American League East
1. Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox may have lost Jon Lester to the Chicago Cubs, but they gained third baseman Pablo Sandoval and shortstop/outfielder Hanley Ramirez and have youngsters in outfielder/second baseman Mookie Betts and shortstop Xander Bogaerts ready to break out, and second baseman Dustin Pedroia and designated hitter David Ortiz provide great clubhouse leadership.
The Red Sox starting rotation still has plenty of potential with Clay Buchholz primed for a bounceback year with Rick Porcello and Justin Masterson behind him. Manager John Farrell was a pitching coach for the Toronto Blue Jays and should be able to help the rotation prove their critics wrong as their lineup is primed to score many runs. Plus, there’s a strong possibility the Red Sox may acquire a final puzzle piece for their rotation at the trade deadline such as Cole Hamels.
2. Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles did not make any significant upgrades in free agency, and they lost power-hitting outfielder Nelson Cruz to the Seattle Mariners. Their lineup remains strong though with outfielder Adam Jones leading the way. Third baseman Manny Machado still has yet to reach his full potential, but he can be dangerous.
Their pitching staff remains solid with Chris Tillman as their main guy, and their bullpen is relatively reliable with Zach Britton as their closer. Darren O’Day is also a reliable setup man. Manager Buck Showalter has proven to be able to get the most out of his players, so the Red Sox will not be taking this team lightly.
3. Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays are still an extremely strong hitting team, as they have two premier power hitters in designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion and outfielder Jose Bautista. They are both capable of hitting at least 40 home runs, and third baseman Josh Donaldson will only make their lineup more dangerous as he hit 29 homers despite playing with the Oakland A’s, who play in a pitcher-friendly ballpark. Outfielder Dalton Pompey offers upside as a hitter and base stealer.
Their pitching remains questionable though as Marcus Stroman has been lost for the season. Although the rotation still has promise with Drew Hutchison and Mark Buehrle, R.A. Dickey is nearing the end of his career at age 40 while the bullpen doesn’t have a proven closer. Until they upgrade their pitching, the Blue Jays will be nothing more than a team that relies on hitting home runs.
4. New York Yankees
The Yankees are still in rebuilding mode, as shortstop Derek Jeter has retired. They also lost closer David Robertson in free agency to the Chicago White Sox, and stars such as starting pitcher C.C. Sabathia and first baseman Mark Teixeira are now shells of their former selves. Most notably, future Hall of Famer Alex Rodriguez is coming back after missing nearly two full seasons due to being disgraced and suspended for steroid use. He will be the designated hitter, and Chase Headley will stay at third base.
Starting ace Masahiro Tanaka also remains a question mark as he is coming off a season-ending elbow injury, and he decided to go through rehab instead of Tommy John surgery. Tanaka will be an injury risk throughout the season, and he has not looked the same since returning to the field. The lineup has talent, but outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury has not panned out as a $153 million player so far and the rest of their rotation is headed by injury risk Michael Pineda and unknowns in Nathan Eovaldi and Adam Warren.
5. Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays were already looking like a last-place team, but matters have been made worse and they are being set up to possibly have the worst record in the majors. Their starting rotation has suffered injuries to Alex Cobb, Matt Moore and Drew Smyly. Chris Archer and Jake Odorizzi offer plenty of upside, and this area can remain a strength if Cobb and Smyly return soon. The Rays’ hitting remains a concern though as third baseman Evan Longoria is their only proven hitter. Most of their lineup consists of unknowns.
The bullpen is also a concern as Grant Balfour is coming off a rough season as their closer, and he is now 37 years old. They added Kevin Jepsen, but he will need to prove that his final season with the Los Angeles Angels was not a fluke.
COMMENTS