A new MLB season is here, which means it's time for a new slate of predictions. Even though nobody really knows what's going to happen, and even though trying to forecast baseball is quite the slippery endeavor, we at The Sporting News have thought long and hard about the upcoming season and are ready to make some educated guesses about how things will go between now and October.
We'll get some things right and we'll get some things wrong. But, ultimately, we're just throwing things against the wall and hoping they stick — just like everyone else. It's a lovely April tradition.
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.
Ryan Fagan (@RyanFagan)
American League races
East: Blue Jays
Central: White Sox
West: Astros
Wild cards: Rays, Yankees, Mariners
MVP: Shohei Ohtani, Angels
Cy Young: Dylan Cease, White Sox
Rookie of the Year: Julio Rodriguez, Mariners
National League races
East: Braves
Central: Brewers
West: Dodgers
Wild cards: Giants, Cardinals, Marlins
MVP: Juan Soto, Nationals
Cy Young: Walker Buehler, Dodgers
Rookie of the Year: Oneil Cruz, Pirates
Postseason
AL champ: Blue Jays
NL champ: Dodgers
World Series champ: Blue Jays
One thing I want to see: I cannot wait to see this year’s crop of rookies get their chance on the big stage. This is going to be one of those classes where, five years from now, we’ll look back at the Rookie of the Year voting and say, “I can’t believe this guy finished fourth. He’s a superstar!” And then we’ll look at the three who finished in front of him and realize, “Oh yeah, they’re superstars, too.” Picking the AL rookie was the toughest prediction of all this year. J-Rod will be a star in Seattle, but so will Bobby Witt Jr., in Kansas City, Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene in Detroit, Adley Rutschman in Baltimore and Reid Detmers with the Angels. And in the NL, Cruz will be a star when the Pirates eventually call him up, but I’m as excited to watch Hunter Greene pitch for the Reds as I am anyone in the bigs this year. C.J. Abrams could have a chance to shine in San Diego with Fernando Tatis Jr., on the sidelines for a stretch. And Seiya Suzuki is going to be a lot of fun to watch at Wrigley, though calling him a rookie (while technically correct by MLB’s standards) is a slight to his amazing career in Japan.
Jason Foster (@ByJasonFoster)
American League races
East: Blue Jays
Central: White Sox
West: Astros
Wild cards: Yankees, Red Sox, Angels
MVP: Shohei Ohtani, Angels
Cy Young: Lucas Giolito, White Sox
Rookie of the Year: Bobby Witt Jr., Royals
National League races
East: Braves
Central: Brewers
West: Dodgers
Wild cards: Mets, Cardinals, Giants
MVP: Matt Olson, Braves
Cy Young: Max Scherzer, Mets
Rookie of the Year: Seiya Suzuki, Cubs
Postseason
AL champ: Blue Jays
NL champ: Braves
World Series champ: Braves
One thing I want to see: I want to see baseball grow. I wrote a whole column of things that tie into that. Even after a bitter lockout, all the ingredients are there: exciting players, interesting division races and compelling storylines. But it's up to MLB to sell itself.
Joe Rivera (@JoeRiveraSN)
American League races
East: Blue Jays
Central: White Sox
West: Astros
Wild cards: Yankees, Red Sox, Mariners
MVP: Shohei Ohtani, Angels
Cy Young: Gerrit Cole, Yankees
Rookie of the Year: Bobby Witt Jr., Royals
National League races
East: Braves
Central: Brewers
West: Dodgers
Wild cards: Padres, Mets, Phillies
MVP: Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves
Cy Young: Walker Buehler, Dodgers
Rookie of the Year: Seiya Suzuki, Cubs
Postseason
AL champ: Blue Jays
NL champ: Dodgers
World Series champ: Dodgers
One thing I want to see: Just give me 150-plus games of Mike Trout, please. He was en route to another MVP award — or at least an interesting race with teammate Shohei Ohtani — in 2021 before his season was cut short with a calf injury. He last played in more than 150 games in 2016. Please stave off the injury bug and give the people a show.
Tom Gatto (@Tgatt_TSN)
American League races
East: Blue Jays
Central: White Sox
West: Astros
Wild cards: Mariners, Yankees, Rays
MVP: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays
Cy Young: Shohei Ohtani, Angels
Rookie of the Year: Julio Rodriguez, Mariners
National League races
East: Braves
Central: Brewers
West: Dodgers
Wild cards: Giants, Mets, Cardinals
MVP: Freddie Freeman, Dodgers
Cy Young: Zack Wheeler, Phillies
Rookie of the Year: Seiya Suzuki, Cubs
Postseason
AL champ: Blue Jays
NL champ: Dodgers
World Series champ: Dodgers
One thing I want to see: I want to see the Cardinals' Core Three (Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina, Adam Wainwright) get to play in at least the wild-card round. Another postseason together, 11 years after the last one, would be a neat final act.
Bob Hille (@BobHille)
American League races
East: Blue Jays
Central: White Sox
West: Astros
Wild cards: Yankees, Red Sox, Rays
MVP: Shohei Ohtani, Angels
Cy Young: Lucas Giolito, White Sox
Rookie of the Year: Spencer Torkelson, Tigers
National League races
East: Braves
Central: Brewers
West: Dodgers
Wild cards: Phillies, Padres, Mets
MVP: Mookie Betts, Dodgers
Cy Young: Walker Buehler, Dodgers
Rookie of the Year: Seiya Suzuki, Cubs
Postseason
AL champ: Blue Jays
NL champ: Dodgers
World Series champ: Dodgers
One thing I want to see: This is hardly an original wish, but I'd love to see MLB better promote its best young players. Shohei Ohtani is beyond a generational talent, Juan Soto does things few people can, same for guys like Ronald Acuna Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., Wander Franco and Vlad Jr. How long before MLB embraces the individual as much as the team? How long before we see teams on national TV not because they’re the biggest markets but because they have a great young player who merits the exposure?
Vinnie Iyer (@VinnieIyer)
American League races
East: Blue Jays
Central: White Sox
West: Astros
Wild cards: Yankees, Mariners, Rays
MVP: Vlad Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays
Cy Young: Dylan Cease, White Sox
Rookie of the Year: Bobby Witt Jr., Royals
National League races
East: Mets
Central: Cardinals
West: Dodgers
Wild cards: Braves, Brewers, Padres
MVP: Juan Soto, Nationals
Cy Young: Max Scherzer, Mets
Rookie of the Year: Bryston Stott, Phillies
Postseason
AL champ: Blue Jays
NL champ: Mets
World Series champ: Blue Jays
One thing I want to see: I want to see Albert Pujols, Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina making it to the playoffs one more time together with a mildly surprising NL Central-winning run and the chance to play in one last league championship series to cap off their great careers.
Edward Sutelan (@EdwardSutelan)
American League races
East: Blue Jays
Central: White Sox
West: Astros
Wild cards: Rays, Red Sox, Yankees
MVP: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays
Cy Young: Lucas Giolito, White Sox
Rookie of the Year: Julio Rodriguez, Mariners
National League races
East: Braves
Central: Brewers
West: Dodgers
Wild cards: Giants, Mets, Phillies
MVP: Juan Soto, Nationals
Cy Young: Julio Urias, Dodgers
Rookie of the Year: Hunter Greene, Reds
Postseason
AL champ: Blue Jays
NL champ: Mets
World Series champ: Blue Jays
One thing I want to see: I want this to be the best year for rookies. The changes to the CBA are already being felt with several of the game's top prospects opening the year on MLB rosters. I'm hoping this year sets the trend for teams beginning the season with exciting young talent on the roster as opposed to worrying about service time deadlines.
Erika Fernandez (@CurlsAndSports)
American League races
East: Blue Jays
Central: White Sox
West: Angels
Wild cards: Yankees, Twins, Rays
MVP: Shohei Ohtani, Angels
Cy Young: Michael Kopech, White Sox
Rookie of the Year: Julio Rodriguez, Mariners
National League races
East: Mets
Central: Brewers
West: Dodgers
Wild cards: Nationals, Cardinals, Padres
MVP: Juan Soto, Nationals
Cy Young: Jacob deGrom, Mets
Rookie of the Year: Seiya Suzuki, Cubs
Postseason
AL champ: White Sox
NL champ: Mets
World Series champ: Mets
One thing I want to see: I want to see the Mets give deGrom run support.
Carlan Gay (@TheCarlanGay)
American League races
East: Rays
Central: White Sox
West: Astros
Wild cards: Blue Jays, Yankees, Mariners
MVP: Jose Abreu, White Sox
Cy Young: Dylan Cease, White Sox
Rookie of the Year: Spencer Torkelson, Tigers
National League races
East: Phillies
Central: Brewers
West: Dodgers
Wild cards: Braves, Padres, Mets
MVP: Mookie Betts, Dodgers
Cy Young: Max Scherzer, Mets
Rookie of the Year: Seiya Suzuki, Cubs
Postseason
AL champ: White Sox
NL champ: Dodgers
World Series champ: Dodgers
One thing I want to see: I want to see Shohei Ohtani. I want to see him in every possible way. I want the Angels on as many national TV games as possible. I want the opposing team's ballpark sold out when he comes to town. I want him in commercials and on late-night talk shows. I want Shohei Ohtani shoved down our throats as much as possible by MLB's marketing team. I want to be reminded at every turn that what he did last year was otherworldly. It feels like we've already normalized what Ohtani brings to the table, and that shouldn't be the case. Put him in front of every hardcore, casual and potential baseball fan and let us grow to appreciate the talent he has. Shohei Ohtanis don't grow on trees. I want to be reminded of that until he retires.
Kyle Irving (@KyleIrv_)
American League races
East: Blue Jays
Central: White Sox
West: Astros
Wild cards: Red Sox, Yankees, Rays
MVP: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays
Cy Young: Lucas Giolito, White Sox
Rookie of the Year: Julio Rodriguez, Mariners
National League races
East: Braves
Central: Cardinals
West: Dodgers
Wild cards: Brewers, Giants, Mets
MVP: Trea Turner, Dodgers
Cy Young: Julio Urias, Dodgers
Rookie of the Year: Seiya Suzuki, Cubs
Postseason
AL champ: White Sox
NL champ: Dodgers
World Series champ: White Sox
One thing I want to see: I want to see Albert Pujols hit his 700th home run in St. Louis at Busch Stadium. He hit 17 home runs last season and with the universal DH giving him more opportunities at the plate, I'd love to see him tack on four more this year to join the 700 club.
Daniel Yanofsky (@DanYanofsky)
American League races
East: Blue Jays
Central: White Sox
West: Astros
Wild cards: Mariners, Rays, Rangers
MVP: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays
Cy Young: Kevin Gausman, Blue Jays
Rookie of the Year: Julio Rodriguez, Mariners
National League races
East: Braves
Central: Brewers
West: Dodgers
Wild cards: Mets, Phillies, Giants
MVP: Freddie Freeman, Dodgers
Cy Young: Carlos Rodon, Giants
Rookie of the Year: Seiya Suzuki, Cubs
Postseason
AL champ: Blue Jays
NL champ: Dodgers
World Series champ: Blue Jays
One thing I want to see: I want to see a repeat of 2021 for Shohei Ohtani, with better pitching numbers.
