30. Chicago White Sox
The White Sox do have Garret Crochet, a first round pick with an electric arm, moving into the rotation but he – some one who has never started an MLB game – will be their opening day starter. Apart from him, it’s full of reclamation projects and washed up pitchers trying to hang on. The lineup has a few exciting names like Luis Robert but none of them were able to save this team from 101 losses last year and this time, they have even worse hitters surrounding them. I don’t see how this team competes this year unfortunately.
29. Colorado Rockies
As usual, the lineup is not terrible with guys like Nolan Jones, Kris Bryant and Brendan Rodgers, but the pitching staff is absolutely terrible. Kyle Freeland gets lit up with regularity and he is the Rockies Ace now that their best two starters, Senzatela and Marquez. I don’t think Cal Quantrill will pitch very well in Denver and the bullpen doesn’t look like anything special either. The Rockies should score plenty of runs, but opposing teams will score even more.
28. Washington Nationals
The Nationals signed several players with problems who I don’t have a ton of confidence in like Joey Gallo and Nick Senzel to add to a lineup that wasn’t that great anyway. Their youngsters who have been promoted haven’t really shown much at the big league level, CJ Abrams will need a breakout year. The pitching staff right now looks very shaky aside from a new decent names, but they do have a strong farm system which might be give them a boost at some point this year, but the Nationals just don’t have the MLB talent to compete in 2024 as far as I can tell.
27. Los Angeles Angels
Obviously, the loss of Ohtani hurts big time and the Angels didn’t do much at all to replace him, just adding some utility players. They have Anthony Rendon, but he hates baseball and honestly, when you’re in your mid-30’s, it’s the love of the game that keeps you going at that point. I’ll be shocked if he plays in more than 50 games. Mike Trout’s still there and the lineup is so-so but the pitching staff to me looks questionable at best; the rotation wasn’t that great when they had Ohtani and now it’s that much worse. I like the Ron Washington hire and hopefully he can make a difference but I don’t expect much from this team.
26. Oakland Athletics
This is a young team coming off a horrific season, but I do think they have a chance to be much better this year, despite all the drama and lack of effort by the front office to put together a winning team. JJ Bleday looks ready to have a breakout season, Brent Rooker has 30+ home run power and they just signed J.D. Davis, who I think is going to have a great year. The rotation and pitching staff looks a lot more iffy with guys like Ross Stripling and Alex Wood, but the bullpen has some decent arms like Mason Miller, who can also start, and there are lots of up-and-coming options who can also contribute so all told, I think the A’s are going to be better than people think; not saying they’re going to be a playoff team or even a good team, but I don’t think they’ll be the worst team in baseball.
25. Miami Marlins
At #25 I’m going to put the Miami Marlins, who did make the playoffs last year but did nothing to capitalize on that this offseason. Sandy Alcantara is out for the season but the rotation is very young and could be decent this year with guys like Max Meyer, Ryan Weathers, AJ Puk, Jesus Luzardo – all guys with big potential, but unless 2 or 3 of those guys have big breakout seasons, I don’t know if the offense will be strong enough. Obviously they still have Luis Arraez, who’s great. Tim Anderson will need a big bounce back year and so will veterans like Josh Bell. The bullpen is very young and unpredictable; there’s some electric arms but also a lot of unproven guys so overall, the team has talent but I don’t think there’s enough proven MLB players in their prime to make this a winning team in 2024.
24. Kansas City Royals
The Royals are coming off a rough season, but they did a lot to improve; the entire bullpen has been shaken up and the rotation looks a lot better with Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo. Look for Bobby Witt Jr. to have a massive season; he might be in MVP talks this year. Adam Frazier and Hunter Renfroe add some more stability to the lineup as well and they have lot of exciting youngsters like Nelson Velasquez and others as well. So, overall, they’re still not great, but I see the Royals being a much better team this year and I got them ranked all the way up at #24.
23. Pittsburgh Pirates
Next up is the Pirates, who have been heading the right direction lately and their roster is starting to come together. They have a ton of young talent; names like Henry Davis and O’Neil Cruz for example. Ke’Bryan Hayes should be ready for a big year, and they brought back the veteran former MVP Andrew McCutchen, who provides leadership and can still play. The Pirates brought in Aroldis Chapman, and I think he will be huge for that bullpen. The rotation is okay with Mitch Keller and now Marco Gonzales; Paul Skenes is on the way although I’m not sure if he’ll make his debut this year or not, but the Pirates have a lot of talent; a solid mix of veterans and youngsters, but still not quite enough to put them much higher than this.
22. Boston Red Sox
At #21, the highest I could put them, is the Boston Red Sox. They still have some star names in the lineup like Rafael Devers and Trevor Story, although Story hasn’t played much the last couple years, he’s looking healthy and productive now. Triston Casas should be even better in 2024 after a great rookie season. They signed Tyler O’Neil, an exciting guy with big power potential. The offense has a lot of upside but the pitching staff is going to be the issue. Lucas Giolito is hurt and not sure when he’ll be back and the current rotation is decent at best, Bryan Bello is solid, but there’s no real aces there. The bullpen has some recognizable names but guys like Kenley Jansen and Chris Martin are up there in years so we’ll see how it goes; I like the lineup and the offense but I’m not sure the pitching staff is deep enough to bring this team back out of the basement.
21. Milwaukee Brewers
I didn’t expect put the Brewers this low but the pitching staff, which not long ago was their strength, really looks suspect. Even Devin Williams was recently injured and he’s out for a while. Woodruff is injured. And right now the rotation has guys like Jakob Junis and Joe Ross. They traded their best starter, parting ways with Corbin Burnes. The bullpen has some decent options but there’s no way it’s strong enough to make up for that rotation. I love the young talent in the lineup like Garrett Mitchell and Sal Frelick and of course they still have some guys like Yelich and Rhys Hoskins now, but I don’t see enough to rank them any higher than this.
20. Cleveland Guardian
I was really excited about the Guardians last year, especially their pitching staff, but they did very little to improve in the offseason. Their pitching staff, both the rotation and bullpen still looks solid, though, but the lineup needed reinforcements. This middle of the order is not bad with Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor but there’s not a ton surrounding them to help score runs for that staff. So, the Guardians have some talent but not enough to make it in the top half of this power ranking.
19. New York Mets
The Mets are a team with a lot of good names, but they had a real slow offseason and right Senga is injured. The J.D. Martinez pickup should help the lineup quite a bit, which already has of course Pete Alonso, Francisco Lindor and Starling Marte. Francisco Alvarez will hopefully have a big season. However, I don’t think the pitching is going to hold up, with Jose Quintana and Luis Severino at the top of that rotation. The bullpen looks solid with Edwin Diaz and company, but the rotation took such a huge hit from Opening Day last year until now; I’d be surprised if the Mets even finish above .500.
18. St. Louis Cardinals
Coming in at #18 is going to be the St. Louis Cardinals, who are in line for a big bounce back season after signing Sonny Gray, Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn to join Miles Mikolas fix the rotation. It’s not like they have the best rotation in the game now but it should hold up much better than last season, and they have youngsters like Jordan Walker and Masyn Winn ready to break out in 2024 and of course the amazing Goldschmit/Arenado combo, and overall a very potent lineup. I really do like their roster; the bullpen has some good options as well and I see the Cardinals being much much better in 2024.
17. Detroit Tigers
The Tigers are a team ready to break out with a ton of young talent, and I think they’ll probably be sneaking up mine and others power rankings as the season moves along. Riley Greene, Spencer Torkelson, Kerry Carpenter, Colt Keith, and others are going to have big years and the Tigers brought in some veteran talent like Mark Cahna and pitching help with Kenta Maeda and Jack Flaherty. The bullpen looks solid with Jason Foley and Shelby Miller among others. Overall, this team looks really solid and I’m expecting the Tigers to compete for an AL Central Championship.
16. Cincinnati Reds
At #16 I have the Cincinnati Reds, who I think had a phenomenal offseason, adding Candelario and pitching Frankie Montas and Nick Martinez and then some bullpen help as well to add to a team that was already up and coming and looking really impressive at times in 2023 with all that young talent – Spencer Steer, Jonathan India, etc etc. Unfortuantely, Noelvi Marte, one of their most talented youngsters, got hit with a PED suspension, but I think the Reds still have more than enough to compete again in 2024 and they’re on the verge of jumping into the top half of MLB teams.
15. Minnesota Twins
Up next, just ahead of the Reds, is the Twins, who lost a lot in Sonny Gray and didn’t make a ton of moves this offseason. They still have enough talent that I’d say they’re the favorites in the central, but the Tigers are going to be right there with them in my opinion. The lineup is still solid with Buxton, Correa, Kepler, etc. and Pablo Lopez and Joe Ryan anchor a rotation that doesn’t look too deep with some injury prone guys like Chris Paddack in there. The bullpen has some strong names like Duran and Griffin Jax but also doesn’t run particularly deep and overall, I think the Twins took a step back in 2024, but they still got enough talent to rank somewhere in the middle of the pack.
14. San Francisco Giants
Just in the top half of MLB for now I’m putting my favorite team, the San Francisco Giants, after adding Blake Snell to that rotation, really fortifying by putting him alongside Logan Webb and Kyle Harrison. The lineup is much improved with big power in Jorge Soler and of course, the elite defensive third baseman Matt Chapman. Giants have a solid closer in Camilo Doval and some other solid bullpen arms, and are overall a well-rounded team that should have a much better 2024 with Bob Melvin at the helm. They don’t necessarily have top superstar MVP talent all over the place but they do have a reigning Cy Young Award winner now and another former one once Robbie Ray is back. So, for now, I’m putting them here but I’m hopeful they’ll slowly crawl up this list as the season progresses.
13. San Diego Padres
I debated putting the Padres below the Giants after they lost Juan Soto and Blake Snell, but they still have massive superstar talent with Manny Machado, Tatis Jr. and Xander Boegarts along with other really solid offensive guys like Jake Cronenworth. And, with the addition of Dylan Cease, the rotation isn’t that bad – they have Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove and a solid bullpen that got a lot of additions this offseason. They’re not near as stacked as they’ve been recently but for now, I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and rank them just above the Giants, especially after their strong finish in 2023 in which they surpassed my Giants, but we’ll see how things go in 2024.
12. Chicago Cubs
Next up is the Chicago Cubs, a team I was pretty high on last year, I thought they would finish above .500 and they did, despite at that time people thinking they were not very good. This year, they look even better, with Bellinger back and Shoto Imanaga in the rotation alongside Justin Steel and Jordan Wicks. The bullpen looks better with some solid additions and I do think Michael Busch, who they got from the Dodgers, is going to have a nice year as well. The lineup could be a little stronger but overall, the Cubs look like a very solid team and should have another strong season in 2024.
11. Tampa Bay Rays
At #11 I’m putting the Rays, probably the most impressive team in baseball considering that they’re almost always competitive, in the pennant race and oftentimes in the playoffs despite a lower budget and not stacking their team with top free agent superstar talent. On paper this year, they look good but I wouldn’t say great. They got Zach Eflin and Aaron Civale in the rotation and a well-rounded lineup featuring Randy Arozarena and Harold Ramirez, but it doesn’t have a ton of thump. The Rays traded Tyler Glasnow for two solid Dodger prospects, one of whom, Jonny Deluca, broke his hand and will be out for a while. And the other, Ryan Pepiot, has great stuff but he’s relatively unproven. Several of their best arms are still recovering from injuries and surgeries, though, and I don’t really see a playoff team on paper, but the Rays are professionals at proving people wrong, so don’t be surprised if they jump higher on this list for my next power ranking.
10. Philadelphia Phillies
Just cracking the Top 10 I’m going with the Phillies, who brought back Aaron Nola, a key move for them to try and make it back to the playoffs, and back to the World Series. Their lineup is stacked with big names – Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Realmuto, Nick Castellanos, Alec Bohm. The rotation looks solid although they could’ve used one more starter, and the bullpen looks better than it has in the past, although that is probably their biggest concern. Overall, this team looks great but the pitching depth is the one thing to worry about and it keeps them from being even higher.
9. Toronto Blue Jays
Coming up next is the Toronto Blue Jays, who have a ton of top talent returning in 2024, led by Vlad Jr, George Springer and Bo Bichette along with a good rotation with Jose Berrios and Chris Bassit, but they didn’t improve much in the offseason, losing Matt Chapman and Jordan Hicks and adding some veteran players who are I’m not sure are going to make a big impact. When I look at the Jays roster, obviously there’s a lot of good names, but there’s a lot of question marks with the pitching. I’m not too confident Alek Manoah is going to regain his form and I’m not convinced this team is going be better in 2024, although they clearly still have a ton of talent and that’s why they’re in the Top 10.
8. Seattle Mariners
Now getting into some of the top contenders, we have the Seattle Mariners, a team loaded with young talent that should be ready to explode in 2024 and send this team deep into October. They added a couple of Mitches with Garver and Haniger to make that lineup even more powerful. Julio Rodriguez is a superstar and the rotation is very solid with Logan Gilbert, George Kirby and Luis Castillo. The bullpen should be good enough if they’re not overworked and they shouldn’t be if there’s no major injuries to the rotation and overall, the M’s look really good for 2024 and this could be their year.
7. Texas Rangers
At lucky #7 I’m going with the Rangers, even though just won the World Series, coming into 2024, they’re dealing with several injures including Degrom and Max Scherzer. Corey Seager recently had surgery and should be back soon but I’m not sure when he’ll be 100%. On the other hand, this is team that had good starting rotation depth so Eovaldi, Jon Gray, Andrew Heaney, Dane Dunning should be able to hold it down, but I’m surprised they didn’t sign any healthy starters for 2024. Tyler Mahle was signed but he’s on the IL. The offense should be amazing with Marcus Semien, Aroldis Chapman, Seager, and the youngsters Evan Carter and Wyatt Langford, who I expect to be an absolute superstar. The bullpen is solid and overall, the Rangers still look very good and should be excellent again in 2024.
6. Arizona Diamondbacks
Up next is the National Leagues champs, the Arizona Diamondbacks who brought back Gurriel Jr and signed the powerful Eugenio Suarez to play third base. The rotation is still awesome with Zac Gallen, Merril Kelly, Brandon Phadt and now Eduardo Rodriguez as well. They have amazing young talent like Corbin Carroll combined with veterans like Joc Pederson who should fit right in with this group and they also have a formidable bullpen featuring Paul Seward and Kevin Ginkel among others. Look for the D-backs to be very good again in 2024.
5. Houston Astros
This team is absolutely stacked, but injury issues are my biggest concern with Houston. Luis Garcia had Tommy John, Verlander is starting the year on the IL and he’s in his 40s, Jose Urquidy is hurt, McCullers Jr. had surgery, so the rotation is banged up for real right now. Somehow, they still have enough names to get by with guys Framber Valdez, Christian Javier and Hunter Brown. That mostly homegrown lineup is still in tact with Altuve, Tucker and Bregman along with the exciting youngsters like Jeremy Pena. Obviously Yordan Alvarez is also there. They signed Josh Hader, who will likely the be the closer. So, this is a team that’s still very much loaded with talent, but a lot of that talent is getting older and health is a big x-factor with the Astros, as it is with every team, but I think especially so with the Astros, as well as my next team…
4. New York Yankees
To start the 2024 season, I have the New York Yankees at #4 due to their incredible roster, but they’d be even higher if I wasn’t so concerned with their famous injury bug. They signed Carlos Rodon last year and he missed most of the season and wasn’t that great when he did pitch. Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge should’ve been one the best offensive duos in baseball the last few years, but they’re consistently on the IL. That said, there are so many big names on this team – Juan Soto is a Yankee. Soto, Judge, Stanton, Anthony Rizzo, Alex Verdugo, Anthony Volpe – this lineup is absoultely stacked. The rotation added Marcus Strohman; again, durability and health is the biggest issue there and with pretty every name in the rotation including Nestor Cortes, who was hurt much of last year, but they all have massive talent. The bullpen has several solid names as well, and if the Yankees stay healthy, they can easily win over 100 games, but that’s a big if.
3. Baltimore Orioles
Next, the Baltimore Orioles come in at the highest they’ve ever been on one of my power rankings, third in all of baseball, after an incredible 2023 season. This year, they’ve made important additions including Corbin Burnes, who will be the Ace. Unfortunately, Kyle Bradish was recently injured and John Means is still dealing with an injury, so that definitely hurts, but Grayson Rodriguez is back and should be primed for his breakout season after a solid rookie campaign. And if they need to I think the O’s will be able to add almost any one they want at the trade deadline with all their young talent. Their lineup is absolutely amazing and only going to get better once some of their recent draft picks make it to the big leagues like Heston Kjerstad. For now, Adley Rutschman, Gunner Henderson, Austin Hays, Anthony Santander, Colton Cowser are all going to contribute among others; I can’t name them all, but this team is loaded. Craig Kimbrell was signed for the bullpen. And overall, the O’s look extraordinary; they’re very young but extremely dangerous and I expect them to have another big season in 2024.
2. Atlanta Braves
At #2 I’m going with the star-studded Atlanta Braves, who bring back a lineup with Ronald Acuna Jr., Austin Riley, Matt Olson, Marzell Ozuna and now former top prospect Jered Kelenic, who showed a lot of massive potential last season and should be healthy and ready to show what he can do this year. They brought back Adam Duvall as well, and as for the rotation, Spencer Strider, Max Fried and Charlie Morton will be joined by Chris Sale, who has had his injury history but he’s still a big name with great stuff and even if he struggles or can’t stay healthy, the Braves have some depth there with Reynaldo Lopez and Hurston Waldrep knocking on the door and some other young starting pitching options as well. The bullpen has names like A.J Minter, Raisel Iglesias, and now Aaron Bummer, and overall, I really see a strong, experienced group of guys here who will be favorites to win the division and possibly get back to the World Series, which of course they won in 2021.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
But to be perfectly fair, to start the year, I have the Dodgers in the #1 slot. This is a team that was already stacked when they signed the top 2 available free agents in Shohei Ohtani and Yamamoto. For now, Ohtani is going through a little something with the gambling interpreter situation but hasn’t been suspended or anything, so as of now, he’s in that lineup, which has nothing but future Hall of Famers, All Stars and rookie sensations. Betts, Ohtani and Freeman all have MVP’s on their shelves. Teoscar Hernandez was added to provide even more power. The rotation has major injury issues, but the Dodgers just replenish what they lose, adding Yamamoto, James Paxson and Tyler Glasnow. I do think their young guys like Bobby Miller and Gavin Stone are going to be much better this year; they really have great stuff. Nick Frasso and Kyle Hurt are also options to start if needed. Kyle Hurt is going to be sick whether he starts or comes out of the pen; his stuff is electric. Evan Phillips, Joe Kelly and co. are also in that pen and overall, the Dodgers are as stacked as usual and, as of now, have to come in at #1 on my 2024 entry level power ranking.