2019 MLB Season Preview

By Peyton Schultze

After a heartbreaking finish to 2018, Justin Turner and the Los Angeles Dodgers look poised for another deep run in October (via Scoopnest).

Well that was fast.

On Thursday, baseball is back with 15 big games around the country. This offseason was a wild one, filled with high drama over contracts and question marks about the urgency of several organizations. No matter, Major League Baseball returns around-the-clock on Thursday, March 26th, for the intriguing 2019 regular season.

Who will win the divisions and who will take home the notable awards late in the season? Who will surprise and who will disappoint? And who will walk away with a World Series win at the end of the year? We have that covered and more in our 2019 MLB Preview.

Players to Watch

After a breakout season last year, Blake Snell of the Rays will look to have another superb year on the mound for Tampa Bay (via Empire Sports Media).

SP Blake Snell, Tampa Bay Rays: Snell was one of 2018’s true breakout players, helping the Rays almost secure a Wild Card berth and wining the AL Cy Young. But with a bit more of expectations this year, Snell will be called upon to carry the Rays’ roster every fifth day. Can he replicate his success from last year and help the Rays return to the playoffs?

RF Mookie Betts, Boston Red Sox: The reigning AL MVP gained consideration as a top three player in the league last year after batting .346 with 32 home runs on the way to winning a World Series title. But with a depleted bullpen and a streaky rotation, the Red Sox will need Betts to help carry the load on offense. Will he be able to, or will he show that last season may have been more of a fluke?

CF Byron Buxton, Minnesota Twins: Labeled as one of the biggest busts in recent memory, Buxton has had an excellent Spring Training that is inspiring many to pick Minnesota as a surprise contender in the American League. Buxton has some great defense already, but can he develop his bat even more and become the franchise player that the Twins need him to be?

3B Matt Chapman, Oakland Athletics: One of the game’s best players that is rarely talked about, Chapman helped lead the A’s to a surprise appearance in the AL Wild Card Game in 2018. It will take a lot for him to be recognized as one of the game’s elite third basemen, but helping the A’s win the AL West in 2019 over the Houston Astros would be a solid step for him.

OF/P Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: After a season that saw the young phenom take home the 2018 AL Rookie of the Year award, Ohtani is one of the league’s most interesting players to watch. Ohtani won’t pitch in 2019 at all due to an elbow injury, but it will fascinating to watch his development as a hitter in the Halos’ lineup when he returns from injury during the season.

LF Juan Soto, Washington Nationals: Although fellow 2018 rookie Ronald Acuna Jr. is garnering all of the headlines as a dark-horse MVP candidate in 2019, Soto may be even may poised to take a bigger jump at such a young age. The Nationals expect to be a solid club in 2019 despite the loss of Bryce Harper, so look for Soto to take off as the Nats’ face of the franchise and make his first All-Star Game in the upcoming year.

SP Aaron Nola, Philadelphia Phillies: Nola is overwhelmingly being picked by many to win the 2019 NL Cy Young award. Is that fair in a league that has elite names such as Scherzer, deGrom, Kershaw, Lester, Buehler, and Bumgarner? Nola may have a great year, but will face a ton of high expectations throughout the season on one of the MLB’s most interesting teams.

RF Yasiel Puig, Cincinnati Reds: Puig’s Dodger career is finally over, which could be a great or terrible thing for the explosive outfielder. On one hand, Puig could thrive in a short ballpark with little to no expectations. On the other, Puig could drive another city crazy with his antics and hurt his free-agent stock for next season. Whatever the case, it will be fascinating to watch per usual.

3B Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs: Kris Bryant wasn’t the same in 2018. As for most of the Cubs’ players outside of Javier Baez, Bryant struggled through a few spurts and was not one of the league’s top players throughout his campaign last year. The Cubs face some major competition in a tough NL Central and will need their best position player to step up in a major way this year.

SS Corey Seager, Los Angeles Dodgers: Arguably the Dodgers’ best all-around player, Seager will be a major “addition” to the LA lineup after missing the majority of last season. With his solid glove at shortstop and status as one of the game’s top hitters, look for Seager to return from two major surgeries in a big way.

AL and NL Cy Young Winners

It’s hard to imagine a situation where Max Scherzer is not at least in the top-three for NL Cy Young voting in 2019 (via Flipboard).

AL Cy Young

1. Chris Sale, LHP, Boston Red Sox

2. Justin Verlander, RHP, Houston Astros

3. Blake Snell, LHP, Tampa Bay Rays

4. Gerrit Cole, RHP, Houston Astros

5. James Paxton, LHP, New York Yankees

Blake Snell was the darling of MLB awards voting last year, which propelled him to the 2018 Cy Young award after an exceptional season. However, many debated if he truly should have won, especially with electric seasons from Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole, both of the Houston Astros. Both will be motivated to take back the award in 2019, especially with a team that figures to be one of the AL’s best. Yet the award favorite should be Chris Sale, as long as the lean lefty is and can stay healthy. Sale is one of the game’s best and the true ace of the Red Sox rotation, which should once again be prominent throughout the season. If there is one dark-horse, it could be a member of the Indians’ rotation or brand-new Yankee, James Paxton. The Yankees’ ace, Luis Severino, is expected to miss the first part of the season, which could open the door for Paxton to highlight his talent on the game’s most marketable team.

NL Cy Young

1. Max Scherzer, RHP, Washington Nationals

2. Jacob deGrom, RHP, New York Mets

3. Walker Buehler, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers

4. Clayton Kershaw, LHP, Los Angeles Dodgers

5. Aaron Nola, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies

Even though Jacob deGrom won the Cy Young award last season with spectacular numbers, it is not hard to say that the game’s best pitcher right now, Max Scherzer, is the clear favorite for the 2019 NL Cy Young Award. Scherzer and deGrom are elite pitchers with wicked stuff and great control, which could bode well for someone like Walker Buehler who possesses a similar skillset. Buehler was fantastic for much of last season, and especially in big-game playoff matchups, and could rise up to be one of the game’s best pitchers in the 2019 season. Aaron Nola seems to be the preseason darling early on, and you can never count out the future Hall-of-Famer in Clayton Kershaw, who will be motivated to have a bounce-back campaign.

AL and NL MVPs

Nolan Arenado may be due to finally win his first NL MVP award of his illustrious career with the Colorado Rockies (via Flipboard).

AL MVP

1. Mike Trout, CF, Los Angeles Angels

2. Mookie Betts, RF, Boston Red Sox

3. Aaron Judge, RF, New York Yankees

4. Jose Altuve, 2B, Houston Astros,

5. J.D. Martinez, DH/OF, Boston Red Sox

If Mike Trout is completely healthy, how can anyone bet against him? He’s the game’s far-and-away best player and will likely put up unreal numbers once again. However, Mookie Betts challenged Trout at the top last year and will look to rack up back-to-back wins in the department. But Aaron Judge will also likely have a lot to say about this race as well, as long as he is healthy. Judge is truly one of the face’s of the league and mashes at Yankee Stadium, so look for him to go off once again this season. Jose Altuve suffered a major injury at the end of last year which affected his play. Altuve is the game’s best second baseman and a former-MVP as well, so look for him to put up some gaudy numbers for the ‘Stros in 2019. Lastly, J.D. Martinez may be the game’s best pure hitter, which puts him slightly above others like Francisco Lindor and Giancarlo Stanton. Martinez should thrive as a DH in the American League once again in the upcoming season.

NL MVP

1. Nolan Arenado, 3B, Colorado Rockies

2. Corey Seager, SS, Los Angeles Dodgers

3. Christian Yelich, LF, Milwaukee Brewers

4. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, St. Louis Cardinals

5. Bryce Harper, RF, Philadelphia Phillies

One of these days, Nolan Arenado has to win the NL MVP, right? After several straight years of elite all-around play, Arenado is deserving of such hardware and will be motivated after receiving a new contract from Colorado. Who else will be motivated? Corey Seager should return to his elite level of play now that he is fully healthy and will look to get the Dodgers over the World Series hump. Christian Yelich will look to take the league by storm again in 2019 and will look to get the Brewers over their Dodger-hump and into their first World Series ever. In St. Louis, Paul Goldschmidt will likely put up even more gigantic numbers than ever before in Arizona. If the Cardinals make a playoff push, Goldy should be in the thick of the race when award season comes rolling around. As for Bryce Harper, the All-Star will be motivated to prove his $300 million contract was a bargain for the Phillies after a frustrating 2018 with the Nationals. As a former-MVP himself, Harper has the biggest boom-or-bust potential out of the group.

Divisional Races

AL East

Mookie Betts and the Boston Red Sox should be able to slightly outpace the rest of their AL East opponents (via Sporting News).

1. Boston Red Sox (Projected: 98-64): The current version of the team is certainly short of how dominant the 2018 Red Sox were, but the team still has budding superstars across the board. With a potent lineup and solid starting pitching with Chris Sale as their ace, the Red Sox should be on the path toward another AL East title. However, watch out for their shaky bullpen that lost their two best relivers from last season, Joe Kelly and Craig Kimbrel.

2. New York Yankees (Projected: 95-697): The 2019 Yankees will probably have the exact same formula as last year: mash the long ball and get to their dominant bullpen with a lead. The Bronx Bombers will benefit if they can get a full year out of superstar Aaron Judge, as he was missed dearly when he was out with injury last season. The Yankees might be a bit better on paper than they were last year, but will barely miss out on winning the AL East. However, they’ll likely get a shot at redemption once again in the playoffs.

3. Tampa Bay Rays (Projected: 87-75): Tampa Bay is one of the most interesting teams heading into the new year, especially after falling just short of the playoffs last year. Don’t expect this young team to be a legitimate contender in the American League, but the Rays could find a way into the playoffs with a well-rounded squad managed by Kevin Cash.

4. Toronto Blue Jays (Projected: 72-90) The Blue Jays aren’t the league’s best team by any means, but they also aren’t the worst. It will be tough for Toronto to make the playoffs in a top-heavy AL, but the team will certainly generate some noise with the expected arrival of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at the Major League level in 2019. The Jays won’t make the playoffs, but should be at least interesting to watch.

5. Baltimore Orioles (Projected:45-117): Last year, the Orioles had 47 wins. And that was with more than half a season with one of the game’s best players in All-Star Manny Machado. The Orioles may be the worst team throughout the league, and have very little promise at all heading into the upcoming season.

AL Central

The Indians dynamic duo of Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez will likely determine how far the team goes in 2019 (via Flipboard).

1. Cleveland Indians (Projected: 89-73): The Indians took a step back last year and are poised to do once again, especially with a plethora of early injuries. But that doesn’t mean that they still won’t win the AL Central, as they still have Francisco Lindor, Jose Ramirez and a great starting rotation. The Indians aren’t the AL’s best right now, but should still see the light of October.

2. Minnesota Twins (Projected 86-76): If there’s any threat to the Indians at the top of the AL Central, it’s the Twins. A year ago, the Twins failed to meet expectations after a great 2017 campaign that saw them in the postseason. Now, however, the Indians are vulnerable and the Twins may have a shot at the division title with some new bats in the lineup such as Nelson Cruz.

3. Chicago White Sox (Projected: 66-96): The White Sox whiffed on their pursuit of Manny Machado this offseason and the organization faces some tough questions. Their roster additions should bulk up their win total, but still makes them a middle-of-the-pack team that doesn’t quite suck, but isn’t great either.

4. Detroit Tigers (Projected: 59-103): Even with future Hall-of-Famer Miguel Cabrera still on the books, the Tigers are another team with little hope. Detroit looks like they will be also losing their ace, Michael Fulmer, to Tommy John surgery soon as well, so it’s not looking very bright right now in The Motor City.

5. Kansas City Royals (Projected: 55-107): The Royals won a World Series just a few seasons ago, but are stuck in a lengthy rebuild after their core pieces from that championship were traded or left for money. The team is not as bad as others at the bottom, but will not be competitive in the American League in 2018.

AL West

George Springer has been an offensive lightning rod in October in the last two postseasons, and will look to help the Astros return to the Fall Classic (via Flipboard).

1. Houston Astros (Projected: 99-63): A season ago, the Astros experienced a bit of a World Series hangover and dealt with a surplus of key injuries. This year, however, Houston once again looks loaded and ready to compete for a world title again. With health from the core of Carlos Correa, Jose Altuve, George Springer and Alex Bregman, the Astros have the ability to win it all once again.

2. Los Angeles Angels (Projected: 89-73): The Angels aren’t a World Series contender, but could sneak into the playoffs. The Halos have a solid starting lineup and have the best player in the world, making them a challenger to anyone. If the Angels can acquire a starting pitcher soon or down the line, the Angels could be the second Wild Card team in the AL.

3. Oakland Athletics (Projected: 82-80): From year to year, the Oakland Athletics remain the hardest team to pick. When they look bad, they sneak into the postseason. When they look better than normal, they fail to meet expectations. The A’s are a threat in the AL West, but we’ll say they’re a bit more mediocre than people believe.

4. Seattle Mariners (Projected: 74-88): The Mariners have the advantage over the rest of the league at the moment, with a 2-0 record against the A’s in Japan. The Mariners are not great, but have some solid players in their lineup still to go along with an above average bullpen. The Mariners probably won’t make the playoffs this year, but you never know.

5. Texas Rangers (Projected: 69-93): Texas has been unable to have a lot of success in the past few seasons, and is looking at an uphill climb toward a successful rebuild. With that being said, the Rangers at least have some building blocks in the organization that will help them win some games and avoid being the worst in the league. Texas is a few years away, but at least in a decent direction going forward.

NL East

Bryce Harper and the Phillies look like a dangerous threat in the National League (via NBC Sports).

1. Philadelphia Phillies (Projected: 92-70): Watch out, the Phillies are about to become one of the most highly scrutinized teams in the league following a splashy offseason. In landing Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto, the Phillies look like a team that should make the playoffs. But with a tough division around them, will they be able to live up to expectations?

2. Atlanta Braves (Projected: 90-72): Many analysts are not giving into the Braves’ success in 2018. We are. The Braves’ young core returns for another year and looks to ride high near the top of the NL East. While this team does not look better than Philadelphia on paper right now, they still look like a solid playoff team that is still continuing to develop.

3. Washington Nationals (Projected: 85-77): The Nationals are one of the hardest teams to figure out heading into the season. On one end, they beefed up their already-solid pitching staff. On the other, they just lost their best player in franchise history. This team will fight for a playoff spot until the end, but may find themselves just short.

4. New York Mets (Projected: 83-79): While it doesn’t look great for the Mets to be ranked fourth in their division, New York’s other team looks a lot better now than it did heading into the offseason. The Mets still have an unreal starting rotation, and will rely upon their arms to possibly carry them to a postseason appearance. The Mets aren’t too far off from the playoffs, but will need a little luck to get them there in 2019.

5. Miami Marlins (Projected: 55-107): This is certainly the NL’s worst team and the Marlins do not look like they are heading in any sort of a positive direction. The NL East keeps getting better around them, and the Marlins seem to be sitting around and waiting to fill a mostly-empty stadium. Miami is in trouble again this year.

NL Central

Kris Bryant and the Chicago Cubs are looking for a bounce-back season in 2019 (via Clipboard).

1. Chicago Cubs (Projected: 96-66): Similar to the Astros last year, the Cubs were plagued by injuries and inconsistency, which resulted in a disappointing season. With that being said, the Cubs only lost the division to the Brewers in a play-in game, and return most of their same core. If Chicago can avoid injuries to their best players, the Cubs look like the best team in the NL Central.

2. Milwaukee Brewers (Projected: 93-69): After a miraculous season that almost resulted in a World Series berth, the Brewers may come down to Earth a bit in 2019. However, this team is certainly still playoff-bound a legit threat to any team in the National League. Don’t count the Brew Crew out just yet.

3. St. Louis Cardinals (Projected: 88-74): Although the Cardinals almost banked on opponents’ struggles around them, they did so with a successful core of young and emerging players. The Cardinals added some pieces this offseason, and once again look like a top-tier NL team. Although they’re low in our rankings, don’t be shocked if St. Louis runs the table in the National League.

4. Cincinnati Reds (Projected: 77-85): The Reds made some interesting choices this offseason, especially in adding Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig to their surprisingly-solid lineup. The Reds might not make the playoffs this year, but will beat some good teams and cause some noise in the NL. The team isn’t near the top but will play hard for wins in 2019.

5. Pittsburgh Pirates (Projected: 60-102): Another one of the league’s bottom-feeders, the Pirates look to be a sure lock for last place in the NL Central. Without much promise or talent across the board, the Pirates will struggle throughout the year. For a city as prideful in their sport’s teams as Pittsburgh, the 2019 Pirates are not up to their standards.

NL West

No player faces more pressure in the upcoming season than Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers (via Yard Barker).

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (Projected: 98-64): After back-to-back World Series losses, no team in the league has more urgency to win now more than the Boys in Blue. For Los Angeles, the season begins with some big worries about the health of Clayton Kershaw and Rich Hill, but still remains the NL’s best for the time being with the deepest roster in the league. It’s now or never for the Dodgers in 2019.

2. Colorado Rockies (Projected: 83-79): The Rockies are certainly a solid squad, but lack the wide array of superstar powers that other teams in the National League possess. While the Rockies still have the game’s best third baseman and key pieces such as Charlie Blackmon, Trevor Story and a young staff, it’s hard to trust if the Rockies will have another postseason appearance after possibly reaching their ceiling in 2019.

3. San Diego Padres (Projected: 75-87): San Diego has been terrible for the better part of the last decade, but looks as if they may slowly begin to trend upward. Part of this is due to the arrival of Manny Machado, who will help groom the Padres’ young core of players into a new era. San Diego will be more competitive than they have been in years, but there time is not quite yet.

4. Arizona Diamondbacks (Projected: 71-91): The Diamondbacks fall short of a “bad” team, but they will not be in contention this season after blowing it up in the offseason. Although they still have some weapons such as Zack Greinke and Robbie Ray, Arizona does not look like a threat to win the NL West this year.

5. San Francisco Giants (Projected: 63-99): This looks like the team most destined to blow it all up. In Bruce Bochy’s final season of manager, the Giants look like they will trade away many core pieces from the Bochy-era if they fall out of contention. The Giants at least have Madison Bumgarner and Buster Posey (for now), but will struggle mightily in 2019.

Playoff Picture

The Dodgers have the most urgency, and most pressure, among teams to win the World Series in 2019 (via Dodgers Blogs).

Wild Card

• Yankees over Angels

• Brewers over Braves

Divisional Round

• Red Sox over Indians (3)

• Astros over Yankees (5)

• Dodgers over Brewers (4)

• Cubs over Phillies (4)

Championship Round

• Astros over Red Sox (7)

• Dodgers over Cubs (6)

World Series

• Dodgers over Astros (7)