The 2024 MLB season gets underway tomorrow and our Tampa Bay Rays begin the season against AL East rival Toronto. One thing is for sure and that is a lot of surprises. There will be a lot of expected and unexpected happenings throughout both the NL and AL. The plethora of players already sidelined by injury is mind blowing and there are a number of hot shot rookies that will make names for themselves. There will be the “bounce back” players coming back strong and there will be the “old” veterans going after one last shot at a winning season. It really shapes up to be a headline making year in MLB. So, with all that said here are my predictions of how each division in both leagues will finish the season.

AL East – 1. Tampa Bay 2. Baltimore 3. New York 4. Toronto 5. Boston

AL Central – 1. Detroit 2. Cleveland 3. Minnesota 4. Kansas City 5. Chicago

AL West – 1. Seattle 2. Houston 3 Texas 4. Los Angeles 5. Oakland

NL East – 1. Atlanta 2. Philadelphia 3. Miami. 4 New York 5. Washington

NL Central – 1. Cincinnati 2. Chicago 3. Milwaukee 4. St. Louis 5. Pittsburgh

NL West – 1. Los Angeles 2. Arizona, 3 San Francisco, 4. San Diego 5. Colorado

AL Wild Cards – Baltimore, New York, Houston

NL Wild Cards – Philadephia, Chicago, Arizona

AL WC Winner – Baltimore

NL WC Winner  – Philadelphia

AL Champion – Tampa Bay

NL Champion – Philadelphia

World Series – Rays – Phillies, Rays in 6 (payback for 2008)

I imagine, after looking at this, some of you are scratching your heads, having a laugh or think I am totally off the rails. Fact is, yes there are some that are a surprise, but I have a feeling this 2024 season is going to offer up a lot of surprises, some good, some not good. So let me explain my reasons for these standings.

First of all, many of the contending teams have been hit with injuries, especially to pitchers, who won’t be on the roster when the season starts. Some pitchers like the Yankees Gerrit Cole won’t be available for at least 2 months or longer. The Rays won’t have the services of Bradley, Springs and Rasmussen for half the season, the Dodgers will be without Walker Buehler for an extended period, and the list goes on. Pitching is the name of the game and without it failure can come easily and quickly. On the other hand, it is not just pitchers but position players as well. A number of key offensive stars are going to miss opening day and weeks and maybe months before they can contribute to their team’s success. As good as the Dodgers, Braves, Orioles, Rays, etc. may be those missing parts of the team’s engine are a major factor in success or failure.

Another part of the 2024 season that will make for some very exciting and interesting changes are the rookies making their debuts and who can make a big difference. Names like Colton Cowser, Jackson Merrill, Wyatt Lankford, Evan Carter, Jackson Chourio, Paul Skenes, Colt Keith, Jackson Holliday, Kyle Manzardo, Parker Meadows, Jordan Lawlar and Junior Caminero are going to be difference makers for their teams. Some right from opening day, some later in the season. Then add players who had big debuts in 2023 and ready to be even better and it makes for some very exciting changes ready to take place for some teams to climb out of the quicksand to much more promising pay dirt.

One final comment regarding all these new faces in 2024 are my prediction for the AL and NL Rookie of the Year. In the AL it will be the Tigers Colt Keith over the Rangers Evan Carter. In the NL it will be the Brewers Jackson Chourio over the Dodgers Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

So, with all that being said, I will stick with these predictions and we will revisit this column at the All Star break and see where we are at,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Tomorrow it is “Play Ball!”

Art Koch, National Features & DVD Editor, NightMoves Magazine and AAN