Better late than never, we have arrived at opening week of the 2022 MLB season.
With — among other changes — more playoff spots available, is this the year your favorite team will make a run in October? Will your favorite player win a postseason award?
No one can know for sure, which is why we put 38 ESPN writers, analysts and editors on the spot to predict what will happen in baseball this year, from the wild-card contenders all the way up to the World Series champion, plus the MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year in both leagues.
For each category, we've asked a contributor or two to explain why they chose what they chose. Were they on the mark … or way off? We'll know about seven months from now, if they post this page on social media — or pretend it never existed.
Here goes!
AL East
Our pick: Blue Jays (29 votes)
Who else got votes? Rays (5), Red Sox (2), Yankees (2)
The Blue Jays are heavy favorites among our voters in the AL East. You picked the Rays. Tell us why.
The name of the game in 2022 is pitching depth and power hitting. You need lots of pitching to get through a season and you have to hit home runs to score — and that's how the Rays won 100 games in 2021. No team has the pitching depth to match Tampa Bay's — and young arms Shane McClanahan, Luis Patino and Shane Baz can improve or, in Baz's case, once he returns from arthroscopic surgery on his elbow, make an immediate impact as a rookie. The Rays, oh by the way, scored more runs than the Blue Jays last season. Maybe the offense overachieved a bit, but it will benefit from a full season from sophomore Wander Franco, the rising superstar who might win the batting title.
AL Central
Our pick: White Sox (34 votes)
Who else got votes? Twins (4)
All but four of our voters chose the White Sox to win the division. You picked the Twins. Explain yourself!
I am leaning into the great potential of their lineup. The upside up the middle is limitless with Byron Buxton, Carlos Correa, Jorge Polanco (33 home runs last season) and a focused Gary Sanchez. Then you add Miguel Sano, and a contact hitter like Luis Arraez and they can make pitchers truly work. They were an above-average defensive team last season that added a Gold Glove shortstop. It will take some breakout seasons by the other young players, especially on the mound, but they have the talent to do just that.
AL West
Our pick: Astros (35 votes)
Who else got votes? Angels (2), Mariners (1)
The Astros were a nearly unanimous pick here. You were the sole voter who took the Mariners. Why Seattle > Houston?
Did you see Seattle's offseason? The Mariners are loaded and can actually still play the underdog card even though they became a known quantity last year. The addition of Robbie Ray might be the single most important addition for any team. He fills such a big void at the top of the rotation, while Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suarez bring the kind of veteran bats any team needs when it wants to make a leap in the standings. While they were adding, the Astros lost their star shortstop and pitching coach. Don't underestimate the latter change as Brent Strom was instrumental in helping along Houston's young pitchers. It'll be a tight race, but Seattle will prevail.