When the proper opening of the 2024 MLB season arrives on Thursday, every team will have a chance to win the World Series. This is simply a statement of fact.

It suffices to say, though, that these chances are not created equally.

There are different tiers of World Series contenders, and the idea here is to break down where, exactly, each team fits as of now. This is about being realistic about their chances of parading around with the Commissioner's Trophy later this year, which meant taking two key things into consideration.

Playing and coaching talent, obviously, but also how direct teams' paths to the playoffs are likely to be. Even in this era of expanded playoffs, there are no wild-card guarantees for second- and third-place finishers.

As I see it, there are 11 different tiers that contain at least two teams apiece. Each will be explained in more depth as we go, but what you need to know for now is that both the tiers and the teams are arranged in ascending order of hopefulness.

Note: All odds are courtesy of DraftKings.

30-29: Sorry, But It's Not Happening

In This Tier: Teams who don't even inspire even feigned optimism.

30. Oakland Athletics

2023 Record: 50-112

2024 Odds: +50000

So, here's the thing about the 2023 A's: They may have overachieved in winning 50 games.

A's fans should at least tune in to watch Zack Gelof's ascent as a star, but there's little reason to think 2024 won't be a second straight depressing chapter in an otherwise rich text that is this franchise's history. And we all know who's writing this crud.

29. Colorado Rockies

2023 Record: 59-103

2024 Odds: +50000

If anything, it might be a kindness to rank the Rockies above the A's on this list.

They're projected by both FanGraphs and Baseball Prospectus to be the worst team in MLB this year, which tracks with how thin they are on both offense and defense. Oh, and they play in what may be the toughest division in either league.

28-26: So You're Telling Me There's a Chance

In This Tier: Even if the chance is only one in a million, it's visible if you squint hard enough.

28. Chicago White Sox

2023 Record: 61-101

2024 Odds: +30000

The White Sox were never good last year, but it was in the second half that they went turbo-bad in going 23-47. Only so much hope can be heaped on them after a season like that.

At least there are interesting names here, though. And if Luis Robert Jr. does his superstar thing and Yoán Moncada, Eloy Jiménez, Andrew Benintendi, Garrett Crochet, Michael Soroka and Michael Kopech are their best selves, something could happen.

27. Washington Nationals

2023 Record: 71-91

2024 Odds: +25000

After a year like the one the Nats had in 2023, it would have taken much better additions than Joey Gallo, Jesse Winker and Nick Senzel to move the needle in a positive direction.

Still, one likes Josiah Gray and MacKenzie Gore as a duo of young hurlers. What one likes even more is the likelihood of top prospects Dylan Crews and James Wood joining forces with CJ Abrams in the lineup at some point.

26. Los Angeles Angels

2023 Record: 73-89

2024 Odds: +17000

According to Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated, Angels owner Arte Moreno assumed that Shohei Ohtani wouldn't get even $500 million in free agency. You know, just in case anyone still wasn't getting that Moreno didn't know what he had for seven seasons.

At least the Angels still have Mike Trout, and the prospect of him having a healthy, productive 2024 season will do for something solid on which to hang hopes.

25-23: The Teams with Faint Diamondbacks Energy

In This Tier: Teams that probably aren't ready for big things yet, but who are at least headed in that direction.

25. Kansas City Royals

2023 Record: 56-106

2024 Odds: +13000

The Royals were barely better than the A's for much of 2023, only pulling away (if you can say that about a 106-loss team) in the final weeks of the season.

But then again, Bobby Witt Jr. is awesome. And so is Cole Ragans, who'll be leading a pitching staff that was the main beneficiary of a $110.5 million offseason splurge. Some kind of improvement should be in store as a result.

24. Pittsburgh Pirates

2023 Record: 76-86

2024 Odds: +17000

Even the modest record the Bucs had last year must be taken with a grain of salt. They got 26 percent of their wins in the first 17 percent of their games.

Yet you'd be surprised at how well their pitching staff projects for 2024, and one thing they have now that they didn't for almost all of last year is a healthy Oneil Cruz. And judging from the seven home runs he's hit this spring, he means business.

23. Detroit Tigers

2023 Record: 78-84

2024 Odds: +6000

After making a 12-win leap from 2022 to 2023, it's OK to feel disappointed with how the Tigers managed the offseason. They needed multiple stars, yet they didn't get even one.

A homegrown core has been coming together, however, and this could be the year it truly jells. Tarik Skubal flashed No. 1 upside last year, while Spencer Torkelson, Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter and Colt Keith could be a dangerous offensive foursome.

22-21: Wait, Weren't These Playoff Teams in 2023?

In This Tier: 2023 playoff teams that figure to regress, but who aren't devoid of promise.

22. Miami Marlins

2023 Record: 84-78

2024 Odds: +8000

The Marlins thrived on their pitching last year, but that was with Sandy Alcantara, Eury Pérez, Braxton Garrett and Edward Cabrera. Alcantara will miss all of 2024 recovering from Tommy John surgery, while the other three will at least start on the injured list.

One can still get hyped about the live left arms attached to Jesús Luzardo, A.J. Puk and Tanner Scott, and the potential for better offense than the Marlins got in 2023 is there. If they're healthy, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Tim Anderson both have star upside.

21. Milwaukee Brewers

2023 Record: 92-70

2024 Odds: +9000

To lose Craig Counsell from the manager's chair? That's an oof. To also lose Corbin Burnes from the rotation? Double-oof. And Devin Williams from the bullpen because of a back injury? Triple-oof.

Yet the Brewers have built up enough goodwill over the years to assume that they'll be OK on the pitching side. What they really need after last year is more offense, and newly anointed big leaguer Jackson Chourio may be just the guy to make sure that happens.

20-19: Resource-Rich, But Talent-Poor

In This Tier: Teams that have the means to contend, but not so much the will right now.

20. Boston Red Sox

2023 Record: 78-84

2024 Odds: +6500

If you want to put a Red Sox fan in a foul mood, just walk up to them and utter the words "full throttle." That should do the trick.

But if nothing else, the Red Sox could be a scary offensive team if Trevor Story and newcomers Tyler O'Neill and Vaughn Grissom stay mostly healthy. And from the 3.85 ERA Boston has this spring, it's possible to have hope for the so-called "Run Prevention Unit."

19. New York Mets

2023 Record: 75-87

2024 Odds: +5500

It's nuts to think back to last spring, when the Mets had Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander and Kodai Senga lined up to be part of the same pitching staff. The first two are gone now, and the third has a strained shoulder.

Bear in mind, though, that the Mets had a dangerous-looking starting nine even before they signed J.D. Martinez. Between him, Pete Alonso, Francisco Lindor, Brandon Nimmo and Francisco Alvarez, the core of their offense is about as strong as they come.

18-17: Don't Sleep on These Central Teams

In This Tier: Teams that will probably be also-rans in weak Central divisions, but who can't be counted out.

18. Cleveland Guardians

2023 Record: 76-86

2024 Odds: +6000

The Guardians hit 27 fewer home runs than any other team last season, yet they responded by going out and getting exactly zero new power sources. What is the definition of insanity again? Oh, right.

Yet no team that has José Ramírez should ever be completely disregarded. Least of all one that could be a run-prevention powerhouse if enough goes right, namely Shane Bieber and Triston McKenzie staying healthy and pitching like they did in 2022.

17. Cincinnati Reds

2023 Record: 82-80

2024 Odds: +4500

After posting a 4.83 ERA last year, the big question is whether the Reds will pitch any better in 2024. It's not a given, and yet one can't help but feel a little bullish about a healthy Frankie Montas teaming up with stuff maestros like Hunter Greene and Graham Ashcraft.

What's for sure is that the Reds should score plenty of runs. Great American Ball Park would see to that even in the worst of times, and these times feature rising hitting talents such as Elly De La Cruz, Spencer Steer and Christian Encarnacion-Strand.

16-14: Jockeying for 2nd in the NL West

In This Tier: Teams who could make noise in the playoffs, but who are effectively blocked from getting in as the NL West champ.

16. San Diego Padres

2023 Record: 82-80

2024 Odds: +5000

The Padres aren't going into 2024 with nearly as much hype as they had last spring, but you have to hand it to them. They've lost Juan Soto, Blake Snell and Josh Hader (not to mention Bob Melvin) and lopped close to $100 million off their payroll yet are still a contender.

They're going to need Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Xander Bogaerts to carry the offense, and for Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove to stay healthy on the pitching side. If those boxes end up checked, this year could end up being less like 2023 and more like 2022.

15. San Francisco Giants

2023 Record: 79-83

2024 Odds: +4500

Speaking of Snell, does anyone want to face him and Logan Webb in a playoff series? One would think not, and let's not ignore that this pitching staff also has a major breakout candidate (Kyle Harrison) and an elite closer (Camilo Doval).

It's whether the Giants will hit that's the bigger question, but it would certainly loom larger if they hadn't sunk money into Jung Hoo Lee, Matt Chapman and Jorge Soler in free agency. It helps that all three have had solid springs, with Lee notably hitting .375.

14. Arizona Diamondbacks

2023 Record: 84-78

2024 Odds: +4000

If the Diamondbacks have just one advantage on the Padres and Giants, it's that of having just been there and done that with the whole World Series appearance thing. And if you subtract a brutal 7-25 stretch during the dog days, they were an elite team throughout 2023.

The Snakes should be a more well-rounded team than they were a year ago, with an offense that now features Eugenio Suárez and Joc Pederson and a pitching staff that, once he's healthy, will have Eduardo Rodriguez. So if anything, I'm underestimating them here.

13-11: Favorites to Win Bad Divisions

In This Tier: Teams that have their flaws, but who have the best chance of finishing first in the weak Central divisions.

13. St. Louis Cardinals

2023 Record: 71-91

2024 Odds: +3500

The Cardinals couldn't pitch worth a darn in 2023, and whether things will be any different in 2024 is a fair question. Sonny Gray is the only impact pitcher they added this winter, and he's going to begin the year on the IL with a strained hamstring.

At least there's hope on the pitching side, however, and the extent to which this team could hit shouldn't be underestimated. Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado are candidates for rebounds, and Jordan Walker is a breakout candidate after a promising rookie year in 2023.

12. Chicago Cubs

2023 Record: 83-79

2024 Odds: +2800

The Cubs probably should have finished last season with the same record as the Brewers, which didn't reflect well on former manager David Ross. Hence the bold hiring of Craig Counsell, who's on the short list for the best manager in baseball.

The Cody Bellinger and Shōta Imanaga signings went far in ensuring that Counsell will have a talented roster to work with. Run prevention (and defense, specifically) should be a strength, and Bellinger is but one of six candidates for 20-plus homers on the offensive side.

11. Minnesota Twins

2023 Record: 87-75

2024 Odds: +1900

The Twins didn't have the smoothest regular season in 2023, but it all culminated with them snapping a postseason winless streak that had been running since 2002. And despite the loss of Gray, they're underrated as a threat to go far in 2024.

They still have Pablo López leading their rotation, after all, and their offense could really be something if Carlos Correa, Byron Buxton and Royce Lewis stay on the field.

10-7: Not Necessarily Favorites, But Dangerous Nonetheless

In This Tier: Teams that aren't favored to win their divisions, but who are good bets to make the playoffs and make some noise therewithin.

10. Tampa Bay Rays

2023 Record: 99-63

2024 Odds: +3500

Despite the departure of Tyler Glasnow and injuries to Shane McClanahan, Jeffrey Springs, Drew Rasmussen, Taj Bradley and Shane Baz, it's still possible to look at the Rays' pitching staff and like what you see. The bullpen, especially, could be lethal.

The Rays also still have the goods to score runs in bunches after ranking fourth in MLB in scoring last season. Waiting in the wings to help the effort is Junior Caminero, who had a .976 OPS and 31 home runs in the minors as a 19-year-old in 2023.

9. Toronto Blue Jays

2023 Record: 89-73

2024 Odds: +2000

The Blue Jays have to be thrilled with what they've seen this spring from Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who's hit .463 and slugged .707. Because if this team is going to go anywhere this year, it needs the offense to revolve around him like it did in 2021.

There's otherwise little doubt that the Blue Jays are going to pitch with the best of 'em. It's pretty much the same rotation they had last year, and that's a good thing given that said rotation ranked third in MLB with a 3.85 ERA.

8. Seattle Mariners

2023 Record: 88-74

2024 Odds: +1900

Elsewhere on the topic of sure-thing pitching staffs, the Mariners absolutely have an elite starting rotation and they're also going to have an elite bullpen once Matt Brash and Gregory Santos get healthy. They're scary enough just on this account.

If for no other reason than Julio Rodríguez exists, there's also reason to think the Mariners will hit enough. And maybe even more than enough if they get what they want out of newcomers Jorge Polanco, Mitch Garver and the returning prodigal son, Mitch Haniger.

7. Philadelphia Phillies

2023 Record: 90-72

2024 Odds: +1400

This feels like underselling a team that went to the World Series in 2022 and to Game 7 of the National League Championship Series in 2023. The only defense I have is that the other major contender in the NL East is just that good.

But save for maybe a weak outfield, it's hard to look at the Phillies and come up with things to gripe about. Both their starting lineup and their pitching staff are among the best in MLB, and nobody can say this team isn't hungry after how last year ended.

6-4: Just Wait Until They're at Full Strength

In This Tier: Teams that should be among the best in MLB when they get all the right pieces in all the right places.

6. Texas Rangers

2023 Record: 90-72

2024 Odds: +1500

The defending World Series champions are limping into the new season. Corey Seager and Josh Jung only just got well enough to play, while Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer, Tyler Mahle and Nathaniel Lowe will start the year on the IL.

Of course, this state of things is not permanent. The Rangers will be primed to take off right around the All-Star break, which is when those hurlers should all be back. By then, even MLB's 23-year streak without a repeat champion might not stand in their way.

5. New York Yankees

2023 Record: 82-80

2024 Odds: +1100

Here's where we find the quintessential boom-or-bust team of 2024. And bust might already seem like the more realistic outcome, as Gerrit Cole may not be back on the mound until June and Aaron Judge has already run into injury trouble of his own.

But if Judge stays healthy and forms a super-duo with Juan Soto...and if Cole comes back and doesn't have further issues with his elbow...and if the Yankees also get what they're hoping for out of Marcus Stroman and Carlos Rodón...well, that's simply a dangerous team.

4. Baltimore Orioles

2023 Record: 101-61

2024 Odds: +1100

As much as the Orioles still look like a heavyweight after winning 101 games in 2023, they'd look better if Kyle Bradish and John Means weren't ticketed for the IL and if Jackson Holliday, MLB's No. 1 prospect, hadn't been reassigned to the minor leagues.

There's a real chance, however, that all three will be with the Orioles before April is over. That's the point when the sky will become the limit, and it helps knowing that this year's team has something that last year's squad did not: experience.

3-1: The Obvious Favorites

In This Tier: The teams that everyone knows are the teams to beat.

3. Houston Astros

2023 Record: 90-72

2024 Odds: +750

Justin Verlander's shoulder issue is not ideal, yet the Astros still have one of MLB's better pitching staffs even without him in the mix. And he won't be out of the mix forever.

And while nobody is downright unimpressed by Houston's offense, it might still be underrated. It's the best in the American League, hands down, consisting of as many as seven, eight or even nine above-average hitters.

The pedigree here also matters. Because when a team has made seven straight trips to at least the American League Championship Series, it's that much easier to bank on an eighth.

2. Los Angeles Dodgers

2023 Record: 100-62

2024 Odds: +350

This is assuming there's no discipline awaiting Shohei Ohtani as a result of the gambling scandal relating to his ex-interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara. It's hardly a foregone conclusion, but that there's even a non-zero possibility of it is both the Dodgers' and MLB's worst nightmare.

Ohtani is maintaining his innocence, however, and the Dodgers will be able proceed with their superteam plans if he's ultimately cleared.

These revolve around overwhelming the opposition, mainly with an elite offense headed by Ohtani and fellow MVPs Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. There are more questions about the Dodgers' arms, but nobody can say they're lacking for reinforcements. They stand to get a lot of arms off the IL as 2024 goes along.

1. Atlanta

2023 Record: 104-58

2024 Odds: +450

Atlanta may not be the betting favorite to win the 2024 World Series. But apart from the sheer hype surrounding the Dodgers, it's hard to point to exactly why that's the case.

This is as loaded as teams come, as Atlanta placed at No. 1 in my rankings for both the top starting lineups and the top pitching staffs for the outset of 2024. After what Ronald Acuña Jr. and the rest of Atlanta's offense did last year, at least one of those takes shouldn't be controversial.

There's otherwise unfinished business at play here. Because as sweet as it was that Atlanta won 205 games across 2022 and 2023, not winning a playoff series either year has clearly left a sour taste. It's World Series or bust this year.

Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.