The 2023 Major League Baseball season is nigh as the 30 professional franchises prepare for another summer schedule. With spring training now firmly in the record books, fans around the nation now have a better idea of what is in store for the upcoming campaign.
Opening day marks the moment when the hopes and dreams of a team’s fanbase either begin to be fulfilled or when the disappointment starts to kick in. Sometimes the gratification is delayed while at other times it arrives as an immediate punch to the face.
And yet, we still come back for more. Why? Because we are baseball fanatics.
As consumers of America’s pastime, the first day of the season is something of an unofficial national holiday, when many use that extra sick day they have been stashing away so they can sneak off to see the game in the flesh — or, for those who are not as fortunate, are steaming the audio or video and following along on MLB Gameday as the boys of summer return to the clay diamond.
With every team in the league beginning with a perfectly clean slate, it is time to give our earnest predictions for the upcoming season for both the beloved Detroit Tigers as well as the major leagues as a whole. Bless You Boys’ staff assembled to submit their projections for the summer with a general consensus emerging both at the team and league level.
The prediction categories are as follows:
1) Tigers record
2) Tigers MVP and Cy Young
3) Division winners
4) World Series matchup and champs
5) League MVP, ROY, Cy Young
Brady McAtamney:
Tigers record: 75-87
Tigers MVP: Riley Greene
Tigers Cy Young: Spencer Turnbull
Division Winners: Yankees, Guardians, Astros / Braves, Cardinals, Padres
World Series: Dodgers over Guardians
AL MVP: Jose Ramirez
AL Cy Young: Shane McClanahan
AL RotY: Gunnar Henderson
NL MVP: Juan Soto
NL Cy Young: Justin Verlander
NL RotY: Jordan Walker
Cameron Kaiser:
Tigers record: 76-86
Tigers MVP: Riley Greene
Tigers Cy Young: Alex Lange
Division Winners: Yankees, Guardians, Astros / Mets, Cardinals, Padres
World Series: Guardians over Padres
AL MVP: Shohei Ohtani
AL Cy Young: Dylan Cease
AL RotY: Masataka Yoshida
NL MVP: Manny Machado
NL Cy Young: isn’t it obvious? (Justin Verlander)
NL RotY: Corbin Carroll
Zane Harding:
Tigers record: 80-82
- “I think it’s frontloaded for once. Not enough depth once injuries inevitably hit.”
Tigers MVP: Matt Manning
Tigers Cy Young: Spencer Turnbull
- “Continuing my bet on youth upside…”
Division Winners: Jays / Guardians / Mariners, Mets / Cardinals / Padres
World Series: Blue Jays over Padres
- “Feels like a spice year to me”
AL MVP: Shohei Ohtani
AL Cy Young: Kevin Gausman
AL RotY: Gunnar Henderson
NL MVP: Manny Machado
NL Cy Young: Aaron Nola
NL RotY: Miguel Vargas
Rob Rogacki:
Tigers record: 72-90
Tigers MVP: Riley Greene
Tigers Cy Young: Beau Brieske
Division winners: Yankees, Twins, Astros, Phillies, Cardinals, Dodgers
World Series: Yankees over Dodgers
AL MVP: Ohtani
AL Cy Young: Ohtani
AL RotY: Anthony Volpe
NL MVP: Acuna
NL Cy Young: Corbin Burnes
NL RotY: Corbin Carroll
Ashley MacLennan: “I just hope everyone has fun and Riley Greene doesn’t get hurt.”
Peter Kwasniak:
Tigers record: 71-91
Tigers MVP: Riley Greene
Tigers Cy Young: Eduardo Rodriguez
Division winners: Yankees, Twins, Astros, Braves, Cardinals, Padres
World Series: Braves over Astros
AL MVP: Ohtani
AL Cy Young: Dylan Cease
AL RotY: Gunner Henderson
NL MVP: Ronald Acuna Jr
NL Cy Young: Aaron Nola
NL RotY: Corbin Carroll
Frisbee Pilot:
Tigers record: 73-89
Tigers MVP: Riley Greene
Tigers Cy: Spencer Turnbull
Division Winners: Yankees, Guardians, Mariners; Phillies, Cardinals, Dodgers
World Series: Padres over Guardians (yep, a wild card team wins it)
AL MVP: Shohei Ohtani
NL MVP: Manny Machado
AL RotY: Anthony Volpe
NL RotY: Corbin Carroll
AL Cy: Shane McClanahan
NL Cy: Justin Verlander
Mr. Sunshine:
Tigers record: 91-71
Tigers MVP: Spencer Turnbull
Tigers Cy Young: Spencer Turnbull
Division winners: Tigers, Rays, Mariners; Dodgers, Braves, Cubs
World Series matchup and champs: Tigers over Dodgers
AL MVP: Shohei Ohtani
NL MVP: Justin Verlander
AL/NL RotY: (I have no idea)
AL Cy: Spencer Turnbull
NL Cy: Justin Verlander
Fielder’s Choice:
Tigers record: 83-79
Tigers MVP: Javy Baez
Tigers Cy Young: Eduardo Rodriguez
Divisions: Yankees, White Sox, Astros, Braves, Brewers, Dodgers
World Series: Braves over Mariners
MVP: Julio Rodriguez, Juan Soto,
Cy Young: Jacob deGrom, Corbin Burnes
RotY: Grayson Rodriguez, Corbin Carroll
Brandon Day:
Tigers record: 78-84
Tigers MVP: Riley Greene
Tigers Cy Young: Matt Manning
Divisions: Blue Jays, Twins, Mariners, Phillies, Cardinals, Padres
World Series Matchup: Mariners over Padres
AL MVP: Shohei Ohtani
NL MVP: Manny Machado
AL Cy Young: Dylan Cease
NL Cy Young: Justin Verlander
AL RotY: Gunnar Henderson
NL RotY: Corbin Carroll
Adam Dubbin:
Tigers record: 74-88
Tigers MVP: Riley Greene
Tigers Cy Young: Spencer Turnbull
Division Winners: Yankees, Guardians, Astros, Braves, Cardinals, Padres
World Series: Dodgers over Astros
AL MVP: Jose Ramirez
AL Cy Young: Shane McClanahan
AL RotY: Gunnar Henderson
NL MVP: Juan Soto
NL Cy Young: Max Scherzer
NL RotY: Jordan Walker
Patrick O’Kennedy:
Tigers record: 72- 90
Tigers MVP: Riley Greene
Tigers Cy Young: Matthew Boyd
Divisions: Blue Jays, White Sox, Astros, Braves, Cardinals, Padres
World Series Matchup: Padres vs Astros
AL MVP: Shohei Ohtani
NL MVP: Ronald Acuna
AL Cy Young: Gerritt Cole
NL Cy Young: Corbin Burnes
AL RotY: Masataka Yoshida
NL RotY: Jordan Walker
Now it is time for you to give us your predictions for the upcoming 2023 Major League Baseball season, covering both the beloved Detroit Tigers as well as the other 29 league franchises.