MLB Early Predictions: Dodgers, Yankees, Padres To Finish With Most Wins In 2021?

The biggest spenders in baseball are projected to have the most success in the upcoming MLB season. The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees lead the way with the highest win totals for 2021.

The Dodgers enter the season as the title favorites and to favored to finish with the best record. The over/under win total for the defending World Series champions is 103.5 by the Westgate Las Vegas Superbook.

On their way to winning the 2020 title, Los Angeles had an MLB-best 43-17 record in the truncated 60-game schedule. That translates to 116 victories in a traditional 162-game season. The Dodgers won more than 103 games in both 2017 and 2019.

The Yankees earned a wild-card berth with a 33-27 record a season ago. New York is expected to be improved in 2021 with a 95.5 over/under win total, leading all American League teams.

The Yankees went 103-59 in 2019 for their second straight 100-win season. New York had an 89-win pace last season.

L.A. leads every team with a payroll north of $226 million, according to Spotrac. The Dodgers made a splash by signing NL Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer to a record salary in free agency. New York is second in MLB at just over $192 million.

The Tampa Bay Rays are projected to take a step back after finishing ahead of the Yankees to win the AL East and reach the World Series. Tampa Bay’s 2021 win total is 88.5. The Rays went 40-20 in 2020, which is equivalent to a 108-54 record in a typical season.

Only four teams have spent less money than the Rays for the upcoming season.

The San Diego Padres have bumped up their payroll to $156.9 million for 2021, an increase of more than $50 million over the last two years. It paid off with the team’s first playoff appearance in 14 years last season. San Diego is expected to have even more success this season with a win total of 93.5, good for third in all of MLB.

In the offseason, the Padres traded for Rays ace Blake Snell and Chicago Cubs ace Yu Darvish.

The New York Mets and Atlanta Braves are tied for fourth in MLB with 90.5 wins. The Chicago White Sox are next at 89.5 wins, followed by the Rays, Houston Astros and Minnesota Twins with 88.5 wins.