Staff Predictions for MLB's 2017 Playoffs and World Series Champions

With the 2017 MLB season still fresh, it's anybody's ballgame. Plenty of buzz surrounds the defending-champion Chicago Cubs, but who's the favorite to hoist the trophy this year?

To get a pulse of the consensus, we polled numberFire's staff of MLB writers. All in all, there were seven different teams selected to win it with nine teams making the World Series. That'll get your insides feeling tingly.

So how do these predictions break down individually? Here's how our writers see things popping once the dust settles seven months from now.

Austan Kas

AL East: Boston Red Sox
AL Central: Cleveland Indians
AL West: Houston Astros
AL Wild Card: Texas Rangers
AL Wild Card: Seattle Mariners
NL East: Washington Nationals
NL Central: Chicago Cubs
NL West: Los Angeles Dodgers
NL Wild Card: New York Mets
NL Wild Card: San Francisco Giants

World Series: Dodgers over Indians

Man, I'm boring. I didn't get risky with any of my three National League division winners, and the Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox are probably going to be very popular picks as division winners in the American League. The AL West, in my eyes, is the most wide-open division, and it could wind up being a tight, three-team race between the Seattle Mariners, Houston Astros, and Texas Rangers. I have all three reaching the postseason.

As for the World Series, I think the Los Angees Dodgers -- led by the planet's best pitcher -- get it done. They have a loaded lineup, good enough starting pitching, and a lights-out closer. The Dodgers also have the prospects to make just about any move their heart desires if they need a midseason boost. Cleveland did what they did last year without Danny Salazar or Carlos Carrasco down the stretch, and they added slugger Edwin Encarnacion -- so, yeah, they should be good.

Matt Musico

AL East: Boston Red Sox
AL Central: Cleveland Indians
AL West: Houston Astros
AL Wild Card: Seattle Mariners
AL Wild Card: Toronto Blue Jays
NL East: New York Mets
NL Central: Chicago Cubs
NL West: Los Angeles Dodgers
NL Wild Card: Washington Nationals
NL Wild Card: Pittsburgh Pirates

World Series: Indians over Dodgers

The Indians have to fight the World Series hangover, but the most important part of their roster -- the starting rotation -- didn't pitch deep into the postseason because Salazar and Carrasco were both hurt. The Dodgers may have the deepest team in baseball considering all the options available for Dave Roberts, but if the Indians can stay healthy, their front three in the rotation is built for a playoff run, the bullpen is stacked, and they have fortified the offense with a slugger in Encarnacion and a potentially healthy Michael Brantley.

John Stolnis

AL East: Toronto Blue Jays
AL Central: Cleveland Indians
AL West: Houston Astros
AL Wild Card: Boston Red Sox
AL Wild Card: Seattle Mariners
NL East: Washington Nationals
NL Central: Chicago Cubs
NL West: Los Angeles Dodgers
NL Wild Card: New York Mets
NL Wild Card: Colorado Rockies

World Series: Cubs over Blue Jays

I love the Toronto Blue Jays this year. They have the best starting pitching staff in the AL, going five deep. And even with the loss of Encarnacion, the offense can still pound the ball with Josh Donaldson, Troy Tulowitzki, and Jose Bautista forming an imposing middle of the order. The Indians and Houston Astros should win their divisions rather comfortably, with the Red Sox and Seattle Mariners taking the wild cards.

Only one NL team in the last 95 years (the Cincinnati Reds in 1975-76) has repeated as World Series champions. This year, the Cubs become the second. The dynasty is born.

Eric McClung

AL East: Toronto Blue Jays
AL Central: Cleveland Indians
AL West: Houston Astros
AL Wild Card: Boston Red Sox
AL Wild Card: Seattle Mariners
NL East: Washington Nationals
NL Central: Chicago Cubs
NL West: Los Angeles Dodgers
NL Wild Card: San Francisco Giants
NL Wild Card: Colorado Rockies

World Series: Indians over Nationals

The Indians nearly won the World Series last year without Brantley, Carrasco, and Salazar. They get all those guys back, are still managed by the a future Hall of Famer Terry Francona, and added Encarnacion in free agency. Even with Jason Kipnis set to miss time, this squad will run through the AL like a buzz saw.

For as loaded as the Cubs are, the Washington Nationals are not far behind. The bullpen could be dicey -- so could the Cubs', quite frankly -- but everyone is expecting a trade or two to improve it.

Dennis DaSilva

AL East: Boston Red Sox
AL Central: Cleveland Indians
AL West: Texas Rangers
AL Wild Card: Toronto Blue Jays
AL Wild Card: Houston Astros
NL East: New York Mets
NL Central: Chicago Cubs
NL West: Los Angeles Dodgers
NL Wild Card: Washington Nationals
NL Wild Card: San Francisco Giants

World Series: Mets over Red Sox

I can dream right? I finally think that this is the year the New York Metropolitans take home the World Series, sending New York into a frenzy. It won't be easy, but the Mets are most likely the deepest team in all of Major League Baseball. So, if the Mets can stay healthy, and their bats don't go absolutely silent in the interim, I predict them to take the World Series back home to Flushing this season.

Tom Whalen

AL East: Boston Red Sox
AL Central: Cleveland Indians
AL West: Seattle Mariners
AL Wild Card: New York Yankees
AL Wild Card: Houston Astros
NL East: New York Mets
NL Central: Chicago Cubs
NL West: Colorado Rockies
NL Wild Card: Los Angeles Dodgers
NL Wild Card: St. Louis Cardinals

World Series: Mariners over Cubs

I’m enamored with what seems like a sneakily excellent Mariners team on both sides of the rubber, with a strong offense top to bottom, athletic outfield defense, and a terrific bullpen. Robinson Cano thumbs his nose at father time to post a career year, hitting .330, smacking 45 homers, and tallying 230 combined RBI and runs scored. Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma rebound, James Paxton emerges as a budding ace, and Drew Smyly recovers from his early elbow injury to be a difference maker down the stretch. The M's topple the defending champs, leaving grunge godfather and Cubs die hard Eddie Vedder deeply conflicted.

Brett Oswalt

AL East: Boston Red Sox
AL Central: Cleveland Indians
AL West: Houston Astros
AL Wild Card: Toronto Blue Jays
AL Wild Card: Seattle Mariners
NL East: Washington Nationals
NL Central: Chicago Cubs
NL West: San Francisco Giants
NL Wild Card: Los Angeles Dodgers
NL Wild Card: Pittsburgh Pirates

World Series: Red Sox over Nationals

All expectations hold true in the AL East and AL Central. Boston’s offense will be too much, and Cleveland’s rotation will be the best in the bigs this year. As for the West, Houston’s veteran additions will bring the best out of their youthful talent, and they’ll win with hitting. Toronto will take the number one Wild Card behind pitching -- not hitting -- and Seattle secures the second spot with three players hitting more than 35 homers.

While Trea Turner and Bryce Harper edge out the Mets in the East, pitching will win out in the other two divisions. The Giants' rotation is simply better than the Dodgers', and the Cubs are that much better than the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates. Nonetheless, both the Dodgers and Pirates make the playoffs -- one behind Clayton Kershaw and Rich Hill and the other behind a true breakout season from Starling Marte.

By playoffs' end, lefties David Price and Chris Sale will limit Harper and Daniel Murphy’s damage. The Nationals won’t have quite enough pitching power to stop Mookie Betts and the Red Sox' bats. In relatively easy fashion, Boston wins their first championship since 2013.

Kenyatta Storin

AL East: Boston Red Sox
AL Central: Cleveland Indians
AL West: Houston Astros
AL Wild Card: Toronto Blue Jays
AL Wild Card: Texas Rangers
NL East: Washington Nationals
NL Central: Chicago Cubs
NL West: Los Angeles Dodgers
NL Wild Card: San Francisco Giants
NL Wild Card: New York Mets

World Series: Nationals over Astros

It would be boring to pick the Cubs to repeat (never thought I would say that), so I'm rolling with the Nats to ride a revitalized Harper and a one-two punch in Max Scherzer and a healthy Stephen Strasburg. But it goes without saying that the stacked Cubs and Dodgers will be tough outs this postseason.

On the AL side, the Astros should be an offensive juggernaut, although the rotation has a lot of question marks. I like the Red Sox' staff at full-strength, but I'm not betting on Price contributing much if at all in 2017. The offense should still be good, but they'll miss David Ortiz a ton this year.

Jack Carpenter

AL East: Toronto Blue Jays
AL Central: Cleveland Indians
AL West: Houston Astros
AL Wild Card: Boston Red Sox
AL Wild Card: Texas Rangers
NL East: Washington Nationals
NL Central: Chicago Cubs
NL West: San Francisco Giants
NL Wild Card: Los Angeles Dodgers
NL Wild Card: Arizona Diamondbacks

World Series: Indians over Cubs

Yep, I think three teams from the NL West will make the playoffs, and I think the Arizona Diamondbacks are going to be the surprise team of 2017. I’m expecting a healthy A.J. Pollock to join Paul Goldschmidt in the MVP conversation and wreak havoc at the top of the Diamondbacks’ lineup. I’m also expecting Zack Greinke to pitch better than last year and lead an improved rotation to a playoff appearance. The team has a few question marks, but I think they battle on and surprise people with their talent this year.

As for the World Series, come on! It was way too fun last year to not predict it to happen again. The odds are probably pretty low to get ourselves a repeat matchup in the World Series, but I’m saying it happens. The Cubs are the best team in the NL, and the Indians are the best team in the AL. And plus, the Indians have to get their revenge and win Game 7 this year.

Chris Tredeau

AL East: Boston Red Sox
AL Central: Cleveland Indians
AL West: Houston Astros
AL Wild Card: Toronto Blue Jays
AL Wild Card: Texas Rangers
NL East: Washington Nationals
NL Central: Chicago Cubs
NL West: Los Angeles Dodgers
NL Wild Card: San Francisco Giants
NL Wild Card: St. Louis Cardinals

World Series: Indians over Dodgers

The Dodgers do avenge last year’s NLCS loss to the Cubs behind three dominant starts from Kershaw but simply run out of gas. Andrew Miller doesn’t allow a run in the World Series, and the Tribe ride Corey Kluber and Carrasco to the pennant. LeBron James joins the locker room celebration until Terry Francona offers him a minor-league deal for 2018.

Ari Ross

AL East: Boston Red Sox
AL Central: Cleveland Indians
AL West: Seattle Mariners
AL Wild Card: Toronto Blue Jays
AL Wild Card: Houston Astros
NL East: Washington Nationals
NL Central: Chicago Cubs
NL West: Los Angeles Dodgers
NL Wild Card: San Francisco Giants
NL Wild Card: New York Mets

World Series: Indians over Dodgers

The Indians came within inches of winning the World Series last season without Carrasco, Salazar and Brantley, and then they added Encarnacion and Boone Logan this offseason. The Dodgers have a tougher path, but with a healthy rotation and another year of experience for Dave Roberts, I think this is the year they get past their NCLS hump and the Cubs.

Everyone's talking about the Astros, but their rotation has its question marks. Dallas Keuchel hasn't shown he can return to his Cy Young form, and unless they make a move for an ace, I think the Mariners will come away with the West title. Felix Hernandez bounces back, the Texas Rangers' luck in one-run games runs out, and Kyle Seager and Nelson Cruz provide just enough pop at the plate to push Seattle past Houston.

Jim Sannes

AL East: Boston Red Sox
AL Central: Cleveland Indians
AL West: Seattle Mariners
AL Wild Card: Houston Astros
AL Wild Card: Texas Rangers
NL East: Washington Nationals
NL Central: Chicago Cubs
NL West: Los Angeles Dodgers
NL Wild Card: St. Louis Cardinals
NL Wild Card: New York Mets

World Series: Dodgers over Indians

Despite having every injury you can imagine in 2016, the Dodgers managed to win 91 games and claim the NL West crown. They're now back to full health in their rotation with a lineup full of dangerous bats, and they could be the team to unseat the reigning Cubs.

With the addition of Sale, the Red Sox have a tremendous top of the rotation. It's just still not as good as the one in Cleveland. With Carrasco and Salazar potentially joining Kluber in the postseason, don't be shocked if the Indians make it back-to-back pennants.