MLB 2021 Season Preview-AL Central

AL Central

Chicago White Sox

Strengths: Youth & Veteran Mix-This team is all of a sudden a legit pennant contender and a lot of it has to do with their young players hitting their potential and the veterans they’ve brought in to support them. Their lineup has new stars like Tim Anderson, Jose Abreu, and Yoan Moncada as well as a young ace in Lucas Giolito. They also feature strong veterans like Adam Eaton and Yasmani Grandal in the lineup and Dallas Keuchel and Lance Lynn in the rotation.

Weaknesses: Manager-Tony La Russa has returned to baseball to manage the White Sox and boy was this a head scratcher. The manager had been out of the game for nearly a decade before the White Sox old owner, and head of the boys club of Chicago, brought him back. The game has passed people like La Russa and I seriously doubt he can adapt on the fly at the tender age of 76.

X-Factor: Eloy Jimenez Injury-It is brutal to start a season off with an injury and even more brutal when it happens to a star player. Jimenez was expected to make big contributions this year and now he is out for months with a torn pectoral. The question now is can he return, at all, and if he does how effective will he be?

Best Bet: White Sox to Win AL Central-La Russa aside, this team is still really good and should be the favorite to win what is the weakest division in the American League.

Cleveland Indians

Strengths: Rotation-Shane Bieber is a legitimate star in this league and his skillset can carry the Indians to wins. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner has a real possibility to make it two in a row. Behind him the rotation is solid with guys like Aaron Civale and Zach Plesac who can contribute with quality starts.

Weaknesses: Lost Talent-The Indians went to the World Series in 2016 and lost to the Cubs. Since then they have lost the top-3 starting pitchers from that team, 3 of their 4 starting infielders, and each of the starting outfielders. This team has changed and they need to hope the new pieces can pick up where the old ones left off.

X-Factor: Franmil Reyes-This guy has serious pop as not many baseball players are built like football players at 6’5’’ 265 lbs. In 2018 with the Padres he hit .280 and then in 2019 with both SD and Cleveland he hit 37 home runs. He struggled in the shortened 2020 season but he is only 25 and can easily get back to a borderline elite level.

Best Bet: Over 81.5 Wins-I don’t think this team makes the playoffs but I do think they can get to at least 82 wins. They have the ace, they have a star in Jose Ramirez, and they have other pieces like Reyes who can contribute in close games.

Detroit Tigers

Strengths: No Expectations-In 2019, the last full MLB season, the Tigers finished dead last in the overall standings. Since then the team has done little to make its current roster better but this is the case in a rebuilding process. Detroit will still be terrible this season but with no one caring about them they could avoid finishing dead last.

Weaknesses: Pitching-Their starting rotation is just not good at all. Their best pitcher, which isn’t saying much, is Julio Tehran who used to be a star with the Braves before flaming out of Atlanta and becoming a walking meal ticket for opposing hitters. After him the rest of their rotation would be pitching out of the bullpen on any contender.

X-Factor: Wilson Ramos-At one point in time Ramos was the best hitting catcher in the league with the Nationals, then he tore his ACL late in the season and the Nats cut him. He started to regain form with the Mets before eventually leaving New York after a down season. He is in Detroit now and on a team with no expectations he could really revive his career.

Best Bet: Under 67.5 Wins-There are some really bad teams in the MLB this year and the Tigers are one. To say they will even sniff at 70 wins is a massive stretch. 

Kansas City Royals

Strengths: Young Bats-The Royals have made a strong effort to infuze youth into their lineup. Top prospect Whit Merrifield has made the Opening Day roster and is projected to bat leadoff. They acquired Andrew Beintendi, a former top prospect of the Red Sox, in hopes he can finally take that next step that has been missing in his game.

Weaknesses: Pitching Consistency-The Royals have some good arms in their rotation but most of them have only shown flashes of brilliance and not continued success. Mike Minor is coming off a career year with the Rangers but before that he was an average middle-of-the-rotation guy. Danny Duffy has electric stuff and multiple plus pitches but he struggles with command and is easily rattled.

X-Factor: Michael A. Taylor-The former National has come over to be the everyday CF for the Royals. Taylor is a great fielder who can cover the entire outfield and contribute assists. His bat was what held him back from becoming an everyday guy in DC but throughout Spring Training he has had pop and contact. If he can find ways to add to the offense then he will look like a steal of a pickup.

Best Bet: Over 74.5 Wins-I think this team is underrated and has a real shot at surprising a lot of people this year. They have young talent that is primed to take the next step and their pitchers have all shown the ability to produce quality starts game in and game out before.

Minnesota Twins

Strengths: Big Bats-The Twins can absolutely rake. Nelson Cruz is perhaps the most consistent homerun hitter of his generation, Josh Donaldson’s nickname is literally The Bringer of Rain, and Miguel Sano is a sneaky strong hitter who has just had a tough time with injuries the last few years.

Weaknesses: Putting it All Together-This team has a lot of good pieces but I feel like most of them are just lying around, unassembled. They have the guys that can hit bombs but do they have the guys that can get on base and produce runs when the big bats go quiet? They have good starting pitching but can Kenta Maeda or Jose Berrios throw like an ace every 5 days? If they can put it all together they could take a run at Chicago for the division.

X-Factor: Byron Buxton-A former elite prospect, Buxton has never quite lived up to his potential. He became an everyday starter early in his career for Minnesota and he is a plus fielder but his bat never caught up to his glove. If he can become a solid contact hitter and on-base guru then he can use his speed to score runs and help out the power bats in the lineup. 

Best Bet: Twins to Make Playoffs-The Twins love that wild card spot just as much as they love losing in their first playoff game every year. I expect it will happen again this season.

Final Standings Projection:

1. Chicago White Sox (Y)
2. Minnesota Twins (X)
3. Cleveland Indians
4. Kansas City Royals
5. Detroit Tigers

Y: Clinched Division

X: Clinched Wild Card