Spencer Steer

We're one day into the interminable slog that is the Major League Baseball season, in which teams play 10 times more than NFL clubs.In many ways, the result of the game means very little. It's a drop in a bucket. What separates an Opening Day contest from any other matchup in mid-July, for instance?But in another very real (read: completely artificial) way, it means everything. Fifteen teams are on pace to go 162-0, while the other half are on pace to go winless. Will it shake out that way? Probably (definitely) not. But could it? Maybe! (Absolutely not!).Let's let the outlandish voice win today. For one day a year, small samples reign supreme. Here's one overreaction for each team: Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyArizona Diamondbacks: Zac Gallen went on a historic scoreless streak down the stretch of 2022, going six straight outings of at least six innings without allowing a run. But he started the 2023 campaign giving up five runs, which is more than he allowed in all of August. Can someone on the Diamondbacks sneak into Gallen's home and flip the calendars to the second half? Gaslight this guy into thinking it's after the All-Star break.Atlanta Braves: Two catchers are good, but is there any way to ensure both are DHing? The Braves went with key offseason acquisition Sean Murphy behind the dish to open the campaign. The former Gold Glove winner went 0-for-5. On the other side, fellow catcher Travis d'Arnaud, acting as the designated hitter, played hero by going 4-for-5 with a pair of RBIs and scoring twice.Baltimore Orioles: Clear space in Cooperstown for Adley Rutschman. The sophomore slugger isn't just the first catcher with five hits on Opening Day since at least 1900; he's also only the second player to reach base in every plate appearance while making at least six trips to the dish in a team's first game of the year. Rutschman joins Bobby Byrne, who accomplished the feat in 1911.Boston Red Sox: Rename the team the Boston Red Walks. If there's a pitching staff that seemed completely overmatched with the new rules creating a faster pace of play and enticing more action on the bases, it was the Red Sox. Corey Kluber issued by far the fewest walks of any qualified starter last year, with 21 over 164 frames and an MLB-best 1.15 BB/9. So it's puzzling the veteran righty issued four in a start in which the rest of the staff coughed up another five. Even further, the O's freely ran once they reached base, recording five steals. Boston scored nine runs, so the offense might be legit. But the club needs its pitching staff to hold up their side of the bargain - particularly adapting to new rules. Michael Reaves / Getty Images Sport / GettyChicago Cubs: Marcus Stroman became the first pitcher ever to violate the pitch clock, letting it run out and getting penalized in a plate appearance against Christian Yelich. The count moved from 1-2 to 2-2 as a result. Stroman wound up walking Yelich, but the Cubs hurler still made it out of the inning unscathed. The main takeaway here is that Stroman became the first pitcher with an incorrect pitch count. Managing pitcher workloads has become so important over the last couple of decades. Can the pitch clock finally end our incessant focus on an arbitrary 100-pitch threshold for starters?Chicago White Sox: All of those walks from Dylan Cease were the catcher's fault all along. The right-hander was beyond elite last year, finishing as an AL Cy Young finalist thanks to an absurd 30.4% strikeout rate. The only thing that prevented him from getting first-place votes was his very high 10.4% walk rate. Well, no more, as the White Sox ace racked up 10 Ks and zero walks against the reigning champs in Houston. And it's gotta all be thanks to PitchCom and calling his own pitches with batterymate Yasmani Grandal this time around.Cincinnati Reds: It's Spencer Steer's NL Rookie of the Year trophy to lose. The unsung freshman hit an Opening Day homer and worked two walks. The 25-year-old was overlooked as a top rookie entering the year, well behind a bunch of other young studs in betting odds, including Francisco Alvarez, who didn't even make the Mets roster. That's some disrespect.Cleveland Guardians: Andres Gimenez was a fluke. Most of these overreactions only extrapolate over this season. However, it's clear Gimenez's new $106.5-million contract running through 2029 will age like a fine milk. Signing a seven-year deal in the days leading up to Opening Day and then going 0-for-3 against the Mariners? The pressure of a nine-figure pact in big-market Cleveland is weighing on him. Denis Poroy / Getty Images Sport / GettyColorado Rockies: C.J. Cron hasn't even played a home game yet and leads MLB with two homers. I guess somebody told him that Petco Park is 'The Crone Zone.' The math is simple: 324 dingers prorated over a full season. But we're not just prorating this. Cron gets to play half his games at Coors Field, and we have to factor that into our projections. Can he hit 400? Probably still too low. Yeah, 500. And the Rockies will still find a way to lose 90 games.Detroit Tigers: If there's one team to credibly burn the 0-162 joke on, it's the Tigers. But, more importantly, at least this year, it'll be over quickly. Thanks to the pitch clock, Detroit baseball fans could focus on other things after the team got shut out in a nine-inning game that blissfully took two hours and 14 minutes. So long as the Tigers are averaging under 2 1/2 hours, attending their games might be tolerable.Houston Astros: The Astros' string of consecutive Opening Day victories ended at 10 - tied for the MLB record - which can mean only one thing: Megan Thee Stallion must be kept away from Minute Maid Park at all costs. Even further, the longest-tenured member of the Astros, Jose Altuve, was around for the team's last Opening Day loss in 2012 but is sidelined to start this season. In his stead, Mauricio Dubon had a rough 0-for-3 at the plate. It's looking bleak for the reigning champs.Kansas City Royals: Salvador Perez has been named captain just to go down with the ship. The Royals got absolutely diced up by the Twins' pitching staff, looking like a minor-league team. Perez was one of two players (the other being Kyle Isbel) to even end up in the hit column, going 1-for-4. Hey, at least Zack Greinke struck out four en route to 3,000 Ks (he's now 114 away). Ezra Shaw / Getty Images Sport / GettyLos Angeles Angels: The Angels remain the God-forsaken Angels. Shohei Ohtani again got Tungsten Arm O'Doyle'd, racking up 10 strikeouts over six shutout innings against a truly hapless Athletics lineup. And, yet, the Halos find themselves under .500 to start the year, making it the first time in MLB history a starting pitcher reached double-digit Ks without allowing any runs on Opening Day and lost. It's not even an overreaction: the Angels are cursed. They have to be. It's as if Arte Moreno signed a deal with the devil that guaranteed a team he owned would have two of the greatest players in history but only so long as the club sucked. That has to be it.Los Angeles Dodgers: Max Muncy had a rough season in 2022, but he seems to be set for an even worse one this year. The slugger became the second hitter ever with five strikeouts on Opening Day, joining Ron Karkovice, who managed the dubious feat in 1996. It would take a lot - including malpractice by the Dodgers to run him out there every day - but Muncy is on pace for 810 strikeouts. With how the team dominated the league over the past decade, it seems only fair to maintain an offensive black hole in the lineup throughout the year.Miami Marlins: It turns out converting to one of the most demanding positions in sports might be more difficult than initially expected. Not only did Jazz Chisholm look awful defensively in center field, but the young star also went 0-for-4 at the plate with a pair of strikeouts. After an injury limited him to playing only half the season in 2022, this was supposed to be Chisholm's real coming out party as a legitimate superstar, gracing the cover of MLB The Show. Instead, the Marlins are asking too much of him, and it's showing. Michael Reaves / Getty Images Sport / GettyMilwaukee Brewers: Corbin Burnes again cost the Brewers a shot at the postseason. Milwaukee's front office alienated the team's ace this past winter by saying during the arbitration hearing that he was part of the reason the club missed the playoffs last year. Well, the right-hander did little to win over the next group of arbitrators, allowing four runs on four hits and three walks in the loss. Of course, the Brewers also didn't score any runs ... but that's also somehow Burnes' fault!Minnesota Twins: Minnesota officially won the Pablo Lopez trade. The righty, acquired from the Marlins in exchange for Luis Arraez, struck out eight over 5 1/3 shutout innings in his Twins debut. More importantly, the rebrand is working, as the team is undefeated with its now "North Star M" logo. Meet the new Twins, a true juggernaut.New York Mets: Who needs Edwin Diaz anyways? After Max Scherzer worked a bare-bones quality start (allowing three runs over six innings), Buck Showalter entrusted the lead to the bullpen. Without Diaz, who was injured in the World Baseball Classic, a trio of relievers (Drew Smith, Brooks Raley, and David Robertson) completed three clean innings, combining to allow one hit while racking up six strikeouts. According to George Santos, even he had an immaculate inning for the Mets in relief. Happy #OpeningDay & let s go @Mets!! pic.twitter.com/pKQulqpiG9 Rep. George Santos (@RepSantosNY03) March 30, 2023 New York Yankees: If you're one of those people who didn't think Aaron Judge could hit 60 homers again, you better repent. He's clearly following up his AL record by breaking the MLB mark with 74 homers. But that's not even the huge overreaction. The big one is Gerrit Cole finally making good on his Cy Young promise and racking up 11 strikeouts over six innings. If he keeps up that pace and tosses a modest 200 innings, that's 366 Ks - the most in a single season since 2001 Randy Johnson. Book it.Oakland Athletics: What a debut from Drew Cacciatore, knocking in the winning run on Opening Day for the A's. And it was a strong start to the campaign for Dustin Romo, earning the win in relief with a clean inning and one strikeout. Actually, neither player exists. You likely had no idea they were made-up names, and no one knows how the A's won this game against literal Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout, and the rest of the Angels.Philadelphia Phillies: The Phillies need to avoid the state of Texas. The club lost the World Series to Astro mere months ago and then started the 2023 campaign against the Rangers, coughing up nine runs in a single inning in the opener. Put the Lone Star State as a no-visit zone for the Phils. Ben Jackson / Major League Baseball / GettyPittsburgh Pirates: It's the year of Oneil Cruz. He's been a deeply flawed player because of all of those whiffs. But the lanky shortstop worked two walks and turned on a 101-mph pitch from Reds starter Hunter Greene for a 425-foot blast. Baseball needs more players like Cruz, especially if he's ready to cut the strikeouts and launch more Cruz missiles this year.San Diego Padres: It's time to start the rebuild. Deep-pocketed owner Peter Seidler tried his best to compete in the NL West, throwing wads of cash at Xander Bogaerts this offseason while also handing out lucrative extensions to Manny Machado and Yu Darvish. But this won't work if the Padres aren't going to beat the Rockies. Sell off what you can while it's still worth something, and let's try to assemble a winner in 2033.San Francisco Giants: Logan Webb currently leads the league in two categories: strikeouts (12) and losses (1). Can the Giants righty manage to keep that going all season? It'll take a lot of discipline, and it seems like facing the Yankees puts you in a unique position to rack up Ks while also coughing up a pair of homers. Webb will have to lose more games than Corbin, which seems almost impossible. Steph Chambers / Getty Images Sport / GettySeattle Mariners: His name should never have been Ty France at all! It should be Go-Ahead France. With the game knotted up 0-0 in the eighth inning and two runners on, the Mariners sent France to the plate against flamethrowing Guardians reliever James Karinchak. France delivered and is seemingly the only reason that game isn't still going, particularly given the Mariners' penchant for playing scoreless games into the 18th inning.St. Louis Cardinals: This is exactly the team we all expected, right? I mean, there's no overreaction here. This lineup is packed with hitters, and every starter got at least one hit. Makes sense. Meanwhile, the pitching staff left a lot to be desired and got beat around by a Blue Jays team that just kept racking up hits. Toronto didn't even need to put one in the seats, racking up 17 singles and a pair of doubles. The bullpen is maybe supposed to be better than this, but ... this really is the 2023 Cardinals.Tampa Bay Rays: The post-hype Wander Franco has arrived. The biggest issue with the Rays as a contender heading into this season is that their lineup lacks star power. However, that omits that Franco has been their star in waiting. Some people wrote off the 22-year-old switch-hitting shortstop as merely good and not great. Those folks better atone soon, as Franco is on pace for 162 homers, 162 RBIs, 162 runs scored, and 324 hits. Start prepping the AL MVP speech. Bailey Orr/Texas Rangers / Getty Images Sport / GettyTexas Rangers: Did the team with this offense even need to add to its pitching staff this winter? Jacob deGrom didn't make it out of the fourth inning, and that's certainly not what you want from the veteran ace who you signed for $185 million. He coughed up five runs on six hits over 3 2/3 innings, though he racked up seven strikeouts. None of that mattered, with the offense exploding for nine runs in a single inning to chase Phillies ace Aaron Nola from the contest. And it was a somewhat unsuspecting cast, with Robbie Grossman and Brad Miller hitting dingers. Wait until the top of the order really gets going.Toronto Blue Jays: It's time for Don Mattingly to manage this team. John Schneider looked totally overmatched during his first Opening Day as manager - particularly in bullpen management. Alek Manoah's first start of fewer than five innings since 2021 left Schneider in a tough spot, but some questionable decisions certainly exacerbated things. First, going to high-leverage Erik Swanson in the fifth inning with two out was too early. Then, Swanson was pulled too soon, turning the ball over with two out in the sixth to Tim Mayza. Mayza, a lefty, recorded no outs and was trusted to face reigning NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt. Later, protecting a late lead with runners on second and third and nobody out, Yimi Garcia pitched to Nolan Arenado, who predictably hit a go-ahead double. The staff surrendered go-ahead runs in the sixth, seventh, and eighth. Thankfully, the Jays won despite these decisions. This team can't tolerate losing winnable games in which it racks up 19 hits.Bonus overreaction: George Springer is now a slap hitter chasing the batting title. Never mind Springer dingers; it's the season of Springer singles, with all five of his hits on Opening Day putting the outfielder onto first base.Washington Nationals: It was never about the Nationals picking their most qualified starter when they tabbed Patrick Corbin for the Opening Day gig. It's about giving the veteran lefty as much runway as possible to become the first 20-game loser since 2003. Corbin came tantalizingly close last year, losing 19. Let's see if he can finish the job this time.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Welcome to the first edition of theScore's MLB Power Rankings for the 2023 season. Projected records, division odds, World Series odds provided by theScore bet. 1. Houston Astros Projected record Division odds WS odds 95-67 -190 +600 Change was afoot after the Astros claimed another World Series title in 2022. Reigning AL Cy Young winner Justin Verlander moved on in free agency, as did franchise mainstay Yuli Gurriel and general manager James Click. Former MVP Jose Abreu is an obvious upgrade over the declining Gurriel at first base. Verlander will be missed, although there's enough talent in the young rotation fronted by Framber Valdez and Cristian Javier to pick up the slack. In the short term, Jose Altuve's bat will be sorely missed. The Astros won't romp to another AL West title, but it won't be easy to knock the reigning champions off their perch.2. Atlanta Braves Projected record Division odds WS odds 95-67 +105 +900 The Braves might be the most complete team in baseball. The lineup, which now features a healthy Ronald Acuna Jr. and Ozzie Albies, has a great combination of speed, power, and youth. Atlanta has at least six players capable of hitting 30-plus homers. Acuna, Albies, and Michael Harris II are all threats to steal at least 25-30 bases. A rotation led by Max Fried, Spencer Strider, and Kyle Wright can compete with anyone in the NL. Mike Soroka's long-awaited return could push this group to another level. The bullpen is solid and will get better when Raisel Iglesias is healthy. The pieces are there to win a second championship in three years.3. San Diego Padres Projected record Division odds WS odds 92-70 +120 +800 The Padres enter the season with sky-high expectations after a whirlwind offseason, during which they handed out a number of lucrative, long-term contracts. With the Dodgers arguably taking a step back, the path to a division title is open for San Diego. The prospect of lining up Juan Soto, Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis, and Xander Bogaerts in some order in the lineup will strike fear into all opposition. Padres owner Peter Seidler should be commended for how aggressive he's been in trying to give fans in San Diego an exciting roster to cheer for.4. New York Mets Projected record Division odds WS odds 93-69 +175 +900 The Mets were the talk of the offseason as Steve Cohen dished out a ton of money. However, it's hard to say if they really improved from the club that was surprisingly bounced out of the wild-card round last year. The lineup is very solid but lacks power outside of Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor. A rotation led by Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander is as intimidating as any in baseball, but New York will be leaning heavily on a 38 and 40-year-old. Carlos Carrasco is also 36. Edwin Diaz's injury has left the team with a massive hole in the bullpen - one that will be filled by David Robertson, 38, and Adam Ottavino, 37, to begin the season.5. Los Angeles Dodgers Projected record Division odds WS odds 95-67 -115 +800 The Dodgers have won nine of the last 10 NL West titles, but their long-running streak of success could be in jeopardy after a dull offseason. L.A. let 15 notable players depart in free agency, including Trea Turner and clubhouse leader Justin Turner, and don't look as formidable on paper as the Padres. Los Angeles should still be good, but the 2022 juggernaut that won 111 games is no more.6. New York Yankees Projected record Division odds WS odds 95-67 +120 +800 Just who are these Yankees? Aaron Judge, the new captain, is back and ready to do his thing. Ditto for strikeout king Gerrit Cole, steady first baseman Anthony Rizzo, and last year's breakout star Nestor Cortes Jr. But the injury bug, long a storyline in the Bronx, has already reared its head. Carlos Rodon, the team's other marquee signing, is starting his Yankees tenure on the IL alongside Luis Severino, Frankie Montas, and several others. Then there are questions about the healthy players. Can Aaron Hicks and Josh Donaldson rediscover their old selves? Will Anthony Volpe live up to the hype? Can the bullpen stay healthy? This is a very good team on paper, but it might be hard to predict which version of the Yankees shows up on a given day.7. Toronto Blue Jays Projected record Division odds WS odds 91-71 +200 +1000 The Blue Jays enter 2023 a different club from the one that blew an 8-1 lead en route to getting swept by the Mariners in the wild-card series. General manager Ross Atkins shook up the roster and clubhouse by shipping out stalwarts Teoscar Hernandez and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Toronto appeared to prioritize more balance and veteran leadership, acquiring left-handers Brandon Belt and Kevin Kiermaier as well as swinging a trade for the athletic Daulton Varsho. This remains one of the most talented rosters in baseball. However, the time to win is now, and the veteran additions should ratchet up the pressure on the young core of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, and Alek Manoah to finally break through in October.8. Seattle Mariners Projected record Division odds WS odds 88-74 +325 +1800 If any team is going to push Houston for top spot in the AL West, it's the Mariners. Seattle's pitching staff is deep and talented - former Cy Young winner Robbie Ray is the No. 3 starter - and young superstar Julio Rodriguez anchors a lineup that's improved with the addition of slugger Teoscar Hernandez. The Mariners are certainly one of the best teams in the AL.9. Philadelphia Phillies Projected record Division odds WS odds 88-74 +400 +1600 The acquisitions of Trea Turner, Taijuan Walker, Craig Kimbrel, and Gregory Soto caused a lot of excitement in Philadelphia after last season's run to the World Series. However, injuries to Bryce Harper and Rhys Hoskins will really test the team's mettle in a very competitive division. Turner, Kyle Schwarber, and J.T. Realmuto will need to produce as expected to keep the club afloat until Harper comes back. A return to form for Nick Castellanos would also really help. The 2021 All-Star went deep just 13 times with a .694 OPS in 2022 after a career-high 34 round-trippers and a .939 OPS two years ago.10. St. Louis Cardinals Projected record Division odds WS odds 88-74 -125 +2000 The Cardinals enter 2023 as the NL Central favorites, and there are plenty of reasons why. Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado return after enjoying stellar campaigns, Willson Contreras enters as Yadier Molina's replacement, and the lineup is solid 1-through-9 thanks to exciting young talent like Jordan Walker, Lars Nootbaar, and Brendan Donovan. St. Louis is built to win, and the other teams in the division likely won't pose much of a threat.11. Tampa Bay Rays Projected record Division odds WS odds 88-74 +300 +2000 Even with the balanced schedule, the Rays face an uphill battle to get out of the AL East in 2023. Still, they are easily the third-best team in the tough division thanks to a great pitching staff headlined by Shane McClanahan. Tyler Glasnow will improve the rotation when he returns, and as usual, their bullpen is filled with powerful shutdown arms. If the offense, led by the healthy infield duo of Wander Franco and Brandon Lowe, can pull its weight, the Rays should be back in the thick of the wild-card race. This team remains dangerous, but if the offense isn't clicking again, it could be a long summer.12. Cleveland Guardians Projected record Division odds WS odds 86-76 +120 +2500 The Guardians are on everyone's radar after coming out of nowhere to win the AL Central last season. The lineup is sneaky good with plenty of balance, speed, and surprising power. Andres Gimenez, who was reportedly rewarded for his monster breakout campaign with a seven-year extension, Steven Kwan, Josh Naylor, and Oscar Gonzalez will all need to prove 2022 wasn't a mirage. The bullpen might be the AL's best thanks to Emmanuel Clase, James Karinchak, and Trevor Stephan. However, there's a hole in the rotation with Triston McKenzie potentially sidelined for up to two months with a shoulder injury.13. Milwaukee Brewers Projected record Division odds WS odds 85-77 +175 +3500 After a troubling late-season slide, the Brewers enter 2023 in a strange place. The club saw longtime executive David Stearns step down, clearing the way for Matt Arnold to become general manager. The Brewers still possess a tremendous amount of talent on both sides of the ball but could emerge as one of this season's most intriguing players at the trade deadline if they underachieve again. The club and ace Corbin Burnes endured a tense arbitration process this winter, leaving his long-term future in Milwaukee in question. Fans in Milwaukee will certainly hope the club performs on the field to quiet any trade noise surrounding the 2021 Cy Young winner.14. Los Angeles Angels Projected record Division odds WS odds 82-80 +700 +5000 This has to be the year the Angels finally make the playoffs with Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout, right? Well, it needs to be. Ohtani is primed to hit the open market after the 2023 campaign in what will likely be the biggest free-agent hoopla in MLB history. Los Angeles' front office added veterans Tyler Anderson, Brandon Drury, Hunter Renfroe, and Gio Urshela to provide more depth. However, the biggest X-factor will be Anthony Rendon and his health. The star third baseman has only played 157 games since signing a seven-year, $245-million contract in December 2019.15. Minnesota Twins Projected record Division odds WS odds 83-79 +200 +5000 The Twins are a tough team to figure out. They've finished first, fifth, and third in the past three seasons. They're extremely talented on paper but also rely heavily on oft-injured superstar Byron Buxton, and the rotation lacks a true ace. They have a wild card in Joey Gallo, who could return to his old glory now that the pressures of playing in New York and Los Angeles are behind him.16. Chicago White Sox Projected record Division odds WS odds 82-80 +275 +3500 The talented but flawed White Sox are lucky to play in the AL Central, where they have an easier road to the postseason. Having two Cy Young-caliber starters atop the rotation in Dylan Cease and Lance Lynn helps their cause tremendously. But the lineup remains tough to get a read on. Jose Abreu's departure puts more pressure on the likes of Eloy Jimenez, Andrew Vaughn, and Yoan Moncada. The bullpen, and specifically who will close, is also a major question mark without Liam Hendriks anchoring the unit. If it all clicks, the White Sox could be in the thick of the division race. If not, things on the South Side could get ugly really fast.17. Texas Rangers Projected record Division odds WS odds 81-81 +1000 +4000 For the second straight offseason, the Rangers shelled out big bucks in an attempt to address areas of weakness. General manager Chris Young overhauled a rotation that sorely needed an infusion of talent. Jacob deGrom, Andrew Heaney, and Nathan Eovaldi are all quality arms but carry a ton of injury risk. DeGrom's five-year, $185-million contract is one of the game's greatest risk/reward deals. The two-time Cy Young winner staying on the field in 2023 could go a long way in helping Texas attain its first winning season since 2016.18. Boston Red Sox Projected record Division odds WS odds 78-84 +1800 +6000 It's the dawn of a new era in Boston - but don't call it a rebuild. The new-look Red Sox rejigged their roster with veterans such as Justin Turner and Corey Kluber and could have two Rookie of the Year candidates in star Japanese import Masataka Yoshida and homegrown first baseman Triston Casas. At the minimum, the Red Sox are talented enough to compete for a wild-card spot, but it's far from a given that they'll make it. There are still plenty of question marks, and Xander Bogaerts will undoubtedly be missed up the middle.19. San Francisco Giants Projected record Division odds WS odds 81-81 +1000 +5000 The Giants did some good things in the offseason, but many will remember how the club whiffed on Aaron Judge and Carlos Correa. San Francisco needed to inject some star power, which the likes of Michael Conforto, Mitch Haniger, Sean Manaea, Taylor Rogers, and Ross Stripling don't provide despite being quality players. The club appears destined for another third-place finish in the division as the heavyweight Dodgers and Padres duke it out at the top. The upstart Diamondbacks could also be an issue soon if the Giants don't start improving.20. Baltimore Orioles Projected record Division odds WS odds 76-86 +2500 +7500 The Orioles made some noise last season, but with success comes heightened expectations - within the club, at least. Full campaigns for Adley Rutschman, Kyle Stowers, and Gunnar Henderson should provide Baltimore with a decent chance of exceeding its 83-win total from last season, but projection systems don't think it's possible. PECOTA, FanGraphs, and theScore Bet have the O's winning between 74-78 games.21. Chicago Cubs Projected record Division odds WS odds 77-85 +700 +7500 It's a whole new look for the Cubs, who once again tried to expedite their rebuild, this time by signing Dansby Swanson and Jameson Taillon, among others. They also took a flier on Cody Bellinger potentially rediscovering his MVP form. But even with those improvements and the cushion of playing in the NL Central, it doesn't feel like they're quite ready to take that next step. Willson Contreras' bat will be missed no matter how good of a signal-caller Tucker Barnhart is behind the plate, and who knows what Eric Hosmer has left. While there are some good pieces here, the Cubs will probably need plenty of breaks to stay in the playoff picture.22. Arizona Diamondbacks Projected record Division odds WS odds 75-87 +4000 +10000 There's a lot to look forward to in Arizona. Top catching prospect Gabriel Moreno will get plenty of playing time to start the season with Carson Kelly injured, while speedy outfielder Corbin Carroll is the favorite to win NL Rookie of the Year. Zac Gallen also looks like a Cy Young threat after a torrid second half led to a fifth-place finish in voting. Jordan Lawlar and Druw Jones likely won't be making an impact at the major-league level in 2023, but Arizona is set to unleash a wave of young and elite talent in the years to come that could create the foundations of a perennial contender.23. Miami Marlins Projected record Division odds WS odds 76-86 +3000 +7500 The Marlins enter 2023 in a similar fashion to this time last year. Miami boasts one of baseball s brightest young rotations but could struggle to score runs. Miami hitters ranked 24th in home runs and 28th in runs scored last season. General manager Kim Ng added proven commodities in Luis Arraez and Jean Segura to try and bolster the lineup. A full season from Jazz Chisholm Jr. would be a huge boost. The talented second baseman hit 14 home runs and stole 12 bases across just 60 games in 2022 as a back injury derailed his season. The Marlins have the unenviable task of navigating life in a division with the Braves, Mets, and Phillies, but for the first time in a while, there appears to be some positive momentum in Miami.24. Colorado Rockies Projected record Division odds WS odds 64-98 +15000 +15000 The Rockies have a 40-man payroll close to $200 million and are nowhere near contention. Colorado was able to add some veteran talent late in the offseason with Jurickson Profar and Mike Moustakas. However, there are just too many glaring holes in the lineup, rotation, and bullpen. The defense also got worse with Gold Glover Brendan Rodgers sidelined. Not even a healthy Kris Bryant could help get this team out of the NL West basement.25. Pittsburgh Pirates Projected record Division odds WS odds 67-95 +5000 +15000 This year's version of the Pirates might be the best in years but could also be fool's gold. Pittsburgh brought in a number of veterans like Andrew McCutchen, Rich Hill, Ji-Man Choi, and Carlos Santana to support its youth, but how much of a difference will these past-their-prime players make? Oneil Cruz is extremely exciting, but this club still looks like a bottom-feeder in the NL Central.26. Kansas City Royals Projected record Division odds WS odds 69-93 +3000 +10000 Bobby Witt Jr. enters his second big-league season with the goal of taking the next step toward stardom. A slew of homegrown youngsters, including Vinnie Pasquantino and Kyle Isbel, will join him on this rebuilding squad, which will battle the Tigers for fourth place. Witt might be a potential franchise cornerstone, but not even his marked improvement can lift this group to new heights in 2023. The rebuild is in full swing, and the growing pains will again be felt all summer.27. Detroit Tigers Projected record Division odds WS odds 69-93 +3000 +10000 The sting of another rebuilding season in Detroit will be soothed as the Tigers say goodbye to franchise icon Miguel Cabrera, whose farewell tour and the memories of his Triple Crown-winning prime will be the feature story at Comerica Park. Maybe that will ease the pressure on some of the Tigers' youngsters like former No. 1 pick Spencer Torkelson, allowing them to quietly focus on finally reaching their potential while Miggy gets the spotlight one more time. For the sake of the franchise, the Tigers should hope that happens.28. Cincinnati Reds Projected record Division odds WS odds 65-97 +6000 +25000 It s shaping up to be another long summer in Cincinnati. The Reds didn t do much in the offseason, adding a handful of veterans, most notably Wil Myers. If there s one thing fans should be excited about, it s the trio of young arms atop the rotation. Nick Lodolo, Hunter Greene, and Graham Ashcraft showed flashes in 2022 and are entering the campaign with high hopes. Spencer Steer is another intriguing young player to monitor. Steer was acquired last year in the trade for Tyler Mahle and is entering the season as the club's everyday third baseman.29. Washington Nationals Projected record Division odds WS odds 59-103 +20000 +50000 A lot more growing pains are expected for the Nationals this year after losing 107 games in 2022. At least there's a young core in place that can mature together. Keibert Ruiz, fresh off an eight-year extension, CJ Abrams, Josiah Grey, and MacKenzie Gore have all flashed potential to be impact players at the major-league level. They will get plenty of playing time and freedom to learn in Washington.30. Oakland Athletics Projected record Division odds WS odds 60-102 +20000 +50000 The Athletics' direction is pretty clear. This is a full-on rebuild. Expectations are low in the Bay Area, but there are some exciting players to keep an eye on like Esteury Ruiz and Japanese import Shintaro Fujinami. Sixty wins might be a stretch for this team, though.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Guardians and Reds finalized the deal that sent Will Benson to Cincinnati tonight, with left-handed pitcher Steve Hajjar, a second-round pick in the 2021 draft who the Reds acquired from the Twins in the Tyler Mahle trade last summer alongside Spencer Steer and Christian Encarnacion-Strand, headed to the Guardians. Both teams have announced Hajjar’s…

The Guardians and Reds finalized the deal that sent Will Benson to Cincinnati tonight, with left-handed pitcher Steve Hajjar, a second-round pick in the 2021 draft who the Reds acquired from the Twins in the Tyler Mahle trade last summer alongside Spencer Steer and Christian Encarnacion-Strand, headed to the Guardians. Both teams have announced Hajjar’s…