Major League Baseball

2024 MLB predictions by Ben Verlander: Standings, playoffs, World Series

Updated Mar. 28, 2024 10:43 a.m. ET

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Ben Verlander

FOX Sports MLB Analyst

It is officially opening week in Major League Baseball! We made it, everyone. Opening Day for all 30 teams is Thursday (excluding, of course, the two-game series in Korea between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres). 

Below you can find my full-season forecast for every team this season. I predicted every club's final 162-game record and where they will finish within their respective divisions, as well as the 12 playoff teams and postseason winners. And my World Series champion might surprise some people.

You can also check out my picks (along with our other FOX Sports MLB experts) for MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year here.

Let's get to it!

RELATED: MLB Young Core Rankings: Nos. 30-21 | Nos. 20-11 | Nos. 10-1

Regular-season standings predictions

* playoff team 
** top-two seed and wild-card bye

American League East

1. Baltimore Orioles**, 97-65
2. New York Yankees*, 92-70
3. Tampa Bay Rays, 89-73
4. Toronto Blue Jays, 85-77
5. Boston Red Sox, 77-85

American League Central

1. Minnesota Twins*, 87-75
2. Detroit Tigers, 81-81
3. Kansas City Royals, 77-85
4. Cleveland Guardians, 76-86
5. Chicago White Sox, 63-99

American League West

1. Houston Astros**, 93-69
2. Texas Rangers*, 90-72
3. Seattle Mariners*, 90-72
4. Los Angeles Angels, 77-85
5. Oakland Athletics, 55-107

National League East

1. Atlanta Braves**, 100-62
2. Philadelphia Phillies*, 93-69
3. Miami Marlins, 84-78
4. New York Mets, 84-78
5. Washington Nationals, 69-93

National League Central 

1. Cincinnati Reds*, 88-74
2. Chicago Cubs*, 86-76
3. St. Louis Cardinals, 82-80
4. Pittsburgh Pirates, 81-81
5. Milwaukee Brewers, 78-84

National League West

1. Los Angeles Dodgers**, 104-78
2. Arizona Diamondbacks*, 85-77
3. San Diego Padres, 84-78
4. San Francisco Giants, 84-78
5. Colorado Rockies, 60-102

Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, Baltimore Orioles: Who will be Ben's World Series champ?

American League postseason predictions

Playoff seeds

1. Baltimore Orioles
2. Houston Astros

3. Minnesota Twins
4. New York Yankees
5. Texas Rangers
6. Seattle Mariners

Wild-card series

(6) Mariners over (3) Twins
(4) Yankees over (5) Rangers

Division series

(1) Orioles over (4) Yankees
(2) Astros over (6) Mariners

Championship series

(1) Orioles over (2) Astros

National League postseason predictions

Playoff seeds

1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. Atlanta Braves

3. Cincinnati Reds
4. Philadelphia Phillies
5. Chicago Cubs
6. Arizona Diamondbacks

Wild-card series

(3) Reds over (6) Diamondbacks
(4) Phillies over (5) Cubs

Division series

(4) Phillies over (1) Dodgers
(2) Braves over (3) Reds

Championship series

(4) Phillies over (2) Braves

2024 World Series prediction: 

Philadelphia Phillies over Baltimore Orioles

Ben Verlander is an MLB Analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the "Flippin' Bats" podcast. Born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, Verlander was an All-American at Old Dominion University before he joined his brother, Justin, in Detroit as a 14th-round pick of the Tigers in 2013. He spent five years in the Tigers organization. Follow him at @BenVerlander.

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Major League Baseball

Baltimore Orioles

New York Yankees

Tampa Bay Rays

Toronto Blue Jays

Boston Red Sox

Minnesota Twins

Chicago White Sox

Kansas City Royals

Detroit Tigers

Cleveland Guardians

Houston Astros

Texas Rangers

Seattle Mariners

Los Angeles Angels

Athletics

Atlanta Braves

Philadelphia Phillies

New York Mets

Miami Marlins

Washington Nationals

Cincinnati Reds

Chicago Cubs

St. Louis Cardinals

Pittsburgh Pirates

Milwaukee Brewers

Los Angeles Dodgers

Arizona Diamondbacks

San Diego Padres

San Francisco Giants

Colorado Rockies

Ben Verlander

Flippin' Bats with Ben Verlander