Covering The Bases: AL East
Opening Day is quickly approaching so let’s take a quick look at what each team looks like heading into the 2021 season. First up, The AL East!
NEW YORK YANKEES
PROJECTION 1ST AL CENTRAL
NOTABLE NEWCOMERS
Jameson Taillion SP
Darren O' Day RP
Corey Kluber SP
Lucas Luetge RP
NOTABLE DEPARTURES
Adam Ottavano
Tommy Kahnle
LINEUP
1 Lemahieu 2B
2 Hicks OF
3 Judge OF
4 Stanton OF/DH
5 Voit 1B/DH
6 Torres SS
7 Sanchez C/DH
8 Frazier OF
9 Ursula 3B
ROTATION
Cole
Kluber
Taillion
Montgomery
German
CLOSER - Aroldis Chapman
OUTLOOK
There's no question the Yankees have the talent to win a world series. Taillion (injury) and Domingo German (suspension) are back. German has been lights out in the grapefruit league. Along with the newly acquired Kluber and AL Cy Young winner from a year ago, Gerrit Cole, this could be one of the best rotations in the big leagues in 2021. On the offensive side of things, there aren't many lineups as feared as this one. Stanton, Judge, Voit, and Sanchez are premiere power hitters and all are capable of 40 bombs. LeMahieu is consistently among the league leaders in batting average. Voit put himself on a short list of players that included Babe Ruth when he went on a home run tear last season. We already know what the others are capable of. Factor in Gleyber Torres, Aaron Hicks, and Gio Urshala and this has a chance to be the best hitting lineup ever in the Bronx. And every baseball fan knows that would be no small feat. I think anything other than a world series would be a disappointment for the 2021 Yankees. The key might be avoiding injuries, something that has plagued this team in the last few years.
TAMPA BAY RAYS
PROJECTION 2ND AL CENTRAL
NOTABLE NEWCOMERS
Rich Hill SP
Chris Archer SP
Michael Wacha SP
Fransisco Mejia C
NOTABLE DEPARTURES
Blake Snell SP
LINEUP
1 Meadows OF/DH
2 Lowe 2B
3 Arozarena OF
4 Ji-Man Choi 1B/DH
5 Margot OF
6 Wendle 3B
7 Adames SS
8 Kiermeyer OF
9 Zunino C
ROTATION
Glasnow
Hill
Archer
Yarborough
Wacha
CLOSER - Nick Anderson
OUTLOOK
2020 saw the Rays reach the world series and take on the Dodgers that ended in a classic game 6 victory for the Dodgers. Although they fell just short, there are plenty of reasons for optimism in 2021. The biggest storyline centers around the record breaking postseason performance by rookie Randy Arozarena. Projected as a good but not great prospect, Arozarena outperformed all expectations. After hitting 8 homers in 23 games during the regular season, he smashed 10 in 20 post season games. Tampa made a lot of moves in the off-season. They swapped Blake Snell for Luis Patino of the Padres. In February they signed 3 veteran pitchers. Rich Hill, Chris Archer and Colin McHugh, and also added veteran Michael Wacha. They shipped reliever Jose Alvorado to the Phillies in exchange for 1B Dylan Paulson. The Rays have a tendency to pitch by committee and limit innings for starters, and it seems they will have enough arms to do the same in 2021. Tyler Glasgow returns as the clear number 1 starter, along with Ryan Yarbrough, and Brendan McKay. Austin Meadows is another elite talent in the outfield to go along with Arozarena. Highly touted shortstop Wander Franco should get his chance this year, and Brandon Lowe showed that he is an elite hitter in '20. They have several other capable bats, which should help them to even out what was a pitching dominant team last year. Plenty of potential for a postseason return, but it might ride on the arms of the newly acquired veterans.
TORONTO BLUE JAYS
PROJECTION 3RD AL CENTRAL
NOTABLE NEWCOMERS
George Springer OF
Marcus Semien SS
Robbie Ray
NOTABLE DEPARTURES
None
LINEUP
1 Semien 2B/SS
2 Springer OF
3 Bichette SS
4 Guerrero Jr. 1B/DH
5 Hernandez OF
6 Biggio 3B
7 Gurriel Jr. OF
8 Tellez DH/1B
9 Jensen C
ROTATION
Hyun Jin Ryu
Robbie Ray
Tanner Roark
Steven Matz
Ross Stripling
OUTLOOK
Toronto has one of the most intriguing lineups in baseball. This team is full of familiar names, from Bichette to Biggio to Guerrero, it's the next generation of stars, with their fathers all being prominent names in MLB during the late 80s and 90s. Fun fact, Bo Bichette is named after Bo Jackson. The fact that they are all on the same team, makes for a Hollywood movie script in itself. The fact that all 3 could have the potential to be as good as their bloodlines makes for a potent lineup. One might argue they are more talented, though we've only had a small sample size. None have been in the league for more than 3 years. Add to that an outfield that consists of up and coming stars Teoscar Hernandez (16 HR in 2020), Lourdes Guriell Jr.,and George Springer (14 HR in 2020), and the Blue Jays should have no problem putting runs on the board. The pitching doesn't look so promising, with Ryu being the only one that has been consistently good in recent years. I can see them trading for another quality starter mid season if the playoffs are within their reach. But they might want to do so sooner than later, if they are planning to keep pace with the Yankees and Rays.
BOSTON RED SOX
PROJECTION 4TH AL CENTRAL
NOTABLE NEWCOMERS
Frenchy Cordero OF/DH
Enrique Hernandez 2B/3B/OF
Hunter Renfroe OF/DH
Garrett Richards SP
NOTABLE DEPARTURES
None
LINEUP
1 Verdugo OF
2 Boegarts SS
3 Devers 3B
4 Martinez OF
5 Vazquez
6 Renfroe OF
7 Cordero OF
8 Dalbec 1B/DH
9 Hernandez 2B
ROTATION
Eduardo Rodriguez
Nathan Eavoldi
Garrett Richards
Martin Perez
Nick Pivetta
*Chris Sale
CLOSER - Matt Barnes
OUTLOOK
There's no question this team needs a healthy and productive Chris Sale if they plan on competing in the top heavy American League this year. There is still no official time table for an exact return date and that could be a problem for the Sox. Looking at the names of the players in the current rotation, they will struggle to be competitive in the division unless there is some major change in what they have accomplished in the past and what they bring to the table this season. That seems unlikely. Boegarts and Devers are All Star caliber players and Martinez is aging but can still be an effective source of home runs and RBIs. Dalbec is talented but will likely go through some growing pains in his first full big league season. It could be a tough year in BeanTown. Much like last year, this is not the product that Sox fans have been accustomed to seeing on the field.
BALTIMORE ORIOLES
PROJECTION - LAST AL CENTRAL
NOTABLE NEWCOMERS
Freddy Galvis SS/2B
Mikael Franco 3B/DH
Yolmer Sanchez 2B
Felix Hernandez
Jorge Lopez
NOTABLE DEPARTURES
None
LINEUP
1 Mullins OF
2 Mancini 1B/DH
3 Santander OF
4 Mountcastle OF/1B/DH
5 Sisco C
6 Hays OF
7 Franco 3B
8 Galvis SS
9 Sanchez 2B
ROTATION
John Means
Keegan Akin
Dean Kremer
Jorge Lopez
Felix Hernandez
CLOSER - Committee
OUTLOOK
Santander and Mountcastle are both great young players. This could be a breakout year for Santander. If he stays healthy it will be his first full season and he was crushing the ball last year before he was injured. He was among the league leaders in RBI and SLG pct. Mountcastle showed promise hitting 333 in 126 at bats with 5 home runs after being called up. Trey Mancini missed the entirety of the 2020 season but he was among the league leaders in home runs a couple years ago. Hays finished last season strong after a miserable start and should be a decent bat with base stealing potential. There's not much good to say when looking at the pitching staff. Although Means had a bounce back year, and should be a decent option for an opening day starter. It's safe to say that the Orioles are in full rebuild mode and might be there for a while.
Stay tuned for the rest of the divisions and as always, stay true.
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