Major League Baseball

MLB season preview: Staff predictions on MVP, Cy Young, ROY, World Series

Updated Mar. 30, 2023 6:35 a.m. ET

FOX Sports MLB Staff

Opening Day is here! And since this is baseball, what happens next is anyone's guess. With that, our MLB staff offered their predictions on 2023 MVPs, Cy Youngs, rookies of the year, pennant winners and the World Series champion.

Here are their picks.

American League MVP

Rowan Kavner: Shohei Ohtani, Angels
Jake Mintz: Ohtani
Pedro Moura: Mike Trout
Jordan Shusterman: José Ramírez, Guardians
Deesha Thosar: Ohtani
Ben Verlander: Ohtani

Last year's winner: Aaron Judge

Judge brought a reprieve for Angels players winning the award in 2022, hitting an AL record 62 home runs last season. Prior to that, either one of Ohtani or Trout won the award in four of the eight previous seasons. Following another historic 2022 campaign and a memorable World Baseball Classic run, Ohtani is again the favorite to win the award at +250.

National League MVP

Kavner: Ronald Acuña, Braves
Mintz: Fernando Tatís Jr., Padres
Moura: Mookie Betts, Dodgers
Shusterman: Juan Soto, Padres
Thosar: Trea Turner, Phillies
Verlander: Soto

Last year's winner: Paul Goldschmidt

Unlike the AL MVP, the NL MVP is a bit of a more open race entering the season. Soto is currently the favorite on FOX Bet with +550 odds, but Betts (+900), Acuña (+1000), Tatís (+1000), Turner (+1100), Manny Machado (+1100) and Nolan Arenado (+1100) aren't too far behind.

AL Cy Young

Kavner: Gerrit Cole, Yankees
Mintz: Cole
Moura: Ohtani
Shusterman: Ohtani
Thosar: Framber Valdez, Astros
Verlander: Valdez

Last year's winner: Justin Verlander

Could Ohtani become the first pitcher since Verlander in 2011 to win both AL MVP and Cy Young? It's certainly a possibility, as he's also been one of the game's top pitchers over the past couple of seasons. Cole and Valdez are also aiming for their first Cy Young, while Jacob deGrom could join rare air and win the award in both leagues.

NL Cy Young

Kavner: Spencer Strider, Braves
Mintz: Strider
Moura: Sandy Alcántara, Marlins
Shusterman: Brandon Woodruff, Brewers
Thosar: Strider
Verlander: Strider

Last year's winner: Alcántara

Just like with the NL MVP, the NL Cy Young race has several strong candidates entering the season. Alcántara is only 27 and continues to improve. Last year's AL winner (Verlander) is now in the senior circuit. Strider was one of the best pitchers in baseball last season as a rookie. And Max Scherzer has won three Cy Youngs in the past and continues to pitch at a high level.

AL Rookie of the Year

Kavner: Gunnar Henderson, Orioles
Moura: Henderson
Mintz: Anthony Volpe, Yankees
Shusterman: Masataka Yoshida, Red Sox
Thosar: Volpe
Verlander: Henderson

Last year's winner: Julio Rodríguez

There are a lot of candidates for this award coming out of the AL East. Yoshida was arguably the best hitter in the WBC. Volpe is the Yankees' most-hyped prospect in recent history and will be their Opening Day shortstop. Henderson flashed in the brief action he saw last season. The Red Sox's Triston Casas and the Orioles' Grayson Rodriguez are also among those listed among the top five in betting odds to win the award.

NL Rookie of the Year

Kavner: Miguel Vargas, Dodgers
Mintz: Corbin Carroll, Diamondbacks
Moura: Carroll
Shusterman: Carroll
Thosar: Jordan Walker, Cardinals
Verlander: Carroll

Last year's winner: Michael Harris II

Like Henderson, Carroll stood out as a late-season call-up in 2022. Vargas will factor into the mix for the Dodgers this season, perhaps as their everyday second basemen. Walker is one of the best prospects in baseball and will get his first big-league action right away, as the Cardinals placed him on their Opening Day roster.

World Series winner

Kavner: Braves over Blue Jays
Mintz: Braves over Yankees
Moura: Astros over Dodgers
Thosar: Phillies over Astros
Shusterman: Astros over Padres
Verlander: Astros over Braves

Last year's winner: Astros over Phillies in six games.

While a few teams have established themselves as perennial contenders, there's been a lot of parity in recent seasons as it concerns winning the World Series. Only the Astros have won multiple tittles since 2014, and no team has won back-to-back crowns since the Yankees in 2000.

Let the games begin.

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