The 2022 MLB season is underway, and it’s going to continue to be going on throughout the month of October. Say what you want about the length of the MLB season, but it does get sports fans through the “dog days of summer.”
This also gives bettors plenty of time to look at MLB lines, and there are plenty of chances to win some money during the season. Betting on each game is always an option, but it can be more profitable to bet on division winners.
Here are some predictions for the six division winners during the 2022 MLB season, and you will see plenty of surprise selections on this list.
AL East: Toronto Blue Jays
The AL East has four teams that could go on and win the division, with the Baltimore Orioles being the lone exception. Out of the four teams that could contend, it was the Toronto Blue Jays that made the biggest splash in the offseason.
There are still some concerns about the pitching staff in Toronto, but that lineup looks scary on paper. The Blue Jays now have a real home field advantage, and that is going to have an effect later on in the year as well.
Toronto is going to win the AL East Division this season.
AL Central: Minnesota Twins
In the AL Central, everyone seems to be crowning the Chicago White Sox before the season even began. Chicago won the AL Central a season ago, and they brought nearly the entire team back.
What the White Sox didn’t do though was improve, and the Minnesota Twins are a team that got a ton better this offseason. Minnesota brought in Carlos Correa to bolster their lineup, and the Twins have some solid arms in the pitching staff.
This would be a shock to see anyone but the White Sox win the AL Central, but the Minnesota Twins are going to pull it off.
AL West: Los Angeles Angels
The Houston Astros have dominated the AL West Division for the past few years, but that reign has to come to an end at some point. That time is in 2022 as it will be the Los Angeles Angels that finally put it all together.
The Angels are led by Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, who are two of the top-five players in baseball at the moment. Houston has been losing some of their core of late, and it’s going to come back and get them in 2022.
Los Angeles still has some flaws, but manager Joe Maddon will work his magic to guide his team to a title.
NL East: New York Mets
The Atlanta Braves are the defending World Series champions, and they are loaded once again. It’s going to take a real solid effort from some team to knock them off in the NL East, and the New York Mets are that team.
New York has a loaded pitching staff yet again, but this time it is led by Max Scherzer. Atlanta has some slight injury concerns already, and the Mets appear to finally have found some offense.
This division race will be tight, but the Mets will be the team that wins the NL East Division title.
NL Central: St. Louis Cardinals
Most MLB “experts” believe that the NL Central is going to be controlled by the Milwaukee Brewers this season, but that’s selling the St. Louis Cardinals short. Milwaukee might have the best pitching staff, but the Cardinals clearly have the best offense.
St. Louis is going to have to figure something out in the starting rotation, but the lineup is good enough to cover up for some rough starts. This race should be tight throughout the year, but it will be the Cardinals that reign supreme and win the NL Central Division.
NL West: Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are the overwhelming favorites to win the NL West Division, even though it is one of the best divisions in the league. San Francisco actually shocked everyone a season ago by winning the NL West.
This Dodgers team is absolutely loaded and they look like the clear pick to win the World Series as well. Los Angeles has a pitching staff that can shut down anyone and a lineup full of All Stars.
San Francisco and San Diego can both make a run, but Los Angeles is winning the NL West.
