WASHINGTON — The 2018 Major League Baseball season begins Thursday, except for the Nationals who will have to wait an additional 24 hours.
It’s been a strange offseason, one without as many major moves as we’re used to seeing, leaving a lot of the same contenders as we had last season. But as any fan of the game knows, baseball rarely plays out the way we expect it to.
So where does that leave us this Opening Day? What will 2018 hold in store? The WTOP Sports staff took its shot at trying to predict how the next seven months will play out.
What will the Nationals’ record be and where will they finish in the division?
J. Brooks, sports anchor: 92-70, 1st
Chris Cichon, sports anchor: 101-61, 1st
Noah Frank, digital sports editor: 93-69, 1st
Dave Preston, sports anchor: 92-70, 1st
George Wallace, sports director: 96-66, 1st
(Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images
How many games will Bryce Harper play?
JB: 120
CC: 155
NF: 146
DP: 145
GW: 150
(AP Photo/John Bazemore)
AP Photo/John Bazemore
How many Nats pitchers will receive Cy Young votes?
JB: Two
CC: Two
NF: Two
DP: Three
GW: Two
(AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)
AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File
After Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez and Tanner Roark, who will start the most games in the rotation?
JB: A.J. Cole
CC: A.J. Cole
NF: Tommy Milone
DP: Erick Fedde
GW: Edwin Jackson
(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
Which team outside of Washington will post the most wins in the NL East, and how many?
JB: Philadelphia Phillies, 80
CC: Philadelphia Phillies, 78
NF: New York Mets, 84
DP: New York Mets, 86
GW: New York Mets, 87
(AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
AP Photo/Kathy Willens
Which MLB team will have the biggest increase in wins from last season?
JB: Philadelphia Phillies
CC: Baltimore Orioles
NF: Chicago White Sox
DP: Philadelphia Phillies
GW: Philadelphia Phillies
(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)
AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File
Which MLB team will have the biggest increase in losses from last season?
JB: Cleveland Indians
CC: Miami Marlins
NF: Miami Marlins
DP: Arizona Diamondbacks
GW: Miami Marlins
(AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
AP Photo/Jeff Roberson
Which team that missed the playoffs in 2017 will make them in 2018?
JB: Toronto Blue Jays
CC: Baltimore Orioles
NF: Milwaukee Brewers
DP: Toronto Blue Jays
GW: Toronto Blue Jays
(Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP
Which team that made the playoffs in 2017 will miss them in 2018?
JB: Cleveland Indians
CC: Minnesota Twins
NF: Colorado Rockies
DP: Boston Red Sox
GW: Arizona Diamondbacks
(AP Photo/Matt York)
AP Photo/Matt York
What is your boldest prediction for the 2018 season?
JB: Tim Tebow makes his Major League debut
CC: The Detroit Tigers trade Jordan Zimmerman back to the Nationals at the trade deadline and Avisail Garcia leads the American League in batting average
NF: The corner infield Matts (Olson and Chapman) each hit 30-plus home runs and each make the All-Star team, leading the Athletics to a surprise second-place finish in the AL West
DP: “Unexpected” April weather causes a slew of rainouts and snowouts the first few weeks, causing tons of chatter regarding, “why do you start a season for the boys of summer in March?”
GW: The Yankees won’t win the American League East
(AP Photo/John Bazemore)
AP Photo/John Bazemore
What is your World Series prediction — winning team, losing team, and number of games?
JB: Dodgers over Astros in 6
CC: Nationals over Yankees in 7
NF: Dodgers over Indians in 6
DP: Dodgers over Yankees in 7
GW: Cubs over Astros
(AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)