Baseball is one of those sports where it’s tougher mentally than physically, at times. Even though the 2023 Texas Rangers defied the odds and won the World Series, repeating as champions in the MLB is no easy feat, as the MLB hasn’t had any repeat champions since the 1999 to 2000 New York Yankees. But hey, anything is possible in the world of sports. However, here at TPS, we highlight the positive as well as the negative, giving teams their respective reality checks on why they won’t hoist the Commissioner’s Trophy come late October to early November.
Here is one reason why your favorite MLB team won’t win the World Series:
What are the reasons why your MLB team will find it hard to win the World Series?
Arizona Diamondbacks: Extremely competitive NL West
The 2023 Diamondbacks surprised many by making the postseason and the 2023 World Series. With the 2024 season underway, the Diamondbacks signed veterans Eduardo Rodríguez, Joc Pederson, and MLB World Series champion Jordan Montgomery. However, the Los Angeles Dodgers not only won the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes but are heavily favored to win the NL West. It will take a lot for the Diamondbacks to overcome, and their current roster may not be enough to return to the World Series, especially with other serious competition from the San Diego Padres, who also have a very talented roster, coming into 2024.
Atlanta Braves: Choking
Yes, the Braves did win the Fall Classic in 2021, in six games against the Houston Astros, and have an incredibly talented roster. However, the Braves have had a history of making it to the postseason and immediately falling flat against more competitive opponents. In 2023, the Braves lost the NLDS to their NL East rivals, the Philadelphia Phillies, in four games. Despite having eight MLB All-Stars on the roster, it’s anybody’s game, or series, in the postseason. The Braves need to get out of their own way and stop getting outplayed by a team that gets hot at the right moment.
Baltimore Orioles: Losing Félix Bautista to injury
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The 2023 Baltimore Orioles shocked the baseball world by winning the AL East, and making it to the postseason. However, their postseason run was cut short by the eventual MLB World Series champions, the Texas Rangers. During their postseason run, the Orioles didn’t have All-Star pitcher Félix Bautista, who suffered a torn UCL and had to undergo Tommy John surgery. If Bautista were in the lineup during their ALDS matchup against the Rangers, the Orioles would’ve potentially made it a series. Bautista’s 33 saves are currently ranked third in the AL and tied for eighth in all of MLB. Not having Bautista in the lineup, is going to hurt, and his production is going to be missed for the 2024 season.
Boston Red Sox: A very competitive AL East
The Boston Red Sox have been a hit-or-miss baseball team in recent years. They’ll either be a championship contender, and find a way to win it all, or look good in certain months, and fall flat on making it to the postseason. Unfortunately for the Red Sox, the AL East has drastically improved with the Baltimore Orioles, Toronto Blue Jays, and Tampa Bay Rays on the rise, and the New York Yankees, always being competitive. The Red Sox have Rafael Devers and veteran shortstop Trevor Story, but the Orioles, Blue Jays, and Rays are younger overall, and the Yankees know how to find and utilize veteran talent.
Also Read: All The Best MLB Players From Each Country Right Now
Chicago Cubs: Questionable Rotation
It’s been eight years since the Chicago Cubs’ magical MLB World Series run, and it hasn’t been the same in the “Windy City” ever since. The Cubs lost key names like Tucker Barnhart, Nelson Velázquez, and Marcus Stroman in free agency. Yes, Justin Steele is a great pitcher, but he had an awful September last season. The Cubs also signed Shota Imagana, who spent the majority of his career in the NPB, and will need time to adjust to the Majors. We’ll just wait and see what the Cubs do as the season progresses.
Chicago White Sox: Pitching
The White Sox had a disaster of a 2023 season, which saw them finish in fourth place in the AL Central. The White Sox’s pitching unit is one of the MLB’s worst pitching units. Garrett Crochet had a good spring training, but he has a below 0.500 record (4-8 as of April 7, 2024). The White Sox also traded away Aaron Bummer and Dylan Cease to the Atlanta Braves, and San Diego Padres, respectively. With a very weak pitching rotation, opposing teams will take advantage of that, for another long and painful season, in the Southside of Chicago.
Cincinnati Reds: Not Ready Yet
The Reds were a decent team in 2023 after they finished with an 82-80 record. The Reds did make some moves by signing Frankie Montas, Emilio Pagán, Nick Martinez, and Jeimer Candelario notably in free agency. The Reds did part ways with longtime veteran Joey Votto which does sting. The Reds also have young talent that’s almost ready for the postseason but aren’t ready for intense postseason action, yet. The Reds are moving in the right direction and can be a potential dark horse team to pay attention to for the 2024 season.
Cleveland Guardians: Lack of Home Runs
2023 saw the Guardians finish with a 76-86 record, which was a step backward from their 2022 92-70 record. The Guardians’ leader in home runs in 2023 was José Ramírez, who hit 24 home runs. However, Steven Kwan had five home runs in 2023, Myles Straw had one home run in 2023 (and was assigned to play for the Columbus Clippers in Triple-A as of March 2024), and Tyler Freeman hit four home runs in 2023. A lack of home runs can potentially hurt a baseball team when it comes time for a push toward the postseason and an MLB World Series. Hopefully, Cleveland’s young guys can hit their fair share of home runs for the 2024 season.
Colorado Rockies: Pitching Problems
The Colorado Rockies’ pitching rotation was a mess in 2023. Kyle Freeland had a 6-14 record in 2023 with an earned run average of 5.03 and Austin Gomber had a 9-9 record with an ERA of 5.50 in the 2023 season. It also doesn’t help the Rockies that their home field, Coors Field, is a very hitter-friendly ballpark. Jake Bird and Ty Blach both were 3-3 in 2023 and need to step it up in 2024 if they want to compete for a chance to win the NL West, and make a possible run to the postseason.
Detroit Tigers: Strikeouts
The Tigers have a great rotation for the 2024 season. However, in 2023, the team was ninth in offensive players, struck out with 1,473 strikeouts. If the Tigers want to be a competitive baseball team, they need to avoid those annoying strikeouts at bat. They have the roster to do so, in 2024. We’ll just have to see what they’ll bring, as the 2024 season progresses.
Houston Astros: Home runs allowed
The 2023 Houston Astros may have won the AL West, with a 39-42 record at home, but they allowed 17 home runs, the most during the 2023 postseason, which was part of their demise in the ALCS, against the eventual World Series champion Texas Rangers. If the Astros tighten that up with their pitchers, they could become a very serious threat against opposing American League teams, for a chance at another World Series.
Kansas City Royals: Brady Singer
The 2023 Kansas City Royals were a complete mess, as they finished with the second-worst record in baseball (56-106), while the Oakland A’s had the worst record (50-112). With the 2024 season upon us, the Royals rebuilt the roster. However, they did keep Brady Singer on the roster. Singer has been a hit-or-miss pitcher for the Royals. When he’s good, he’ll help the Royals take the crown to victory. When he’s bad, it’s a tough sight to watch. Singer finished the 2023 season with an 8-11 record, on the mound. Singer needs to play very well if the Royals want to have a shot at the postseason, let alone the MLB World Series.
Los Angeles Angels: No Shohei Ohtani
As we all know, Shohei Ohtani is no longer an LA Angel. However, Mike Trout is still around. Even with Ohtani and Trout on the roster, the Angels never made it to the postseason. This year may not be different, even with Ohtani taking his talents to the crosstown contenders, in the Los Angeles Dodgers, The Angels have a questionable roster that has had a history of not staying healthy. Without Ohtani, Angels games won’t be as exciting as they try to find the next man to step up to the plate to fill the huge shoes Ohtani left behind.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Injuries to pitchers
Yes, the Los Angeles Dodgers won the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes, and are now favored to win the World Series. However, when it comes to starting pitchers, the Dodgers don’t typically rely on them. On top of that, Ohtani won’t be able to pitch until the 2025 season, as he is still recovering from an injured elbow ligament. The Dodgers are also without Clayton Kershaw for at least the first half of the season, and the rest of the pitching staff has been injury-prone. Walker Buehler had to deal with Tommy John surgery in 2022, and the Dodgers need to make sure he’s healthy for the long run of the 2024 season.
Miami Marlins: Offensive star power
Yes, the Marlins made it to the postseason in 2023, thanks to their improved pitching staff, but were easily swept by their NL East rivals, the Philadelphia Phillies, in the Wildcard round. The Marlins need more offensive batters who can truly hit the ball out of the park if they want to seriously compete for the NL East, let alone a MLB World Series. Jorge Soler, who led the Marlins with 36 home runs in 2023, is gone, as he signed a three-year $42 million deal with the San Francisco Giants. Bryan De La Cruz, Luis Arráez, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. need to step it up in the 2024 season if the Marlins want to return to the postseason.
Milwaukee Brewers: Losing Craig Counsell
After the 2023 season, manager Craig Counsell’s contract expired, and wasn’t renewed by the Brewers, despite finishing first in the NL Central. However, the 2023 Brewers were swept in the Wildcard Series by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Counsell was hired by the Chicago Cubs,with a five-year $40 million deal. Without Counsell leading the team, the pitching quality could go downward, depending on how the 2024 season plays out. Regardless, the Brewers are still a competitive team, and anything can happen.
Minnesota Twins: Pitchers with losing records
The Twins may have won the AL Central, and gotten into the postseason, where they easily overpowered the Toronto Blue Jays, in the Wildcard series, however, they were outmatched by the Houston Astros in the ALDS. On top of that, the Twins had nine pitchers that had records under 0.500. If the Twins want to compete for the MLB World Series, pitching needs to step up in 2024.
New York Mets: The NL East competition
The bad news for the New York Mets is that they’re in the NL East, one of the MLB’s most competitive divisions, with three teams reaching the postseason in 2023 (the Atlanta Braves, Miami Marlins, and Philadelphia Phillies). While the Mets did acquire talent for their farm system, that talent will probably not be ready for Major League competition this season. The Braves and Phillies drastically improved, while the Mets might be stuck in mediocrity for a little while.
New York Yankees: Injury prone
As talented and as powerful as the Yankees are, they have their flaws. Their main flaw is a lot of their talent has suffered serious injuries, that can derail an entire season. Aaron Judge was out of the lineup, with a mild hip injury and a sprained toe, which hurt the Yankees’ 2023 postseason hopes, as they went 19-23, while he was out. Jose Trevino’s 2023 season ended with surgery to repair a ligament in his right wrist, and Giancarlo Stanton has also dealt with his fair share of injuries. If the Yankees lose major key names to injury during the 2024 season, they can kiss their postseason chances goodbye.
Also Read: 5 MLB Teams That Will Win A World Series In The Next 10 Years…And 5 That Unfortunately Won’t
Oakland Athletics: Low Pay Roll
The Oakland A’s ultimate demise, is their low payroll. Because of that, they’re unable to acquire big-name talent, to join their organization. It also hurts that closer Trevor May retired after the disastrous 2023 season, where the A’s finished with a 50-112 record. However, the A’s still have 2023 All-Star designated hitter Brent Rooker, on the team, which gives them some glimmer of hope, despite it not being enough.
Philadelphia Phillies: Pitching depth
Even though the Phillies have some talented pitchers, with Aaron Nola, Zach Wheeler, and Taijuan Walker, in the lineup, the rest of the Phillies’ pitcher depth needs to improve fast. Ranger Suárez, Christopher Sánchez, and Gregory Soto all had losing records in 2023 as pitchers. They need to drastically improve their performances in 2024 if the Phillies want to attempt to make a serious MLB World Series run. José Alvarado is a great relief pitcher when healthy, and hopefully, he stays healthy for the 2024 season.
Pittsburgh Pirates: Bullpen
The Pirates pitching Bullpen in 2023 had more losses than wins, although Mitch Keller had a 13-9 record that year. Even though the pitching started 2024 well, there is a possibility that the pitching might hit a slump, depending on how the rest of the season goes. The Pirates did sign Aroldis Chapman, who can be great in the regular season but has had bad luck in the past, as seen with the New York Yankees back in the 2019 ALCS. Chapman did help the Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers win the World Series in 2016 and 2023, respectively. The Pirates also brought in 2023 World Series champion pitcher Martín Pérez to the lineup, as well. We’ll see how the Pirates do as the 2024 season rolls along.
San Diego Padres: Ran out of money
The cash-strapped Padres traded away Juan Soto and Trent Grisham to the New York Yankees. The Padres also released Blake Snell, Gary Sánchez, Luis García, and Josh Hader, which is going to hurt. The Padres still have massive contracts for both Xander Bogaerts and Manny Machado, hoping they would make a postseason run in 2023 before they missed the postseason entirely. If the Padres want to compete for the MLB World Series in 2024, Machado and Bogaerts might need to restructure their contracts for the Padres to acquire more talent throughout the season, and before the trade deadline.
San Francisco Giants: Can’t land a superstar free agent
One of the big problems the Giants have, is not being able to land a superstar-free agent, still in his prime. They weren’t able to get Shohei Ohtani as he joined their rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers. San Francisco isn’t the best area for huge-name free agents, as the Giants haven’t spent serious money to acquire these names when they’ve promised their fanbase they would. The Giants also need to develop their players into superstars before they hit free agency in the future if they want to craft a winning formula in the Bay Area.
Seattle Mariners: Horrendous trades
The Mariners traded away young talents, like pitcher Isaiah Campbell, infielder José Caballero, and pitcher Darren McCaughan, to the Boston Red Sox, Miami Marlins, and Tampa Bay Rays, respectively, as opposed to developing them into All-Star-like talent, to build a championship team around. They did get Luis Urías from the Red Sox, but his season was cut short in 2023 due to a calf strain. If the Mariners’ trades implode before their eyes during the 2024 season, it may be time to hit the reset button for a better 2025 season.
St. Louis Cardinals: Aging veterans
As talented as Nolan Arenado is, the Cardinals have way too many veterans, past their prime, on their roster. The Cardinals brought in Brandon Crawford, who’s 37, Paul Goldschmidt is currently 36 and will turn 37 this coming September, Kyle Gibson is currently 36 and will turn 37 this October, Sonny Gray is currently 34, Matt Carpenter is 38, and Lance Lynn is 36 and will turn 37, this coming May. The Cardinals do have young talent on the roster but may need to possibly trade away some of their older veterans for fresh talent before the trade deadline passes for a chance to win the MLB World Series.
Tampa Bay Rays: Only good in the regular season
As talented as the Tampa Rays are, they aren’t good in the postseason. Just like the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL, the Rays simply cannot get it done, in the postseason. In 2023, the Rays made it to the postseason, before getting swept by the eventual 2023 MLB World Series champion Texas Rangers, in the Wildcard series. The Rays have talented stars like Zach Eflin, Randy Arozarena, and Brandon Love, on the roster. However, the Rays do need more talent to step up, when it comes time for postseason action, if they want to have a shot at reaching the 2024 World Series, let alone possibly win it.
Texas Rangers: Competition in the American League
The 2023 Texas Rangers surprised many by becoming World Series champions, thanks to the Rangers spending big, and trading for the proper talent, that helped them get through a very competitive postseason. However, teams like the Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, and New York Yankees have drastically improved rosters, entering 2024. On top of that, the Tampa Bay Rays are an excellent team, in the regular season, who can make noise in the postseason. The AL Central is also wide open, with the Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Guardians, and Minnesota Twins, on the rise, making postseason seeding very competitive for the Rangers if they want to win out this season.
Toronto Blue Jays: Competition in the American League East
Even though the Blue Jays squeaked into the postseason in 2023, the New York Yankees drastically improved, while the Baltimore Orioles, Tampa Bay Rays, and Boston Red Sox are very competitive, making the AL East a very tough division to win. The Blue Jays have talent in Alejandro Kirk, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, Kevin Kiermaier, and George Springer to win the MLB World Series, but as mentioned earlier, the rest of the AL East teams have heavily bolstered their rosters for a very competitive 2024 season. We’ll just see how everything plays out by the time the regular season concludes.
Washington Nationals: Massive contracts
The Nationals’ biggest issue entering the 2024 season, is the massive contracts they handed out to Stephen Strasburg (before he retired), Max Scherzer, Rafael Soriano (who retired almost a decade ago), and Brad Hand, who are no longer on the team. With all that money spent on those names, at the time, it hurt the Nationals’ ability to bring in young talent, and star power to bolster their roster. If the Nationals want to succeed, they need to find discounted talent, or find talent in their farm system, for a successful 2024 season.
Also Read: 5 MLB Teams Whose World Series Windows Are Wide Open and 5 Whose Windows Have Been Slammed Shut
