We've made it: At last, it's Opening Week for Major League Baseball. The winter is over. Baseball is finally here. Doesn't it feel good just to say that? For the past month and a half, I've been previewing the season division by division; you can find all of those here.
We've made it: At last, it's Opening Week for Major League Baseball. The winter is over. Baseball is finally here. Doesn't it feel good just to say that?
For the past month and a half, I've been previewing the season division by division; you can find all of those here. But on the eve of the season, today, it's time for bold predictions for every team. Strange things happen every year: Who in the world saw Max Muncy coming at the beginning of 2018? Here are my best guesses at a surprise for each team.
Then, at the end, we'll finish up the season preview with postseason predictions. It's Opening Week. Now we all get to have some fun.
Grichuk has cut his strikeout rate considerably since arriving in Toronto from St. Louis without losing his prodigious power. He's also a terrific defensive outfielder who may even lead off occasionally. He'll also be a free agent after 2020, which makes him Deadline bait for a team looking for pop and defensive prowess. If he's healthy -- a big if -- 35 homers should be a cinch.
It's going to be a long season for the Orioles, especially in this division, but that doesn't matter nearly as much as the fact that this team finally has a new direction, with new leadership ready to try new things. The Orioles aren't going to be good. But they'll be experimental and daring; they'll throw everything against the wall to see what sticks. That is unquestionably progress.
Pham was otherworldly after the Cardinals traded him to the Rays last season, and he's poised to do even more damage in an extended run this year. When healthy – and he's yet to stay healthy through a full season – he is simply one of the best hitters in baseball. He is in the perfect situation to thrive.
My colleague Mike Petriello is already well aboard this train, but it makes sense: Bradley hit the ball harder last year, he slightly altered his approach in the offseason and he's already one of the best fielders and baserunners in the game. He's also entering his prime. It will be difficult for the Red Sox to improve on what they did last year. It's Bradley who can make the biggest leap forward.
Bird, at last healthy, has been destroying the ball this spring and finally showing why the Yankees have had such high hopes for him. Luke Voit is handy -- he's having a nice spring himself -- but Bird is the person they have always wanted to have that first-base job. Here's betting Bird grabs a hold of the job this year and never lets go.
With their rotation and those stars atop their lineup, the Indians will probably win the AL Central by 10 games, at least. But it'll be just like 2018: With no real tests until the AL Division Series, they'll be in danger of crumbling when faced with the more battle-tested Red Sox, Yankees or Astros. Indians fans desperately want that World Series title. They're running out of time in this competitive window.
Whit Merrifield's 45 steals in 2018 were the lowest total to lead baseball since 1963. But with Billy Hamilton and Adalberto Mondesi on the roster and sure to get endless green lights, Merrifield will be lucky to finish third for the Royals in '19.
Have you see Miggy this spring? He looks good! (Plus, he's doing hidden ball tricks!) He doesn't look like vintage Miggy, but he looks healthy, and when Miggy is healthy, he hits the ball. I'm not sure the power is coming back, but a healthy Cabrera can hit .310 in his sleep.
Seriously, I mean it, totally, it's happening now. Buxton hit four homers this spring and looked like the most dominant player on the field every game he played. His talent has never been in doubt: It has simply been a matter of him figuring the game out. He doesn't have to be a great hitter to be a huge benefit to the Twins. But if he's that in addition to everything else he is … look out.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is the hot pick, but Eloy will be up with the White Sox on Opening Day … and Vlad isn't the one being compared to Babe Ruth by his teammates. Cubs fans may never forgive Jose Quintana.
Maybe this isn't so bold, but then again, how in the world has he only won two? With his new contract in his pocket and the peace of mind knowing that he won't be going anywhere, is it possible, at 27, he may have his best season this year?
Back pain caused Correa trouble all year and sunk his entire second half. This is still the superstar-in-waiting we saw two years ago, and he's now 24, healthy and ready to go. 2018 belonged to Alex Bregman; 2019 belongs to Correa.
Ichiro is already gone, and Dee Gordon, Jay Bruce and Edwin Encarnacion are all likely to shipped off at the Deadline by the team's active general manager. All Mariners should rent, not buy.
Gallo is who he is: A guy who hits 40 homers and strikes out like crazy. (He already has two top-20 strikeout seasons, and he's only 25.) In this age, it's sort of remarkable that Reynolds' record of 223 has lasted a decade. Gallo's the man to end his reign.
Is he the best player in the NL already? Does he have a 30-homer/30-steal season in him? It's nice to be the defending division champ who gets 50 more games of Acuna than you did last year.
Brinson's start to his career has been rocky, but he has been a monster this spring and looks primed to be the first sign of what could be a quietly hopeful future for the Marlins.
He doesn't seem to be slowing down a bit. Winning one in 2019 would make him the fifth pitcher ever to win four, joining Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, Steve Carlton and Greg Maddux.
With Andrew McCutchen, Jean Segura and Bryce Harper hitting in front of him, Hoskins is going to have many, many opportunities to clean up the basepaths.
Before Yelich went nuts the last few months of 2018, Cain was neck-and-neck with him. Cain's defense was huge last year and could be even more so this year.
DeJong had the second-highest homer-per-AB rate on the team last year, and the team, positionally, may be relying on no player more so, since there's no real backup for him.
Last year was a disaster in every possible way, but Darvish didn't just forget how to pitch all of a sudden. This year, the Cubs start getting some return on investment.
Cervelli has quietly been one of the best catchers in baseball over the last decade. This year, a hot first half gets him what is long overdue.
Can you believe Puig has never hit 30 homers or reached even 75 RBIs? Here's betting he reaches both numbers by September.
If you think about it … it could kind of be the perfect next step in the ongoing Clayton Kershaw postseason journey.
Either Bumgarner pitches so well that the Giants can't imagine trading him, or he's merely good enough to make them demand too much in return for a franchise icon.
This would require a 6.0 WAR season, a number he has never reached, though he has made it to 5.7 twice.
He fanned 230 last year, snapping Ubaldo Jimenez's 2010 club record (213). If he's healthy, he may fly past that this year.
Have a great season, all. Be safe out there.