2024 MLB SEASON PREVIEW

LOS ANGELES DODGERS

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE:

ANDY PAGES

REGRESSION CANDIDATE:

GAVIN LUX

CY YOUNG:

BOBBY MILLER

PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS:

WORLD SERIES OR BUST

The Los Angeles Dodgers... are they ruining baseball? In short, no. The Dodgers have payed Ohtani and Yammamoto a lot of money this off-season, with also acquiring Glasnow and Hernandez. However, I still feel like there is some holes on this team. I don't love their bullpen. Small thing, but the strength of the pen is Evan Phillips and Joe Kelly. Nothing against those guys, but if those are the guys you are relying on to save games, I wouldn't expect it to be pretty. However, the rotation, is elite, and most of the lineup is elite as well. I have some small concerns with Gavin Lux and Jason Heyward weighing the lineup down, but I think Pages will takeover for Heyward at some point in the season. He has been MASHING in Spring Training and has been elite in the minors. I would expect him to be with the team and potentially starting. It would have been an easy pick to do Yamamoto for the Breakout candidate, but I felt like Pages would've been a more fun pick. That being said, the Dodgers are probably the best team in the MLB.

SAN DIEGO PADRES

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE:

JACKSON MERRILL

REGRESSION CANDIDATE:

JAKE CRONENWORTH

CY YOUNG:

YU DARVISH

PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS:

WILD CARD HOPEFUL

The Padres had some key departures this off-season. They lost Juan Soto, Blake Snell, and Josh Hader. That sucks. However, they have a blooming farm system with elite talent ready in the wings to take over. They also have Tatis Jr, who is coming off a sneaky impressive year. Machado is coming off a down year, and Cronenworth continued to regress last year, making him the regression candidate. He statistically has gotten worse every season, and I was hoping his offensive numbers would start going back up after the move to first base, but that wasn't the case. Not a fun one, but a safe pick. Merrill is going to be the Starting Center Fielder for the Padres this season, something that I don't think many expected, but it will be interesting. I feel it may be a little too early for him, but he will contribute immediately. I think this team still has some good arms, and some high end talent, it's just the gaps between that will make it a tough year for them to make the playoffs.

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE:

GABRIEL MORENO

REGRESSION CANDIDATE:

GERALDO PERDOMO

CY YOUNG:

ZAC GALLEN

PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS:

WILD CARD FLOOR

After falling short in the Fall Classic, The Diamondbacks are poised to run it back. They beefed up some of their bats by adding Joc Pederson, and added a strong arm in Eduardo Rodriguez. However, I don't feel great about all of their players. It definitely felt like this team was a little early to be as good as they were, and they still might be. They have the young talent on the roster, I just think it's not a great window this off-season. There is still a lot to like, and I think this team will be in the playoff race all season long.

COLORADO ROCKIES

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE:

BRENDAN RODGERS

REGRESSION CANDIDATE:

ELIAS DIAZ

CY YOUNG:

JAKE BIRD

PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS:

BETTER THAN LAST YEAR?

The Colorado Rockies. I don't really want to be too mean, I really don't. They have some interesting pieces like Rodgers and Nolan Jones. But, They are still, very far from competing. To summarize, Kris Bryant said he regretted signing a big contract with them. Kris Bryant isn't a savior though, as he is one of the reasons they haven't been very good the past few seasons.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE:

JUNG HOO LEE

REGRESSION CANDIDATE:

MICHAEL CONFORTO

CY YOUNG:

LOGAN WEBB

PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS:

DARK HORSE WILD CARD CONTENDER

I mean, the Giants just absolutely loaded up on talent this off-season. A lot of big additions, Lee, Chapman, Soler, Snell, and more? They really beefed up their team. However, I do worry about the NL West considering it is a tough division, but I think this team has a high ceiling, and a low floor. I could potentially see them almost winning the division, or being around 70 wins too. Much like the Padres, I think there are some considerable holes in the lineup that worry me. Soler is strong, but guys like Conforto and Estrada are wildcards if they will be helpful pieces. I love the 1-2 punch of Webb and Snell, but the rest of the rotation is just okay. I think they obviously improved from last year, but it is hard to project their ceiling.

CHICAGO CUBS

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE:

MICHAEL BUSCH

REGRESSION CANDIDATE:

YAN GOMES

CY YOUNG:

SHOTA IMANAGA

PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS:

1ST OR 2ND IN DIVISION

The Cubbies certainly remain a looming threat in the NL Central. After a late season collapse to miss the playoffs, the Cubs are hoping some of their young talent can develop in time to slot them as NL Central champions. Their rotation looked a little shaky outside of Justin Steele, so they went and got Shota Imanaga, a signing that grows more and more on me everyday that he is my 'Cy Yong' pick for them. I think that there are still some holes on the lineup card, but bringing back Belli, a 2nd year for Swanson, and the emergence of Busch and PCA will put them in the NL Central division race till the very end.

ST LOUIS CARDINALS

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE:

JORDAN WALKER

REGRESSION CANDIDATE:

DYLAN CARLSON

CY YOUNG:

SONNY GRAY

PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS:

1ST OR 2ND IN DIVISION

The team the Cubs will compete with for the division? The red birds. The classic rivalry is evolving with the two teams both featuring budding stars in the making. The Cards are coming off their worst season in a long time, as their pitching was lackluster at best and there was too much reliance on young guys with Arenado and Goldy having down years. However, Goldy and Arenado are proven veterans, who I assume will easily have bounce back seasons. Jordan Walker and Masyn Winn both project to be in the everyday lineup, and a healthy Nootbaar, Donnavan, and Wilson Contreras as supporting cast, the lineup should be lethal. What's the catch? The rotation. They added 2nd place Cy Young finisher Sonny Gray, but they also got Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn. Gibson will certainly eat a lot of innings and be okay, but Lynn is on the verge of being a liability pitcher. With Mikolas and Matz also coming off a weak couple of seasons, it will be interesting to see if the rotation can keep pace with the lineup and bullpen.

MILWAUKEE BREWERS

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE:

JACKSON CHOURIO

REGRESSION CANDIDATE:

WADE MILEY

CY YOUNG:

FREDDY PERALTA

PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS:

.500 TEAM

The Brewers, out of seemingly nowhere, decided that they were going to sort of rebuild. Getting rid of Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes was an interesting move, considering the return wasn't that great. However, It seems that they made these moves because of the strength of their farm system. The Brewers have loads of prospects, and this upcoming season we should get to see the top 2 in plenty of action. Chourio and Frelick will get plenty of at bats, and get to show off why they can be stars in the league. As for team success, the rotation is weaker and the team lacks a real consistent threat across the lineup. The bullpen remains solid, but it doesn't feel like they tried to hard to stay atop the NL Central this offseason.

CINNCINATI REDS

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE:

ANDREW ABBOTT

REGRESSION CANDIDATE:

FRANKIE MONTAS

CY YOUNG:

ANDREW ABBOTT

PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS:

HIGH CEILING, LOW FLOOR

I think the Reds 2024 season is going to look a lot like their 2023 season. This team is loaded with young talent, from top to bottom, all elite prospects. from Mclain to De La Cruz, the team will be a fun watch for sure, it's just stringing together enough wins. I think they have a skaky bullpen outside of Diaz, and their rotation is weak outside of Abbott. If they went more in on pitchers this winter, I could certainly see them competing for the division. While I still could see them competing for the division, it feels like a long shot.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE:

ONEIL CRUZ

REGRESSION CANDIDATE:

DAVID BEDNAR

CY YOUNG:

MITCH KELLER

PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS:

STILL A FEW YEARS AWAY

The Pirates remain a small market team. They didn't make any big splashes outside of extending Mitch Keller, and I can't really project them to be any better if they are trotting out practically the exact same team as last year. I think they will probably finish last in the NL Central.

ATLANTA BRAVES

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE:

AJ SMITH-SHAWVER

REGRESSION CANDIDATE:

TRAVIS D'ARNAUD

CY YOUNG:

SPENCER STRIDER

PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS:

DIVISIONAL ROUND LOCK

Shocker, the Braves are going to be good again. They just have such a solid core of young guys that they probably won't miss the playoffs for like another 5 years. It's just such a good team, from top to bottom. Their rotation can be a little sketchy, with Elder being okay and Morton getting up there in age, but their pen is still solid, and the lineup is going to generage a lot of runs all season long. The only knock  have against them is they don't really have much of a farm system, but they also don't really have any holes on the lineup card.

MIAMI MARLINS

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE:

EDWARD CABRERA

REGRESSION CANDIDATE:

JOSH BELL

CY YOUNG:

JESUS LUZARDO

PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS:

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN

The Marlins moved off of their GM this off season, and I think that was one of the dumbest things to happen in the offseason for baseball. She got them a playoff roster within such a small amount of time, that I would have trusted her to build a super team within 10 years. Instead, it seems like the Marlins will come back down to Earth, and will likely not see the playoffs this year. They have some good talent on the roster, but a lot of it feels untapped and uninspired. I could see them float around the Wild Card race at some point in the season, but I can't see them finishing with a spot.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE:

BRYSON STOTT

REGRESSION CANDIDATE:

ALEC BOHM

CY YOUNG:

ZACK WHEELER

PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS:

WILD CARD LOCK

In a lot of ways, the Phillies are like the Braves. Not too much of a farm system, but when you look at the lineup there aren't too many holes. The rotation is sturdy, but the top 2 guys are elite. Solid pen, but nothing crazy. The Phillies and Braves is a rivalry that feels like it's only heating up. Led by Harper, Stott, and Turner, the Phillies look poised to be a playoff team for years to come. Their goal this off-season was to keep Aaron Nola, and they did that, so they should be right back in October baseball.

NEW YORK METS

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE:

LUISANGEL ACUNA

REGRESSION CANDIDATE:

JEFF MCNEIL

CY YOUNG:

EDWIN DIAZ

PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS:

A LITTLE ABOVE .500

There is a saying 'Mets gonna Met' and I find it sort of offensive. I find it that way because it feels like they are trying whatever means neccesary to win baseball games, and I respect that. Shovel out a ton of money to free agents? They tried that, didn't work, and they turn those pay days into prospects. I think this is likely a down year for the Mets though, as Senga and Mauricio deal with injuries. Once some of their top prospects get called up, they will simply be an offseason away from competing again.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE:

MACKENZIE GORE

REGRESSION CANDIDATE:

JOEY GALLO

CY YOUNG:

JOSIAH GRAY

PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS:

STILL REBUILDING

Checking in on the Nationals, and they are still rebuilding. I get it, it makes sense, they have a long ways to go, and there is nothing wrong with that. They have some nice pieces in the Minors, and I firmly believe they could have the best outfield in 3-4 years. I think they can play some scrappy baseball and go on some win streaks here and there, but they are still a few years out from competing again.

HOUSTON ASTROS

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE:

YANIER DIAZ

REGRESSION CANDIDATE:

MAURICIO DUBON

CY YOUNG:

FRAMBER VALDEZ

PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS:

WILD CARD TEAM

The Astros have retooled for yet again another strong season in 2024, at least it appears that way. I think in a lot of ways they got a little stronger, I think Diaz will be a premier catcher in the league, and I think the rotation compliments the bullpen. The Astros are always good, but I don't think they will run away with the division, heck I doubt they will win the division. I do think they will find a way into the playoffs though.

SEATTLE MARINERS

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE:

BRYAN WOO

REGRESSION CANDIDATE:

TY FRANCE

CY YOUNG:

GEORGE KIRBY

PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS:

DARK HORSE WILD CARD TEAM

I think the Mariners always feel like they could be really good if they get it all put together, but they never seem to. I think their young rotation could be super awesome if they all breakout and stay consistent this season. As for the lineup, it is one of the weirdest ones in the league. You have a superstar in Julio, some strong peices with Raleigh, Crawford, and Polanco, but they have regressing players like Ty France, that you wonder if they will be helpful to the Mariners at all this season. I want to like them, and I think the rotation at it's best, could absolutely carry this team to the playoffs, but the AL is loaded with talent and that will be tough to accomplish.

OAKLAND? ATHLETICS

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE:

ZACK GELOF

REGRESSION CANDIDATE:

SETH BROWN

CY YOUNG:

JP SEARS

PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS:

SELL THE TEAM

I think John Fisher should sell the team. Until then, it will be the cheapest payroll in baseball by a large margin and never a competitive team.

TEXAS RANGERS

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE:

WYATT LANGFORD

REGRESSION CANDIDATE:

ANDREW HEANEY

CY YOUNG:

NATHAN EOVALDI

PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS:

DIVISION FAVORITES

The defending champs are somehow not the betting favorites to win the World Series, when it feels like they are only improving. Yes, they've lost Montgomery(for now), but maybe they get DeGrom healthy, and Langford and Carter make a splash in their roookie years. This team is still super awesome, although, I don't love their bullpen, as it was their concern last year as well. I think there's no reason this isn't one of the best lineups in baseball, and if you have Eovaldi, Scherzer, and DeGrom headlining the rotation, they are going to be tough to beat.

LOS ANGELES ANGELS

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE:

LOGAN O'HOPPE

REGRESSION CANDIDATE:

BRANDON DRURY

CY YOUNG:

REID DETMERS

PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS:

SUB .500

The Angels have lost 2-way superstar Shohei Ohtani this offseason. We all knew it was going to happen, and all we can ask is that one day Trout can play some playoff baseball, whether it be on the Angels, or more likely another team. I think the Angels don't really have a complete team, because they couldn't decide if they wanted to rebuild, retool, or go all in for the past few years. I think they are a team that ABSOLUTLEY needs to rebuild, but they feel they didn't want to waste the career of Trout or Ohtani. I think they may need to throw the towel in on that, make it clear to Trout that you are rebuilding, and that he is open to being traded. That is just how I feel about the Angels.

MINNESOTA TWINS

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE:

EDOUARD JULIEN

REGRESSION CANDIDATE:

BYRON BUXTON

CY YOUNG:

PABLO LOPEZ

PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS:

DIVISION FAVORITES

The Twins certainly look like they are going to win the AL Central again, even though they have lost some pieces this off-season. That is because they have some of the best platoon players in the league, and some rising young stars like Julien and Lewis. However, if they repeat in winning the division, it will obviously be because of their rotation and bullpen, it is maybe some of the most well rounded in baseball. Not much has changed this winter for the Twins.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE:

MAIKEL GARCIA

REGRESSION CANDIDATE:

SALVADOR PEREZ

CY YOUNG:

COLE RAGANS

PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS:

DARK HORSE DIVISION WINNER

The Royals made some big splashes this off season. They acquired some really good talent in every part of the game. They also have budding star Bobby Witt Jr, Maikel Garcia, and Vinnie Pasquintino. This team is sneaky, sneaky good. The rotation is solid, Ragans, Wacha, Lugo, Singer, and Lyles? That'll work. The bullpen? How about Will Smith, Nick Anderson, James McArthur, and Chris Stratton? That's not too bad AT ALL. Yes, their lineup is a little weak, but if some of the young guys play their part they can win a lot of low scoring games. I personally think they have a great shot to win the AL Central.

CHICAGO WHITE SOX

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE:

GARRETT CROCHET

REGRESSION CANDIDATE:

GAVIN SHEETS

CY YOUNG:

TIM HILL

PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS:

REBUILD TIME

The Chicago White Sox are rebuilding, completely. They got a solid deal done with Cease, and I expect Robert to be dealt within a calendar year. There isn't much to be excited about with the White Sox, yet. Give it a few years, they could compete in this weak division.

CLEVELAND GUARDIANS

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE:

GAVIN WILLIAMS

REGRESSION CANDIDATE:

SHANE BEIBER

CY YOUNG:

TANNER BIBEE

PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS:

.500 TEAM

The past 2 seasons, the Guardians have been on the decline. This past winter, I don't feel like near enough moves were made for this team to get better and make the playoffs. The pitching could be really good, but the offense is just so mediocre at best. Outside of Ramirez and Kwan, where is the offense coming from?

DETROIT TIGERS

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE:

COLT KEITH

REGRESSION CANDIDATE:

JAVIER BAEZ

CY YOUNG:

TARIK SKUBAL

PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS:

YOUNG FUN TEAM...

I expect the Tigers to have a similar season to the Reds 2023 season. This team has a lot of young guys, mainly leading the squad with little veteran presence. Maybe they don't have the dynamic players in the field, but they make up for it with simply having Skubal, and the Flaherty signing was super nice too. They have fun players, and I think they can make some noise in a weak division, but I certainly don't see them really making the playoffs, at least this year.

BALTIMORE ORIOLES

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE:

JACKSON HOLLIDAY

REGRESSION CANDIDATE:

CEDRIC MULLINS

CY YOUNG:

CORBIN BURNES

PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS:

DIVISION FAVORITES

The Orioles were the best AL team in the regular season last year. They didn't make it far in the postseason, but they were inexperienced. Now, they have Corbin Burnes. That just seems unfair. They are going to be also adding the #1 Prospect in baseball with Jackson Holliday to a stacked lineup. I would expect a former #1 seed team to improve this season, and that is scary.

BOSTON RED SOX

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE:

CEDDANE RAFAELA

REGRESSION CANDIDATE:

CONNOR WONG

CY YOUNG:

BRAYAN BELLO

PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS:

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN

Ask any Red Sox fan what they think the team is doing, and they will have not a clue what to tell you. The Red Sox have made some head scratching moves this offseason, as they had clear holes in their rotation, and only filled it with Lucas Giolito (who will miss all of 2023). I don't really get it. I could see this team potentially being something unique, but they don't make the right moves as a front office to put the team in any position to make it to October.

NEW YORK YANKEES

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE:

SPENCER JONES

REGRESSION CANDIDATE:

ANTHONY RIZZO

CY YOUNG:

CARLOS RODON

PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS:

WILD CARD TEAM

The Yankees, much like the Cardinals, are a historically good team coming off a rare bad year. Unlike the Cardinals, they went for a big splash. They acquired Juan Soto to absolutely beef up the lineup, and make this team super dangerous. I have Spencer Jones as a breakout candidate, as he has been on a tear and I could see him getting called up by the end of the year. Losing Cole for awhile does really hurt this team though, as it felt like their rotation was a little weak as it is. I still see this team sneaking into the playoffs.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE:

DAVIS SCHNEIDER

REGRESSION CANDIDATE:

GEORGE SPRINGER

CY YOUNG:

JORDAN ROMANO

PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS:

WILD CARD HOPEFUL

The Jays, had a quiet off-season. They let Chapman walk, and didn't really bring anyone in to fill the void. As is stood last year, the team didn't quite have the juice, as Vladdy had a down year, and so did Manoah and Kirk. I think those guys will bounce back, but I don't think it'll be enough to make the playoffs this year.

TAMPA BAY RAYS

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE:

TAJ BRADLEY

REGRESSION CANDIDATE:

AMED ROSARIO

CY YOUNG:

AARON CIVALE

PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS:

WILD CARD TEAM

After a scorching hot start to the year last year, the Rays fizzled out a little bit. It didn't help that they lost their starting SS in Wander Franco due to... reasons, but they had massive injuries to their pitching staff. I think they are going to need the young prospects such as Bradley and Caminero to step up if they want to make the playoffs.