The fact that we are less than three months away from Opening Day for the Major League Baseball season is wild to think about, but here we are. Free agency has been fantastic, with some big-time contracts signed. Now, everyone can’t wait to see how things shape this next campaign. In this piece, we have MLB futures picks for the 2023 season. Who will win it all?
Yankees are the favorites to win the American League
Will this finally be a year to remember for the Bronx Bombers? As things stand, the Yankees are the favorites to win the American League, which shouldn’t be much of a surprise. The monster news for the Yankees this offseason has been that they were able to bring back Aaron Judge. The reigning American League MVP had a historic campaign in 2022.
Now, he’s ready to do even bigger things for this squad in ’23. Judge hit 62 homers last season, setting the new AL record. He had loads of interest during free agency, with reports stating that he was on the verge of signing with the San Francisco Giants. Luckily for all the worried NY fans out there, Judge didn’t put pen to paper, and he’ll be back with the Yankees.
The Yankees have been fantastic in recent years, but they haven’t been able to get the job done in the postseason. They’ve run into the Houston Astros multiple times, with the AL West powerhouse taking them down. Now heading into the new season, the Astros and Yankees have high World Series betting odds. The Astros won it all last year, don’t forget that.
According to the best-rated sportsbooks, which includes the reliable Bovada review, the Yankees hold +300 odds to win the American League this year and head to the World Series. Right behind them are the Astros with the +350 MLB betting odds. This is going to be another close battle. In the end, though, we think the Yankees will come out on top. They’re our pick to top Houston and make a splash.
Mets are the favorites to win the National League this season
Meanwhile, in Queens, the Mets are the favorites to win the National League this season. It has been a busy offseason for the NL East powerhouse as Steve Cohen continues to improve this lineup. Right now, though, everyone is waiting to see what happens with Carlos Correa. After his deal with the Giants fell through, he agreed to a deal with the Mets. This made countless headlines for MLB fans all over the world.
However, injury concerns for Correa popped up, and the team is yet to announce his deal. It feels like things are up in the air there for one of the best shortstops in the game. However, if the Mets do add Correa, it would be a massive get for the team. The thought of him and Francisco Lindor being in the same infield is wild to think about, and it’d be a big problem for opposing teams.
The Mets aren’t the only contenders in the NL, though, as you’ve always got to keep a close eye on the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, Philadelphia Phillies and more. The Dodgers are always going to be tough, and the Phillies won the NL last season, which surprised a ton of people. Unfortunately, they lost to the Astros in the World Series.
Per the oddsmakers, the Mets hold +350 odds to win the NL, while the Dodgers have been set at +400. If these two end up meeting in the NLCS, it will be a dream matchup. The Dodgers might have the confidence to come away with a series win, but something tells us this is the year for the Mets to prove people wrong. We’re going with the Mets as our pick to win the NL.
When it’s all said and done, the Yankees are our pick to win the World Series this season. It has been more than ten years since the Yankees have been able to bring the trophy home, but this could be the campaign where things get done. What will be important for this team will be to stay healthy. The Yankees need Judge and Giancarlo Stanton to not miss too much action. If that happens, this team can go very far next fall.
This has been an issue in the past, especially for Stanton. These are two of the best home-run hitters in the game; there’s no denying that. While the Judge news is big, don’t forget that the Yankees signed starting pitcher Carlos Rodon to a deal. This only improves the rotation and will help them potentially reach their World Series dreams. If Rodon lives up to the hype, it will be massive for the Yankees. They’re our pick. Let’s see how it goes.
With a background as a writer, Rodrigo has managed to bring together his hobbies and education writing sports content for various top-tier sites around the world.