Baseball is finally upon us baby! An exciting time of the year for all baseball fans and ballpark dwellers alike. Every year one of my favorite articles is my yearly predictions. Usually they go horribly wrong, but sometimes come October I turn around and realize some things actually went to plan.

So with no further ado: The McGovern 2018 Predictions:

Division Winners:

AL East: Red Sox: Despite the Yankees mega offseason, I still can’t trust their starting pitching and things can only go up from former Cy Young winner Rick Porcello. This team was last in the AL in home runs and still managed to win the division.

AL West: Angels: No team has suffered more from the injury bug over the past few seasons as much as the LA Angels, but with potentially the best player of this generation in Mike Trout leading them and a strong core of young arms I think the Angels might surprise the Astros.

AL Central: Indians: The Twins obviously surprised some people last year when they clinched a Wild Card, but the Tribe are still too much in this division. They still have a great blend of Pitching and bats, so despite their devastating game 7 loss against the Yankees, they will be back amongst the big contenders.

NL East: Nationals: Despite the postseason woes, the Nationals are a top 5 MLB team playing in one of the worst divisions the MLB has seen in recent years. If there is a lock in the MLB it’s the Nats here.

NL West: Dodgers: A game 7 World Series loss is never easy, but just as the Indians arose from their Game 7 loss 2 years ago, I expect the same from the Dodgers this year. They have a great mix of young talent like Cody Bellinger and Corey Seager combined with the proven vets of Justin Turner, Clayton Kershaw, and the recently acquired Matt Kemp.

NL Central: Brewers: The Brewers proved worthy contenders last year when they competed all year long for both the division and the Wild Card. They did miss out on October baseball, but after a strong offseason with the additions of Lorenzo Cain and Christian Yelich, the expectations are high in Milwaukee and they are ready to challenge the Cubs

Potential AL Wild Cards: Astros Yankees repeat of the ALCS in the play in game

Potential NL Wild Cards: Rockies and Cubs  

Playoff Predictions Coming Soon!

Written by Paul McGovern