As we get closer to Opening Day, I am going to predict how I think the season will turn out for teams in the American League after a busy offseason.

AL East

1. Boston Red Sox (91-71)
   The Red Sox are my favorite to win the AL East after having a tremendous offseason, acquiring notable pitchers in ace Garrett Crochet from the White Sox, Walker Buehler, and Aroldis Chapman. They also added a bat to their lineup in Alex Bregman. This offseason signing I think pushes them over the top of their competitors, and it should add some fire to the heated Red Sox-Yankees rivalry. Boston has an underrated lineup from top to bottom, and now that they’ve added some arms, they are looking to be in great shape. The only issue I see with this team is their bullpen, which struggled last year, and they didn’t make many moves to improve it. Their offense, however, was 6th in the league in average and hits last year, and I’m not expecting anything less from this team, led by Rafael Devers. They also have MLB’s top prospect in 20-year-old outfielder Roman Anthony, who will look to play for them in the regular season, bringing more young talent to the roster.

2. New York Yankees (89-73)
   After winning the American League last year, the Yankees had another busy offseason, making several free-agent signings and a couple of trades. When it comes to pitchers, they landed one of the top free-agent starters in Max Fried to an 8-year deal and traded for Brewers reliever Devin Williams, who is a great addition. On the offensive side, they traded for outfielder Cody Bellinger and signed Paul Goldschmidt to a 1-year deal, hoping he can continue to produce at age 37. After these great additions, there were unfortunately some setbacks that will stunt this team. Slugger Giancarlo Stanton will be sidelined on the IL due to soreness in both elbows and will potentially face a long absence. This isn’t all, though, as ace pitcher Gerrit Cole will undergo Tommy John surgery, ending his season before it even starts. This leaves a hole in the fifth spot of the rotation for New York, and they will most likely have to rely on Clarke Schmidt to round them out. This injury bug is unfortunate for the Yankees, so this is why I have them finishing second in the division, which will be carried by their offensive firepower.

3. Baltimore Orioles (85-77)
   Baltimore will look to continue riding their young, star-powered lineup led by Gunnar Henderson, Colton Cowser, and Jackson Holliday. This is another team with under-the-radar talent across the board. However, they lost star pitcher Corbin Burnes in the offseason, along with some other notable pitchers like Danny Coulombe and Jacob Webb. Offensively, they also lost power hitter Anthony Santander to the Blue Jays and catcher James McCann. To fill the power void in the lineup, they were unable to land Tyler O’Neill from the Red Sox for a three-year deal, along with Dylan Carlson and Ramón Laureano. They didn’t make many big moves, but they did sign veteran starter Charlie Morton to a one-year deal. That being said, they didn’t improve their pitching much, which is why I can’t place them any higher. Their offense will continue to thrive by scoring a bunch of runs, but I don’t think it will be enough to make up for the pitching they need to compete in this division.

4. Toronto Blue Jays (78-84)
   After a disappointing season last year, Toronto finds itself in another difficult position, as more star power has joined their fellow division contenders. The offense last year was not up to par after a miserable season from Bo Bichette, and their offense ranked toward the back half of the league in almost every offensive statistic. The pitching wasn’t great either, but adding veteran Max Scherzer to the rotation and Jeff Hoffman to the bullpen should have some positive impact on the pitching side. However, the bullpen remains subpar, and it won’t do much good if they can’t limit their opponents from scoring. This is a major drawback, even though their offense is fairly well-rounded. After acquiring a big bat in Anthony Santander from the Orioles and a stellar defensive player in Andrés Jiménez, they should be able to produce and help the offense score some runs, potentially stealing games from better competition.

5. Tampa Bay Rays (68-94)
   It’s going to be a rough year for the Rays due to their questionable starting rotation, underwhelming bullpen, and mediocre lineup. After losing a few players in the offseason, including Isaac Paredes to Houston, the Rays are shaping up for a frustrating season. Even worse, their stadium, Tropicana Park, was damaged by hurricanes this year, so it won’t even be playable, forcing the team to play at George M. Steinbrenner Field, the Yankees’ spring training home. The offense could potentially have some upside, but the floor is low for this squad. Without adding any notable pitching, this roster is going to struggle to hold opponents from scoring runs.

AL West

1. Texas Rangers (92-70)
   This team will have a lot going for them offensively, and with Jacob deGrom returning to the rotation from his injury, this should help propel them. Overall, the starting rotation isn’t the best after losing Max Scherzer in the offseason, but the upside from Jack Leiter is encouraging for Texas. The bullpen additions of Luke Jackson and Chris Martin should help provide more consistent shutdown innings. As for the lineup, Corey Seager will continue to lead this group that has the ability to score plenty of runs. This group has a lot of power, and with Joc Pederson joining them this offseason, it should lead to more fireworks. With young rising stars in Wyatt Langford and Evan Carter, these guys can add some flair to this roster, and I think they will help make it a successful year.

2. Seattle Mariners (88-74)
   After a year of having the worst offense in baseball, the Mariners will look to bounce back this year. After struggling offensively with a team batting average of just .224, I believe that players like Jorge Polanco, J.P. Crawford, and Mitch Garver will be able to produce at the level they are capable of, which will propel this team forward. As for pitching, they will continue to have one of the best rotations and bullpens in the league to limit opponents offensively, despite George Kirby starting the season on the IL. Last year, Seattle played a lot of low-scoring games due to their great pitching but poor offense, resulting in fewer wins. With their close margin of victories in the games they did win, I think their offense will be able to make up for what they couldn’t do last year, even though they didn’t make any significant signings in the offseason.

3. Houston Astros (84-78)
   After losing several big names in the offseason, I don’t think the Astros will play at the high caliber they have in previous years. The biggest losses came from Alex Bregman signing with Boston, Jason Heyward to the Padres, and Kyle Tucker being traded to the Cubs, while they acquired Isaac Paredes in part of the deal, but his talent isn’t at the same level as Bregman. Starting pitchers like Justin Verlander and Yusei Kikuchi, along with relievers Hector Neris, Caleb Ferguson, and Kendall Graveman, all walked in free agency. Houston will have to rely on Christian Walker, an underrated player for several seasons, to pick up some slack offensively. The Astros are still a very good team, but I don’t see them finishing above Seattle or Texas in the division. However, they should still be close to a playoff berth.

4. Oakland Athletics (77-85)
   After leaving Oakland last season, the A’s will now be playing in Sacramento until their stadium in Las Vegas is ready. This team could be a dark horse this season because they have a high ceiling and are being overlooked. They have a number of hitters who go unnoticed but make an impact. Leading the way last year was outfielder Lawrence Butler, who is a threat in every area of the game and will most likely be an All-Star in July. Guys like Shea Langeliers, Brent Rooker, and Miguel Andújar make a huge impact offensively. A new up-and-comer, Jack Wilson, will be at shortstop and will look to make a quick first impression in his first full season. By signing veteran third baseman Gio Urshela, this group has added a much-needed presence. The main concern for the A’s is the bullpen, as they had one of the worst bullpens in baseball last year, and it probably won’t improve much this year. The starting rotation is also in the same boat, despite adding talent in Luis Severino. This should be a good year offensively for the A’s, but their pitching won’t be able to keep pace.

5. Los Angeles Angels (75-87)
   The Angels have had it rough for the last decade and haven’t had a winning season since 2015. They currently hold the league’s longest playoff drought at 11 years. It looks like this team will be at about the same pace as in previous years, and fans are hoping that owner Arte Moreno will sell the team to improve management. However, the Angels do have a good young core, including catcher Logan O’Hoppe, shortstop Zach Neto (who will start the year on the IL), and first baseman Nolan Schanuel. This team hasn’t been much help to three-time MVP Mike Trout, who has struggled with injuries over the last few years. With Anthony Rendon once again on the IL for 60 days, he will continue to be paid a ton of money to not play for the team, which is holding them back from spending much money. With the money they did spend, they were able to sign starting pitchers Yusei Kikuchi and Kyle Hendricks, along with closer Kenley Jansen to improve their worst area: the bullpen. Jansen will pitch alongside flamethrower Ben Joyce to help lock down innings. Offensively, they brought in notable names like Yoán Moncada, Kevin Newman, Tim Anderson, Travis d’Arnaud, and slugger Jorge Soler for more depth. The first-round draft pick last year was second baseman Christian Moore, who will try to make an impact after a strong spring training. It will be encouraging for this team to win more games, but their starting pitching will need to rely heavily on the offense.

AL Central

1. Kansas City Royals (92-70)
   This Royals team is my favorite to win their division once again because of their offense and solid starting pitching. Led by Seth Lugo and Cole Ragans, both of whom finished in the top five of the AL Cy Young voting, Kansas City will look to stay dominant on the pitching side. After having a very solid bullpen last season, they signed Carlos Estévez to add another good arm. I don’t expect anything less from this bullpen, and I envision them shutting down opponents left and right to fuel a good playoff run. Adding infielder Jonathan India will provide more pressure on the basepaths with his speed and add more offense. Alongside sluggers Salvador Pérez and Vinnie Pasquantino, Bobby Witt Jr. will continue to display his superstar talent, and I expect him to be in the AL MVP race. This team has a lot of talent, and I expect them to win their first division title since their World Series win in 2015.

2. Cleveland Guardians (87-75)
   After falling short to New York in the ALCS last year, the Guardians will look to be in a similar position this season despite a lack of offensive firepower. This team was not great offensively, but they were able to do enough because of their phenomenal bullpen and starting pitching. However, it’s a lot to ask again for this squad, and with the struggles they had offensively last year, I don’t think they’ll quite be able to pass the Royals. The pitching Cleveland has, though, makes them a tough contender. With a rotation that consists of several solid starters, including the addition of Luis Ortiz and the return of Shane Bieber later in the season after recovering from Tommy John surgery, they should be in a good position. Star reliever Emmanuel Clase will lead the charge for the bullpen. Offensively, José Ramírez will continue to play at a high level, backed up by left fielder Steven Kwan at the top of the order and young star Ryan Rocchio at shortstop. Kyle Mandarzo will also have his first full season this year, and he should provide some pop at first base.

3. Detroit Tigers (87-75)
   The Tigers had an incredible run to a playoff berth for the first time since 2014, and it was a great sight to see. This year, however, I don’t think they will see much improvement because they didn’t add much more talent. With the additions of starters Jack Flaherty and Alex Cobb, this should help bolster an already talented starting rotation. With AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal leading the way, and rising star Jackson Jobe, this rotation should be able to shut down the opposition. The bullpen, which was lights out last year, should perform similarly. Offensively, the Tigers added veteran second baseman Gleyber Torres, who will be a great asset on the field and in the lineup. This young team could benefit from his experience and leadership. If the Tigers’ offense can perform well this season, I could see them making a push for a second consecutive playoff berth. Javier Báez will need to step up offensively after hitting just .184 in 80 games last year. With up-and-coming top prospect center fielder Max Clark, there’s a lot to look forward to for this team, and fans should be excited.

4. Minnesota Twins (84-78)
   Minnesota went out and made several one-year deals with first baseman Ty France, outfielder Harrison Bader, and reliever Danny Coulombe. These are veteran players who will add depth to the roster, and they were able to sign them to cheaper deals. The team’s biggest issue is the lack of offensive firepower. The starting rotation is solid, with Pablo López as the ace, and the bullpen is well put together, led by Jhoan Duran. However, I don’t think it will be enough. This lineup lacks the spark it needs to win games, despite having Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton as key players. There is some upside if the team can get runs across the board, but it would require every player to contribute, and the bench will need to perform when it matters.
5. Chicago White Sox (50-72)
   After coming off their worst season ever recorded in MLB history, with a staggering 41-81 record, it’s not looking like it’s going to be much better this year. They were unable to sign Josh Rojas and Mike Tauchman to help the offense, but it won’t do much to turn things around. The rotation is weak, the bullpen is terrible, and there isn’t much hope for this team in the near future. Luis Robert Jr. will likely be traded at the deadline along with Andrew Benintendi, so they’ll at least get some value in return. There are a few young players who could make an impact, but it will be another frustrating year.