Will the World Series be a repeat of 2017? Who will be the best pitcher in baseball? Our writers give their verdicts as the new season begins

One bold prediction ...

Most of baseball’s speed-up rules will be a gigantic flop. Fans and players will hate the new mandate (currently being tested in the minor leagues) that puts a runner on second base to start every extra inning. Baseball has been tinkered with for generations but this is a fundamental change that will destroy the flow of the game. LC

The Astros will threaten the Seattle Mariners’ 2001 record of 116 victories. With a rotation that includes a reinvigorated Justin Verlander, Dallas Keuchel, Gerrit Cole, Lance McCullers and Charlie Morton, who is still riding World Series Game 7 mojo, it’s hard to imagine their offense not crushing all before them. But beware: record win totals don’t always lead to a ring. DL

Baseball set an all-time home run record in 2017 with 6,105 blasts, 400 more than in the 2000 season and the peak of the steroid era. To attribute all of those home runs to players swinging harder at the plate and “juiced baseballs” seems a bit naive considering ... well, all of modern baseball history. So here’s the prediction: some big names will be linked to PEDs this year. And another prediction: most baseball fans under 40 won’t care. DG

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The Judge-Stanton axis is …

... powerful but don’t expect them to be on the field together all season. While having two huge sluggers in their prime is a coup for the Yankees, injuries held Stanton to just 115 games in the previous seasons before last year. He and Judge will hit a lot of home runs but New York could have a huge hole to fill if Stanton goes on the disabled list in August or September. LC

... producing energy, enough to light up a small town. I’m not talking about home-run juice, but rather the byproduct, windpower. Judge and Stanton combined to strike out 310 times last season: if renewables are your thing, find a way to capture the gales whipping up in the Bronx. DL

Must-watch baseball television. It’s hard to drop in on even the best baseball players for a single game throughout the 162-game schedule and expect magic. Watch five Mike Trout games all year, for example, and you might have the misfortune of seeing him go 0-for-4 every time, even in the midst of a .350/45/130 season. But Judge and Stanton are guaranteed every night to deliver either massive home run(s) or mammoth whiffs. And most nights it will be both. DG

MVP winners

Marcell Ozuna and Mike Trout. Ozuna had a breakout season for the Marlins last year and many people never noticed because it was for, well, the Marlins. Now in St Louis he will play meaningful games while still hitting in a productive line-up. The Angels may be good enough to play into fringe contention, meaning Trout won’t have to fight voter bias against players from losing teams. LC

Jose Altuve earned his MVP last season, but the AL vote would have been much closer if Mike Trout didn’t miss over a month to injury. Everyone’s favorite amateur weatherman wins the big ugly plaque every other season, and I’m forecasting another. Bryce Harper already plays angry – what’s he going to be like in his long-awaited contract year? Torrid: it’s not even going to be close. Should we start the bidding at $500m? DL

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Giancarlo Stanton hit 59 home runs last year and had a 1.007 OPS while playing in a pitchers’ park. Now that he’ll get 81 games in Yankee Stadium – as well as nearly 20 more in Fenway Park and Camden Yards – and have much better protection around him in the lineup, 70 homers is a real possibility. Or maybe 70 intentional walks. Either way, the MVP is Stanton’s if he stays healthy. In the NL, give it to Paul Goldschmidt for soldiering on with big numbers despite not having nearly as much talent around him. DG

Cy Young winners

Clayton Kershaw and Chris Sale. A pair of back injuries the last two seasons have kept Kershaw from winning the award four of the last five years. If he can make 30 starts no one will have better numbers. Sale has come close several times, if he can avoid a glitch like the one he had late last summer he is probably the American League’s best pitcher. LC

Clayton Kershaw hasn’t won a Cy Young in three seasons – for this southpaw, that feels like a Cubs-like drought. His season will end in an even larger cash bonanza after an opt-out or Dodger contract extension. The gap between Corey Kluber and the rest of the AL in 2017 was almost two WAR points (if WAR is your thing). There’s no reason to believe he can’t be just as dominant in 2018. DL

There will be a good argument to be made after Clayton Kershaw’s career is over to change the name of the honor to the Young/Kershaw Award. He’ll win his fourth (currently-dubbed) Cy Young Award this year. In the American League, a rejuvenated Justin Verlander is the frontrunner – unless he splits the vote with any of the two other Houston starters with Cy Young potential in Dallas Keuchel and Gerrit Cole. DG

NL East winners

The Nationals would win almost any division they are in but they have the fortune of playing in the NL East, which may end up not having another team with a winning record. The Nats should get a big season from Bryce Harper in his contract year and have a solid bullpen that could finally win them a postseason series. LC

The current national disgrace in DC would pale in comparison to a Nationals bust in the NL East. The Mets need their long list of “ifs” to hit if they’re to compete, the Phillies are trending upwards but need more time, Atlanta missed a winter of opportunity when their GM was banned for life, and Miami have a great shot at a Florida League title. It’s Washington’s to lose. DL

With Bryce Harper still under contract for one more season, this is Washington’s division to lose. But if Washington somehow struggles, maybe they’ll trade Harper before the deadline to his favorite team growing up: the New York Yankees. They sure could use another power bat. DG

NL West winners

The Dodgers play in baseball’s best division but they have so much depth they should win the West again for the sixth straight year. They have built a team of versatile players and can tap into a deep farm system to cover for almost any injury. Arizona and Colorado will make runs but don’t have the pitching to match LA. LC

The NL West is the only thing the Dodgers can count on winning – they’re up to five straight crowns. Their question is, can they finally win a World Series after a 30-year drought, a somewhat staggering number considering their royalty status. The Giants losing Madison Bumgarner and Jeff Samardzija to injuries means there’s little chance at taking on LA. We could have two wildcard spots from this division again if the Giants and Diamondbacks do well. DL

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The Giants won the World Series in 2010, 2012 and 2014, but bottomed out last year at 64-98. They’ve gone all-in on turning it around by acquiring Evan Longoria and Andrew McCutchen, but those players – like the team they’ve joined – also were a lot better between 2010 and 2014 than they are today. The Dodgers should win the division again with ease. DG

NL Central winners

St Louis and Milwaukee are both improved but the Cubs are still the best team in this division. They have fixed their biggest problem, the bullpen, by adding Brandon Morrow and Steve Cishek. Chicago will still be able to hit, and now they won’t be giving away games in the eighth and ninth they may well be back in the World Series. LC

Milwaukee are unique: a middle of the road team actually trying to win. Impressive additions include Christian Yelich and Lorenzo Cain. If I’m drinking the Kool-Aid, let’s say they’re an arm or two short for the division but will earn a wildcard spot. The Cardinals must win now for manager Mike Matheny’s sake but they’re a patchwork outfit at best. You know where this is going: a third straight Central crown for the evil empire out in Chicago. DL

The Cubs have seen the Astros blow by them as baseball’s new supposed dynasty-in-the-making, but Chicago still don’t have any real competition in their own division. The Brewers added some talent, but probably not enough. The Cardinals mostly stood pat after an 83-79 season. And the Pirates got just enough in exchange for McCutchen and Gerrit Cole to remain competitively mediocre again. Oh, and the Cincinnati Reds exist, too. DG

AL East winners

These Yankees look very much like the great teams of old with a loaded line-up, solid rotation and excellent bullpen. The addition of Giancarlo Stanton will be enough to get them past the Red Sox and make them a serious World Series threat. LC

By far the most intriguing division. Two outliers: the unsung Orioles for whom it’s a quarter to doom, with three core all-stars set to depart soon, and the Jays, with a rotation possibly propelling Toronto onto an unlikely run. Otherwise it’s yet another edition of Yankees-Red Sox. Will Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge stay healthy? Is JD Martinez another Boston bust? Which rookie manager, Alex Cora or Aaron Boone, will wilt first? For me, this is setting up like a classic Sox meltdown: Yanks in a laugher. DL

It’s easy to complain about the Yankees and Red Sox being on national TV all the time, but they also happen to be the clear two best teams in the AL East this year and legitimate World Series contenders. Admit it: this year’s 500 primetime matchups will be a good watch. Give the edge to the Yankees thanks to the addition of Stanton, who will help New York clinch the division in the final weekend of the season with a line drive that rips a hole through the Green Monster. DG

AL West winners

Houston might actually be better than last year … if that is possible. A deep rotation and line-up filled with impossible players to get out will probably push the Astros past 100 wins again this year. The Rangers and Angels could experiment with six-man rotations and Seattle are better but none of these teams will come close to catching the champions. LC

If you’re an Angels or a Mariners fan (and what the heck, an Athletics fan), you know that the only hope you have at even touching the Astros is a spate of injuries ... or Carlos Correa’s wedding planning becoming a major team distraction. It’s hard to imagine the defending champions struggling with something as meek as the AL West. Otherwise, it’s all eyes on Ohtani. DL

Last year the Astros won the AL West by a 21-game margin. Don’t expect it to be as close this year. DG

AL Central winners

Last September, Cleveland looked like the favorites to win the World Series but an inexplicable collapse in the postseason was a disappointing end to a tremendous late-year run. The Indians are too good to not repeat but watch out for the Twins who are on the rise. LC

Does anyone remember Minnesota made the playoffs after selling at the trade deadline and were actually up 3-0 on the Yankees in the first inning of the wildcard game? The Twins have it in them to scare the Indians just a touch if their offense continues to fire and their pitching takes a half-step up, which it can after off-season acquisitions. Otherwise, I’d bet the house on this division finishing in the exact same order it did a season ago. DL

The best sports team in Cleveland in 2018 just so happens to be the Indians. (Sorry, Browns.) Their one-two punch at the top of the rotation in Corey Kluber and Carlos Carrasco is as good as any in the league. DG

NL wildcards

Cardinals and Rockies. LC

Brewers and Mets. DL

Diamondbacks and Mets. DG

AL wildcards

Blue Jays and Red Sox. LC

Blue Jays and Red Sox. DL

Red Sox and Twins. DG

ALCS result

Astros over Indians 4-2. LC

Yankees over Astros 4-3. DL

Astros over Yankees, 4-2. DG

NLCS result

Dodgers over Cubs 4-3. LC

Dodgers over Brewers 4-1. DL

Dodgers over Cubs, 4-3. DG

World Series winners

Dodgers over Astros 4-2. This time Kenley Jansen doesn’t hang a ninth-inning, Game 2 slider and Houston don’t come back to beat the Dodgers. This may be LA’s last season with Clayton Kershaw and they will want to get at least one championship with him. LC

Dodgers over Yankees 4-3. The only thing missing from Clayton Kershaw’s Koufaxian-ish career is a title. This is the year the Dodgers ace wins three games in a World Series and finally walks off a winner. Of course, it could have happened last year, if not for curious decisions by skipper Dave Roberts combining with the crumbling confidence of Yu Darvish. This time it’s Aaron Boone’s chance to spiral in the spotlight, as the Yankees latest dynasty is delayed for one more season after a highly celebrated seven-game series. DL

Astros over Dodgers 4-2. Considering the Dodgers are one of the richest teams in sports and will open the season with a payroll in the range of $180m, it’s hard to fathom the huge drop-off in talent from Clayton Kershaw to the rest of the starting rotation. Alex Wood, Kenta Maeda, Rich Hill and Hyun-Jin Ryu aren’t slouches, but they’re also a bit underwhelming considering the franchise’s resources. Maybe the Dodgers will upgrade before the trade deadline, but as of now, Houston’s rotation gives them a huge advantage in a series. DG