The 2018 MLB season officially gets underway on Thursday, with all but 28 teams in action, including the Los Angeles Dodgers hosting the San Francisco Giants. The initial scheduled called for all teams to play, but inclement weather in Cincinnati intervened.
The Dodgers look to overcome a 30-year World Series drought, as they fell just short of that in 2017, losing a heartbreaking Game 7 to the Houston Astros. Despite the World Series loss, there was plenty to be proud of for the 2017 Dodgers.
They reached the Fall Classic for the first time since 1988, won the National League West for an unprecedented fifth straight season and led all of baseball with 104 regular-season wins.
The Dodgers, Astros, Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees are among the 2018 World Series favorites. Each team also has players in the early discussions to take home hardware.
Members of the DodgerBlue.com stuff submitted their 2018 predictions for MLB division winners, the World Series, MVP Awards, and more.
Daniel Starkand (@DStarkand):
National League division winners
West: Dodgers
Central: Cubs
East: Nationals
American League division winners
West: Astros
Central: Indians
East: Yankees
NL playoffs
Wild Card: Brewers defeat Rockies
NLDS: Cubs defeat Brewers
NLDS: Dodgers defeat Nationals
NLCS: Dodgers defeat Cubs
AL playoffs
Wild Card: Red Sox defeat Blue Jays
ALDS: Astros defeat Red Sox
ALDS: Yankees defeat Indians
ALCS: Yankees defeat Astros
World Series
Dodgers defeat Yankees
Awards
NL MVP: Nolan Arenado (Rockies)
AL MVP: Mike Trout (Angels)
NL Cy Young Award: Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers)
AL Cy Young Award: Luis Severino (Yankees)
NL Rookie of the Year: Lewis Brinson (Marlins)
AL Rookie of the Year: Francisco Mejia (Indians)
NL Manager of the Year: Craig Counsell (Brewers)
AL Manager of the Year: John Gibbons (Blue Jays)
Despite all of the movement this past offseason, I still have a lot of the playoff teams from last year returning to the postseason.
The Astros are considered the favorites by many to repeat after adding Gerrit Cole in the offseason, but I’m a little higher on the Yankees this year after they acquired Giancarlo Stanton, Brandon Drury and Neil Walker to go along with their already potent lineup and dominant bullpen.
I expect it to be the usual suspects again in the National League, with the Dodgers and the Cubs meeting for the third straight year in the National League Championship Series.
The Dodgers look to be on a mission after falling one game short in the World Series last year, so I see them getting past the Cubs once again and then ultimately beating the Yankees to end a 30-year World Series drought in what should be a great series.
A couple of teams I have making the postseason as Wild Cards that others might not are the Milwaukee Brewers and Toronto Blue Jays, and for that reason I chose Craig Counsell and John Gibbons as my Manager of the Year picks.
Matt Borelli (@mcborelli):
National League division winners
West: Dodgers
Central: Cubs
East: Nationals
American League division winners
West: Astros
Central: Twins
East: Yankees
NL playoffs
Wild Card: Cardinals defeat Rockies
NLDS: Dodgers defeat Cardinals
NLDS: Cubs defeat Nationals
NLCS: Dodgers defeat Cubs
AL playoffs
Wild Card: Red Sox defeat Angels
ALDS: Astros defeat Red Sox
ALDS: Yankees defeat Twins
ALCS: Astros defeat Yankees
World Series
Dodgers defeat Astros
Awards
NL MVP: Nolan Arenado (Rockies)
AL MVP: Giancarlo Stanton (Yankees)
NL Cy Young Award: Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers)
AL Cy Young Award: Chris Sale (Red Sox)
NL Rookie of the Year: Ronald Acuna (Braves)
AL Rookie of the Year: Franklin Barreto (Athletics)
NL Manager of the Year: Craig Counsell (Brewers)
AL Manager of the Year: Aaron Boone (Yankees)
The Dodgers and Astros return to the Fall Classic for the second consecutive year, though this time the roles are reversed.
The Rockies get back to the postseason, led by the bat of Nolan Arenado, who takes home NL MVP honors. Giancarlo Stanton, in his first season in pinstripes, hits 50 home runs and earns MVP recognition for the second year in a row.
Clayton Kershaw maintains his health and endures a full regular season campaign, posting a sub-two ERA and ultimately winning his fourth career Cy Young Award. He also records the final out in the World Series, as the Dodgers win their first title in 30 years.
Ronald Acuna and Franklin Barreto of the Braves and Athletics, respectively, enjoy breakout campaigns and become the latest young stars to take the league by storm.
Craig Counsell leads the Brewers to the postseason and is named NL Manager of the Year. Aaron Boone, in his first season at the helm for the Yankees, earns the same honor for the AL.
Jeff Spiegel (@JeffSpiegel):
National League division winners
West: Dodgers
Central: Cubs
East: Nationals
American League division winners
West: Astros
Central: Cleveland
East: Yankees
NL playoffs
Wild Card: Diamondbacks defeat Rockies
NLDS: Dodgers defeat Nationals
NLDS: Cubs defeat Diamondbacks
NLCS: Dodgers defeat Cubs
AL playoffs
Wild Card: Red Sox defeat Angels
ALDS: Astros defeat Red Sox
ALDS: Yankees defeat Indians
ALCS: Astros defeat Yankees
World Series
Dodgers defeat Astros
Awards
NL MVP: Paul Goldschmidt (Diamondbacks)
AL MVP: Mike Trout (Angels)
NL Cy Young: Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers)
AL Cy Young: Carlos Carrasco (Indians)
NL Rookie of the Year: Scott Kingery (Phillies)
AL Rookie of the Year: Gleyber Torres (Yankees)
NL Manager of the Year: Bud Black (Rockies)
AL Manager of the Year: Mike Scioscia (Angels)
It’s rematch time. Although it was a fascinating offseason, there really wasn’t too much done that I see shifting the balance of power in the league.
The AL East might be the exception to that rule — with both the Yankees and Red Sox getting far better — but I don’t think they did enough to de-throne the Astros in the American League. If there’s a surprise out there, I suppose I like the Angels a bit more than most this year.
I think Ohtani is the real deal, and will prove to be incredibly valuable sooner rather than later. Last year I nailed the NL Manager of the Year pick (Torey Lovullo), and this year I think his division mate Bud Black takes the baton.
Jared Massey (@JarredJMassey):
National League Division Winners
NL West: Dodgers
NL Central: Cubs
NL East: Nationals
American League Division Winners
AL West: Astros
AL Central: Indians
AL East: Yankees
NL Playoffs
Wild Card: Brewers defeat D Backs
NLDS: Dodgers defeat Brewers
NLDS: Nationals defeat Cubs
NLCS: Dodgers defeat Nationals
AL Playoffs
Wild Card: Red Sox defeat Angels
ALDS: Astros defeat Red Sox
ALDS: Yankees defeat Indians
ALCS: Astros defeat Yankees
World Series
Dodgers defeat Astros
Awards
NL MVP: Bryce Harper (Nationals)
AL MVP: Mike Trout (Angels)
NL Cy Young: Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers)
AL Cy Young: Garrett Richards (Angels)
NL Rookie of the Year: Ronald Acuna (Braves)
AL Rookie of the Year: Kyle Tucker (Astros)
NL Manager of the Year: Dave Roberts (Dodgers)
AL Manager of the Year: Aaron Boone (Yankees)
It’s hard to bet against the best player in baseball. Mike Trout could have won every MVP since his first full season in 2012 and finished outside the top two for the first time last season after missing time due to injury.
Bryce Harper is an obvious favorite and looks like he’ll have a monster season before signing what could be the largest contract in sports history in the offseason. Like Trout, if Kershaw stays healthy, it’s hard to bet against him.
Sure, Max Scherzer has a trio of Cy Youngs as well and could win a fourth, but my ‘homerism’ tips the scales toward Kershaw. Garrett Richards is my sleeper pick. He’s an excellent pitcher when he’s healthy but he’s missed most of the last two seasons due to injury.
Ronald Acuna went from a budget signing to one of the best prospects in baseball in no time and looks poised to help the rebuilding Braves sooner rather than later. Once Yulieski Gurriel returns from injury and suspension, it may be hard to find Tucker playing time on the Major League roster, but he could force the issue if he performs in the high Minors.
Roberts should once again captain the Dodgers to the best record in the NL, if not MLB, which gives him the advantage for this prestigious award. A first-year manager, Boone’s Yankees will likely overtake Boston for AL East supremacy, giving him the honors.
