2024 MLB Season Preview
The year 2024 should be one of the most exciting seasons for baseball fans in a long time. With familiar names in new places, young stars coming up to cement their spots as faces of the league, and many teams looking to push for a championship, this year is shaping up to be an incredible one for Major League Baseball.
The Big Additions
No team made a bigger splash this off season, than the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers highlighted this off season by signing Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani to a 10 year deal with$700 million. They would also go on to sign incoming Japanese phenom Yoshinobu Yamamoto, trade for starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow, and even obtain All Star outfielder Teoscar Hernandez.
On the other side of the country, a big move was made in the Empire State. The New York Yankees went out and traded away a haul of pitching for young superstar Juan Soto. They would also add pieces like starting pitcher Marcus Stroman, and outfielders Alex Verdugo and Trent Grisham.
Staying inside the American League East division, 2021 Cy Young award winner Corbin Burnes was traded to the Baltimore Orioles as they look to push for a World Series. Moving across to the AL West, the Houston Astros went out and boosted their bullpen with Josh Hader. Another team that boosted their rotation this off season was the Atlanta Braves. Already coming in with one of the best all around rosters in the league, they added veteran left hander Chris Sale, in hopes he can return to his old dominant form.
In an off season where so many stars were moved to different teams, the whole landscape of Major League Baseball is set to change, and here’s some possibilities to expect.
What to Expect - American League
The American League is for yet another season, expected to be a gauntlet. Both the Yankees and Orioles look to make a push for a division title, while teams like Tampa Bay and Toronto will undoubtedly be in the mix as well. Boston shouldn’t be taken lightly as well. They added a few pieces in the off season, and hold players in the minors that look ready to graduate to the big league club.
The American League Central is set for a year that’s hopefully more entertaining and competitive than in recent years. Most of the teams in the division are trending upwards and in the right direction. The Twins after losing Sonny Gray, still look to take their new core of players back to the postseason. Teams like the Tigers and Royals might have something to say about that. Both of these teams are young, and are hungry to start competing for a division title, the Royals especially.
Kansas City extended their shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. to an 11 year deal worth nearly $290 million. The Royals look to do better than the third worst team in baseball this year, and with their various additions, the team looks much improved. The Guardians and the White Sox on the other hand aren’t looking to be as competitive. While the Guardians have some players to be competitive, their rotation didn’t change at all. In the same sense, the White Sox rotation will be getting beat up all year besides Cy Young finalist Dylan Cease who sits as the White Sox ace.
Another gauntlet of a division in the American League is the AL West. The last two World Series champions have come from this division: Astros in 2022 and Rangers in 2023. Both of these teams look to compete for another World Series title, but they’re not the only team that looks to be competitive in this division. While the Athletics are the Athletics and will likely be that for the foreseeable future, the Mariners are looking very promising. The Mariners are starting to try and round out a group that can make a deep postseason run around their star Julio Rodriguez, while moving on from some pieces that weren’t able to help them get over that hump. The Angels after losing Shohei Ohtani will look to possibly squeeze into the postseason, although it is not looking promising for them.
What to Expect: National League
The NL East is highlighted by two highly competitive teams: the Braves and the Philles. Both of these teams have rosters poised to make deep postseason runs, and these two teams appear to be in a league of their own almost compared to the other three teams in the division. The Marlins, Mets, and Nationals are all currently rebuilding, utilizing a lot of their farm systems and younger players to develop into what can hopefully be a winning core.
The NL Central also may be more competitive than in recent years. The Cincinnati Reds are the team on everyone’s radar going into the season. With star prospects like Elly De La Cruz set to play their first full season with the club, they look to make a push for a division title. They’ll have to battle a tough up and coming Pirates team, who will most likely only get better throughout the season. The Cubs, Brewers, and Cardinals look to stay in the mix for a division title as well, making the Central a highly competitive one compared to the last few years where it really hasn’t been.
Then there’s the NL West. This division is essentially everyone versus the Dodgers. The Dodgers have a roster unlike any we’ve seen in a long time, maybe ever. The Diamondbacks however, seem to be the biggest threat to the Dodgers yet again. After an impressive 2023 making it all the way to the World Series, the young core in Arizona is set to attempt to win the pennant once again. The Padres got a huge boost of pitching in the off season, picking up Michael King and other young arms from the Yankees in the Juan Soto deal. San Diego can definitely fly under the radar as a sleeper team for this postseason. The Giants also have been making changes to compete once again for a division title. Signing veteran 3B Matt Chapman and Korean OF prospect Jung Ho-Lee. Then there’s Colorado, who will more than likely be at the bottom of this division.
With so many moves from so many different teams this off season, baseball fans can’t wait for Opening Day. Each division looks to be competitive and multiple teams in each division are capable of making a deep postseason run. 2024 is setting up to be arguably one of the most competitive seasons in recent memory.
By Tobey Schulman