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Baseball season is back officially, as it is MLB Opening Day. The Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs started early in Japan, but everyone's in action today. That means there will be some incredible occurrences, and we've got some bold predictions on what those will be now that the season is here.
Bold predictions for today's MLB games
5) Paul Skenes goes seven no-hit innings
Paul Skenes is one of the best pitchers in baseball. Last year, he won 11 games and had a sub-2.00 ERA. This year, he is poised for more, and his first start could not be more fortunate.
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He's taking on the Miami Marlins, so expect him to get through the seventh with a no-hitter before he's either pulled or gives up a hit. The former is much more likely, as the Pirates pulled him from a no-hitter last season.
4) Shohei Ohtani gets two hits
Shohei Ohtani, one of the best hitters on the planet, getting two hits is not bold in and of itself. But he's facing the reigning Cy Young and Triple Crown winner in the American League. To assume two hits for Ohtani, who had three in two games in Tokyo, is far from a given against such a quality pitcher. Multiple hits isn't a given for any hitter in any game, either.
3) Tarik Skubal gives up more than two runs
Tarik Skubal is that reigning Cy Young, but his defense might get off to a rocky start. He's excellent, but he's facing a lineup with Ohtani, Will Smith, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernandez.
It's as difficult as it gets, so expect a bit of a letdown from Skubal. He's still an ace, but this is the hardest matchup he'll have this year and it's the first start of the season.
2) Garrett Crochet gets seven strikeouts or more
Garrett Crochet is a strikeout machine. He recorded nearly 13 strikeouts per nine innings last year. In Spring Training, his number has jumped to over 17 per nine innings.
He is in incredible form today and gets to take on the Detroit Tigers. By the end of it, seven might end up being a laughably low bar for the ace to clear. The Tigers don't have a vaunted offense, and Crochet mows them down like few others.
1) The Pirates and Marlins don't even combine for six runs
The Pirates and Marlins are facing off today. As mentioned, Paul Skenes is on the mound. He should limit the Marlins to virtually no offense regardless, which puts one team's scoring very low.
The Pirates don't have a great offense, either, so this could be a true pitcher's duel despite the Marlins not having a dominant ace. Their over/under combined runs today is 5.5, and they probably won't hit that.
