Press Box: Who will win the 2024 World Series?

Dan Elson, Contributing Writer

Malachi Keys,  Contributing Writer

Hayden Braun, Contributing Writer

The CT Sports staff is excited for the upcoming 2024 Major League Baseball season.

Here are some of the writers’ opinions on who they believe will win the World Series at the end of the season.

Dan’s pick: The Los Angeles Dodgers 

The Los Angeles Dodgers will win the 2024 World Series, as they went all in during the offseason.

The Dodgers have committed more than $1 billion to free agents this offseason, according to Front Office Sports . The Dodgers signed Shohei Ohtani, perhaps the game’s best player, to a historic contract. 

They also brought in future star Yoshinobu Yamamoto — the most highly-rated Japanese pitcher since Masahiro Tanaka, according to MLB.

The Dodgers also have quality starting pitchers, especially Tyler Glasnow and Walker Buehler. An elbow injury will sideline Buehler for at least a month, but if the rotation is fully healthy when the games grow more meaningful, they will be as deadly as it gets. 

Fans should count on the Dodgers’ opponents to have a tough time at the plate in October. 

Starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw will likely miss most of this season. An all-time great in the regular season and a future Hall of Famer, Kershaw hasn’t enjoyed much playoff success. Kershaw has a career 13-13 record in the playoffs and a 4.49 ERA, according to ESPN.

Viewers should expect to see him at the top of his game after having time to rest during the regular season. 

The Dodgers have three of the ten best offensive players — first baseman Freddie Freeman, shortstop Mookie Betts and Ohtani. 

Third baseman Max Muncy, a power hitter, strengthens the lineup even more. Opposing pitchers will find the Dodgers’ big bats too hot to handle in the postseason.

The Dodgers’ only championship since 1988 was the 2020 60-game season, according to MLB. That’s surprising, considering how talented their rosters have been, and how well they’ve performed in the regular season. 

This will be the year they put it all together across all 162 games and win the World Series. Now, there’s no more excuses. 

Hayden’s pick: The Baltimore Orioles 

The Baltimore Orioles are currently slated at the ninth-best odds to win the World Series at +1600, according to ESPN.

They won 101 games in 2023 and have kept basically the same roster as last season, according to Baseball Reference.

Injuries to pitchers, Kyle Bradish and John Means, this spring are certainly concerning, especially with pitcher Félix Bautista’s Tommy John surgery leaving him sidelined for the entirety of the 2024 season, according to the Baltimore Sun. 

Despite Bautista’s injury, this roster is filled with young talent expected to experience more growth this season. Young players like pitcher Grayson Rodriguez, infielder Ryan Mountcastle and outfielder Austin Hays are going to step up this season to full-time starters. 

 The pickup of veteran pitcher Corbin Burnes this past offseason is going to help this team out a ton. The former Brewers pitcher posted a 3.39 ERA, according to ESPN. 

He has been named starting pitcher for opening day, according to masn sports. 

The Orioles aren’t league favorites to win the World Series but have so much potential to be great.

Malachi’s pick: The Los Angeles Dodgers

Since their World Series Champion win in 2020, the Dodgers have been clearing cap room and letting go of expensive former Dodgers specifically to build a talented roster for this upcoming season.

With the addition of pitcher/designated hitter Shohei Ohtani to an already stacked roster of hitters with the likes of players such as outfielder Mookie Betts, first baseman Freddie Freeman and infielder Max Muncy, the Dodgers looked primed to have an elite offense. 

The addition of pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto will make the Dodgers pitching rotation even greater alongside their ace Tyler Glasnow. 

The Dodgers seem to be in a position to have an all-time talented team, and nothing short of another World Series pennant will be satisfactory.