9 Bold Predictions for the 2023 Season

By: Dave Funnell      Follow me on Twitter account for more baseball content.

1. Both Chicago and Los Angeles teams will make the playoffs.

Just to clarify, that’s four teams that I’m including here for a playoff push: Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox.

While not much needs to be explained with the Dodgers, here’s the rationale for the others.

1. a) The Angels have quietly put together a solid team from top to bottom, by taking on good players to complement their great ones. Acquiring Gio Urshela, Hunter Renfroe and Brandon Drury on offence solidifies their lineup. As for their pitching, Sandoval is a year better, Tyler Anderson looks to build upon last year’s breakout and Carlos Estevez might be the closer that they need to go forth.
2. b) The White Sox under-achieved last year, to put it nicely. This year, with a new manager, new focus and a grounded approach, they look to bounce back and become the kings of the Central again. A lot relies heavily on their health.
3. c) The Cubs have been building from the ground up and have done a nice job of strengthening their all-around game. Free agent acquisitions such as Dansby Swanson and Trey Mancini might be the push that they need.
   

   

2. We will see a balks record broken this year.

With the new rules in place, there will be plenty of balks issued in baseball. This is because the pitchers will need to get used to the new rules of delivering a pitch within 15 seconds with no runners on base and 20 seconds when there are runners on base. Not only that, a pitcher’s motions will be heavily monitored to ensure that balks do not happen. This is likely to affect pitchers like Luis Garcia and Kevin Gausman, who have been known to move around more than others. For reference, the record for most balks in a season is 16, the most balks in a game is 5 and the most balks in an inning is 3.

3. We will see more six-man rotations than we ever have before.

This is due to the new pitch clock rules that were mentioned above. As a result, pitchers will have less time in between pitches and will likely get more fatigued throughout a game and a season. By transitioning to a six-man rotation, the team gives their pitchers an extra day or so in between games to rest up, heal and prepare for the next game. Keep in mind, while these settings in the minor leagues didn’t necessarily hurt pitchers with being tired, the major leagues feature more players who are in their 30’s and 40’s. And while it may look good now, during the hot dog days of summer, we will see players get fatigued even more.

4. Every team that makes the playoffs will win more games than Oakland and Washington combined.

It’s not safe to look at their lineups on an upset stomach, but seeing the talent that both teams have collected is embarrassing. Offensively, each team’s best players are along the lines of Ramon Laureano, Joey Meneses, which are two names that don’t strike fear in the hearts of many pitchers. And while both team’s pitching is slightly better, it’s possible that both win a combined 80 games. What makes things even worse is twofold. First, the Athletics have been anti-spending for a while now, selling off any expensive assets for prospects. Second, the Nationals have some ill-advised money spent on players that aren’t near what they once were, and their farm system isn’t quite ready to contribute. It’s a mess for both teams, and it’s possible they both compete for the lowest number of wins in the 21st century (43 – Detroit, 2003).

5. Louis Cardinals finish with baseball’s best record.

Despite having some questions within their rotation, the Cardinals look like an incredibly deep and talented team. Their lineup from top to bottom has a nice balance of power and speed while possessing the ability to get on base. Additionally, the players on their bench are at positions of need should injuries arise. Their pitching could use another starter, but that’s what this depth is for. Oh, and they also have incredible prospects such as Alec Burleson, Jordan Walker, Matthew Liberatore and Masyn Winn, waiting to take over if called upon. They play in a division where no other team looks to be nearly as good.

6. The New York Mets will not make the playoffs.

Much was made of their offseason spending, as they have by far the league’s biggest payroll at over $350 million. However, for a team that’s spent so much, they are not without their faults. For instance, the bottom four of their lineup lacks any fear in opponents, as Daniel Vogelbach, Mark Canha, Eduardo Escobar and Omar Narvaez aren’t going to win you many games. Additionally, their rotation is anchored by two pitchers who are just about or past the age of 40 in Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer. If Mother Nature calls, and she is unpredictable, it could be the end of their rotation strengths, since after that is an unproven commodity on Kodai Senga. They do have a great bullpen and the top of their lineup is quite strong, but with Atlanta and Philadelphia in the same division, the Mets might be the odd man out.

7. The Milwaukee Brewers will not make the playoffs.

It feels like a bad vibe is coming out of Milwaukee, and it culminated in the Corbin Burnes arbitration fiasco, that saw him publicly reveal his hurt feelings. For it to come out in public and be revealed that the team told him they didn’t value his contributions was astounding. What comes after that with him is beyond me, and maybe he pitches angry this year. Either way, it’s not a great way to start a year. Looking throughout their lineup, they have the talent ups top, but they also have a chance to bottom out. There’s a world where Freddy Peralta is injury prone, Aaron Ashby never gets right, Jesse Winker isn’t a good player, Luis Arias can’t replicate his past numbers and their rookies aren’t as good as advertised. They do have the potential to do well, but I like the Cubs and Cardinals more this year, and this is meant to be bold so here we are.

8. The Blue Jays win the AL East.

After starting slow this offseason, the Jays have put together a roster that’s not just good offensively, but also defensively. They’ve seemingly been able to figure out how to handle their divisional foes as well as the new dimensions of the ballpark. Having Kevin Kiermaier and Matt Chapman in the field will help keep runs off the board, and having bench players like Danny Jansen, Santiago Espinal and Cavan Biggio seems like a great resource. Their starters have a chance to improve this year and their bullpen is ver solid, especially with the return of Nate Pearson. It could very well be the year of the Jays.

9. The Philadelphia Phillies will win the World Series.

Looking at their lineup, they should have enough firepower to maintain stability while Bryce Harper is out of action. The signing of Trea Turner gives them a massive upgrade up the middle and more than enough offence to keep them afloat. Alec Bohm, Brandon Marsh and Bryson Stott seem well on their way to making improvements for the new year. Add Harper to the mix after the All-Star Break, and you have yourself a potent lineup. Given that they have three legitimate closing options and two bonafide studs at the front end of their rotation, Philadelphia looks like the team to beat this year.