Chicago Cubs and 2023 MLB standings predictions

It's that time of year again when we predict the 2023 MLB standings. There are going to be several teams looking to take a big step forward this year, including the Chicago Cubs. We will start with the NL Central and the Cubs, then move around the National League and then the American League.

Do the Chicago Cubs have a shot in the NL Central?

1. St. Louis Cardinals: 93 - 69

It's hard not to give the benefit of the doubt to the Cardinals. Coming off a 2022 division title, the Cardinals added former Cubs All-Star catcher Willson Contreras to a lineup containing reigning MVP 1B Paul Goldschmidt, 3B Nolan Arenado, and IF/OF Tommy Edman. Not only does this team have a good lineup, but a very good defense. Arenado was 4th best in DRS (19). The pitching on paper looks solid too, and there is hope that ace Jack Flaherty can return strong from the big-time injuries he's sustained. There is also some significant firepower in the bullpen too. It's a well-built all-around team that should as always, be in the mix.

2. Milwaukee Brewers: 84-78

The starting pitching for The Crew still features some great arms, including Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, Eric Lauer, and Freddy Peralta. Their pitching staff and defense have been able to get them a lot of wins over the past few years. Their most productive hitter in 2022, Hunter Renfroe, was traded to the Angels. They did add OF Jesse Winker and C William Contreras, and IFs Rowdy Tellez and Willy Adames can hit 30 homers. Can former MVP Christian Yelich bounce back? That can make a big difference. This team can have another solid season, but they might want to add some offense around the deadline if they are indeed in the mix.

3. Chicago Cubs: 82-80

President Jed Hoyer was one of the busiest executives in baseball this offseason. Key additions include All-Star Dansby Swanson, OF Cody Bellinger, SP Jameson Taillon, 1B/DH Trey Mancini, 1B Eric Hosmer, RF Brad Boxberger, and C Tucker Barnhart. These additions will be part of a squad that features All-Star LF Ian Happ, OF Seiya Suzuki, IF Nico Hoerner, SP Marcus Stroman, SP Justin Steele, and a collection of young prospects on the cusp.

This team has the potential to be a decently sound club. It feels like a high-floor, lower-ceiling team. They have solid veterans that can play good fundamental baseball but do not have the super star power other National League teams have. The pitching and defense have the potential to be very effective with the young arms and defensive talent they've collected, while the lineup can be decent but lacks big-time firepower. It's a solid team without the shiniest gems. The hope is they can be competitive as they move into a new era.

4. Cincinnati Reds: 73-89

Much focus will be on the Reds' farm system and young players this year. Fireballer Hunter Greene showed his potential in his first go-around in the majors last year. He will have another year to work on his stuff and command. Keep an eye on lefty starting pitcher Nick Lodolo too. Two big Reds prospects to follow are infielders Elly De La Cruz and Noelvi Marte. The current MLB lineup does not have a ton of elite firepower. They added veteran Wil Myers to play alongside 2021 Rookie of the Year SS Jonathan India, C/1B Tyler Stephenson and the longtime face of the franchise Joey Votto. It is the final year of Votto's deal (club option in 2024) and it could be his last hurrah. Even if they are not contenders in 2023, they have pieces for a bright future.

5. Pittsburgh Pirates: 71-91

There are some exciting young players in the Pirates organization. SS Oneil Cruz showed some big-time pop last year and 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes (MLB's leader in DRS in 2022) has been one of their key building blocks. Their system boasts some notable talent, which will help build their future. The big story of their offseason was bringing OF Andrew McCutchen home. They also brought in veterans P Rich Hill, DH Carlos Santana, and C Austin Hedges. One big uncertainty is if All-Star Bryan Reynolds is dealt away or not. This team could do okay offensively, but the pitching will probably struggle. Like the Reds, they have built up some pieces that could be promising for the long term.

The National League East is going to be an epic battle.

1. New York Mets: 95-67

Steve Cohen has no budget, and he showed that this offseason. Even though the Carlos Correa deal did not go through, they still added SP Justin Verlander, SP Kodai Senga, SP Jose Quintana, RP David Robertson, C Omar Narváez, and OF Tommy Pham. The Mets also secured OF Brandon Nimmo on an 8-year deal. The lineup features the star power of SS Francisco Lindor, 1B Pete Alonso, and Jeff McNeil. The top of the rotation featuring future Hall of Famers Verlander and Max Scherzer is going to be a heck of a combo, even after losing Jacob deGrom. They also have one of the very best closers in Edwin Diaz. This is a very good team on paper, the Mets just hope the bad luck bug doesn't bite again.

2. Atlanta Braves: 93 - 69

They lost Dansby Swanson, but the lineup is still very good. Star OF Ronald Acuña Jr. will lead the way with 2B Ozzie Albies, 1B Matt Olson, and 3B Austin Riley. The middle of the infield now features the young, promising Vaughn Grissom, who impressed in his first 41 MLB games last year. GM Alex Anthopoulos made a big trade this offseason to acquire All-Star C Sean Murphy from the A's. The rotation will be headed off by All-Star Max Fried, 24-year-old Spencer Strider who was outstanding last year, underrated starter Kyle Wright and veteran Charlie Morton. These top three teams will be fun to watch duke it out in 2023. Head-to-head records could determine the standing order.

3. Philadelphia Phillies: 91-71

The defending National League champs have one of the most exciting lineups in baseball. Star OF/DH Bryce Harper and his slugging crew of OF/DH Kyle Schwarber, C J.T. Realmuto, OF Nick Castellanos, and 1B Rhys Hoskins will now feature All-Star SS Trea Turner. In terms of scoring runs, this team should thrive. If starting pitchers Zach Wheeler, Aaron Nola, and Taijuan Walker can pitch to their better levels, it's a tough team to beat. One knock on them is, like last year, they won't be known for defense. Luckily for them, they can slug their way to many victories. Just imagine if Castellanos can bounce back from a "meh" season in 2022 and pair that with everyone else playing to the back of their cards.

4. Miami Marlins; 76-86

Miami features some really nice arms on their staff, including reigning Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara as their ace. 25-year-old Jesús Luzardo is coming off a very good year as well. The Fish added some veterans this offseason including P Johnny Cueto and IF Jean Segura. Their biggest add was acquiring American League batting champ IF Luis Arraez in a trade with the Twins for P Pablo Lopez. Arraez joins a lineup with the electric OF Jazz Chisholm Jr., 2021 World Series hero Jorge Soler, and veteran Avisail Garcia. The team has some good pieces but lacks the star power of the three teams ahead of them.

5. Washington Nationals: 62-100

The team that won the World Series in 2019 is all but gone. Now the Nats are in full rebuild mode. The franchise has built up its farm system a bit, especially with the trade of star OF Juan Soto to the Padres last year. The current projected roster has a few notable young pieces, including P Cade Cavalli, P MacKenzie Gore, and SS CJ Abrams, but much of it contains veteran fillers. Veteran bats include OF Corey Dickerson, IF Jeimer Candelario, 1B Dominic Smith, P Trevor Williams, and P Patrick Corbin. Unless the unthinkable happens, they should be sellers at the deadline and more prospects can get some playing time. They will likely be at the bottom of the National League.

It will be a battle of the titans between Los Angeles and San Diego.

1. Los Angeles Dodgers: 99-63

The Dodgers did not have a huge offseason, but they did add a few pieces and their team is still beyond stacked. Returning to the lineup are stars OF Mookie Betts, 1B Freddie Freeman, C Will Smith, and 3B Max Muncy, They added former Boston slugger J.D. Martinez and IF Miguel Rojas to the lineup and added Noah Syndergaard to the pitching rotation. Future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw and last year's ERA title winner Julio Urías will top off the rotation, with fireballer Dustin May in the mix. This team is still capable of being the best team in the National League, and they can acquire more talent with their stacked farm system.

2. San Diego Padres: 93-69

Could this be the year for the Padres? The team is as stacked as ever going into this season. Superstar IF Manny Machado is in his prime, and the top three in the rotation being Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove, and Blake Snell is very good on paper. Last year they added Juan Soto to the mix and will be getting SS Fernando Tatis Jr. back from PED suspension. This offseason they made a big splash for former Red Sox All-Star IF Xander Bogaerts, DH Nelson Cruz, veteran UT Matt Carpenter, and P Seth Lugo. The team is going all in, and striking right now while they are in their prime is the most ideal scenario for them. The biggest hope is that Tatis bounces back as does Soto, who struggled in his first few months as a Padre, and closer Josh Hader refinds his 2018-2021 form.

3. San Francisco Giants: 83-79

One can imagine how Giants fans felt when the Carlos Correa deal didn't go through, that would have been a really solid addition. They did add up adding OF/DH Michael Conforto via free agency, who is a bit of an unknown since he missed all of 2022, as well as OF Mitch Haniger and P Sean Manaea. The team is coming off a .500 season, and still features the likes of OF Mike Yastrzemski, SS Brandon Crawford, slugging OF Joc Pederson, and IF Wilmer Flores. They certainly do not have the slugging power that the Dodgers or Padres have. If Conforto can prove he can still slug, then that's a big plus for them. They have been known to maximize what they have and play good fundamental baseball resulting in success.

4. Arizona Diamondbacks: 78-84

It's not a team with a ton of firepower, but they have some solid pieces. Starting pitcher Zac Gallen has quietly been one of the better pitchers in the National League, and Merill Kelly is coming off a career season. It seems as if the old Madison Bumgarner is gone, as he has put up a 4.98 ERA and 5.04 FIP in 65 starts as a Diamondback. The biggest source of power will likely come from 1B Christian Walker, who is the only projected Dback to eclipse 20 homers in 2023. They did add veteran 3B Evan Longoria via free agency and got OF Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (who can hit 20 homers) and young catcher Gabriel Moreno in a trade from the Blue Jays. The franchise has one of the better farms in baseball so they seem to at least be moving in the right direction.

5. Colorado Rockies: 68-94

“I think we can play .500 ball," says Rockies owner Dick Monfort. Well, they lost 94 games in 2022 and they did not really get any better. Most of the lineup is returning, including our old friend Kris Bryant, 1B CJ Cron, 3B Ryan McMahon, 2B Brendan Rodgers, OF Randal Grichuk, and longtime CF Charlie Blackmon. Bryant spent much of last year injured, but will hopefully be healthier this year. Cron is coming off his first-ever All-Star season and has played very well in Colorado. The pitching is going to struggle for a number of reasons, their best starter is Germán Márquez who has solid stuff but sadly pitches in the thin Rocky Mountain air. If Bryant is healthy it can help their lineup, but do not expect a very good season in Colorado.

One American Central team will look to redeem the letdown of 2022 and another will look to defend their title.

1. Chicago White Sox: 87-75

It's reasonable to think the Sox rebound and win the Central. With that said, it is going to take some things going right. The big changes in the offseason included hiring Pedro Grifol to replace Hall of Famer Tony LaRussa to run the dugout and adding OF Andrew Benintendi to solidify left field. The big key for the Sox is the health of young stars CF Luis Robert and DH Eloy Jiménez
. If they play to their potential, with rebound performances from 3B Yoán Moncada
, All Star SS Tim Anderson and C Yasmani Grandal. The top of their rotation is very good on paper with Dylan Cease, Lucas Giolito, and Lance Lynn. They have lost the face of the franchise, José Abreu, veteran Johnny Cueto, and closer Liam Hendricks is battling cancer treatment (prayers for his recovery). The team has holes and chinks in the armor, but still has the talent to be a playoff team. Feels like all or nothing for the Sox this year.

2. Cleveland Guardians: 85-77

Doubting them again? Well the team showed last year they can win with the talent they develop within. Their pitching development in particular continues to be great, and in 2023 will once again boast the likes of star starter Shane Bieber, Triston McKenzie, and CP Emmanuel Clase. Their rotation and pen as whole shapes up pretty well. 1B/DH Josh Bell was added to the lineup with All-Star 3B José Ramirez, CF Myles Straw, 1B Josh Naylor, IF Andrés Giménez, and rising star Steven Kwan. The dugout still features one of baseball's best managers in Terry Francona. Cleveland plays the game very well, one just might wonder if they maintain the same success they had in 2022, but they sure have what it takes to win again.

3. Minnesota Twins: 80-82

This team is so strange. In an unexpected chain of events, star SS Carlos Correa returned on a multi-year deal. They acquired SP Pablo López
from Miami in exchange for Luis Arraez and signed veteran slugger Joey Gallo, C Christian Vázquez, OF Michael A. Taylor, and IF Kyle Farmer. Arguably the biggest question is if star CF Byron Buxton will be healthy. His presence makes a big difference but has had a hard time staying on the field. The rotation underneath López features veterans Sonny Gray, Tyler Mahle, and Kente Maeda. On paper a solid rotation. Last year the bullpen had some issues holding leads and could have some questions going into 2023. Keep an eye on pitcher Jhoan Duran.

4. Kansas City Royals: 73-89

The Royals are filled with inexperience, with much of the projected Opening Day roster being 22-26 years old and under two years of service time. Rising star IF Bobby Witt Jr. is the centerpiece of this next phase in Kansas City. Other young players to keep an eye on include OF MJ Melendez and 1B Vinnie Pasquantino. The veteran production in the lineup will come from 3B Hunter Dozier and of course C Salvy Perez. Most of the rotation includes veteran guys, including Zack Greinke, Jordan Lyles, Brad Keller, and Ryan Yarbrough. They did also add reliever Aroldis Chapman to the bullpen. It's not going to be a very good team but has some promising young pieces.

5. Detroit Tigers: 71-91

Detroit is handing over this rebuild project to new president Scott Harris who looking to get the plan back on track. They will need 2020 first-overall pick Spencer Torkelson to make a big step forward this year, with 2019 fifth-overall pick Riley Greene (who showed promise in 2022) to do the same. The lineup will feature former Cubs star SS Javier Baez, veteran Jonathan Schoop and former Rays OF Austin Meadows. They brought back P Matthew Boyd and added Michael Lorenzen to a rotation of Eduardo Rodriquez, Matt Manning, and Spencer Turnbull. This team could be better than last year's, but they are still far from being legit.

The American League West runs through the defending champions.

1. Houston Astros: 97-65

Coming off their World Series run, the Astros are once again in a prime position to win another title. Every year they seem to lose a big piece, this year it's Justin Verlander, but it does not matter as they find replacements and end up just fine. They added former White Sox star José Abreu at 1B/DH to a potent lineup of star OF/DH Yordan Alvarez, 2B Jose Altuve, 3B Alex Bregman, RF Kyle Tucker, SS Jeremy Peña, and DH Michael Brantley. It's a lineup that can hit, slug, get on base, and come through in the clutch. The top three in the rotation aren't bad either, with Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier, and Lance McCullers Jr. all coming back. This franchise knows how to produce talent and win, and is the team to beat until proven otherwise.

2. Seattle Mariners: 90-72

Long-suffering Mariners fans got to see their team play in October for the first time in 21 years last season. The excitement young star CF Julio Rodríguez brought to Seattle should translate into 2023 and beyond. The additions of OF Teoscar Hernández, OF/DH AJ Pollock, and 2B Kolton Wong should provide useful for them, and they will have a full year of Luis Castillo in the rotation. The lineup should also get some pop from 1B Ty France, C Cal Raleigh, and veteran 3B Eugenio Suárez. Do not rule out Jarred Kelenic being a factor either. This should be a fun team to watch in 2023.

3. Los Angeles Angels: 81-81

People watch the Angels because of Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, two of the most exciting and beloved players in baseball. Trout has been the best player in baseball for a solid decade now, and Ohtani can hit 40+ homers at the plate while also striking out 200+ batters on the mound. They have not had a supporting cast around them sadly. The Angels did add RF slugger Hunter Renfroe, 2B Brandon Drury, and UT Gio Urshela to the lineup while adding P Tyler Anderson to the rotation. They will also be begging for 3B Anthony Rendon to be healthy this year. On paper, it's a better team than last year, but it still probably lacks what is needed to contend for a division title.

4. Texas Rangers: 77-85

This team has brought in a lot of big names over the past two years. This year they are adding former Mets star pitcher Jacob deGrom to the rotation, along with P Nathan Eovaldi and P Andrew Heaney. The lineup has some power in SS Corey Seager, 2B Marcus Semien, 1B Nathaniel Lowe, 3B Josh Jung, and OF Adolis García. Each of these guys can hit 20+ homers and slug .450+. It will be important to have deGrom healthy this season, along with Seager. This team can be intriguing, but they will have to make a big jump from 68 wins last year. Regardless, they are moving in the right direction with added talent and a top-10 farm system.

5. Oakland Athletics: 66-96

Que the Moneyball memes, it is shaping up to be another long season in Oakland. They have sold off many pieces over the past year, including their latest casualty All-Star catcher Sean Murphy. UT Tony Kemp and LF Seth Brown are still around, and Brown is one of the few candidates to slug over .420 on the season. They filled some gaps with veteran journeymen 1B Jesús Aguilar, IF Jace Peterson, DH/IF Aledmys Díaz, and C Manny Piña. Do not expect Billy Beane to be calling in Scott Hatteberg this season.