2016 MLB standings predictions

image credited to mctcampus.com

With the MLB season only about a month in, there is still a lot that could change throughout the entire 162-game span. But about a month into the entire process seems like a good time to predict how the season is going to end. Keep in mind these are predictions, they’re not set in stone, so don’t come after me if your favorite team isn’t winning their division on here.

 

American League East

1. Toronto Blue Jays

-current record: 10-13

2. Baltimore Orioles

-current record: 13-8

3. Boston Red Sox

-current record: 12-10

4. New York Yankees

-current record: 8-12

5. Tampa Bay Rays

-current record: 10-11

The Blue Jays seem to be off to a slow start, going just 10-13 and ranking twenty-second in the league in batting average (.238). Although those stats seem far from what they achieved last year, there are still many more games left in the season so they are bound to turn their mediocre start around at some point.

American League Central

1. Chicago White Sox

-current record: 16-7

2. Kansas City Royals

-current record: 12-9

3. Cleveland Indians

-current record: 10-9

4. Detroit Tigers

-current record: 11-10

5. Minnesota Twins

-current record: 7-15

The White Sox are having one of their best starts in years as they are third in the MLB with a team ERA of 2.65, and they have second best record in baseball, 16-7. If they keep up their stellar pitching and they improve on their mediocre batting average, The White Sox could be a strong threat in the postseason this fall.

American League West

1. Seattle Mariners

-current record: 11-10

2. Texas Rangers

-current record: 12-10

3. Los Angeles Angels

-current record: 11-11

4. Houston Astros

-current record: 7-15

5. Oakland Athletics

-current record: 11-12

This division is a tossup, but if Felix Hernandez and the other Seattle Mariners pitchers keep pitching with a 3.33 ERA, and they finally pick up their offense, there is a strong possibility they could be making their first postseason since 2001 when they won an MLB record, 116 games.

National League East

1. Washington Nationals

-current record: 14-7

2. New York Mets

-current record: 13-7

3. Miami Marlins

-current record: 9-11

4. Philadelphia Phillies

-current record: 12-10

5. Atlanta Braves

-current record: 5-17

The Nationals are on the same run that they were last year at this point. Bryce Harper is looking like his MVP self so far with nine home runs this season and their pitching staff leads the MLB with an ERA of 2.35. If they continue their early season success and don’t choke in the second half of the season like they did last year, it is hard to see them not winning the division this year.

National League Central

1. Chicago Cubs

-current record: 16-5

2. St. Louis Cardinals

-current record: 12-9

3. Pittsburgh Pirates

-current record: 13-9

4. Cincinnati Reds

-current record: 9-13

5. Milwaukee Brewers

-current record: 8-13

This year may finally be the Cubs year. After stacking an already great roster during the off-season, the Cubs seem to have almost no weaknesses. A young and powerful offense combined with a stellar pitching staff that includes arguably the best pitcher in baseball, Jake Arrieta, the 2016 Chicago Cubs seem almost impossible to catch.

National League West

1. Arizona Diamondbacks

-current record: 11-12

2. San Francisco Giants

-current record: 12-11

3. Los Angeles Dodgers

-current record: 12-10

4. Colorado Rockies

-current record: 9-12

5. San Diego Padres

-current record: 7-15

With the additions of Zack Greinke and Shelby Miller during the off-season, the Diamondbacks seemed to have created one of the best pitching staffs in baseball to go along with their already-stellar offense that ranks sixth in batting average. Sadly that pitching staff has been terrible thus far with a 4.92 ERA, making them 25th in the league. There is still a lot of time for their usually great pitchers to turn their season around, but that better be soon if they expect to win a division that includes the Giants and the Dodgers, two of the best teams in baseball.