MLB 2022: 5 bold predictions for May featuring New York Mets, San Francisco Giants, and more
The MLB 2022 season is turning a month old. With that in mind, we've seen teams break away from the pack and dark horses emerging, and then there are the Cincinnati Reds. It has been an eventful term so far for the teams, players, and, most especially, the fans.
The American League East is living up to the promise of intense competition, while the biggest revelation out of all divisions is the National League West. All the teams in that division have at least ten wins already, and even the fourth-placed Colorado Rockies are leading the race for the top wild card slot.
The MLB 2022 season couldn't get any better for the Los Angeles Angels as well. Led by two American League MVPs, Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout, they've established a foothold in the American League West.
It may be too early to predict the season's outcome just by analyzing a month's worth of play, but we'll try to make some bold predictions for the month of May in this MLB 2022 season.
5 Bold Predictions for the month of May this MLB 2022 Season
#5 Someone will pitch a perfect game.
It has been almost a decade since a player has thrown a perfect game. Yes, you read that right, almost ten years have passed since King Felix Hernandez did it with the Seattle Mariners.
We are predicting that at least one active pitcher will once again achieve the feat this MLB 2022 season, and it's going to happen this month. This has only been done 23 times in Major League Baseball history. Of those 23 instances, seven were achieved in the month of May.
The closest to repeating the rare feat was Carlos Rodon, who was up 0-2 against Cleveland's Roberto Perez for his last out but accidentally hit the latter in the foot courtesy of a slider. Rodon nonetheless still pitched a no-hitter.
It's uncertain, however, who will pull this rare accomplishment, as it has been done by great names such as Cy Young to more obscure ones like Dallas Braden.
#4 The American League Central will be a battlefield.
Presently, the Minnesota Twins are the top dogs in the American League Central. However, this was totally unexpected when the MLB 2022 preseason predictions were made. The Chicago White Sox were poised to hoist the division crown with ease before the injury bug hit the squad. They now sit in third spot with an 8-13 win-loss card. Also staking their claim are the newly-renamed Cleveland Guardians. The Guardians are currently second in the division and are on a three-game win streak.
Both the Kansas City Royals and the Detroit Tigers are not far behind either. They have a 7-13 and 7-14 records, respectively. With the league and their division being as unpredictable as ever, it can only be anyone's guess who will come out on top of the division when May ends.
#3 The Angels will go the Promised Land.
The Los Angeles Angels are on top of the American League West. They flew to the top step by being more consistent than the division favorite Houston Astros and the dark horse Seattle Mariners. Former three-time MVP Mike Trout is leading the charge for the Angels with his .344/.481/.766 slash line with six homers and 11 RBIs on 22 base hits so far.
Howdy Trouty 🤠https://t.co/Qtbl7FrSbj
"Howdy Trouty 🤠"- @ Los Angeles Angels
Their pitching, on the other hand, which was overhauled this past offseason, is doing quite decently. Led by reigning American League MVP Shohei Ohtani, it seems that the Angels' concern for their pitching crew is getting less everyday. With a more favorable schedule in the month of May, expect the Angels to break away.
#2 It's a wild, wild, (National League) west.
The MLB 2022 season is full of surprises, the biggest of which is the National League West. The defending division champion San Francisco Giants are putting up a valiant effort and are just half a game behind both the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres despite recent setbacks.
The Dodgers look as dominant as ever and the Padres are mounting a challenge even if they aren't at full-strength yet. Chad Clevinger is just returning after Tommy John surgery in November 2020, and star Fernando Tatis Jr. is still out for the foreseeable future. Our best guess is that the Dodgers will run with the lead in the division by the end of May as they have a lighter schedule ahead.
#1 Baseball will be hot in New York, New York.
Start spreading the news, the New York teams will be the kings of the hill and will be on top of the heap. The MLB 2022 season is full of surprises, but this one is different. As expected, the Yankees and the Mets are the respective leaders of their leagues.
The New York Mets loaded their lineup with stars, from their crew on the mound to the one at the plate. The pieces are meshing well as the days go by, and this, in turn, translated into a National League-best record of 16-7. It's too early to say if the boys from Queens will march all the way to the World Series, but if they continue playing like they have, they will surely be one of the favorites to do so.
Traveling to the other side of the city, the Bronx Bombers are currently on a nine-game winning streak and are the hottest team in all of baseball. Powered by the bats of Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Anthony Rizzo, the Yankees boast an American League-leading 16-6 record.
The Yankees have sole possession of the best record in MLB for the first time since September 14, 2019 https://t.co/6FVm30AMkX
"The Yankees have sole possession of the best record in MLB for the first time since September 14, 2019" - @ Talkin' Yanks
There hasn't been a Subway Series matchup in the World Series since the dawn of the millennia, but if the demolition of these two New York teams continues against their opposition, expect them to meet in the MLB 2022 postseason.