The 2018 MLB season officially gets underway on Thursday, with all 30 teams in action, including the Los Angeles Dodgers hosting the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Dodgers look to overcome a 31-year World Series drought, as they fell just short in each of the last two seasons, losing to the Houston Astros in the World Series in 2017 and the Boston Red Sox a year ago.
Los Angeles won the National League West for the sixth consecutive season in 2018 after defeating the Colorado Rockies in a Game 163. They then defeated the Atlanta Braves in the NL Division Series and Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Championship Series before falling in the World Series
The Dodgers, Astros, Red Sox, Brewers and New York Yankees are among the 2019 World Series favorites. Each team also has players in the early discussions to take home hardware.
Members of the DodgerBlue.com stuff submitted their 2019 predictions for MLB division winners, the World Series, MVP Awards, and more.
Daniel Starkand (@DStarkand):
National League division winners
West: Dodgers
Central: Brewers
East: Nationals
American League division winners
West: Astros
Central: Indians
East: Yankees
NL playoffs
Wild Card: Cardinals defeat Cubs
NLDS: Nationals defeat Brewers
NLDS: Dodgers defeat Cardinals
NLCS: Dodgers defeat Nationals
AL playoffs
Wild Card: Red Sox defeat Athletics
ALDS: Astros defeat Red Sox
ALDS: Yankees defeat Indians
ALCS: Astros defeat Yankees
World Series
Astros defeat Dodgers
Awards
NL MVP: Nolan Arenado (Rockies)
AL MVP: Giancarlo Stanton (Yankees)
NL Cy Young Award: Walker Buehler (Dodgers)
AL Cy Young Award: Justin Verlander (Astros)
NL Rookie of the Year: Fernando Tatis Jr. (Padres)
AL Rookie of the Year: Eloy Jimenez (White Sox)
NL Manager of the Year: Craig Counsell (Brewers)
AL Manager of the Year: Aaron Boone (Yankees)
Despite all of the movement this past offseason, I still have a lot of the playoff teams from last year returning to the postseason.
I have chosen the Dodgers to win the World Series each of the last two years, and that didn’t exactly work out well. So maybe choosing them to lose in the Fall Classic this year will help them finally get over the hump.
Mike Trout is and should be the overwhelming favorite to be the AL MVP every single season, but I think that now that Giancarlo Stanton has settled into New York, he can get back to his 2017 MVP form and hit 50-plus home runs, leading the Yankees to a division championship.
I also believe that 2019 will be the year of Walker Buehler. The Dodgers’ young ace is looking to build off his outstanding rookie season, and I think he could not only develop into one of the best pitchers in the NL this season, but one of the best in baseball.
Matt Borelli (@mcborelli):
National League division winners
West: Dodgers
Central: Brewers
East: Phillies
American League division winners
West: Astros
Central: Indians
East: Yankees
NL playoffs
Wild Card: Cardinals defeat Nationals
NLDS: Dodgers defeat Cardinals
NLDS: Brewers defeat Phillies
NLCS: Dodgers defeat Brewers
AL playoffs
Wild Card: Red Sox defeat Athletics
ALDS: Astros defeat Red Sox
ALDS: Yankees defeat Indians
ALCS: Astros defeat Yankees
World Series
Dodgers defeat Astros
Awards
NL MVP: Paul Goldschmidt (Cardinals)
AL MVP: Mike Trout (Angels)
NL Cy Young Award: Aaron Nola (Phillies)
AL Cy Young Award: Gerrit Cole (Astros)
NL Rookie of the Year: Fernando Tatis Jr. (Padres)
AL Rookie of the Year: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Blue Jays)
NL Manager of the Year: Gabe Kapler (Phillies)
AL Manager of the Year: Bob Melvin (Athletics)
The third time is the charm for the Dodgers, as they once again return to the World Series for a rematch against the Houston Astros. Los Angeles gets the job done in six games, avenging their 2017 loss and ending a three-decade-long drought in the process.
Just falling short of a playoff berth, Mike Trout still earns enough votes to win his third career AL MVP Award. The Cardinals return to the postseason, however, largely due to the contributions of offseason acquisition and 2019 NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt.
Finishing third in voting last season, Phillies ace Aaron Nola captures his first career NL Cy Young Award. Coming off a fifth-place finish in 2018, Astros right-hander Gerrit Cole is tabbed with AL honors ahead of becoming a free agent.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Fernando Tatis Jr. of the Blue Jays and Padres, respectively, live up to the hype and become the latest young stars to take the league by storm.
Bob Melvin’s Athletics return to the postseason for a second consecutive year, earning him back-to-back AL Manager of the Year honors. Gabe Kapler leads the Phillies to a division title and earns the same honor for the NL.
Jeff Spiegel (@JeffSpiegel):
National League division winners
West: Dodgers
Central: Cubs
East: Braves
American League division winners
West: Astros
Central: Indians
East: Red Sox
NL playoffs
Wild Card: Phillies defeat Cardinals
NLDS: Dodgers defeat Phillies
NLDS: Cubs defeat Braves
NLCS: Dodgers defeat Cubs
AL playoffs
Wild Card: Yankees defeat A’s
ALDS: Yankees defeat Astros
ALDS: Red Sox defeat Indians
ALCS: Red Sox defeat Yankees
World Series
Dodgers defeat Red Sox
Awards
NL MVP: Bryce Harper (Phillies)
AL MVP: Mike Trout (Angels)
NL Cy Young: Jacob DeGrom (Mets)
AL Cy Young: Corey Kluber (Indians)
NL Rookie of the Year: Fernando Tatis Jr. (Padres)
AL Rookie of the Year: Danny Jansen (Blue Jays)
NL Manager of the Year: Brian Snitker (Braves)
AL Manager of the Year: Bob Melvin (A’s)
I think I might just keep picking the Dodgers until it comes true. In all honesty, though, I do think they’ve got the best team in baseball — not only for the regular season, but also the playoffs. Of course, with all of these picks, so much depends on injuries. If the Dodgers can stay healthy amongst their stars (at least come playoff time), I’ll feel really good about this pick.
The only other pick I feel pretty good about is the Harper one. I think this guy is ready to prove to everyone he’s worth every penny of the deal he just signed — and I think the friendly confines of his new ballpark are going to help. I think Harper has a monster season and picks up his second MVP award.
Austin Green (@AustinGreen44):
National League division winners
West: Dodgers
Central: Brewers
East: Phillies
American League division winners
West: Astros
Central: Indians
East: Yankees
NL playoffs
Wild Card: Nationals defeat Cardinals
NLDS: Brewers defeat Nationals
NLDS: Dodgers defeat Phillies
NLCS: Dodgers defeat Brewers
AL playoffs
Wild Card: Red Sox defeat Rays
ALDS: Yankees defeat Red Sox
ALDS: Astros defeat Indians
ALCS: Yankees defeat Astros
World Series
Dodgers defeat Yankees
Awards
NL MVP: Paul Goldschmidt (Cardinals)
AL MVP: Mike Trout (Angels)
NL Cy Young Award: Aaron Nola (Phillies)
AL Cy Young Award: Gerrit Cole (Astros)
NL Rookie of the Year: Eloy Jimenez (White Sox)
AL Rookie of the Year: Fernando Tatis Jr. (Padres)
NL Manager of the Year: Dave Martinez (Nationals)
AL Manager of the Year: Kevin Cash (Rays)
My National League and American League playoff pictures look eerily similar to what played out in 2018, but that’s a credit to elite teams such as the Brewers, Red Sox, Yankees, Astros and, yes, the Dodgers who are built to last for years to come.
The Yankees had a fantastic 100-win season that was overshadowed by the utter dominance of their arch-rival Red Sox in 2018. This year, I expect the inverse of that. As we saw with the 2017-2018 Dodgers, even the best-constructed rosters will face some regression, and I believe New York’s extremely underrated trade for James Paxton at the beginning of the offseason will give their already-loaded squad the final piece it needs to leapfrog the defending champs and win their first American League pennant in a decade.
However, their quest for banner 28 will fall short when they lose a seven-game epic to a battle-tested Dodgers squad that, like in 1955 and 1981, finally breaks their championship drought in a classic against their historic rivals.
Over in the NL, the Phillies are the only non-playoff team from 2018 that I expect to win their division. Sure, Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto are flashy, lineup-bolstering additions, but I would also expect a breakout season from Nola en route to his first career Cy Young award in a tight race.
Paul Goldschmidt, meanwhile, finally gets the credit that he has long deserved. With plenty of exposure in baseball-crazed St. Louis, he leads the Cardinals back to October and earns his first career MVP nod.
Cesar Beccera (@cebass13):
National League Division Winners
NL West: Dodgers
NL Central: Cubs
NL East: Braves
American League Division Winners
AL West: Astros
AL Central: Indians
AL East: Yankees
NL Playoffs
Wild Card: Brewers defeat Cardinals
NLDS: Cubs defeat Braves
NLDS: Dodgers defeat Brewers
NLCS: Dodgers defeat Cubs
AL Playoffs
Wild Card: Red Sox defeat Angels
ALDS: Astros defeat Red Sox
ALDS: Yankees defeat Indians
ALCS: Yankees defeat Astros
World Series
Dodgers defeat Yankees
Awards
NL MVP: Kris Bryant (Cubs)
AL MVP: Mookie Betts (Red Sox)
NL Cy Young Award: Jacob Degrom (Mets)
AL Cy Young Award: Justin Verlander (Astros)
NL Rookie of the Year: Keston Hiura (Brewers)
AL Rookie of the Year: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Blue Jays)
NL Manager of the Year: Brian Snitker (Braves)
AL Manager of the Year: AJ Hinch (Astros)
In the National League, once again for the third consecutive year, I believe the pennant will stay in Los Angeles with the Dodgers. The Dodgers have the benefit of playing in the NL’s weakest division and are immensely talented and depth with pitching and offense.
The surprise team that I have making the postseason that many may not is the Atlanta Braves. While having the Braves win the East is a bit of a stretch considering the moves the Philadelphia Phillies have made and the pitching staff of the Washington Nationals and New York Mets. I feel like the Braves have a really talented roster, perhaps calling their division title is a year early, but I would rather be ahead of the train with this young team.
The American League is a gauntlet with the Houston Astros, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and Cleveland Indians. You can make a legitimate case for either one of those teams to win the pennant, but I have the Yankees given how deep their bullpen is. There’s certainly risk in this pick considering their ace, Luis Severanio is expected to miss some time, but the Yankees’ offense has the firepower to keep up with the best of them.
My sleeper team to make the second wild card plays across the five freeway, Los Angeles Angels. Outside of the four teams aforementioned, the final playoff spot is really up for grabs for any team. I think that the Angels play in a weak division and should be able to get to 85 wins this season with their reloaded offense.
My World Series matchup is one that would result in huge TV ratings, Yankees vs. Dodgers. I gave the edge to the Dodgers, because well, I’m a Dodger fan, and I believe the Dodgers have an advantage with their starting rotation and their bullpen isn’t that far behind the Yankees. Hopefully, the third consecutive trip to the World Series is a charm for Dave Roberts and the Dodgers
