As spring training ends and the 2023 MLB season kicks off, a few surprises are in store. Of course, we all know spring training records are not an adequate predictor of anything, but there is some insight into the regular season there. From what we have seen this spring and offseason, here are two surprise MLB teams that will make the playoffs and two that won’t.
Surprise MLB teams that will make the playoffs in 2023
San Francisco Giants
The Giants will be the season’s biggest surprise. With their gritty, hard-working roster, they will be the season’s surprise. Giants president Farhan Zaidi thinks the Giants could be among the league’s top teams in runs scorers in 2023, with multiple 30-home run guys.
“One of the strengths of our ’23 team, we think, is going to be power,” Zaidi said on “Murph & Mac” recently. “We’ve got three guys who’ve had 30-plus home run seasons which we think can do that again. We have, like, four or five guys who have hit 20 and a couple more who have hit 18 or 19.
The Giants pitching has been phenomenal this spring, with Logan Webb leading the way with 17 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.16. The Giants also have a solid bullpen, led by closer Camilo Doval, who Rotochamp predicted to have 34 saves. The Giants are a dark horse with +700 odds to win the NL West and a surprise MLB team to make the playoffs.
logan webb + camilo doval = the future of giants baseball #ConGanas pic.twitter.com/oasfVuZ7P0
— lily ݁ ⋆ ୨୧ ˚ (@camilodovals) June 30, 2022
Boston Red Sox
After a disappointing 2022 season, the Red Sox will bounce back with a vengeance in 2023. Their offense will be a scrappy Boston-style powerhouse led by Rafael Devers and Masataka Yoshida. The two will contend for the AL MVP, with Yoshida winning AL ROY.
Masataka Yoshida showing off that power. 👀 pic.twitter.com/TGmHWWcph9
— MLB (@MLB) March 28, 2023
Their pitching will also be solid, with crafty veterans Corey Kluber and Chris Sale leading the way and Kutter Crawford bursting onto the Fenway scene. The Red Sox will be a formidable contender in the AL East and sneak by the New York Yankees for a Wild Card spot. Yes, the Red Sox will be one of the surprise MLB teams to make the playoffs.
Surprise MLB teams that won’t make the playoffs
New York Yankees
Everyone everywhere expects the Yankees to be one of the top teams in the league this season, but there have been several significant disappointments this spring. Their offense has been lackluster, with several key players struggling at the plate. Aaron Hicks’ strikeout rate through spring is excessive, and the pesky oblique issue with Harrison Bader puts the Yankees outfield and lineup in question.
The Yankees pitching rotation is highly suspect, with Luis Severino, Carlos Rodon, and Frankie Montas starting the season on the IL. In addition, I have a feeling that Nestor Cortes Jr. will see a significant reduction in productivity due to the new pitch clock rule limiting his ability to change up his deliveries on the mound. With that, ace Gerrit Cole could now the only reliable starter in the rotation. The Yankees have a lot of talent on their expensive roster, but they will have to depend on rookies to elevate them if they hope to win number 28 (spoiler alert, they won’t).
Atlanta Braves
This sounds crazy, but Atlanta will be another surprise MLB team that misses the playoffs. The Braves over the Yankees in Game 6 of the 2023 World Series seems more likely. They are locked to win the NL East in most predictions. Even in my MLB The Show 2023 simulation, the Braves beat the Astros in 7.
The hype and odds are too good for the Braves. The Mets and Phillies will prove too much, and the Nationals and Marlins will pick off too many games from them to win the East. Cancel those bets.