With simply just a few days till 2024 Opening Day, Dalton Del Don delivers his fantasy baseball predictions for each MLB group — first up, the American League!
Fantasy and real-life predictions for the AL East
1. New York Yankees
2. Tampa Bay Rays (wild card)
3. Toronto Blue Jays (wild card)
4. Baltimore Orioles
5. Boston Purple Sox
New York Yankees
Gleyber Torres has an enormous season in a contract yr, ending as a top-three fantasy second baseman … Juan Soto leads the American League in runs scored, whereas Aaron Decide misses 25+ video games … Anthony Rizzo and DJ LeMahieu each bounce again, whereas Anthony Volpe steals 40 bases … Giancarlo Stanton hits 35+ homers … Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil each produce higher fantasy seasons than Carlos Rodón … The Yankees commerce for Kenley Jansen, who takes over as nearer for Clay Holmes … New York overcomes a misplaced season from Gerrit Cole to win the AL East.
Tampa Bay Rays
Jose Siri goes 30/20, whereas Yandy Díaz bats .300+ however hits fewer than 15 homers … Brandon Lowe hits 25+ residence runs, and Junior Caminero turns into among the best waiver wire provides of the season within the second half … Pete Fairbanks information 30+ saves, however Ryan Pepiot is a fantasy bust … Zach Eflin finishes as a top-10 fantasy starter … Jacob Waguespack is a deep sleeper who emerges as a helpful piece of Tampa Bay’s rotation, serving to the Rays win a wild-card spot.
Toronto Blue Jays
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has a monster season and finishes runner-up in MVP voting … Justin Turner information 100 RBI for the primary time in his profession, whereas Alejandro Kirk and Danny Jansen mix to hit 30+ homers from the catching place … Yimi García information extra saves than an injured Jordan Romano in 2024 … Ricky Tiedemann emerges as Toronto’s second most precious fantasy starter, behind solely Kevin Gausman … The Blue Jays beat out the Rangers for the ultimate wild-card spot on the final day of the season.
Baltimore Orioles
Cedric Mullins bounces again and steals 30+ bases, whereas Ryan Mountcastle golf equipment 30+ homers … Craig Kimbrel information 30+ saves, whereas Corbin Burnes disappoints fantasy managers after becoming a member of Baltimore … Grayson Rodriguez finishes because the Orioles’ high fantasy starter, however Baltimore regresses and simply misses the postseason.
Boston Purple Sox
Triston Casas hits .300 and finishes as a top-five fantasy first baseman … Jarren Duran is a top-20 fantasy outfielder, whereas rookie Ceddanne Rafaela (SS-eligible in Yahoo) hits 15 homers and steals 30 bases … Tyler O’Neill bounces again with an enormous marketing campaign … Kenley Jansen information 30 saves, however Brayan Bello is a fantasy bust and finishes as Boston’s fifth-best starter … Nick Pivetta is a dark-horse Cy Younger candidate (150/1) and finishes as a top-20 fantasy starter … Kutter Crawford, Tanner Houck and Garrett Whitlock all find yourself being fantasy bargains, however the Purple Sox end final of their division.
Fantasy and real-life predictions for the AL Central
1. Minnesota Twins
2. Cleveland Guardians
3. Detroit Tigers
4. Kansas Metropolis Royals
5. Chicago White Sox
Minnesota Twins
Royce Lewis turns into a common second-round decide in 2025 fantasy drafts … Carlos Santana scores 90+ runs, whereas Edouard Julien is without doubt one of the finest bargains at a tough 2B place … Ryan Jeffers finishes as a top-15 fantasy catcher, and Max Kepler hits 30 homers … Byron Buxton led MLB in HR/AB from 2020-2022 earlier than taking part in on one leg final season, but we will get 150/1 odds on him hitting probably the most homers this season when he’s lastly wholesome … Brock Stewart might get a save or two early, however Griffin Jax finishes the season as a top-20 fantasy RP … Bailey Ober and Louie Varland are fantasy breakouts, giving the Twins a loaded rotation … Minnesota simply takes a weak Central division after which surprises by successful the AL pennant.
Cleveland Guardians
Andrés Giménez has a greater fantasy season than Marcus Semien and Nico Hoerner, however José Ramírez underperforms in comparison with his ADP … Ramón Laureano goes 20/20 whereas hitting in the midst of Cleveland’s lineup, but he’s going undrafted in most fantasy leagues … Emmanuel Clase information fewer saves than Raisel Iglesias, Camilo Doval and Evan Phillips … Shane Bieber bounces again, whereas Triston McKenzie has a greater fantasy season than Tanner Bibee … Gavin Williams might turn into an ace if well being cooperates, however Guardians starters will endure from poor run assist.
Detroit Tigers
Spencer Torkelson hits 40+ homers, and Riley Greene finishes as a top-25 fantasy outfielder … Javier Báez bats underneath .200, however Jake Rogers is the most cost effective supply of 20-homer energy from the catcher place … Tarik Skubal overcomes pitching for the Tigers and wins the Cy Younger award … Kenta Maeda is most popular over Jack Flaherty as Detroit’s later-round SP possibility, whereas Jackson Jobe and Casey Mize are fantasy sleepers.
[2024 Fantasy Baseball Draft Rankings: C | 1B | 2B | SS | 3B | OF | SP | RP]
Kansas Metropolis Royals
Vinnie Pasquantino flirts with batting .300, however Maikel Garcia disappoints fantasy managers … Bobby Witt Jr. finishes as fantasy’s second most precious hitter, whereas Salvador Pérez goes down as among the best draft-day bargains amongst catchers … Dairon Blanco steals 35+ bases … Kansas Metropolis’s pitching is a large number outdoors of Cole Ragans, who finishes as a top-15 fantasy starter regardless of the Royals’ obstacles that embody a extremely favorable hitter’s park.
Chicago White Sox
Luis Robert doesn’t dwell as much as his lofty ADP because of extra damage issues, however Eloy Jiménez rebounds with a .280-25-90 marketing campaign … Yoán Moncada has his finest season since 2019 and will get added in all fantasy leagues, whereas Andrew Benintendi is a sleeper who quietly places up a .275-10-90-20 line … Michael Kopech information probably the most saves for the White Sox, however nobody in Chicago’s beginning rotation supplies fantasy worth … Fangraphs tasks the White Sox to complete final within the American League, successful 5 fewer video games than the A’s.
Fantasy and real-life predictions for the AL West
1. Houston Astros
2. Seattle Mariners (wild card)
3. Texas Rangers
4. Los Angeles Angels
5. Oakland A’s
Houston Astros
Alex Bregman tops 30 homers, whereas José Abreu information 110 RBI … Jose Altuve has a greater fantasy season than Marcus Semien … Jeremy Peña gives 20/20 upside at an inexpensive ADP, however he has zero residence runs since July 5, 2023 (349 plate appearances, together with spring coaching) … Hunter Brown emerges as Houston’s high fantasy starter, because the Astros comfortably win the AL West.
Seattle Mariners
Julio Rodríguez, who simply posted a 156 wRC+ after the All-Star break as a 22-year-old, wins the MVP award regardless of taking part in in an excessive pitcher’s park … J.P. Crawford scores 100+ runs, whereas Ty France’s revamped swing ends in the primary 20+ homer season of his profession … Mitch Haniger hits 25 homers with 90 RBI but stays free at draft tables … Seattle has a loaded rotation, though George Kirby fails to dwell as much as his ADP … Andrés Muñoz finishes forward of Emmanuel Clase and as a top-five fantasy nearer, serving to the Mariners safe a wild-card berth.
Texas Rangers
Evan Carter and Wyatt Langford each end as top-25 fantasy outfielders, with Langford working away with the Rookie of the 12 months award … Corey Seager wins the batting title whereas battling by accidents, and Jonah Heim hits 20+ homers with 80 RBI … José Leclerc enters as Texas’ nearer with David Robertson within the setup function, however Josh Sborz is a deep sleeper to emerge because the Rangers’ finest reliever in 2024 … Texas would turn into an actual risk to repeat as World Sequence champs if it makes the postseason with a wholesome Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom, however it will likely be difficult for it to win a wild-card spot.
Los Angeles Angels
Taylor Ward rebounds and is a top-25 fantasy outfielder, whereas Logan O’Hoppe leads all catchers in homers … Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon proceed to overlook important time … Carlos Estévez appears like one of many least expensive sources for 20+ saves, and Griffin Canning emerges because the group’s ace … The Angels enter full rebuild mode after Shohei Ohtani switched LA dugouts throughout the offseason.
Oakland Athletics
Apart from Elly De La Cruz, Esteury Ruiz might need the second-widest vary of fantasy outcomes this season. He’s totally able to hitting 10 residence runs and stealing 80+ bases, however he’s additionally a horrible defensive participant who’s out of the blue not projected to be in Oakland’s Opening Day lineup … Zack Gelof and Brent Rooker aren’t precisely a modern-day Bash Brothers, however each present low cost energy in fantasy drafts … Paul Blackburn and Alex Wooden may be streamed at residence in deep leagues, however Joe Boyle’s erratic management continues to carry him again … Mason Miller finishes as a top-15 fantasy RP regardless of seeing restricted save alternatives … The A’s are a group in flux, however not less than they get to play in a stadium with character.