2022 MLB Season- Team Expectations: AL/NL Central
National League Central
St. Louis Cardinals - The Cardinals rode a late season 17-game win streak to reach the postseason in 2021 and showed what this team is capable of. The front office made a surprise decision to let go of their manager, Mike Shildt, after “differences of opinion”. This is a very good defensive ball club with a lot of good bats and a rotation that had some bright spots. Jack Flaherty battled injuries last season, but he is a Cy Young talent if healthy. I expect the triple threat of Nolan Arenado, Paul Goldschmidt, and Tyler O'Neill to make a lot of noise in this division. I believe the Cardinals have a legitimate shot at winning the division and it’s going to be a tight race with them and the Brewers.
Pittsburgh Pirates - The Pirates lost 101 games in 2021 and finished last in the division for the third straight season. I expect that streak to get to four straight, unfortunately. They are in a major rebuild right now and there’s not much to be excited about at the big league level in 2022. They have stocked up on young talent and they have a top ranked farm system but they are still a few years away from any kind of contention.
Milwaukee Brewers - Pitching, pitching, and more pitching. The Brew Crew is stacked on the mound. They have probably the best 1-2-3 punch with Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, and Freddy Peralta. And the back end of the bullpen with Josh Hader and Devin WIlliams is as lethal as it gets. The defending NL Central champs and lived off those arms for success. The offense, on the other hand, has been a bit of a question mark and it is the major issue holding this team back from being a World Series favorite. They have to try to get Christain Yelich back to some version of his MVP form and they have to hope the additions of Hunter Renfroe and Andrew McCutchen can pick up the slack. The Cardinals are gonna give this team a great fight for the division crown and I expect this to be one of the tightest division races in MLB this season.
Cincinnati Reds - Not too long ago, this team was on the rise to be a postseason contender. Now, they are gonna find themselves back as a losing baseball team. They lost a ton of talent, either my trade or free agency and it seems that the front office has decided to move toward a rebuild. It’s a shame, in my opinion. They were very close to being a good team but now there’s not much to expect from this club in 2022.
Chicago Cubs - Much like the Reds, the Cubs are trending toward rebuilding. Chicago however, is in much better shape to make it a quick turn around. They traded away pretty much all of their star players last season to get a bunch of prospects in return. So the Cubs should be back at some point in the near future but for 2022, they’re gonna struggle to be anywhere close to a .500 ball club.
American League Central
Minnesota Twins - This team is very confusing. One year, they’re looking like a real World Series threat, and the next they finish last in the division. This whole division, other than the White Sox, is a tricky one to predict but I feel like the Twins might bounce back a bit in 2022. Definitely not a postseason team though. The pitching is very unproven. The offense will be solid, especially after adding Carlos Correa and Gary Sanchez. My best guess is the team will be right around .500.
Kansas City Royals - This Royals team is very close to being a postseason contender. I think 2022 will see a lot of their young talent make some noise including top prospect Bobby Witt Jr. They need to see their top, young pitching arms make big leaps this season. Don’t be surprised if you see this team get off to a hot start and raise some eyebrows. KC is not quite ready to really make a push for the postseason but I think they will have a winning record this year.
Detroit Tigers - Much like the Royals, the Tigers are on the verge of being a winning ball club. Some think it may happen in 2022. They made some big offseason moves by signing Javier Baez and Eduardo Rodriguez. Top prospect, Spencer Torkelson, is expected to make a splash in the big leagues and will join a deep list of young talent that Detroit has to offer to their fans. It’s been a while since the Tigers were worth mentioning, I expect them to have a winning season but not quite be good enough for a postseason spot.
Cleveland Guardians - I’m still not used to calling this team the Guardians. 2021 saw them finish with a losing record for the first time in 8 years. I don’t believe that is the start of a downward trend. Cleveland dealt with a lot of injuries, especially their pitching, last season which is clearly this team’s strength. The major concern for this team is the offense and they didn’t really do anything to address that this offseason. So, I certainly don’t think this team will contend for a division title but if their pitching stays healthy, they will be a team that can turn some heads late into the season.
Chicago White Sox - This is the White Sox division to lose. They are clearly much better than all other four teams and it’s not even close. In 2021, they won the division by 13 games, the biggest in baseball. I don’t think the lead will be that big but only because the teams all got a little better. The White Sox are true World Series contenders. They are one of the most complete teams in all of baseball. They had some major injuries last season and still had a great year. The real challenge will come in October when it’s all gonna matter for this team. After back to back first round exits, I think this team will reach the World Series in 2022.
Standings Predictions
NL Central
Milwaukee Brewers (91 wins)
St. Louis Cardinals (89 wins)
Chicago Cubs (75 wins)
Cincinnati Reds (65 wins)
Pittsburgh Pirates (62 wins)
AL Central
Chicago White Sox (95 wins)
Cleveland Guardians (86 wins)
Detroit Tigers (85 wins)
Kansas City Royals (83 wins)
Minnesota Twins (78 wins)