Opening Day Predictions

I do these every year . . .

AL EAST

1. Yankees
I'll always pick the Yankees. This is basically the same team that won 100 games last year, but last year's second-half fade and this spring's injury issues are some red flags.

2. Red Sox
Speaking of red flags. The 2018 Red Sox were probably the best MLB team in the last ten years. I don't get the sudden fad this spring of counting them out because their bullpen is a bit weaker. With that lineup and starting rotation, they'll be just fine.

3. Rays
It will be very interesting to see how the second year of the "opener" experiment plays out. Was it truly an effective strategy, or just a novelty that teams have now had a chance to get used to?

4. Blue Jays
It feels like a lot more than four years since Jose Bautista's bat flip. Maybe Vlad Jr. will be the boost this team needs.

5. Orioles
If this team improves by 15 wins from last year, they will still lose 100 games.

AL CENTRAL

1. Indians
The Indians made some noise about trading off some of their best players but mostly stood pat, so they should still be the favorite in baseball's weakest division.

2. Twins
The Twins have enough good young talent to seriously challenge Cleveland.

3. Tigers
How bad is this division? Last year the Tigers lost 98 games and finished in third place.

4. Royals
Losing Salvador Perez will hurt, but there is still some decent talent on this team.

5. White Sox
They spent the whole offseason chasing after Machado and Harper and got nothing.

AL WEST

1. Astros
Even without Keuchel this team is loaded.

2. A's
The A's have a great lineup, they just need some pitching. If they could sign Keuchel (obviously, they won't) it would flip the top of this division.

3. Angels
The Angels are in a similar position to the A's, a good lineup but with minimal pitching. If they get lucky they could be a real postseason threat.

4. Mariners
They traded their best pitcher and best hitter to New York teams.

5. Rangers
Looks like they are in full teardown/rebuild.

NL EAST

1. Phillies
I think Harper can really invigorate this team.

2. Nationals
There has been a lot of hype about this division, which is kind of surprising because only one team finished more than two games above .500. Juan Soto might be able to replace Bryce Harper's production, but this 82-80 team didn't really improve much.

3. Braves
Young teams that rise suddenly one year usually fall back to earth the next.

4. Mets
They are a few years too late for acquiring Robinson Cano to be exciting.

5. Marlins
How bad is the AL Central (part II)? The Marlins were the worst team in the National League last year. Had they been in the ALC they would have finished half a game out of third.

NL CENTRAL

1. Cardinals
They had a nice off-season, and last year's playoff teams have some serious issues.

2. Cubs
Rarely has a great team looked as bad as the Cubs did at the end of last year. It will be very interesting to see if they bounce back in 2019.

3. Reds
Yasiel Puig makes the Reds a fun time to watch for the first time in what feels like decades.

4. Brewers
They were a very fluky team last year, and their already-unstable pitching situation got worse this spring, not better.

5. Pirates
Not a bad team, but overmatched in a suddenly powerful divison.

NL WEST

1. Rockies
This looked like a really good team at the end of 2018. I think they could be a sleeper pick to go far in October.

2. Dodgers
The Dodgers won two pennants with teams that seemed pretty shaky at times, which is certainly a credit to manager Dave Roberts. I think their luck runs out in 2019.

3. Padres
Manny Machado might turn this team from a 96-loss team to an 86-loss team.

4. Giants
86 losses sounds about right for this surprisingly-generic Giants roster.

5. Diamondbacks
They already waved the white flag this offseason trading their best player.