It’s been a long road to get here, but the 2022 Major League Baseball season is finally upon us.
Baseball’s winter of discontent, with a 99-day lockout, gave way to a shorter spring training, setting the stage for the first games of the regular season on Thursday.
The reigning World Series champions, the Atlanta Braves, are expected to contend for another title this year, but the balance of power may have shifted back to the West Coast when let first baseman Freddie Freeman walk out as a free agent. The club icon, of course, signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, whom the Braves have faced in the NL Championship Series two years in a row.
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Our preseason predictions favor the Dodgers, with three of the seven USA TODAY Network reporters and editors choosing Los Angeles to win the World Series.
This is how our experts see the development of the 2022 season:
Bob Nightengale
- American League East Winner: tiles
- AL Center: white sock
- Western AL: stars
- AL wildcards: Mariners, Yankees, Rays
- National League East: Braves
- center of NL: Brewers
- NL West: Dodgers
- National League Wild Cards: Cardinals, Mets, Padres
- FTAS: Blue Jays over White Sox
- NLCS: Braves over Dodgers
- World Series: Braves
Awards:
- AL MVP: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays
- National League Most Valuable Player: Austin Riley, Braves
- American League Cy Young: Lucas Giolito, White Sox
- NL Cy Young: Max Fried, Braves
- American League Rookie: Bobby Witt Jr., Royals
- National League Rookie: Seiya Suzuki, Cubs
gabe lacquers
- At least: Tiles
- AL Center: Twins
- Western AL: Astros
- AL wildcards: Rays, Red Sox, White Sox
- National League East: Phillies
- center of NL: Brewers
- NL West: Dodgers
- National League Wild Cards: Braves, Padres, Cardinals
- FTAS: Blue Jays over Astros
- NLCS: Dodgers over Brewers
- World Series: Tiles
Awards
- AL MVP: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays
- National League Most Valuable Player: Manny Machado, Parents
- American League Cy Young: Shane McClanahan, Rays
- National League Cy Young: Walker Buehler, Dodgers
- American League Rookie: Julio Rodriguez, Mariners
- National League Rookie: Bryson Stott, Phillies
Steve Garner
- At least: Tiles
- AL Center: White sock
- Western AL: Astros
- AL wildcards: Rays, Yankees, Twins
- National League East: Braves
- center of NL: cardinals
- NL West: Dodgers
- National League Wild Cards: Mets, Brewers, Padres
- FTAS: Blue Jays over White Sox
- NLCS: Dodgers over Brewers
- World Series: Dodgers
Awards:
- AL MVP: Byron Buxton, Twins
- National League Most Valuable Player: Mookie Betts, Dodgers
- American League Cy Young: Lucas Giolito, White Sox
- NL Cy Young: Sandy Alcantara, Marlins
- American League Rookie: Bobby Witt Jr., Royals
- National League Rookie: Seiya Suzuki, Cubs
bobby nightengale
- At least: Tiles
- AL Center: White sock
- Western AL: angels
- AL wildcards: Yankees, Astros, Twins
- National League East: Braves
- National League Central: brewers
- NL West: Dodgers
- National League Wild Cards: Padres, Cardinals, Mets
- FTAS: White Sox over Yankees
- NLCS: Brewers over Dodgers
- World Series: Brewers
Awards:
- AL MVP: Byron Buxton, Twins
- National League Most Valuable Player: Juan Soto, Nationals
- American League Cy Young: Jose Berrios, Blue Jays
- NL Cy Young: Brandon Woodruff, Brewers
- American League Rookie: Bobby Witt Jr., Royals
- National League Rookie: Oneil Cruz, Pirates
scott bock
- At least: Ray
- AL Center: White sock
- Western AL: Astros
- AL wildcards: Yankees, Blue Jays, Mariners
- National League East: braves
- center of NL: Brewers
- NL West: Dodgers
- National League Wild Cards: Padres, Phillies, Mets
- FTAS: Rays over Yankees
- NLCS: Padres over Brewers
- World Series: Fathers
Awards:
- AL MVP: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays
- National League Most Valuable Player: Matt Olson, Braves
- American League Cy Young: Shane McClanahan, Rays
- NL Cy Young: Corbin Burnes, Brewers
- American League Rookie: Bobby Witt Jr., Royals
- National League Rookie: Joey Bart, Giants
Jesse Yomtov
- At least: Ray
- AL Center: White sock
- Western AL: Astros
- AL wildcards: Blue Jays, Yankees, Red Sox
- National League East: Braves
- center of NL: Brewers
- NL West: Dodgers
- National League Wild Cards: Giants, Padres, Mets
- FTAS: Blue Jays over Astros
- NLCS: Dodgers over Braves
- World Series: Dodgers
Awards:
- AL MVP: Luis Robert, White Sox
- National League Most Valuable Player: Freddie Freeman, Dodgers
- American League Cy Young: Justin Verlander, Astros
- NL Cy Young: Max Fried, Braves
- American League Rookie: Spencer Torkelson, Tigers
- National League Rookie: Bryson Stott, Phillies
Stephen Borelli
- At least: Tiles
- AL Center: White sock
- Western AL: stars
- AL wildcards: Rays, Yankees, Mariners
- National League East: Braves
- center of NL: Brewers
- NL West: Dodgers
- National League Wild Cards: Cardinals, Phillies, Padres
- FTAS: Blue Jays over Rays
- NLCS: Dodgers over Brewers
- World Series: Dodgers
Awards:
- AL MVP; Tim Anderson, White Sox
- National League Most Valuable Player: Juan Soto, Nationals
- American League Cy Young: Alek Manoah, Blue Jays
- NL Cy Young: Max Fried, Braves
- American League Rookie: Julio Rodriguez, Mariners
- National League Rookie: Seiya Suzuki, Cubs
