Opening day for the 2016 Major League Baseball season is today, and it’s time to start making predictions. Last year we saw the Kansas City Royals make it back to the World Series, only this time they didn’t run into the Giants and a red-hot Madison Bumgarner. They defeated the New York Mets in five games to win their first World Series since 1985.
Who will be this year’s Royals? Will it be the Cubs, who almost made it to the World Series last year, and are looking to break the 108-year curse? Will it be the Toronto Blue Jays, who haven’t been to the World Series since 1993, or some other team that might surprise us all? I’m now going to make predictions based on all divisions in MLB, including who will meet up in the World Series come October.
AL East: I predict the Blue Jays will edge the Red Sox for the division, behind solid hitting and pitching, to repeat as division champions. Bring on the bat flips from Jose Bautista.
AL Central: I still think the Royals are the team to beat in the division. They bring back most of their World Series team from last year, but did lose Johnny Cueto to the Giants. Don’t expect any dropoff.
AL West: Here’s a division that is really wide open, with all of the teams pretty evenly matched. I’m going out on a limb and saying this is the Houston Astros year to win the division. They were so close to winning it last year, but got edged by the Texas Rangers, who will be hard to take the crown away from.
NL East: The Washington Nationals and the Mets are the only two teams I think have a legitimate shot at this division. The Braves are rebuilding, and who knows about the Marlins. The Mets will take the division for the second year in a row, but it will come down to the final week of the regular season.
NL Central: This could quite possibly be the best division in baseball, from top to bottom, with the St. Louis Cardinals being the top team for numerous years. The Cubs will dethrone the Cardinals this year, but don’t count out the pesky Pittsburgh Pirates.
NL West: The Giants and the Arizona D-Backs made the biggest splashes in free agency with the Dodgers doing seemingly nothing. I think the D-Backs win the division behind strong hitting and pitching from Zach Greinke and Shelby Miller.
Wild Card AL: Boston Red Sox and the Texas Rangers.
Wild Card NL: San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals.
World Series Prediction: Chicago Cubs will defeat the Toronto Blue Jays in seven games to claim their first World Series title in 108 years.