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Way Too Early, Mid-Lockout 2022 World Series Predictions

Who is predicted to be in the Fall Classic next season based on moves made prior to the lockout?

Author:
Declan Harris
Dec 21, 2021 3:00 PM EST

Despite the lockout, as the offseason goes on, a picture of the 2022 World Series starts to become clearer, while the teams that are to play in the Fall Classic remain hazy. However, some of the blockbuster signings made prior to the lockout may help paint an image of who could be in it.

When it comes to who will represent the National League in next season's fall classic, the New York Mets may be the early frontrunners after acquiring some big names early on in the offseason.

The Mets started off their offseason by signing former Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer, outfielders Mark Canha and Starling Marte, and third baseman Eduardo Escobar.

Scherzer will more than help strengthen New York's rotation which was in need of it after former-Mets pitchers Marcus Stroman and Noah Syndergaard left the team, with Stroman signing a three-year deal with the Chicago Cubs and Syndergaard signing a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Angels.

Marte and Canha will provide their lineup with the offensive push that New York has lacked in previous seasons.

This is without mentioning the signing of three-time AL Manager of the Year Buck Showalter who will manage the team for the next three seasons according to ESPN.

Seeing what has happened so far in the offseason, New York has the potential to represent the National League in the 2022 World Series, but as the Mets were supposed to be a force in the NL East this season and finished in third, this remains to be seen.

The Mets aren't the only National League team who are in the running for the National League pennant in next year's World Series. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Los Angeles Dodgers are still the front runners for the NL pennant, even with the lack of acquisitions made by Los Angeles so far this offseason, and the departure of big names from the 2020 World Champions.

Max Scherzer, Corey Knebel, and Corey Seager have all departed the club. And the list could continue to grow following the lockout, as Clayton Kershaw, Danny Duffy, Kenley Jansen, and Joe Kelly all remain unsigned. The World Series odds may rest on what their second-half of the offseason looks like once the lockout ends, especially when it comes to reacquiring Kershaw and finding a worthy replacement for Scherzer.

When it comes to who will represent the American League, it's no surprise that the former American League pennant-winning Houston Astros are the favorites. Similar to the Dodgers, the Astros had a very slow start to the offseason, only re-signing Justin Verlander, as well as signing former Phillies closer Héctor Neris to a two-year, $17 million deal. Houston could also lose out on retaining their All-Star shortstop in Carlos Correa.

But no team has had a bigger offseason so far than the Texas Rangers. The Rangers acquired infielders Corey Seager and Marcus Semien, both of whom will do more than bolster Texas' offensive capabilities and their postseason aspirations.

If the rumors are true, then the Rangers aren't done just yet when it comes to offseason signings, as there have been rumors that Japanese phenom Seiya Suzuki has been looked at or approached by Texas, which would improve their lineup even more. These three pickups should be more than enough to revive the Rangers from the 102-loss season they suffered in 2021.

Clearly, nothing is set in stone, especially with the lockout still going on and a huge pool of players having yet to decide where they want to go. But if these picks were to be correct, then some possible match-ups for the World Series would be Houston vs. New York, Houston vs. Los Angeles, Texas vs. New York, or Texas vs Los Angeles.