How every team could win the World Series this year

In 2023, the Yankees finished 4th in the AL East and very much on the outside looking in when it came to the September pennant race. That doesn't fly in the Bronx, so during the offseason, the Bombers turned back the clock a little bit and had their most aggressive winter in recent memory in hopes of catapulting themselves back into October. New York acquired superstar outfielder Juan Soto from San Diego. They made a rare trade with Boston to bring in outfielder Alex Verdugo. Veteran righty Marcus Stroman was signed as a free agent to help stabilize the rotation. All of these moves will help significantly, but the Yankees won't get to where they want to go if Aaron Judge again misses extended periods of time on the IL. And even with the addition of Stroman, New York's rotation will need Carlos Rodon to have a much better second season in the Bronx, especially with the news that Gerrit Cole will miss at least a month to start the season.

There was a time when the AL East was an annual dogfight between the Yankees and Red Sox and seeing those two proud franchises finishing 4th and last in the East in 2023 was a little jarring. There has clearly been a changing of the guard in this division, and Boston, in particular, seems to have fallen off considerably. For the Red Sox to seriously compete for a title in '24 they'll need a lot of things to break right. For starters, third baseman Rafael Devers will probably have to win the American League MVP award. But the supporting cast will also have to step up considerably. Trevor Story will need to stay healthy. Masataka Yoshiba must deliver another good year. Triston Casas probably would need to blossom into a star. Newcomers Tyler O'Neill and Vaughn Grissom have to emerge as legitimate contributors. The rotation also looks extremely dire on paper, especially with free-agent addition Lucas Giolito already out for the season. All in all, Boston is noticeably 5th in the East on paper, but games are played on the field, and who knows, if enough goes right maybe they can surprise. 

The 2023 season was a little bit of a paradox in Baltimore. By almost every metric, it was the Orioles' best season in a long, long time. The O's won 101 regular season games--their most since 1979--and finished with the best record and the top seed in the American League. Baltimore's young core all blossomed together and heading into October, expectations in Charm City were through the roof. And then seven months of good vibes came crashing down in just a few days. The Orioles were swept away in the first round by the Rangers, leaving a bitter taste in the mouths of everyone involved. Heading into '24, everyone is determined to finish the deal this time around. To do so, the O's will again need their young stars like Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson to lead the way. Role players like Cedric Mullins, Ryan O'Hearn, and Austin Hays were all good in '23 and will need to be again. Then there's young Jackson Holliday, the brightest prospect in the game, who could come up and give this team a massive boost. On the mound, the addition of bonafide ace Corbin Burnes will really help, provided he can stay healthy. Losing Kyle Bradish to injury hurts, but if young Grayson Rodriguez can take the next step, it would help offset that. The biggest thing for the young O's will be using the postseason experience they gained last October as fuel to keep their eyes on the prize all year long. 

For most of the 2023 season the Rays had the best record in the American League, and while they ultimately finished two games behind Baltimore in the AL East, their 99 wins were the fourth most in all of baseball. But just like the Orioles, the Rays season ended in disappointment thanks to the eventual World Series champion Rangers. Tampa lost to Texas two games to none in the Wild Card round, leaving the Rays to go home shaking their heads. Heading into 2024, Tampa Bay should again be very good. In Randy Arozarena, Isaac Paredes, and Yandy Diaz they have a dynamic offensive trio. Brandon Lowe is capable of being the team's top left-handed bat, and I really believe rookie shortstop Junior Caminero will become a star. On the pitching side, Tampa Bay needs Zach Eflin and Aaron Civale to capably lead this staff, and for young Taj Bradley to take the next step. The thing with the Rays is that they don't have the same margin for error as other teams because they don't have the funds to go out and bring in big-name replacements if things don't go as planned. But this is one of the smartest organizations in baseball, and more often than not, they get things right. 

The Toronto Blue Jays qualified for the playoffs as the final AL Wild Card team in 2023, but despite having three teams in the tournament, the AL East did not win a single postseason game. Just like the Orioles and Rays, the Blue Jays were swept aside, falling to the Twins in the Wild Card round. Toronto will again be strong on paper, as Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, George Springer, and Alejandro Kirk give them a strong offensive core. The addition of veteran Justin Turner will only help this line-up as well. Pitching-wise Toronto has a strong veteran staff with Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt, Jose Berrios, and Yusei Kukichi. The one guy I see who could really elevate this club's ceiling is second baseman Cavan Biggio. If he can take his game to the next level, it would really make this team hard to beat. All in all, I really like Toronto, and see it as a team that will be a factor all year long. 

The Twins are coming off an excellent 2023 season that saw them win 87 games en route to the AL Central Crown. They then defeated Toronto in the Wild Card round before falling to Houston in a tightly contested ALDS. Heading into 2024 this is a team eager to get over the hump and take the next step in October. To do so, they will need to get massive contributions from their star players. I simply do not see a path where Minnesota represents the AL in the Fall Classic without Carlos Correa, Byron Buxton, and Royce Lewis all having big years and most importantly, avoiding the injured list. The addition of veteran Carlos Santana will bring a productive switch-hitter to the middle of this line-up, and Max Kepler and Alex Kirilloff can be decent role players. On the mound, the Twins are really going to feel the loss of Sonny Gray. Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan, and Bailey Ober are all solid, but the depth of this rotation is going to be questioned. Jhoan Duran is very good at the end of games, but the bridge to get him the ball could be a little better. At the end of the day, the Twins are probably still the team to beat in the Central, but they'll need a bunch to go right in order to emerge as the best team in the American League. 

The Guardians underperformed significantly in 2023. After winning 92 games and taking the AL Central crown in '22, their win total slipped all the way to 76 a season ago. There were a number of reasons for that. Righty Triston McKenzie was limited to only four starts thanks to multiple arm injuries. Shane Bieber's ERA went up nearly a full run. Emmanuel Clase's ERA went up nearly two full runs and he blew 12 saves. And that's just on the mound. Second baseman Andres Gimenez was a shell of his all-star self from the previous year. And outside of Jose Ramirez this line-up did not contribute anywhere near enough offense. To flip the script in '24, all of the issues mentioned above will need to rectify themselves. Josh Naylor will have to continue to emerge as the team's secondary offensive piece behind Ramirez. His brother Bo will have to develop into a solid everyday catcher. A potentially interesting name to know with this team is first baseman Kyle Manzardo, who was acquired in a deadline deal with Tampa last summer. The 23-year-old slugger has significant power and in theory could help really lengthen this offensive attack. Cleveland does have enough its roster to make you curious of their potential if enough things go right, but it's hard to really feel confident. 

The Kansas City Royals went 56-106 in 2023, better than only Oakland in all of Major League Baseball. So, the idea of them all of a sudden competing for a World Series title just a year later does admittedly feel farfetched, but hey, it's the season for optimism, right? And to be totally honest, the Royals do bring a much better team to camp than the one that finished 2023. For them to really win, though, I would say with certainty that their best player, shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., would have to be the American League MVP. Veteran hitters Salvador Perez and Hunter Renfroe both must become leading contributors. And younger guys like Kyle Isbel, MJ Melendez, and Vinnie Pasquantino will all need to make significant year over year jumps. On the mound, this rotation does have a chance to be much better. Veteran free agent additions Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha should bring improved stability. For the Royals to surprise, though, young hurler Cole Ragans would likely need to develop into an all-star. Brady Singer would have to have a massive rebound campaign. This bullpen has been completely overhauled with veterans that should help, but Kansas City will still undoubtedly be behind the eight ball. 

While the Royals were not good in 2023, their division rivals in Chicago were substantially more disappointing. Coming into the season with moderate to high expectations, the White Sox were an unmitigated disaster from start to finish, limping to a paltry 61-101 finish. This is a hard team to figure heading into '24 because the White Sox overturned their roster more than any other club this winter. Chicago is currently expected to have 13 new players on its opening-day roster, and many experts suspect more moves are coming. To completely change the perception around this team so many things would have to go right, but let's give it a shot. Ace righty Dylan Cease would have to return to his 2022 form--and also not get traded. Newcomers in the rotation Erick Fedde, Mike Soroka, and Chris Flexen would all need to contribute career years. The bullpen loaded with veterans--including many in camp on non-roster invites--must become a strength. Luis Robert, Andrew Vaughn, Eloy Jimenez, and Yoan Moncada must all stay healthy and become arguably the best four-headed offensive monster in the AL. Paul DeJong and Nicky Lopez will have to become a formidable middle infield duo. A lot of these things are sort of hard to envision, but anything can happen, right?

The Tigers quietly enter 2024 as a dark horse contender. After winning only 66 games in 2022 they jumped that total to 78 a year ago, and this is the season many within the organization believe they can make a push for a playoff spot. But like so many other teams, for that to happen, a lot will have to go right. Their first round picks from the '19 and '20 draft, Riley Geene and Spencer Torkelson, have both emerged as productive regulars, and now both will need to perform at an all-star level. The club's top prospect, Colt Keith, must become an instant difference maker at the sport's highest level. Javy Baez needs to turn back the clock. Veterans Gio Urshela and Mark Canha will need to be solid role players and also leaders. On the mound, Tarik Skubal simply has to stay healthy for a full season. Behind him, Jack Flaherty must rediscover his St. Louis prime, while Kenta Maeda anchors the middle of the staff. Detroit's closer, Alex Lange, is very good, but he'll have to avoid letting any wins slip away, as the Tigers will need every single one they can get. 

When it comes to the Texas Rangers, the path to winning another World Series is straightforward. Keep doing what you're doing. The Rangers were lethal in October last year, taking out numerous high-powered clubs on their way to their first-ever championship. To run it back, they know what they need to do. Middle infielders Corey Seager and Marcus Semien need to continue providing production, stability, and veteran leadership. Adolis Garcia and Josh Jung must stay healthy and bring feared right-handed bats, while Nathaniel Lowe delivers left-handed pop down in the order. Young Wyatt Langford is about to make his big-league debut, and if he lives up to the hype this line-up will really be scary. Pitching-wise, Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer will both miss the early portion of the year, so there will be some pressure on Nathan Eovaldi, Jon Gray, Andrew Heaney, and company to keep this staff afloat. That said, the Rangers are incredibly strong on paper, and you have to take them seriously as potential repeat champion. 

The Astros have to be sick over the way last season ended, losing in the ALCS to their in-state archrivals and then having to watch the Rangers win the World Series. Heading into 2024, it's safe to assume motivation is at an all-time high with this veteran Houston team. To reclaim their seat as the premier American League squad, the biggest thing for the Astros will be avoiding the injury bug. This team's core is impressively dynamic, but an extended absence for somebody like Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, Jose Abreu, Kyle Tucker, or Alex Bregman could throw a wrench into things. Pitching-wise, Justin Verlander is already a little behind schedule, so guys like Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier, and Hunter Brown will need to pick up the slack. Bringing in Josh Hader to pair with Ryan Pressly at the end of games gives Houston a lethal late-game bullpen. The Astros really don't have to reinvent the wheel here. They're fantastic and have been wildly successful in recent years. The idea of them returning to the Fall Classic is not farfetched one bit.  

Morale around the Angels is honestly not all that high at the moment. The instant Shohei Ohtani signed his massive free agent agreement with the Dodgers the Halos had officially squandered the Ohtani and Trout era, and be honest, when is the next time the two best players in the sport will be on the same team? I'll wait. Then there's third baseman Anthony Rendon saying he doesn't really love baseball and it's just a job to him, while he's been comically horrendous ever since coming to southern California. For the Angels to shock the world and all of a sudden make a run in the post-Ohtani era, the charge will obviously have to be led by Mike Trout. There's just not a realistic path to contention for them that doesn't include the veteran winning his 4th MVP. After that, I mean, maybe the aforementioned Rendon can return to his 2019 form that earned him his immense payday. Mikey Moniak and Nolan Schanuel are both exciting young hitters and Taylor Ward and Brandon Drury can be helpful role players. Run prevention will likely be a problem though, as this rotation on paper looks thin, and will need multiple guys to deliver career years. 

The Seattle Mariners started slowly in 2023 before going on a hellacious second-half run that took them to the brink of a playoff spot. Unfortunately, in the end they finished one skinny game behind Toronto for the final Wild Card berth. The Mariners are determined to not that let that happen again. Seattle brings back a strong offensive core led by its best player Julio Rodriguez, who will be looking to continue his ascension into superstardom in year three. J.P. Crawford, Cal Raleigh, and Ty France have all been solid role players for this team for years, and that will have to continue in 2024. The M's did make a plethora of outside additions as well, beginning with second baseman Jorge Polanco who could prove to be an enormous acquisition. Mitch Garver has a tremendous amount of raw power, and his addition should help keep both he and Raleigh healthy, as they can rotate between catcher and DH. Seattle's ability to seriously compete will come down to its pitching staff, as I have no concerns about the team's ability to score runs. The trio of Luis Castillo, Logan Gilbert, and George Kirby, more than anything else, is going to determine how far this team can go. 

The Oakland Athletics were nearly historically terrible in 2023, and I'm not sure I could look you in the eye and with a straight face tell you that there's an avenue for them to win the World Series in 2024. The A's have a substantial issue facing them in regard to where they're even going to play home games as early as next year, and they're planning on moving to Las Vegas as soon as possible. In the meantime, excitement surrounding the once-proud franchise is minimal. The A's do have a few bright spots, as both Brent Rooker and Esteury Ruiz showed promise last season. Lefty JP Sears has some potential in the rotation, but the rest of the team's starters--namely Paul Blackburn, Alex Wood, and Ross Stripling--are all likely to be traded in July. The Athletics are sadly stuck spinning their tires at the moment, and until they get some sort of clarity regarding their future, it's hard to take this organization all that seriously. 

The Mets entered last season with massive expectations, but those hopes and dreams were squashed rather early. Injuries and underperformance undermined the Mets season almost before it even started, and it was admittedly a long year in Queens. This time around very few pundits are taking New York seriously as a postseason threat, but perhaps flying under the radar a bit will help this team. The Mets still return an excellent core offense led by Pete Alonso, Francisco Lindor, Brandon Nimmo, and Jeff McNeil. Young catcher Francisco Alvarez crushed 25 home runs as a rookie in 2023, and if he's able to build on that as a sophomore, this team will have no trouble scoring runs. The Amazins' biggest issues in '23 were on the mound, though, and that's where they'll have to be much better to have any chance of competing. Kodai Senga is going to begin the year on the IL and will have to pitch like an ace when he returns. Beyond that, the Mets are desperate to get steady and reliable starting pitching from the quartet of Jose Quintana, Luis Severino, Sean Manaea, and Adrian Houser. Edwin Diaz leads a bullpen that could quietly be sneaky good, but the 2024 Mets are going to sink or swim with their rotation. 

Philadelphia has made deep October runs in each of the previous two postseasons, and in 2024 the Phillies are eager to close the deal. This is a veteran, battle-tested team that had very little turnover this winter and fully expects to be in the thick of things again. To get over the final hurdle and win the World Series, health will obviously be of the utmost importance. Most of Philadelphia's position players are over 30 years old, and a significant injury to someone like Bryce Harper, Nick Castellanos, Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, or J.T. Realmuto would be a problem. On the mound Philly is fortunate to have one of the better rotation duos in the game in Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola. Ranger Suarez, Taijuan Walker and Christopher Sanchez round out a starting five that is pretty solid. In the bullpen Philadelphia has plenty of arms that can close, but at least on paper it looks hard to forecast which roles guys will slide into. Figuring that out in spring training will be important to avoid confusion down the line.

The Braves were inarguably the best team in baseball during the 2023 regular season, but for the second consecutive October, they were sent packing by their archrivals from Philadelphia. Atlanta will be under legitimate pressure not to make an early exit in 2024 because, at the end of the day, winning from April to September is not enough. The Braves are absolutely stacked, and led by reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuna Jr., their offensive core is the envy of the rest of baseball. Spencer Strider and Max Fried are really good two-punch in the rotation, but the guy that could take this pitching staff to the next level is Chris Sale. The veteran southpaw was acquired from Boston in an offseason trade, and if he can turn back the clock Atlanta will be daunting to face in a short series. Raisel Iglesias is a good closer and the rest of this bullpen is stout. All in all, the Braves clearly have enough to win the World Series and should be considered one of the favorites to do so. Another October collapse, however, would start to conjure memories of the Braves of the '90s who consistently won their division but, more often than not, failed when it mattered most.

It's more likely than not that the 2024 season will be a challenging one for the Nationals. Washington willingly committed to a rebuild when it traded away superstar Juan Soto, and getting all the way back to perennial contention takes time. That said, there are a plethora of interesting players calling D.C. home, and perhaps they can all breakthrough at the same time and surprise some people. C.J. Abrams, MacKenzie Gore, and James Wood were all acquired in the Soto trade with San Diego, and that trio could in theory become the face of the next good Nats' team. Lane Thomas and Keibert Ruiz have blossomed into strong big-league regulars. Joey Gallo and Joey Meneses both have tremendous power. A wild card on this team is Nick Senzel, who was once one of baseball's premier prospects while with the Reds before scuffling for parts of four seasons in Cincinnati. Can he figure it out with a fresh start? Josiah Gray was much better in his second year with the Nationals, but he's still miscast as an ace. In Kyle Finnegan, Tanner Rainey, and Hunter Harvey Washington, there are three guys who bring tremendous velocity to the back of their bullpen. While on paper I think most would agree the Nationals look like the worst team in the NL East, they do have talent, and if enough goes right maybe things could get weird. 

Miami returned to the postseason for the first time in 20 years in 2023, and their two games to none sweep at the hands of the Phillies in the Wild Card round has this young Marlins team hungry for more. Miami's everyday line-up is intriguing. Luis Arraez has won back-to-back batting titles and is an excellent leadoff man. Jazz Chisholm Jr., Bryan De La Cruz, and Jesus Sanchez have all improved considerably over the last several years. Veterans Jake Burger, Josh Bell, and Avisail Garcia all bring experienced bats as well. I thought picking up Tim Anderson in late February was a prudent move, as despite a down year in '23 he should bring attitude and personality. On the mound, while the Marlins still have solid starters in Jesus Luzardo, Braxton Garrett, and Edward Cabrera, it's hard to understate how devastating the loss of Sandy Alcantara is. With their ace slated to miss the entire season recovering from Tommy John Surgery, there will be immense pressure on the rest of the staff, and how they perform will ultimately determine how far this team goes. 

The St. Louis Cardinals enter the 2024 season in rare territory. This is one of the most proud and respected franchises in baseball, but a devastatingly disappointing 2023 season has them on the brink of a reset. St. Louis desperately needs to get off to a good start in '24 because if it doesn't, multiple big-name players could be wearing new uniforms by the summer. For that to become a moot point, everything must begin and end with Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado. The Cardinals star corner infielders both need to swing the bat like MVP candidates and carry an offense that otherwise could be a little up and down. Jordan Walker would have to elevate his game in year two, and for the Cardinals to really become contenders the trio of Lars Nootbaar, Brendan Donovan, and Nolan Gorman must take significant leaps as well. On the mound, bringing in Sonny Gray was a solid pick-up, but he'll need serious help from Miles Mikolas, Lance Lynn, and Kyle Gibson. Ryan Helsley is a solid closer, but he missed most of last season on the IL. That simply cannot happen again. To be blunt, the Cardinals are up against it in '24, but stranger things have happened before, and I'd hesitate to completely discount their chances as long as they have Goldschmidt and Arenado. 

The Cubs stayed in the thick of the NL Wild Card race for the entire season, and ultimately fell just one game short of Arizona for the final playoff berth. Watching the Diamondbacks then run through the entire National League and make it to the Fall Classic had to make this Chicago team feel as if it could have been them. Most of the Cubs everyday line-up in 2024 will be the same as it was a year ago, and it's easy to envision the offense being pretty strong as a whole. Bringing back Cody Bellinger was critical, and it was nice to see the two sides get together on a deal in late February. Nico Hoerner, Dansby Swanson, and Ian Happ are all experienced guys who know how to play the game the right way. To me Christopher Morel is the player who can raise this team's ceiling more than anybody, as he's got as much pure talent as anyone in the game and is a threat to deliver a monster campaign. For the Cubs to win consistently, though, the rotation will have to take center stage. Justin Steele was excellent a year ago and will have to be again. It will be helpful if both Jameson Taillon and Kyle Hendricks could turn back the clock. And it's going to be critical that Shota Imanga makes a seamless transition to American baseball. Abert Alzolay pitched well in his first chance to close in '23, and he'll be one of the team's most important players, as they simply cannot let wins get away. 

The Brewers won the NL Central in 2023 and are easily the favorite to do so again here in 2024. In Christian Yelich, Willy Adames, Rhys Hoskins, and William Contreras, Milwaukee's offense has a strong veteran core, but their younger guys are honestly what gets you the most excited. If this team's young outfielders, Jackson Chourio, Garrett Mitchell, and Sal Frelick, can all blossom together, the Brewers all of a sudden become one of the game's scariest teams. Trading away Corbin Burnes hurt. There's no way to sugarcoat that, but don't give up on this rotation quite yet. Wade Miley has spent his entire career being perpetually underrated. Freddy Peralta is better than you think. And what if DL Hall--the Orioles' prospect who came here in the Burnes deal--turns out to be as good as many scouts have been predicting? Devin Williams is as dominant a closer as there is in the National League, so late leads will not slip away. All in all, Milwaukee *should* have little trouble winning this division, but similar to Atlanta, it will be judged by what happens in October. 

The Reds are potentially the most exciting young team in the game, and it's really not that hard to envision them catapulting themselves back into prominence in the very near future. Shortstop Elly De La Cruz is the true definition of a five-tool talent, and while he showcased some of what he can do as a rookie, I expect him to become one of the game's best players as early as this year. Matt McLain and Noelvi Marte both came up last year as well, and both should join De La Cruz in giving the Reds an incredibly promising infield. Spencer Steer and T.J. Friedl both enjoyed career seasons in 2023, and both will play big roles for this team again. The starting rotation is where things get a little dicey for the Reds. The club has been waiting for Hunter Greene to emerge as a legitimate ace for a while now, and that simply has to happen in 2024 for them to be successful. Guys like Graham Ashcraft and Nick Martinez will have to have career years, and Frankie Montas will have to rediscover the 2019 version of himself. In the bullpen Alexis Diaz is fantastic, so provided the rest of the staff can get him the ball the Reds will be in good shape. This projects as a team that should be good enough to compete for a wild card spot, and if enough breaks right perhaps they could even threaten Milwaukee in the Central. 

Pittsburgh is another one of those teams that would need a whole lot to go right for it to compete, but sometimes those are the most fun clubs to talk about in exercises like this. For the Pirates to insert themselves into the National League conversation this summer, they obviously need Oneil Cruz to stay healthy. Like De La Cruz in Cincinnati, Pittsburgh's shortstop is immensely talented, and it crushed the Pirates chances when he was lost for the year early in 2023. Ke'Bryan Hayes had the best season of his career last year and will have to be even better this time around. Jack Suwinski crushed 26 homers last year and will probably need to launch even more than that. Bryan Reynolds has consistently been the Pirates' best player for several years in a row, and if this team is going to win, they might need him to become an MVP candidate. Veteran additions Yasmani Grandal and Rowdy Tellez do add length to the line-up. On the bump, Mitch Keller finally made good on all of his prospect promise last season and who knows, maybe he can become a Cy Young contender. Behind him in the rotation, somebody from the group of Marco Gonzales, Bailey Falter, and Martin Perez will have to emerge as a legitimate number two option. David Bednar is a very good closer, and the addition of Aroldis Chapman could in theory help Pittsburgh shorten the game to seven innings. 

The Dodgers are the hands-down favorite to win the 2024 World Series, and after the winter they just had, it's safe to say they'll have a target on their backs all season. The moment LA signed Shohei Ohtani as a free agent this winter it made them baseball's best team on paper, and their offseason was only just getting started. The Dodgers also added Teoscar Hernandez, Tyler Glasnow, James Paxton, and most notably, Japanese sensation Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Health would seem to be the only thing standing in the way of Los Angeles and a deep postseason run, and it will be fascinating to see how their campaign plays out. 

The San Francisco Giants would love nothing more than to burst the balloon of their archrivals from Los Angeles. That will understandably be a challenge, but the Giants do have plenty of talent on their roster and feel confident they can compete. Upstaging the Dodgers will probably take career years from just about everyone and knowing that going in will provide plenty of internal motivation for this veteran team. Outfielder Michael Conforto was solid in his first year back from a serious shoulder injury, and the Giants need him to be even better in '24. Wilmer Flores and Mike Yastrzemski will have to provide substantial offense. Newcomer Jorge Soler must bring massive amounts of right-handed power. Young Patrick Bailey will have to continue to develop into a legitimate starting big-league backstop, while Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee doesn't experience growing pains in his first year in MLB. On the mound, let's identify Logan Webb, Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks as guys that all need to have the best years of their respective careers, while also acknowledging surprise contributions from others will also be necessary. The back part of the bullpen is strong with the Rogers twins setting up for Camilo Doval, but some guys in middle relief will need to step up. 

The Padres spent multiple seasons as one of the most aggressive teams in baseball, spending a seemingly infinite amount of money in an effort to bring a championship to San Diego. This past winter, the bill essentially came due. Needing to cut costs, the Padres sent Juan Soto and Trent Grisham to the Bronx, and watched starters Blake Snell, Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, and Nick Martinez all leave via free agency. It would seem the 2024 Padres are headed for a reset, but what if they're not? What if superstar Manny Machado delivers the best season of his career and wins NL MVP? What if Yu Darvish is the NL Cy Young? The majority of San Diego's everyday line-up is experienced and accomplished. Fernando Tatis Jr., Jake Cronenworth, Xander Bogaerts, and Ha-Seong Kim are all legitimate offensive players. For the Padres to surprise in 2024 they'll need to get unexpected contributions from other places to lengthen the offense. Joe Musgrove must stay healthy and provide a reliable number two starter. The backend of the rotation has question marks and so does a lot of the relief corps, so this team understandably needs a lot of breaks to go its way. 

Nobody expected the Arizona Diamondbacks to represent the National League in the World Series last October. While the Snakes weren't able to seal the deal and ultimately fell to the Rangers, the experience has left them extremely motivated to get back. So how can they win the pennant again? For starters, reigning NL Rookie of the Year Corbin Carroll will need to avoid a sophomore slump. Ketel Marte and Christian Walker have formed a formidable right side of the infield in the desert for a while now, and the duo will again be tasked with being key contributors for this team. Veterans Joc Pederson and Eugenio Suarez were both added over the winter and a big year from both would dramatically boost the Diamondbacks' chances. On the mound, Zac Gallen has proven himself to be a reliable number one starter. Now it's time for him to vault himself into the NL Cy Young conversation. Behind him in the rotation, Eduardo Rodriguez will be a nice addition here, but Merrill Kelly and Brandon Pfaadt will both have to reliably take the ball every fifth day. Paul Sewald struggled a bit after coming to Arizona last July, and the Diamondbacks need him to be much better in their closers' role in '24. All in all, this team looks very strong on paper, and at minimum I'd expect them to be firmly in the Wild Card mix. 

The 2023 Colorado Rockies were the worst team in the National League by a longshot, finishing 12 wins behind anyone else on the entire senior circuit. Envisioning them all of the sudden catapulting from the league's worst team to their representative in the Fall Classic is difficult, but let's give it a shot. For that to come to fruition, veterans like Charlie Blackmon, Ryan McMahon, Kris Bryant, Brendan Rodgers, and Elias Diaz would all need to have career years. Ezequiel Tovar, Brenton Doyle, and Nolan Jones must all have huge second seasons in Colorado. Lefties Kyle Freeland and Austin Gomber have both had solid stretches at this level, but for the Rockies to win, both probably need to morph into Cy Young candidates. Newcomers Cal Quantrill and Dakota Hudson would have to bring stability to the back part of the rotation. This bullpen looks weak on paper, and for the Rockies to have success they'll need multiple arms to emerge as reliable contributors down there. Colorado is quite clearly one of the most difficult teams to imagine winning the pennant in 2024, but everyone loves an underdog story, and anything can happen in baseball.