Our bad: 4 preseason MLB predictions we whiffed on

Look, we all make mistakes. It's part of life.

We're a little over one month into the season, and our editors are issuing some mea culpas for predictions that already look to have gone awry.

As you read these, remember: To err is human, but to forgive is divine. Our bad, but be nice.

Preseason prediction: The Rays finish third in the AL East

Adjusted outlook: The Rays are legitimate contenders

Entering the season, the majority of theScore's staff had the Rays finishing no higher than third in the division. Now, over one month in, Tampa Bay is by far the best team in baseball.

The Rays' dominance can be illustrated in many ways. For instance, they're the only team without double-digit losses so far, and they only have seven. The New York Yankees have more losses at home than the Rays do in total, and even they're above .500.

Most importantly, the offense is walloping opponents. Coming off a year when they narrowly squeaked into the postseason with a league-average lineup, several of their hitters are taking massive leaps forward, and the club leads MLB with a 143 wRC+, towering over the second-place Rangers who boast a very impressive 122 wRC+. Tampa has an unbelievable six hitters with a 150 wRC+ or higher (minimum 24 games). The entire league combined has 29, meaning the Rays employ more than 20% of those hitters.

Is this level of performance sustainable? Certainly not, and the Rays have feasted on some pretty bad teams early on. But these are all banked wins, and it's not like they're eking out victories by slim margins. They're pummelling opponents, and 22-year-old Wander Franco is now delivering on the promise associated with being ranked the No. 1 prospect in baseball not long ago. He could be in the MVP conversation the rest of the way while leading the Rays to an AL East title. - Michael Bradburn

Preseason prediction: The Rangers would be near the bottom of the AL West

Adjusted outlook: The Rangers should contend

Nearly all our staffers picked the Rangers to finish fourth, and the two who didn't weren't much more optimistic. Well, so much for that.

Texas has led the division for all but one day of the young season, and while that can partly be attributed to the Astros and Mariners underperforming, the Rangers have looked legit.

Their offense ranks second in the majors by FanGraphs' WAR, second in runs scored, and second in wRC+. And this is without Corey Seager available for most of the campaign. Jonah Heim has been a revelation (.950 OPS, 161 wRC+) and looks like an early front-runner to start the All-Star Game at catcher, while Adolis Garcia and Josh Jung are both slugging .500 or better.

The rotation has also been impressive. It currently ranks eighth in the majors with a 3.76 ERA and 3.97 FIP, and while the loss of Jacob deGrom certainly hurts, fellow offseason addition Nathan Eovaldi has been exceptional at limiting walks and hard contact. Not to mention, the bullpen has received terrific early results from Dane Dunning and Will Smith.

It might be tough for the Rangers to sustain this success, especially if deGrom's latest injury sidelines him for a good chunk of time, but so far, so good in their pursuit of at least a wild-card spot. - Bryan Mcwilliam

Preseason prediction: The White Sox win the AL Central

Adjusted outlook: The White Sox are a disaster

Picking the White Sox to win the division really didn't feel that far-fetched. Chicago's core is very similar to the one that collected 93 wins and took the weak AL Central in 2021. However, the club has been a mess this season due to injuries and underperformance, which has resulted in a 12-23 record that included a 10-game losing streak in late April.

The club has already seen Eloy Jimenez - out for the next four-to-six weeks after undergoing an appendectomy - Tim Anderson, Yoan Moncada, Jake Burger, and Garrett Crochet miss time because of various ailments. All-Star closer Liam Hendriks hasn't played while recovering from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. A lot of the same players spent significant time sidelined last season, which contributed to an underwhelming .500 finish.

The starting pitching, bullpen, lineup, and defense have all struggled. As a result, the club is tied for the fourth-worst run differential (minus-54) in baseball. Among all teams, Chicago hitters rank 23rd in fWAR, while pitchers sit 27th. By any measure, they're bottom-feeders.

Executives Ken Williams and Rick Hahn have already voiced their concerns, with the latter assuming responsibility for the bad start. Andrew Benintendi - who was given the largest free-agent contract in team history - hasn't hit a homer yet and owns a 77 wRC+ over 31 games. There was also an issue with outfielder Luis Robert Jr. and his perceived lack of hustle, which may have just been miscommunication over an injury. Regardless, the negative results are clearly spilling into the clubhouse and front office. - Tom Ruminski

Preseason prediction: The Cardinals will demolish the NL Central

Adjusted outlook: The Cardinals are living in the basement and might not escape

St. Louis didn't have a particularly active offseason with Willson Contreras' five-year, $87.5-million contract being the only major move. The Cardinals were hoping Contreras would slide into the void left by the retiring Yadier Molina. After a little more than one month, Contreras has already been moved from catcher to DH as the Cardinals spin their wheels in the middle of a disastrous start to the season.

Most pundits predicted the Cardinals would cruise to another NL Central title, thanks in large part to the lack of a legitimate challenger within the division. Very few expected the Cardinals would fall flat on their faces and already need a huge run to get back into the thick of the race for the division.

The starting rotation was one of the big issues heading into the season. Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak didn't make any additions, trusting the existing group to carry the load in 2023. That bet is looking like a bad one. Cardinals starting pitchers rank 23rd in the league in ERA (5.33), 27th in wins (6), and 28th in WHIP (1.54). The club will have no hope of digging out of its hole without a swift and drastic improvement from the rotation.

Also concerning is the play of All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado. The 2022 NL MVP finalist has been frigid at the plate, registering a paltry 68 wRC+ with just three home runs and .608 OPS so far. Arenado snapped a 20-game homer-less streak over the weekend, and the Cardinals desperately need the 32-year-old to heat up at the plate soon. - Josh Goldberg