Baseball predictions: an early look at two MLB World Series futures

With the Super Bowl coming up, we can finally allow ourselves to be distracted by turning our attention to some MLB futures for the upcoming season.

Ironically, football’s biggest game is just one day before pitchers and catchers are allowed to report on Feb. 13.

Thus, as we make our first forage into the MLB season, we know there will be plenty of opportunities to go on record with our predictions.

As a result, I plan to take things slowly by focusing on World Series futures before moving on to individual player awards as the season draws nearer.

• Ohio sports betting is now live — Check out Ian Firstenberg’s list of the best Ohio sports betting sites and apps

Unlike the NFL, baseball has no salary cap, leading to an uneven playing field as a handful of teams can outspend their competition.

This, in turn, means fewer teams have a legitimate chance to win the World Series.

In my research, I found that each of the past five winners of the Commissioner’s Trophy finished in the top 10 in both FIP (fielding independent pitching) and WRC+ (weighted runs created plus).

Thus, I won’t suggest going too far down the betting board when picking a World Series winner.

Potential contenders are teams that project to be balanced on both offense and defense.

The National League East is ripe with teams that fit the criteria, as the Braves and Phillies all have odds at better than 10:1.

The Phillies finished seventh in FIP (3.60) and 10th in WRC+ (106) before making one of the biggest offseason splashes by signing free agent shortstop Trea Turner to an 11-year deal worth $300 million.

At 29, Turner hit a career-best 21 home runs while finishing with 100 RBIs. Those numbers could see an increase at the hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park.

Philadelphia also strengthened its rotation by poaching Taijuan Walker from a divisional rival in the Mets.

In 29 starts, Walker went 12-5 with a 3.49 ERA and a 3.65 FIP. While I expect some regression, as evidenced by his 4.05 SIERA, the right-hander gives the Phillies tremendous depth behind Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola.

Bryce Harper (elbow surgery) should rejoin the team at some point later in the season, and his arrival will feel almost like another free-agent signing.

With Dave Dombrowski pulling the strings in the front office, you can bet that the Phillies will stop at nothing in trying to improve the team where necessary throughout the season.

Despite being one of the quieter teams this offseason, the Braves remain very disciplined in their approach.

I know they lost free agent shortstop Dansby Swanson to the Cubs on a seven-year deal, but if any franchise can backfill its positions, it’s Atlanta.

Time and time again, we’ve seen the Braves reach down into their farm system and unearth gems like Ronald Acuna, Michael Harris, Austin Riley and Ozzie Albies.

Vaughn Grissom could be another young Braves player ready to step into the limelight as a superstar. In 141 at-bats, the Florida native hit .291 with five home runs and 18 RBIs.

Grissom made his major league debut in August at Fenway Park and went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and a stolen base.

At 21 years and seven months, he became the youngest player in baseball history to hit a home run and steal a base in his major league debut.

Atlanta also improved its defense up the middle by completing a three-team trade to acquire catcher Sean Murphy from the Oakland Athletics.

Murphy is a former Gold Glove winner (2021) and hit a career-high 18 home runs last season.

Atlanta is coming off a season where it finished seventh in WRC+ (111) and fourth in FIP (3.46).

Considering their quality young rotation arms — Max Fried, Kyle Wright, Spencer Strider and Mike Soroka — the Braves are well-stocked to challenge for another title.