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Bold 2021 Predictions

Bold Prediction #1:

Scott Laven / Getty Images

White Sox win AL Central, Win AL Pennant

The Chicago White Sox were one of the best teams in the American League in 2020. The White Sox made the playoffs for the first team in over a decade since 2008. The AL Central was very competetive in 2020, after years of domimance by the Indians from 2016 to 2018, and the Twins in 2019. One game seperated the 2020 AL Division Winner Twins, from the second place Indians and White Sox. The division will once again be competetive in 2021 between the White Sox and Twins.

I predict the White Sox will overtake both the Twins and Indians in 2021. The White Sox have the most talented roster and the best team overall. The team has a solid rotation and lineup and will try to improve this offseason by targeteting top free agents Trevor Bauer and George Springer. The team will try to take the next step in 2021 and will win the AL Central. I also predict that the White Sox will win the ALDS over the Athletics, and will win the ALCS over the Yankees in 7 games to make it to the World Series.

Bold Prediction #2:

Jonathan Newton / The Washington Post

Juan Soto wins NL MVP

Juan Soto, who plays for the Washington Nationals is one of the best players in baseball, and is the best player under 25 years old in the game. In 2020, Soto finished second in AVG, and first in OBP and OPS. Soto played in 47 out of 60 games in 2020, which is likely what stopped him from winning the NL MVP Award in 2020. Soto contracted COVID less then a day before Opening Day in 2020, which put him out for 8 games in the beginning of the season.

Every year Juan Soto continues to improve. Soto is one of the games best bats and it is a matter of time until Juan Soto wins an MVP, and he will likely win many over his career which has just barely started, as he just turned 22 years old in October. Soto will take another huge step in his career by winning the NL MVP award at age 22. With Ronald Acuna Jr. and Mookie Betts finishing second and third.

Bold Prediction #3:

AARON DOSTER / AP

Trevor Bauer wins NL Cy Young w/ Mets

Trevor Bauer stunned baseball in 2020 and was the best starting pitcher in the National League. Bauer was outstanding and finished top five in many key categories. Bauer is the biggest name of the free agent on the market this offseason. Bauer will be targeted by many teams and would help any team that he signs with. My prediction is that Bauer will sign with the Mets, a team that is known for their starting pitching. Bauer will join the Mets and Jacob deGrom, the best Starting Pitcher in baseball. The Mets addition of Bauer will give the club the best rotation in baseball, with deGrom and Bauer leading it.

Trevor Bauer will have another dominant year in 2021 and will show that he is a top starting pitcher in the game, along with other top pitchers. He will show that his 2020 performance was not a fluke. Bauer will finish first in NL Cy Young voting just ahead of his future teammate, Jacob deGrom who won the award in 2018 and 2019 and finished third last year in 2020. Dodgers' Walker Buehler will finish third in 2021.

Bold Prediction #4:

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Mets win NL East

The New York Mets were very disappointing in 2020 and missed the playoffs for the fourth striaght year despite the expanded playoffs. Despite this, the Mets have a lot of promise due to their new owner, Steve Cohen. The Mets have been very active on the Free Agent market and are targetting many top free agents including Astros' Center Fielder George Springer and Reds' Starting Pitcher Trevor Bauer. The Mets are expected to sign at least one of the top free agents on the market this winter and will likely contend in 2020.

I predict that the Mets will overtake the Braves in 2021, and will win their division, by one game over the Braves. However, I am by no means confident about this. The Braves are a top team in baseball that has one of the best rosters in the game. The Mets right now have many holes to fill on their team but they are still a good team right now. The Mets will take the next step in 2021 and will win the NL East, for the first time in six years since 2015.

Bold Prediction #5:

Dale Zanine / USA TODAY Sports

Braves win World Series

The Atlanta Braves are one of the best teams in baseball right now. I have them just falling short to the Mets in the NL East by one game. However, the Braves have shown that they are resilient and one of the best teams in the game. The Braves will win the Wild Card, beat the Dodgers in the NLDS, and then face the previously mentioned Mets in NLCS, and will dominate that series against New York.

The Braves will move on to the World Series and will face the White Sox, who were also mentioned in this article. The White Sox are also an upcoming team, but are no match for the Braves. Atlanta will beat Chicago in 6 games. The Braves are a great team with some of the best players in baseball, including Ronald Acuna Jr, Freddie Freeman, Max Fried, Mike Soroka, Ozzie Albies, and others as well, and are going to dominate baseball for years to come.