Who is the team to beat in the American League this season? Will it be a team from the stacked AL East Division or a surprise from the AL West Division? Read below for the divisional power rankings on Baseball Spotlight.
Check out “Between The Lines,” a baseball podcast with Tanner Kern and Colten Kahler on the Sports 2.0 Network. Episode 2 features the power rankings from both guys.
We will go through the three divisions and rank them where they will finish. Next to the names are the current betting odds for each team to win their division. All odds are via Draftkings Sportsbook.
AL East
Boston Red Sox +550
Tampa Bay Rays +330
Toronto Blue Jays +165
New York Yankees +200
Baltimore Orioles +15000
This is arguably the toughest division in baseball this season. One through four in this division could finish anywhere within the top four spots and it would not be the least bit surprising.
The Red Sox will win the division with a solid lineup. Adding Trevor Story to a lineup where you are expecting a big year from Rafael Devers and many others could be dangerous for opponents. Chris Sale needs to be healthy for this team to succeed.
The Tampa Bay Rays will compete and win as they have for the last few years. They are a team that can fly under the radar all season long. Will Wander Franco and Randy Arozarena take this team to the next level?
The jury is still out on the Toronto Blue Jays. They most certainly have the right pieces, but can they make it work, and can they battle against many other tough teams in the division?
The New York Yankees are no longer the team and franchise they once were. For a team that has not been to the World Series since 2009, the Yankees are starting to become just a name and a memory of the past.
AL Central
Chicago White Sox -195
Detroit Tigers +800
Minnesota Twins +475
Kansas City Royals +1500
Cleveland Guardians +1000
This is a division that the Chicago White Sox can run away with by the end of July. The White Sox are the clear favorite in a bad AL Central Division. When fully healthy, this is a team that can contend for a World Series. Expect a big year from Lucas Giolito.
The Detroit Tigers may surprise some fans this season, but they are not ready to make that next jump. Adding Javier Baez, Austin Meadows and Tucker Barnhart to this team will help them contend for a top-three spot.
The Minnesota Twins will battle with the Tigers for the second spot in the division. Adding Carlos Correa along with Gio Urshela and Gary Sanchez, the Twins will have power and flair in the lineup. The pitching department is where the Twins could fall.
AL West
Seattle Mariners +450
Houston Astros -180
Los Angeles Angels +450
Texas Rangers +1800
Oakland Athletics +5000
Seattle made a big move over the offseason to trade for Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suarez, two players that are coming off career years in Cincinnati. The Mariners also signed Robbie Ray to their pitching rotation to pair with Marco Gonzales, another good southpaw. Seattle has not made the playoffs since 2001.
The success of the Houston Astros will depend on their pitching. Justin Verlander is still the face of the rotation but with Lance McCullers Jr. hurt and missing a portion of the season, that is going to hurt the Astros. They cannot afford to fall behind in a division that is getting better.
The Los Angeles Angels are close to taking the next step. They have a good core of players but the pitching staff is not great. Led by Shohei Ohtani, if Noah Syndergaard can return to his New York Mets form, this team could take a big step forward. Keeping Mike Trout healthy for an entire season will also be a big plus for the Angels.
