USA TODAY BASEBALL EXPERTS’ PREDICTIONS

The 2024 Major League Baseball season is a seven-month marathon that gets underway at the end of March and – if all goes according to plan for some of the league’s top teams – runs through the end of October.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are among the favorites after spending more than $1 billion on free agents Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the offseason. Two of the six USA TODAY Sports baseball experts surveyed picked the Dodgers to win the World Series and two more picked Atlanta, with the San Diego Padres and Baltimore Orioles also receiving a vote.

Here’s how USA TODAY Sports’ MLB experts see the 2024 season playing out:

AL East predictions

Bob Nightengale: Orioles Gabe Lacques: Orioles Steve Gardner: Orioles Scott Boeck: Blue Jays Jesse Yomtov: Orioles Stephen Borelli: Orioles

AL Central predictions

Nightengale: Twins Lacques: Guardians Gardner: Twins Boeck: Twins Yomtov: Twins Borelli: Guardians

AL West predictions

Nightengale: Astros Lacques: Mariners Gardner: Mariners Boeck: Astros Yomtov: Astros Borelli: Rangers

American League wild cards

Nightengale: Yankees, Mariners, Blue Jays

Lacques: Blue Jays, Rays, Astros Gardner: Astros, Blue Jays, Rangers Boeck: Orioles, Rangers, Mariners Yomtov: Yankees, Rangers, Mariners Borelli: Yankees, Astros, Mariners

NL East predictions

Nightengale: Atlanta Lacques: Atlanta Gardner: Atlanta Boeck: Atlanta Yomtov: Atlanta Borelli: Atlanta

NL Central predictions

Nightengale: Reds Lacques: Reds Gardner: Cardinals Boeck: Reds Yomtov: Brewers Borelli: Cubs

NL West predictions

Nightengale: Dodgers

Lacques: Dodgers Gardner: Dodgers Boeck: Dodgers Yomtov: Dodgers Borelli: Dodgers

NL wild cards

Nightengale: Phillies, Diamondbacks, Cubs

Lacques: Phillies, Padres, Cubs Gardner: Phillies, Diamondbacks, Cubs Boeck: Padres, Phillies, Cubs Yomtov: Phillies, Cardinals, Cubs Borelli: Phillies, Diamondbacks, Reds

World Series 2024 predictions

Nightengale: Orioles over Atlanta Lacques: Atlanta over Mariners Gardner: Dodgers over Mariners Boeck: Padres over Astros Yomtov: Atlanta over Texas Borelli: Dodgers over Orioles

AL MVP predictions

Nightengale: Alex Bregman, Astros Lacques: José Ramírez, Guardians Gardner: Julio Rodriguez, Mariners Boeck: Juan Soto, Yankees Yomtov: Adley Rutschman, Orioles Borelli: Julio Rodriguez, Mariners

AL Cy Young predictions

Nightengale: Luis Castillo, Mariners Lacques: Corbin Burnes, Orioles Gardner: Tarik Skubal, Tigers Boeck: Kevin Gausman, Blue Jays Yomtov: Luis Castillo, Mariners Borelli: Tanner Bibee, Guardians

AL Rookie of the Year predictions

Nightengale: Jackson Holliday, Orioles Lacques: Wyatt Langford, Rangers Gardner: Wyatt Langford, Rangers Boeck: Junior Caminero, Rays Yomtov: Wyatt Langford, Rangers Borelli: Wyatt Langford, Rangers

NL MVP predictions

Nightengale: Bryce Harper, Phillies Lacques: Austin Riley, Braves Gardner: Fernando Tatis Jr., Padres Boeck: Fernando Tatis Jr., Padres Yomtov: Bryce Harper, Phillies Borelli: Bryce Harper, Phillies

NL Cy Young predictions

Nightengale: Tyler Glasnow, Dodgers Lacques: Logan Webb, Giants Gardner: Zack Wheeler, Phillies Boeck:Spencer Strider, Braves Yomtov: Max Fried, Braves

Borelli: Spencer Strider, Braves

NL Rookie of the Year predictions

Nightengale: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dodgers

Lacques: Kyle Harrison, Giants Gardner: Jackson Merrill, Padres Boeck: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dodgers Yomtov: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dodgers

Borelli: Jung Hoo Lee, Giants