MLB 2024 Divisional Outlook: Spring Training Edition

Predicting the 2024 MLB season

The MLB season is right around the corner, and Spring Training is in full swing. This means that it’s a great time to look at each division and see how the teams stack up. We’ve done this sort of thing before, and now we look to do it again as the final moves are being made and we learn who is looking like the contenders and pretenders in Major League Baseball this season.

AL East: Baseball’s Toughest Division

Last year, the Orioles magically came into form, with a truly remarkable youth movement led by AL Rookie of the Year Gunnar Henderson. Now the team looks to build off that success by adding Craig Kimbrel and Corbin Burnes to the pitching rotation this year. It’s clear they have hopes to win even more than just a division crown. The Rays will also look to threaten as usual, but as usual, they stuck to their own core and didn’t make a splash. The Yankees had a down year and splurged on Juan Soto. The Bronx Bombers are now the biggest threat to Baltimore for the divisional crown.

It also should be noted that the Blue Jays are in the AL East to add another layer of competitive fire to the division, they made the playoffs last season and are no joke. They need to compete now, despite being in the MLB’s best division. The Red Sox are the outliers. This will be a long season in Boston after a flurry of utterly confusing moves. Without direction, they are the division’s spoiler, and nothing more.

Division Winner: Baltimore

AL Central: Baseball’s Ugliest Division

The AL Central stunk last year, and it really looks like it will stink again this year. It seems as though the division is wide open to whichever team ends up stinking the least. Detroit hopes their youth movement pays off, and they can end a playoff drought that ties the Angels for longest in the MLB. It’s a gamble on unproven talent, but it could be dangerous. Cleveland has a new manager, and is praying injury doesn’t strike their core as bad as it did last year. The Twins won the division, and stayed put in the offseason. If Minnesota has bigger goals than division titles, why didn’t they make a big move?

The Royals still have Bobby Witt Jr, but don’t look super impressive. They’ll cobble some wins, but one of the worst teams in the MLB last year did not improve enough to raise their expectations. It’ll be a tough year to be a White Sox fan, they are stuck in the early stages of a rebuild just a few years after a 2021 season where they won 93 games and had loads of promise. Staring down the barrel of a rebuild, Chicago is going to end up in the MLB’s basement.

Division Winner: Detroit

AL West: Baseball’s Most Interesting Division

When you win the World Series, you are automatically the favorites to win your division the next year. This is the situation with the Texas Rangers, who stormed out of nowhere to win it all last year, and now look to run it back. However, after a quiet offseason, they will now have some major competition in the Houston Astros. They signed Josh Hader to fix pitching woes and they still have the old guard that won multiple championships. Seattle is the J-Rod show, and with too many questions, it’s hard to see them as anything beyond a Wild Card contender.

The Angels are completely lost now without Shohei Ohtani. Mike Trout is still in Los Angeles, but it’s easy to wonder why he’s so committed to a team that is clearly uncommitted to winning. The A’s have bigger things to worry about than winning their division. The season is overshadowed by relocation and all the complications that come along with. Hopefully, they stay in Oakland, but with each passing day that looks a little more unlikely.

Division Winner: Texas

NL East: Baseball’s Average Division

In the MLB, a few teams stand out among the rest as the real contenders. One of those teams is the Atlanta Braves, who are one of the big super teams in the MLB. With an unrivaled offense, and a vaunted pitching core, look for the Braves to contend for a title.The Phillies still have big bats, but middling until October isn’t a championship strategy. The Mets still have star power, but last season’s disaster shows that nothing is guaranteed. This season is pivotal, as it will determine if the Mets keep going all in, or start a rebuild.

The Marlins remain a solid team under the radar, but don’t have the juice to be anything more than Wild Card contenders. With limited offense, they are hoping pitching and defense leads to something beyond a forgettable .500 season. Washington finally started their ground-up tear down. Their hope is that young prospects will make a solid leap and they can get back to being MLB contenders in a few years.

Division Winner: Atlanta

NL Central: Baseball’s Most Normal Division

The NL Central is home to the MLB’s most run-of-the-mill teams that want to make some noise, each with their own pieces that can make them exciting. For example, Chicago has Cody Bellinger, who was one of the big surprises in the MLB last year with a powerful bat. Young guns around the roster look to improve on last year’s narrow miss. The Reds have Elly De La Cruz, who is face of the league material. Last year was the breakout, now we just have to see them put the pieces together. Milwaukee let a lot of talent walk this winter, they are hoping their guys can get it done. Can Christian Yelich put up star numbers again?

St Louis has the power, but are so hit-and-miss. It’s impossible to predict if they will be a powerful offense or a wimpy last place team. Pittsburgh’s youth movement is moving along, but they failed to sign the guy who could help bring them over the edge. Look for development but nothing more from the Pirates.

Division Winner: Chicago

NL West: Baseball’s Scariest Division

There’s no doubt about it- The Dodgers are the best team in the MLB. On paper, this may be one of the greatest squads ever assembled. Of course the Dodgers are the favorites to win their division, they’re the favorites to win the entire thing until proven otherwise. Arizona made the World Series, and who’s to say they won’t find that magic again? Just because they’re put in the same division as Ohtani’s Dodgers doesn’t mean they’re going to roll over and die. San Diego may not have Juan Soto, but Fernando Tatis Jr should be back and playing at a high level once again this year, and the roster is still full of talent.

San Francisco’s window is closed, and they were unable to add much firepower to the core this winter. While they are still a strong team on the surface, there’s just too much else on the top end of the division to really let the Giants compete. The Rockies are one of the MLB’s most laughable teams, with an offseason spent watching the world go by instead of trying to progress a sad rebuild.

Division Winner: Los Angeles

That about wraps up the Spring Training Divisional Outlook. Agree? Disagree? Fire away in the comments below, and stay tuned for more MLB content.

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