhere closer to his 2019 levels, it could have just enough to support Milwaukee's tremendous pitching staff. This is tough. Last year, Casey Mize, Matt Manning and Tarik Skubal got a taste of the big leagues and showed promise, and will be expected to take it a step farther in 2022. Zac Gallen and Luke Weaver look like they could front Arizona's rotation at some point, but for now, those two spots belong to the more experienced Merrill Kelly and Madison Bumgarner. 11m ago. 2023 Playoff Odds, . Our MLB projections will impact our projected postseason bracket. AL Central predictions. The Phillies Will Need The Long Ball For A Long Shot World Series Comeback . With the money saved by choosing Olson over Freddie Freeman, Atlanta signed Kenley Jansen and Collin McHugh. They'll have thump. It bucks conventional wisdom, sure, but there are a few factors I can't ignore. It should be a fourth consecutive last-place season for the Pirates, who hope Ke'Bryan Hayes bounces back and prospectOneil Cruz brings some excitement. Jarred Kelenic still needs to make a lot of strides. Framber Valdez and Luis Garcia are two bright young arms in the rotation, while Verlander looks to return to his Cy Young-winning ways since coming back from Tommy John surgery. Edward Sutelan is a content producer at The Sporting News. If Alex Bregman bounces back to what he's capable of, this should remain one of the highest-scoring offenses. The 2022 MLB season is finally here. Mega Picker; . This article lays out all of our preseason MLB team ratings and projections for 2022, including our MLB projected standings, MLB postseason seed projections and various projection details such as final win-loss records, playoff chances, and World Series win odds. The breakout season by the Giants mixed up the run of Dodgers' dominance, but the model expects Los Angeles to reclaim its crown in 2022. Before long, Hayes will soon be joined on the left side of the infield by towering shortstop Oneil Cruz. Jesus Luzardo wasn't sharp in his Miami debut, but he's shown off his electric skillset and sky-high potential in Spring Training and will likely be a popular breakout pick. All rights reserved. This section is showing information that is up to date as of the end of the 2022 MLB season. The Blue Jays will, once again, be one of the best fourth-place finishers since MLB went to the six-division format in 1994. The GB column is an abbreviation for Games Back and it shows how far teams are behind the leader of the division or put simply, first place. 0:00. Are the Brewers better than the Cardinals, or way behind? Major League Baseball's arduous 2021-22 offseason featured a 99-day lockout that ultimately resulted in an abbreviated spring training and a delayed Opening . It isn't that simple, even if it sounds like it should be. Now that ZiPS and PECOTA have both released their projected standings for 2023 (ZiPS can be found here and here, and PECOTA here), here's a breakdown of some interesting points on which they agree, and where they differ. While Cleveland missed the playoffs last year, they also have finished no lower than third in the AL Central since 2012. Losing Robbie Ray and Steven Matz will hurt the rotation, but the addition of Kevin Gausman and Yusei Kikuchi, along with a full season of Jose Berrios and Alek Manoah will help bolster the pitching staff. As for Colorado, signing Kris Bryant feels like a move for ticket sales as this is still one of the worst teams in MLB. Factoring in that advantage along with an electrifying Cardinals bullpen, elite defense and a sufficient lineup, we expect St. Louis in a Wild Card Game. It's Cleveland vs. Minnesota for the AL Central title. MLB 2022 win totals: Predicting every team's record for the new season. 2 spot. As part of our year-round MLB coverage, we'll provide analysis, the latest news and MLB trade rumors . The Los Angeles Dodgers might have lost the NL West in 2021, but theres no doubt this is the best team in the division entering the 2022 season. 5 min read. Key player: Luis Robert. The Guardians did virtually nothing this winter, yet it wouldn't be shocking to see them finish second or third. Matt Chapman is one of the best defensive players in the game and his bat should look better with the talent around it. The NL Central has not had a team repeat as division winner since the Cubs repeated in first place in 2016 and 2017. The return of spring weather brings hope for every team. The Rays have won the division two years in a rowbut didn't do much to upgrade,and have a lot riding on Wander Franco (and his new 11-year, $182 million contract)taking a significant step forward Yankees fans may have hated the offseason, but the team didn't get significantly worse over the winter. The early prelims are on ESPN+ at 5:30 p.m. That is, we'll list the win total for the 2022 season from Caesars Sportsbook and pick whether the team will win more (the "over") or fewer (the "under") games. Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports. Tyler Stephenson finishes with 20+ home runs, 80+ runs, and 80+ RBIs. Let's start things off with a prediction about one of my favorite players to target in fantasy baseball drafts. The biggest question mark for Los Angeles is undoubtedly in its rotation, where Walker Buehler will be the unquestioned ace after Scherzer left. However, this is still a loaded team. Toronto hasnt won a playoff game since 2016. A complete list of this year's voters: . Everyone should. This is not expected to be the year that the Oriolesmake a surprising surge to the playoffs and shock the baseball world, but it feels like that time is at least getting closer. There are six divisions in the MLB, divided into three . For all the talk of Bichette and Guerrero Jr. being a dynamic infield presence, Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers also are a dangerous pair of bats from the left side of the infield. 1. Statistical model by Jay Boice and Nate Silver. The predicted standings for each team are the average wins and losses in the 20,000 simulations. Those player stats are then merged in with their current teams to evaluate how good each team's lineups, rotation and bullpens will be in the 2022 season. They also signed Jon Gray, who could be due for a breakout season now that he's no longer pitching in Coors Field. Heading into 2022, this division figures to be just as thrilling as the Padres continue to establish themselves as a threat in the league. Chicago still finishes atop the AL Central in our MLB predictions, but the separation is decreasing. The Phillies enter the season probably, objectively, a worse team than both the Braves and Mets in the NL East. The moves made this offseason ensure this team will be competitive, maybe even enough to play in October under a 14-team playoff format. But there they are with an 88-74 projection from ZiPS, just three games behind the mighty Dodgers and Padres. The Mariners, as currently constructed, are going to be a better, more well-rounded baseball team in 2022 than they were in 2021. But what the model really likes is the rotation. From back-to-back division champions to the cellar, the Twins'tumble in 2021 came as a shock after looking like a dominant team in each of the prior two years. Only enabled for screen sizes > 1024px. New York received good news with the restrictions on unvaccinated players being lifted. It has been a discouraging offseason forAthletics'fans, who watched their two core Matts traded off to the Blue Jays (Chapman) and Braves (Olson), and standout arms Sean Manaea and Chris Bassitt traded to the Padres and Mets, respectively. Just looking around the NL West, there are two bad teams. MLB. PECOTA has the Halos four games ahead of the Mariners and gives them a 54.9% chance of reaching the postseason, the seventh-highest odds in the AL. Trevor Story is out, but he had a down year anyway and Kris Bryant is in. Compared to the Brewers and Cardinals, the Cubs dont stack up and thats even after signing outfielder Seiya Suzuki. Get Paramount Plus today and watch live sports for an unbeatable price! Because of a below-average lineup, on its best days, the Marlins exciting rotation will be wasted. After winning 99 games in 2022, the Yankees were able to re-sign Aaron Judge and Anthony Rizzo in free agency, and they inked All-Star lefty Carlos Rodnto a six-year contract. The offense added Starling Marte and Mark Canha to a lineup that was already strong with Francisco Lindor, Jeff McNeil and Pete Alonso in the infield and Brandon Nimmo in the outfield. The Tigers also signed a pair of top free agents in Javier Baez and Eduardo Rodriguez to provide some more established threats to the team. 6-keys: media/spln/mlb/reg/free/stories, at The Cardinals pitching may be a question mark, but the club has an excellent defense and good roster depth, not to mention a lineup featuring reigning NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt at first base, perennial All-Star Nolan Arenado at third and new addition Willson Contreras at catcher. Let's analyze Tipico Sportsbook's lines around the UFC 285: Shevchenko vs. Grasso odds, and make our expert picks and predictions.. I'm more a fan of being right and this one was just pulling me in.