MLB Prime Time: Season Predictions

MLB Predictions For Dudes and Sports:

K Stelt Predictions 

AL East Winner: Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles have a good young core, they also have an underrated Starting Rotation. I want them to win so the Yankees don’t take the East.

AL Central Winner: Min Twins

If they get better on offense and the pitching did what they did last year they will take the division with ease.

AL West Winner: Houston Astros

Just a high-powered offense. Pitching is underrated, this may be their last year to take the division before the Mariners step into the scene.

NL East Winner: Atlanta Braves

It would be a failure if they don’t win the East. The team has too good of an offense and too good of a pitching rotation now.

NL Central Winner: Chicago Cubs

Pitching is underrated and the offense looks complete. It's a tough pick between them and the Cards but I trust this rotation over the Cards.

NL West Winner: LA Dodgers

Like the Braves if this team doesn’t win the West, it’s a failure of a season. 3 First Ballot HOF and a great pitching rotation.

Accolades:

AL MVP: Aaron Judge

I mean the dude is a monster and being at Yankee Stadium… the dude will be able to get 50 HR easily. That's if Juan Soto doesn't take it from him. But Judge is a great outfielder as well which can get him that edge of the MVP

NL MVP: Corbin Carroll

The Kids a stud. He’s fast, hits dongs and he's solid in the outfield. I know Acuna and Ohtani are in the league but the kids who hit dongs, steal bases, AND play great defense are going to take over. Acuna had a career year last season but it’ll take a miracle for him to get back to that level. Carrol takes the crown.

AL CY Young: Cole Ragans

If this kid's arm doesn't explode, watch the eff out. The spin rate with velocity is insane. I’m talking about the impressive Degrom levels. If he’s healthy for a whole season I fully believe this kid will win the AL Cy Young with Skubal at his back door as well.

NL Cy Young: Zack Wheeler

Wheeler had a great season last year, I think it's his time to take the crown as the NL Cy Young, the dude just has the talent to get that accolade. 

AL Darkhorse team: KC Royals

Again, I am biased, but if this team does what it did during the last two months of last season they can make a name for themselves. Bobby Witt is on the lineup and Cole Ragens has support from Wacha and Lugo to get the rotation in a better position. 

NL Darkhorse team: SD Padres

Although they lost players I still think they can make a change in this division. They still have a top 3 at the beginning of the lineup. And if their pitching can show up they will absolutely have a great shot at the Wild Card spot. 

AL HR Leader: Aaron Judge

Aaron Judge in Yankee stadium, that's all I have to stay.

NL HR Leader: Shohei Ohtani

The Guy is a monster, if he’s healthy for a full season, focusing only on hitting, it's all over

World Series Matchup:  Arizona Vs Baltimore Orioles

Two young teams taking the high spot. Orioles are out for blood and the D-Backs have unfinished business.

World Series Winner: Arizona D- Backs

Like the Royals in 2015, the team has the majority of their squad back and they want to finish the Job.

How6rd Predictions

AL East Winner: Baltimore Orioles

Both the Orioles and Yankees (predictions for 1 and 2 in the East) have solid rosters and are also a bit banged up to start the year, but the Orioles’ youth will shine even more bright in 2024 and give them the edge of depth throughout the season. Corbin Burnes was a huge get and they should claim the division once again this season.

AL Central Winner: Minnesota Twins

Their pitching from top to bottom is one of the better units in the league and if they get solid offensive production, even after the loss of Jorge Polanco, this will be an easy division win for them even though the Tigers are on a good rise.

AL West Winner: Houston Astros

The bullpen is a juggernaut and the starting rotation is looking really good as well. The core of Altuve, Alvarez, and Bregman will guarantee consistency as usual with them and if the ‘Stros have good health on their side this season unlike in 2023 then this is a team that will be dangerous come October once again.

NL East Winner: Atlanta Braves

They were already a solid team last season, aside from their postseason choke, and with Chris Sale getting added into the back end of the rotation this team could be a monster along with the Dodgers. The rest of the division didn’t really do anything significant so this should almost easily go to Atlanta

NL Central Winner: St. Louis Cardinals

Even if most of the rotation is old and had average at-best seasons last year (not including Sonny Gray) average is 1000x better than that Wainwright-infected rotation. They probably won’t get up to 90 wins but it probably won’t take a lot to win this division either.

NL West Winner: LA Dodgers

Ohtani, Yamamoto, Glasnow, and the rest of the team that was there a season ago shouldn’t need more explanation. Injuries are their worst enemy in terms of regular season otherwise they and the Braves should run the NL.

Accolades:

AL MVP: Yordan Alvarez

My two sure MVP candidates in the AL this season are Alvarez and Juan Soto, and although Soto is an absolute star who will have all eyes on him playing in Yankee pinstripes, I think Alvarez is destined for a huge season. The edge for me is assuming Alvarez’s injury troubles don’t catch up to him this year because if he’s available for at least 140 games the Astros’ prime slugger could put up some mind-blowing numbers.

NL MVP: Bryce Harper

After a delayed start to the season coming back from elbow surgery and really starting off his return slow, the two-time MVP ended the season going ballistic. If he’s able to pick up where he left off this year not only will the Phillies be just fine with a similar team as last season but he should easily get the nod to collect yet another award for his HOF career.

AL CY Young: Corbin Burnes

The Orioles pitching staff wasn’t terrible by any means last year but they haven’t had a proven starter on their team in what seems like ages, and Corbin Burnes looked great enough on the Brewers that he could really do well being the top guy in the rotation for Baltimore. If Burnes can carry the team’s pitching momentum with his outings especially early in the season this could surely be his award in 2024.

NL Cy Young: Yoshinobu Yamamoto

The last time someone won both Cy Young and Rookie of the Year in the same season was also gifted to a man wearing Dodger blue in Fernando Valenzuela. Yoshinobu Yamamoto has one of the best resumes going into their MLB “rookie year” in the league's history after putting up insane numbers over in Japan. The Japanese ace probably won’t replicate those numbers in the States, especially in his rookie season, but he’s surely good enough to create a gigantic first impression with a team that should be at the top of the league if everything goes as expected in the regular season.

AL Darkhorse team: Seattle Mariners

There are some injury issues within the bullpen and a lackluster bottom of the lineup that make me believe the Mariners will be the usual Mariners and barely miss out/make the postseason once again. Meanwhile, the starting rotation they have going into this season is incredibly talented and with Jorge Polanco giving them another solid bat to a lineup with solid offensive players, this could be a scary squad to face at their best.

NL Darkhorse team: Cincinnati Reds

The Reds ceiling for this season (and truthfully beyond) is limitless as their rebuilding timetable has come way faster than most following the sport expected. They did nothing but improve this offseason as Jeimer Candelario is a much better option to have a competing lineup at first than the corpse of Joey Votto. The rest of their lineup only grows older as does their starting rotation and if Elly De La Cruz can pick up some consistency with his athleticism the offense could be stellar this season. I can see the Reds having an under .500 record as much as I can see them winning the NL Central with ease at their peak.

AL HR Leader: Yordan Alvarez

Correlating with my MVP prediction I think if the Astros get a healthy and consistent season from Alvarez the man easily has the potential to easily surpass 40 homers this year as he’s already had three straight 30+ homer seasons with injuries involved.

NL HR Leader: Fernando Tatis

Now this is lowkey an ironic pick because nearly two years ago the man was suspended for use of PEDs, but last year barring a little rust early on Tatis was on fire coming back clean and his swing in general is putting baseballs over the wall no matter if he has anything in his system or not. With no Soto this is the perfect opportunity for Tatis to take back the NL spotlight/highlight reel.

World Series:

Matchup:  Phillies vs Orioles

The Phillies won’t start the season hot per usual but the fire, pieces, and chemistry are there for a huge 2024 especially when it comes to the postseason as they will get very far if the pitching is healthy and the bats are alive consistently. As for the Orioles it’s a deep team that will start slow to come up short for the top AL team again…but maybe not being the top-seed is the relief of pressure that Baltimore needs.

World Series Winner: Phillies

The Orioles have the sky as their limit in 2024 especially when key pieces like John Means and Kyle Bradish come back into the rotation healthy, but they aren’t “World Series winning” caliber just yet IMO and the Phillies definitely have the advantage for experience in October. The Braves look to have the advantage on paper and obviously the Dodgers are OP, but if there’s a team that follows the trend of something left to prove with a strong roster Bryce Harper won’t just get his third MVP but he’ll finally have a World Series trophy to put in his gigantic bag of accolades.