MLB Predictions 2017: World Series, Playoff Picks Before Baseball's Opening Day

With the 2017 MLB season about to start, it’s time to make playoff and World Series predictions. Last year’s favorite went on to win the championship, and there seems to be a good chance that history will repeat itself.

The Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians could be contenders after meeting in the World Series, and the Boston Red Sox are the favorites in the American League after making a few big trades in the offseason.

READ: 2017 MLB projected win totals and World Series odds

Most of the 2016 playoff teams could reach the 2017 postseason, though there could be a couple of new division winners.

AL East: Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox are the easy pick in the AL East. Boston led the AL by more than 100 runs scored last year, and their lineup should be the league’s best, once again, even without the now-retired David Ortiz. Boston’s lineup is filled with terrific young hitters like Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Andrew Benintendi, who are only getting better. David Price’s elbow injury is a concern, but it might not matter much with Rick Porcello and Chris Sale at the front of the rotation.

The AL East shouldn’t be as competitive as it was a year ago when three teams made the playoffs. The Tampa Bay Rays won’t be contenders, and the New York Yankees could have one of MLB’s worst rotations. The Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles might each take a step back and miss the playoffs, as well.

AL Central: Cleveland Indians

After forcing extra innings in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series, the Indians could be even better in 2017. They made their playoff run without two of their best pitchers, and Cleveland made one of the offseason’s biggest free-agent signings by acquiring Edwin Encarnacion. Returning many of the same players that gave the Indians the AL’s No.2 lineup and No.2 pitching staff, the Indians are a top World Series contender.

If anyone is going to stop Cleveland from winning the division, it’ll probably be the Detroit Tigers. They arguably have the league’s best hitter and starting pitcher, and they seem to be a clear level ahead of the Kansas City Royals. The Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins are both rebuilding with little chance to be competitive.

AL West: Houston Astros

Last year was supposed to be the season in which Houston made the leap to becoming one of MLB’s best teams, but late-season struggles forced them to miss the playoffs. The Astros should come back with a vengeance in 2017. Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa are MVP candidates, and George Springer should put up big numbers after hitting 29 home runs in his first full season. If starting pitchers Dallas Keuchel and Collin McHugh can rebound from poor 2016 campaigns, the AL West might be Houston’s to lose.

The AL West could turn out to be MLB’s toughest division. The Texas Rangers could certainly win the division after doing so for the past two years, and the Seattle Mariners are good enough to make the playoffs. The Los Angeles Angels haven’t given Mike Trout enough help to win the division, and the Oakland Athletics are headed for another last-place finish.

NL East: Washington Nationals

This might end up being the best divisional race in all of baseball. The New York Mets could have the best rotation in the league, and re-signing Yoenis Cespedes should make their offense just good enough to keep them in contention to win the NL pennant. Washington, however, might be too good to keep out of first place. Max Scherzer is the reigning NL Cy Young winner, and the Nationals had the league’s second-best ERA last year. Look for Bryce Harper to have a bounce-back season, potentially giving Washington two MVP candidates in the middle of the lineup.

No other team in the NL East has a real chance to win the division. The Miami Marlins are likely headed for a third straight third-place finish, though they could get some competition from an improved Atlanta Braves team. The Philadelphia Phillies haven’t won more than 73 games in the last four years, and that trend could very well continue in 2017.

NL Central: Chicago Cubs

There’s little reason to believe the Cubs won’t be the best team in baseball for a second straight season. Aside from losing Dexter Fowler to the St. Louis Cardinals and Aroldis Chapman to the Yankees, the Cubs are bringing back most of the same players that helped them win 103 regular-season games and their first World Series in 108 years. Jon Lester, Jake Arrieta and Kyle Hendricks are all NL Cy Young candidates, and a healthy Kyle Schwarber is being added to a lineup that had two of the top-four MVP vote-getters.

St. Louis had a down year in 2016, but they are always competitive, having finished above .500 for 17 straight seasons. The Pittsburgh Pirates could finish right around .500, while the Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Brewers are among the worst teams in baseball.

NL West: Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers could be in for another playoff disappointment while spending more money than anyone, but there’s no debating that they are the class of the NL West. L.A. has won four consecutive division titles, winning more than 90 games in each season. Clayton Kershaw makes the Dodgers virtually unbeatable every fifth day, and they kept their core intact by re-signing closer Kenley Jansen and third baseman Justin Turner.

The San Francisco Giants could be headed for a fourth straight second-place finish, though they’ll need to get more out of the backend of their rotation. The Arizona Diamondbacks probably aren’t going anywhere, but the Colorado Rockies could surprise some people with a dangerous lineup. The San Diego Padres might finish with fewer wins than any other team in MLB.

AL Wild-Card: Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers

It wouldn’t be surprising to see either team win their respective divisions. They aren’t the youngest group, but Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez and Ian Kinsler give Detroit one of the league’s most dangerous lineups, while Justin Verlander and Michael Fulmer are about as good as any pair of front-line starters. Texas won 95 games a season ago, and they’ll be in the hunt all season long, even if they take a small step backward.

NL Wild-Card: New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals

The Mets have dealt with some injuries in their rotation, but they have so much depth that it might not matter. Noah Syndergaard might be on his way to winning the NL Cy Young award, and Matt Harvey should bounce back now that he seems to be healthy. The Cardinals are always in the mix to reach the postseason, and their luck could turn around after finishing 2016 with the best run differential of any team that missed the playoffs.

World Series: Chicago Cubs over Boston Red Sox

It’s the obvious prediction, but the Cubs and Red Sox are heavy favorites for a good reason. Boston has the AL’s most talented lineup, and they’ll be very difficult to beat after acquiring Chris Sale and closer Craig Kimbrel. Chicago’s roster is filled with Cy Young and MVP candidates, and they no longer have to deal with being told the Cubs can’t win a World Series.

Now that Chicago has its first championship in 108 years, the Cubs could be building a dynasty.