It was meant to be one of the happiest times of her life. The 23-year-old Cruz had nine big-league plate appearances last year and in one of them he hit a ball 118.2 mph. Look at the FanGraphs postseason odds: FanGraphs says the four non-O's teams in the division have four of the six highest postseason odds in the league, so the objective computers agree with me. But more than anything, the model is high on the pitching, with Gerrit Cole, Jameson Taillon, Jordan Montgomery and a healthy Luis Severino leading the team in 2022. The model is also high on the pitching of the Giants, giving San Francisco a major edge going into the postseason even as a wild-card team. Logan is nasty as well, and his ground ball ability improved during last year too: 58.7 percent in the first half and 62.2 percent in the second half. As if Europes Ryder Cup campaign was not in enough of a mess after Henrik Stensons firing as captain on Wednesday, a major-winning candidate to replace the Swede has called the likelihood of Thomas Bjorn stepping up a joke. MLB predictions 2022: Final standings, playoff projections, World Series odds for every team, Trading for Matt Chapman a better fit for rising Blue Jays than signing Freddie Freeman, Reds, As top list of five MLB fan bases experiencing post-lockout blues, Dodgers, Mets earn high marks; Yankees confuse, Seiya Suzuki has won over Cubs' clubhouse; next impression will come with bat, Cody Bellinger is struggling again, but Dodgers are so good that it might not matter. The versatile Max Muncy will hit anywhere he's playing, and Justin Turner has shown no signs of aging as he heads into his age 36 season. The bullpen lost Jansen, but added Craig Kimbrel to go along with Blake Treinen and Brusdar Graterol. The team has pieces that will help it win games, with Frankie Montas at the front of that rotation and top prospect Cristian Pache immediately slotting into the outfield with Ramon Laureano. I like the fit and see a match. The team will also get another look at breakout star Jazz Chisholm in his second year of action.

This year it will become the first division to send four teams to the postseason (sorry Orioles, not you). Or it could be top 15, depending on your perspective. 1 spot for lvarez, a 20-year-old catcher who figures to split the season between High-A and Double-A. It is a matter of when, not if, the Athletics will trade Montas. That said, the pitching is great, and the offense only needs to be great for a few weeks in October. Brandon's and Logan's. That's a 6-foot-7 shortstop reaching down and flicking his wrists to hit golf shot home runs. He has the power, speed, and all-around awesomeness I associate with cycles. Whenthe Padresmade the playoffs in the abbreviated 2020 season, many expected they'd take that next step in 2021 and be a true World Series contender. The moves bythe Marlinsmight not have been as splashy as the Mets or Phillies, but don't sleep on the additions they made this offseason. 1 to start second half, MLB DFS picks, July 21, 2022 lineups, advice, strategy, MLB rumors: Suitors for Dom Smith, Keuchel DFA, Power Rankings: Second half starts with new No. Five years later, Peyton Manning's joke at the 2017 ESPYs about Kevin Durant hopping on the bandwagons of winning teams is still making its rounds around the internet. Copyright 2022 Sporting News Holdings Limited. 1, MLB rumors: Suitors for Mets' Smith; Keuchel DFA'd, Report: Padres, Joe Musgrove talking extension, DeGrom (sore shoulder) has sim game pushed back, Manfred called out after comments on MiLB pay, Expansion? He's also one of the hardest-throwing humans on the planet. Here's the list: Several rookie first basemen have done it, most recently Pete Alonso during his record-breaking rookie season, but only four guys at the "skill" infield positions (for lack of a better term) have done it. They aren't that recent an expansion team. Noah Lyles sets American record, leads U.S. sweep in 200 meters at Worlds, Russia calls out U.S. in Brittney Griner case as Steph Curry, others speak out at ESPYs, Kyler Murray, Cardinals reportedly agree to five-year, $230.5 million extension, Bo Jackson donated $170K to help pay for Uvalde school shooting victims' funerals, Browns sign former top-10 pick Josh Rosen to deal after workout, Mac McClung and Golden State Warriors Agree to 1-Year Deal, J.J. 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Ohtani stole 26 bases a year ago (he also led baseball with 10 caught stealings) and he was comfortably above average in FanGraphs' catch-all baserunning metric, which includes going first-to-third, advancing on fly balls, etc. Fans of the Yankeesare disappointed that New York wasn't able to land any major name in free agency, but that doesn't stop the model from being bullish on the Bronx Bombers' chances to make the playoffs. They can put together a real nice package. It's unclear whether Witt will play shortstop or third base for the Royals this season, but he will play for them, and he will join that exclusive club with 30 homers. Detroit is also expecting rookies Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene to make the jump to the majors and provide the offense with the jolt it lacked in 2021. This year, no one will sleep on the Mariners. The two big prospects in the Trea Turner/Scherzer trade, Josiah Gray will slot into the rotation and Keibert Ruiz should become the everyday catcher. Get in and you can win. Klay was feeling a game-tying triple by his brother on Thursday night. MORE:Trading for Matt Chapman a better fit for rising Blue Jays than signing Freddie Freeman. Despite believing that the Astros are more likely to win the pennant, it sees the Rays as a slightly more likely team to win the World Series. Framber Valdez and Luis Garcia are two bright young arms in the rotation, while Verlander looks to return to his Cy Young-winning ways since coming back from Tommy John surgery. I'm boldly predicting it. Draymond Green saw the perfect opportunity to throw some shade and he ran with it. Good shortstop defense and a league average-ish bat is a path to 3 WAR, and if Kim plays well enough, San Diego will find a way to keep him in the lineup even after Tatis returns. Will it happen? As for a World Series MVP pick, how about Rowdy Tellez? We just haven't seen enough of it. The Tigers also signed a pair of top free agents in Javier Baez and Eduardo Rodriguez to provide some more established threats to the team. The bullpen, which was already one of the best last year, improved with the signing of Kenley Jansen to join Will Smith, Tyler Matzek and AJ Minter. Internet Without Landline - Is It Cheaper? Add them together with JT Realmuto, Rhys Hoskins and Jean Segura, and this is a deep lineup capable of doing plenty of damage. While Atlanta lost longtime franchise fixture Freddie Freeman, it replaced him with Matt Olson from the A's, who should be able to more than match the power output of the former MVP. Witt is arguably the best prospect in baseball and last season he hit .290/.361/.576 with 35 doubles and 33 home runs in 124 games split between Double-A and Triple-A. The Major League Baseball season is upon us. Instead, they missed the playoffs. Maybe Cruz proves to be the next Cordero rather than the next Judge. The model works by using past player data to project how they will perform in 2022. Hunter Renfroe is a big offensive upgrade over Jackie Bradley Jr. without being a big defensive downgrade, and surely Christian Yelich will get his slugging percentage back over .400, right? From back-to-back division champions to the cellar, the Twins'tumble in 2021 came as a shock after looking like a dominant team in each of the prior two years. Things could come together quickly. For more information about our data practices consult our, He's been tinkering with his swing all spring, Soto rejected a 13-year, $350 million extension prior to the lockout, I've been beating this drum since December, Ramrez's recent extension talks with the Guardians went nowhere, though there are indications the league home run rate is about to skyrocket, but because they moved the left field wall back, to the minors last week in a move that screams service-time manipulation, and signed him to a five-year, $85 million contract, who ZiPS already projects as Seattle's best player, Here are the top NL shortstops by ZiPS projected 2022 WAR, Bo Jackson reveals he helped pay for Uvalde funerals, Dodgers vs. Giants odds, MLB picks, prediction, bets, MLB Power Rankings: New No. He did that while being roughly three years younger than the average player in the league and while being a catcher. With all due respect to the Braves, I don't see that streak ending this year. Marcus Semien and Carlos Correa stayed in the Junior Circuit while Javier Bez, Corey Seager, and Trevor Story all made the jump from the National League. I hope Witt and Rodrguez give us a Rookie of the Year race (and go on to have careers) like those two. The breakout season by the Giants mixed up the run of Dodgers' dominance, but the model expects Los Angeles to reclaim its crown in 2022. Witt Jr. may sock 30 homers, but Rodrguez will take home the league Rookie of the Year award. The Reds aggressively cut costs over the winter and it feels like only a matter of time until Luis Castillo and Mahle are dealt. Did you know the Marlins have never had a cycle in their history? Picking the White Sox to run away with the division is certainly correct, but the rest of the standings feel a bit jumbled given recent history. Signing Seiya Suzuki, one of Japan's biggest sluggers over the past six seasons, is a big addition as he'll likely slot right into the middle of the lineup. No. Greene routinely tops 100 mph, and he reportedly threw a 105-mph pitch in Triple-A last year. That's where the prospects separate themselves form the suspects, plus being a young catcher is just hard. Losing Robbie Ray and Steven Matz will hurt the rotation, but the addition of Kevin Gausman and Yusei Kikuchi, along with a full season of Jose Berrios and Alek Manoah will help bolster the pitching staff. Now, the Red Sox also have Trevor Story, who should certainly enjoy teeing off the Green Monster. AL East | AL Central | AL West Four AL East teams are heading to October thanks to the 12-team postseason format. Here is the WAR per 162 games leaderboard from 2019-21: Buxton is right behind Trout and quite a bit ahead of Tatis. With just days to go until Opening Day, hope is high among all teams that this will be their year to win a World Series or at least have an enjoyable 162-game season. The White Sox, who play in one of the weaker divisions, are the favorite to come away with the No. The model expects some regression, but the pitching will keep this as one of the best teams in baseball. They have the best hitter of this generation in Mike Trout and the most talented player of all time in Shohei Ohtani, yet they continue to finish below .500. Minty Bets, Nick Bromberg, Pamela Maldonado, Frank Schwab, Andy Behrens, Dalton Del Don, Matt Harmon, Liz Loza, Scott Pianowski. The front end of the rotation offers some star arms in Nathan Eovaldi, Chris Sale and Tanner Houck, who can match up with many of the best in the AL. But how does the model see it shaking out? Jumping from No. The rotation will get a boost from the return of Mike Clevinger and the trade acquisition of Manaea. Milwaukee will be title town come October. Come with me, won't you? Klay Thompson gave a heartfelt thanks to his childhood idol, Kobe Bryant, during his acceptance speech at the 2022 ESPY awards. Brendan Rodgers and Ryan McMahon showed they can make a promising tandem fans of the franchise can build around. I'm not saying the Nationals will trade Soto. When healthy, he's a difference-maker on both sides of the ball, and for my first bold prediction, I'm saying Buxton will stay healthy this season.

Choosing the correct Alma Mater is one of the most crucial decisions of your life. Soto rejected a 13-year, $350 million extension prior to the lockout, and indicated he will go year-to-year through the arbitration process. Below are the picks and predictions made by The Sporting News' model for how the 2022 MLB season is going to unfold. I'm predicting Bellinger figures it out soon and has a strong, bounce-back season that earns him the NL Comeback Player of the Year award. section: | slug: 22-bold-predictions-for-2022-mlb-season-a-surprise-champ-big-trades-3030-for-ohtani-pujols-history-more | sport: baseball | route: article_single.us | Seattle strengthened its young core of Jarred Kelenic and Julio Rodriguez by trading for Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suarez from Cincinnati and signing reigning Cy Young winner Robbie Ray. Joey Votto continues to produce at a star talent, but heading into his age 38 campaign, the model expects some regression to take a toll. I think the Nationals will keep Soto and keep trying to hammer away at an extension, but I predict the trade rumors arrive in 2022. 1 overall spot in the AL. They still have Juan Soto, who continues to receive Ted Williams' comparisons, but the rest of the team is a bit unknown. His broken wrist is a big loss for the game and fans in general. While Cleveland missed the playoffs last year, they also have finished no lower than third in the AL Central since 2012. There is going to be some competition in Texas soon enough for the AL West crown. Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. Also, the universal DH will boost home run totals at National League parks going forward, moving them up the leaderboard. Everyone wants to know who will win the World Series, and according to the model, the answer is Dodgers are the most likely champion. Mookie Betts felt quiet in 2021, but he's still one of baseball's best at the dish. Calling up Gabriel Arias could help with that. Dream with me: Trade Ramrez at the deadline and the acquiring team gets him for two postseason runs, thus jacking up the price. And suddenly, it did not seem like the time to celebrate. That only makes this bold prediction more bold, however. He's also the kind of pitcher Texas could look to sign long-term. The sport is obsessed with velocity and the radar gun readings only continue to trend up. Webb made the jump from "hey this guy is pretty good and flying under the radar" last regular season to "this guy is a star" in the postseason, when he dominated the Dodgers twice in the NLDS. The Piratesremain fully in rebuild mode, but the young talent in the system is starting to reach the big leagues. A number of Dolphins players and others around the NFL shared the post as well. The Rangers always seem to need more pitching and Mahle is under team control through 2023. The Red Soxsurprised some people with their run to the ALCS in 2021, and Boston expects to be back in the mix for the playoffs again in 2022. 8:49 am ET, By submitting my email I agree to receive the "Fantasy Baseball Today Newsletter" and other marketing and promotional emails from CBS Sports, which may include information from our affiliates and/or partners' offers, products and services. Matt Patricia, Joe Judge, and the rest of the New England Patriots coaching staff were given official titles on Thursday as the team prepares for training camp. 1 prospect later this year. He's a 10-WAR season waiting to happen. He's launched titanic dingers, legged out an inside-the-park homer, made a leaping catch, and bat flipped a walk after falling behind in the count 0-2. The NL West was incredibly loaded in 2021, with the Giants finishing with the best record in baseball and the Dodgers owning the second-best record in baseball. It is also true that Cruz wrecked Double-A last year and was called up to the big leagues late in the season, and showed his freakish power. What we have seen from Buxton the last three seasons has been incredible. The Guardians signed Ramrez to a five-year, $124 million contract extension on Wednesday, the day after this post was originally published). 4-23! They still have six great hitters plus a (hopefully healthy) Justin Verlander and Lance McCullers Jr. For my final bold prediction, I have the Brewers winning the first World Series championship in franchise history, and the Astros losing the World Series for the second straight year and the third time in the last four years. The South Siders will advance to the ALCS. Both ZiPS and PECOTA project Suzuki as an impact hitter right away. No, definitely not. Weird things happen in October. If lvarez stumbles a bit in 2022, it would be understandable. The kind of haul that can get Cleveland back into contention fairly soon. The Browns [more]. Do I hear 30 starts too? 100 innings): In 2022, Greene will jump to the top of the list. The Tigersare in a position where it feels like they are on the verge of putting it all together at the big-league level. The offense added Starling Marte and Mark Canha to a lineup that was already strong with Francisco Lindor, Jeff McNeil and Pete Alonso in the infield and Brandon Nimmo in the outfield. The injury to Jacob deGrom is a major blow to the Mets' chances of winning the division, but if he's healthy once he comes back from his shoulder injury, New York would look like one of the best teams in the NL. But it's easy to see them beat those projections. I think that would be crazy. And with Michael Kopech and Liam Hendriks at the backend of the bullpen, they could be a real weapon to end games in the playoffs. Before long, Hayes will soon be joined on the left side of the infield by towering shortstop Oneil Cruz. I admit, this bold prediction sounded better in my head a few weeks ago, before Bellinger struck out 14 times in his first 19 spring at-bats. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: mlb | pageType: stories | Ramrez's recent extension talks with the Guardians went nowhere, making it likely he will be traded at some point before becoming a free agent after next season. Cleveland might be trending the wrong direction compared to most teams, but finishing last still feels like a bit of a stretch. But I am predicting we will begin to see sincere "teams have called the Nationals about Soto" trade rumors this summer. His contract (both dollars and years) fits into their payroll structure wonderfully. The owner's lockout delayed 2022 Opening Day one week, but we'll have 162 games and a brand new 12-team postseason format this year. A lineup that already featured the reigning MVP in Bryce Harper added the dynamic bat of Nick Castellanos and left-handed slugger Kyle Schwarber. Edward Sutelan is a content producer at The Sporting News. Even after Gausman walked in free agency, San Francisco still returns Logan Webb, who is coming off a fantastic postseason, and bring back Anthony DeSclafani and Alex Wood. With the signing of Max Scherzer and the acquisition of Bassitt, the Mets' 1-2-3 punch, when healthy, is now deGrom, Scherzer and Bassitt, and that's before getting to Taijuan Walker and Carlos Carrasco. The U.S. had swept the 200, just as it had the 100 four nights earlier. The tide begins to turn this season. Trevor Rogers nearly won Rookie of the Year, and Sandy Alcantara and Pablo Lopez each had ERAs south of 3.20. Everyone wants to see his light-tower power in the thin air of Coors Field, just as CJ Cron in his first year in Colorado. Just when everyone thoughtthe Rockiesmight be headed toward a rebuild, they go out and make a big splash by signing Kris Bryant. The predicted standings for each team are the average wins and losses in the 20,000 simulations. While the signing of Carlos Correa and the trade for Sonny Gray will help, the rest of the team has a lot of question marks, particularly after Berrios was traded midseason last year and Donaldson was traded in the offseason. Then, a few seconds later, the scoreboard that, at first, only had Lyles' name on it, popped up with the names of the two finishers behind him: Kenny Bednarek and Erriyon Knighton of the U.S.

MLB OFFSEASON GRADES:Dodgers, Mets earn high marks; Yankees confuse. The retirement of Buster Posey will usher in the Joey Bart era behind the plate. You May Be Paying Too Much For Your Internet - Internet Providers Prices In 2022 Might Surprise You, Among the players that are still available in NBA free agency, where could guys like Collin Sexton, Carmelo Anthony, and Dennis Schroder end up? You'd think they'd have one (or several) by now. Kyle Tucker will now be seen as one of the offensive leaders, along with slugger Yordan Alvarez. There is some volatility in our projections for theBraves, who look like the favorite to win the NL East but finish as low as third place in the division standings. 6-keys: media/spln/mlb/reg/free/stories. However, this is still a loaded team. This team is largely the same one that went on a 17-game winning streak at the end of the season to blaze past the Reds, Phillies and Padres to capture the second wild-card and sneak into the playoffs. Noah Lyles crouched down, put his hands on his knees and glared at the clock. After the Steelers signed defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi in June, there were plenty of people who noted that Ogunjobi was suspended one game for his role in a 2019 brawl with the Steelers. The Mariners' charismatic outfield prospect has been a one-man highlight reel this spring. This is actually much less complex than it sounds. The Sporting News' model sees the Blue Jays as a slim favorite to win the division over the Yankees, Rays and Red Sox, but it expects all four teams to reach the playoffs. Soto has three years of control remaining. To be specific, I'll say Chisholm does the deed at home against the Mets on Monday, June 20. It is true Cruz has played only six games at Triple-A. To stick with the "22s" theme, here are 22 bold predictions for the 2022 baseball season ahead of Thursday's Opening Day. The Mets still have work to do this offseason, but they have already set themselves up to be near the top of the National League. I don't think so. Yes. suggest there's still another level in there. There has been a lot going on in the AL West since the 2021 season came to an end, and the model expects the standings to turn out about as one might expect. Andre Iguodala jokingly apologizes to Joe Lacob at ESPYs for getting him fined, The 30 Worst Movies Ever, Says Rotten Tomatoes, Draymond shades 2016 NBA Finals suspension to Steph Curry at ESPYs, Elina Svitolina exclusive: 'The Russian invasion changed everything for me', Noah Lyles sets American record to win 200 meter world title, as U.S. sweeps again, Cam Heyward: Larry Ogunjobi was very open and upfront about Mason Rudolph fight, MLB Rumors: Mets have engaged Red Sox in Dominic Smith trade talks, Lyles leads U.S. sweep; Jackson tops Jamaica 1-2 in 200. FIVE BIG QUESTIONS: So is Webb's. Mahle was quite good last season and the measurables (velocity, spin rate, etc.) Pitch tracking data only goes back to 2008, though it's safe to assume the hardest-throwing seasons ever have taken place in the last 14 years. They will join Joe Musgrove, Yu Darvish and Blake Snell. Last year, Casey Mize, Matt Manning and Tarik Skubal got a taste of the big leagues and showed promise, and will be expected to take it a step farther in 2022. ), but it never hurts to ask. This year is going to be a bit of a mixed bag forthe Nationals. The Cubs won the bidding war for Suzuki over the winter (or, technically, this spring) and signed him to a five-year, $85 million contract. There's a decent chance Ohtani will never repeat 2021, that might be a once-in-a-lifetime kinda season, but even with a little regression, he can be among the game's best players, and a 30/30 season is within reach -- 30 homers and 30 steals. In either scenario (12 or 14), the Mets would be in. However, there are reasons for why it turned out as it did. That is mammoth production and it earned him a premium spot onR.J. Anderson's top 50 prospects list: Rutschman, Witt, Rodrguez (Julio, not Grayson), Baz, Greene, and Torkelson are all expected to graduate to the big leagues this year. They also made big splashes by signing Rodon, Alex Cobb and Matthew Boyd, who will only make this rotation stronger. The NL Central has not had a team repeat as division winner since the Cubs repeated in first place in 2016 and 2017. The longer the A's hold onto him, the more they risk seeing Montas' trade value plummet (through injury or poor performance). We've been fortunate enough to watch some great Japanese players the last few decades, including an all-time legend in Ichiro and the unicorn that is Shohei Ohtani, and this bold prediction calls for Suzuki to produce just as much as those guys. Rather than rank at or near the top in home runs allowed, Camden Yards will rank in the bottom half of the league. The Phillieswere one of several teams competing near the end of the season for a wild card spot before the Cardinals went on their wild winning streak to take away that final spot. The Giants lost the series, but Webb is now a household name, and soon his ground ball ability will be as well. Marcus Semien might have left in free agency, but Toronto acquired Matt Chapman to man third and give the team a star defender to the left of Bichette. The Giants have a thing for maxing out their players' strengths and Webb's ground ball ability is his strength. The Fernando Tatis Jr. injury is bad for the Padres and terrible for baseball overall. The rotation remains the bright spot with Shane Bieber leading a staff that featured a breakout season from Cal Quantrill and solid campaigns from Triston McKenzie, Zach Plesac and Aaron Civale. Last season the AL East became the first division in the divisional play era with four 90-win teams and only the second division ever, joining the seven-team AL East in 1978. Here are the five best offensive seasons by a Japanese player in MLB by adjusted-OPS, where 100 is average and the higher the number, the better: Suzuki needs a 130 OPS+ to jump into the top five and, for reference, hitters with an OPS+ in the 130 range last season include Nelson Cruz (130), Yuli Gurriel (131), and Austin Riley (132). The model has them in third in the AL East, but it would surprise no one to see them win the division. Look at this: Nothing about that is normal. And I'm not sure a quick turnaround can happen in a division with the defending World Series champion Braves, the Steve Cohen-led Mets, and the up-and-coming Marlins. Elina Svitolina had just discovered she was pregnant with her first child but the joy she shared with her partner, and fellow tennis player, Gal Monfils was painfully short-lived: days later, her native Ukraine was invaded by Vladimir Putin's Russian forces. From there, the model simulates the postseason based on the outcomes of the regular season to decide who will win the World Series. The Guardians waited a little too long to trade Francisco Lindor and didn't get that monster package in return.

Mac McClung, the high school phenom that many may recall from his viral Ballislife mixtapes, has An NFL fan took to Twitter to sell some J.J. Watt merchandise only to be answered by the Arizona Cardinals player himself. For this bold prediction, I'm going to say Chisholm will record the first cycle in franchise history. Everyone is just waiting forthe Angelsto finally live up to their potential. The 2022 MLB season is finally here. The Blue Jays are very much in it to win it, and Ramrez would slot in nicely at second base, a position he has played previously. Last season Suzuki, who will play most of this year at age 27, authored a .317/.433/.636 batting line with 38 home runs for the Hiroshima Carp in Japan. It's not like Arizona has a veteran backup catcher lined up (with all due apologies to Jose Herrera). I've been beating this drum since December and it makes too much sense. With the new campaign comes the intrigue over how it will turn out. Pittsburgh is waiting for the Mitch Keller breakout to happen this spring, he's shown glimpses that it could be on the way as the rotation starts to weave in younger arms like Bryse Wilson and Roansy Contreras. Elsewhere in the NL, the St. Louis Cardinals are projected to finish 89-73 and win the NL Central, and the San Diego Padres are projected to finish 90-72, which (in the current playoff format) would give them the first wild card spot. In the current playoff format, the 88-74 Mets would finish tied with the 88-74 Milwaukee Brewers for the second wild card spot.