MLBbro.com 2023 Staff Preseason Predictions

MLBbro.com 2023 Staff Preseason Predictions

by | Apr 5, 2023 | THE LEAD OFF

With the start of the 2023 Major League Baseball Season here, it’s time for the MLBbro.com third annual staff preseason predictions for the winners of each division, each league, and then World Series.

 

American League East

  1. New York Yankees (8)
  2. Toronto Blue Jays (4)

 

 


The New York Yankees were selected by two-thirds of our panel to defend their American League East crown. The Toronto Blue Jays, which finished second to the Yankees last season, received the remaining votes.

 

National League East

  1. Atlanta Braves (7)
  2. New York Mets (3)
  3. Philadelphia Phillies (2)


The Braves and Mets both finished the regular season with 101 victories last season, but even with the Mets having the largest payroll in the big leagues, Atlanta remains the favorite to win the NL East for the sixth consecutive season. Philadelphia, the reigning NL Champs, was the third choice.

 

American League Central

  1. Cleveland Guardians (7)
  2. Minnesota Twins (3)
  3. Chicago White Sox (2)


The Cleveland Guardians have added some power to their young lineup, and our panel is confident that they have enough to take the AL Central. The Guardians were the clear favorites, with the Twins and White Sox to follow.

 

National League Central

  1. St. Louis Cardinals (9)
  2. Milwaukee Brewers (3)


St. Louis has made the playoffs in each of the past four seasons. The staff believes that streak will continue with the Redbirds capturing the NL Central crown for the third time in the past five seasons. Our panel still has some faith in the Brewers, who missed the playoffs for the first time in five years last season.

 

American League West

  1. Houston Astros (11)
  2. Texas Rangers (1)


No one is a bigger favorite to win their division than the defending World Series champions, the Houston Astros. The Astros were a near-unanimous selection by the MLBbro staff. Dusty Baker’s Boys have averaged just over 100 wins during his two seasons in H-Town. The Texas Rangers were the only other team to receive a vote.

 

National League West

  1. San Diego Padres (6)
  2. Los Angeles Dodgers (6)

Opinions we divide right down the middle on the NL West race. On one hand is the Los Angeles Dodgers, the gold standard in the National League, coming off of their greatest regular season ever.

On the other, the San Diego Padres, who may have the most talented offensive lineup in baseball. We expect this race to go down to the wire.

 

American League Champions

  1. Houston Astros/New York Yankees (4)
  2. Toronto Blue Jays (2)
  3. Chicago White Sox/Cleveland Guardians (1)

 


The Astros and Yankees each received one-third of the panel’s votes to take the American League championship this season. Last season, Houston swept the Yankees 4-0 in the ALCS. Houston is 3-0 vs New York in the ALCS since they first met in the 2017 postseason.

 

National League Champions

  1. San Diego Padres (4)
  2. Atlanta Braves/Los Angeles Dodgers (3)
  3. New York Mets (2)

After coming up short in the NLCS last season, our panel expects the Padres to get over the hump this season and return to the World Series for the first time in 25 years. San Diego just edged out the Braves and Dodgers.

 

World Series Champion

  1. San Diego Padres (3)
  2. Atlanta Braves/Houston Astros/New York Yankees (2)
  3. Cleveland Guardians/Los Angeles Dodgers/New York Mets (1)

 

 

The Padres are the only team on our list to never win a World Series, but by a slight majority, the MLBbro staff believes this is the year that they finally do. San Diego beat out Atlanta, Houston, and New York to earn the favorite’s spot. 

MLBbro.com Staff World Series Predictions | Riding With Dusty Baker’s Boyz From Opening Day

MLBbro.com Staff World Series Predictions | Riding With Dusty Baker’s Boyz From Opening Day

by | Oct 27, 2022 | THE LEAD OFF

After an incredibly unpredictable playoffs, Major League Baseball finally arrives at its grandest stage.

The Fall Classic. The World Series.

Playoffs Framed By Upsets

The staff at MLBBro.com had to recalibrate after all of the upsets (seriously, did anyone think the Phillies would be here?), in order to make its best guesses at who will take home the Commissioner’s Trophy.

Prior to the start of the postseason, five of the nine staff members polled picked the Astros to claim the American League championship for the fourth time in six seasons.

Astros to win ALCS:

JR Gamble, Managing Editor

David Grubb, Asst. Managing Editor

Malik Wright, Content Reporter

Dante Miles, Content Reporter

Jaelen Gilkey, Content Reporter

The Astros remain the favorites going into the World Series, by a slight margin. This time, Houston was taken by seven out of 12 (58.3%).

 

Astros to win World Series:

JR Gamble, Managing Editor

Mark Gray, Asst. Managing Editor

David Grubb, Asst. Managing Editor

Malik Wright, Content Reporter

Jaelen Gilkey, Content Reporter

Ronald Agers, Writer

Nick Hamilton, Content Reporter (West Coast Bureau)

 

The National League playoffs were a complete mess and the MLBbro.com team took a beating like everyone else when trying to crown a champion. No one picked the Phillies to make their first trip to the World Series since 2009.

Our founder, Rob Parker, was the only person to even get one half of the NLCS matchup correct when he chose the San Diego Padres.

Parker is going with an underdog once again, joined by four others in picking the Phillies to win their third world championship.

 

Phillies to win World Series:

Rob Parker, Founder and Editor

Kevin Moore, Senior Writer

Renee Washington, Content Contributor

Rachel L. Hill, Content Contributor

Dante Miles, Content Contributor

 

Picking The MVP

 

Six different players received at least one vote to win the World Series Most Valuable Player award, with two-time regular season MVP Bryce Harper leading the way with four. Here are the picks.

Jose Altuve, 2B, Astros: Gamble

Yordan Alverez, DH/OF, Astros (3): Gray, Grubb, Agers

Alex Bregman, 3B, Astros: Wright

Bryce Harper, OF, Phillies (4): Parker, Moore, Washington, Miles

Jeremy Pena, SS, Astros: Gilkey

Kyle Schwarber, OF, Phillies: Hill

Houston took two of three games against the Phillies this season, winning a series at Minute Maid Park just over three weeks ago. Harper was only able to play in one of those games.

There are numerous storylines to watch during the series; unfortunately there won’t be any Black or brown players involved in them for only the second time since Jackie Robinson made his debut.

The 2022 World Series starts Friday at 8:03 EDT.