2017 AL East Team Previews and Predictions
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Boston Red Sox (-180)
Win total O/U: 93.0
Expectations are always high in Beantown, but they will be especially lofty for the Sox this season due to the sheer amount of talent on the team. GM Dave Dombrowski pulled off another blockbuster trade by acquiring Chicago White Sox ace Chris Sale (+400 to win the Cy Young) to pair with lefty stud David Price and reigning Cy Young Rick Porcello atop the Red Sox rotation.
And even with the loss of David Ortiz due to retirement, the Sox still have one of, if not the most potent offense in the majors led by Mookie Betts. Betts finished second in the MVP voting last year, and is priced at +400 to take home the hardware this year.
The Red Sox are big favorites to claim the AL East, but anything short of winning the World Series, which they’re priced at +600 to do, should be considered a disappointment.
Writer’s Prediction: The Red Sox run away with the AL East as they go 94-68.
Toronto Blue Jays (+425)
Win total O/U: 85.5
The Blue Jays have finished in the top two in the division in each of the last two years, and should once again be in contention to challenge the Red Sox’s superiority. They lost one big bat in Edwin Encarnacion, but did manage to keep another in Jose Bautista. They also added Kendrys Morales and Steve Pearce to keep the Jays lineup one of the more potent in the league.
Meanwhile, their rotation is rock solid from top to bottom, with five legit starters who’ve all won double-digit games in the recent past. Last season’s breakout star Aaron Sanchez (15-2, 3.00 ERA) was held to an innings limit last season, but the reins should be loosened this time around.
There’s considerable talent up and down this Toronto team, and should be a good bet to go over their projected regular season win total of 85.5.
Writer’s Prediction: The Jays put up the biggest challenge to the Sox at 89-73.
New York Yankees (+425)
Win total O/U: 83.5
The Yankees finished fourth in the AL East last season, the first time that’s happened in 24 years. However, they did the smart thing by sacrificing more wins in lieu of dealing their star relievers Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller for a slew of top prospects.
Those youngsters aren’t quite ready to contribute this season, though, and they didn’t make a huge splash in free agency. But they did add a couple of good veteran bats in Matt Holliday and Chris Carter, and brought back Chapman to help make them competitive this season.
If their rotation manages to hold up and breakout star Gary Sanchez can translate his incredible 50-game stretch (20 HR, 42 RBI) into a full season, the Bombers should be in contention to top 83.5 wins for the 22nd consecutive season.
Writer’s Prediction: The Yankees just creep above .500 at 82-80.
Baltimore Orioles (+750)
Win total O/U: 81.0
The odds have the O’s as the fourth-most likely team to win the division, but that might be short-selling a team that’s finished at least 2nd in three of the last five years. Their lineup has a ton of power, so much so that four out of the top contenders to lead the majors in homers are O’s – Chris Davis, Manny Machado, Mark Trumbo (+1,500), and Nelson Cruz (+2,000). Meanwhile, their excellent bullpen, which led the AL in ERA remains intact.
Once again, the rotation will be the big question mark. They’ll need Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy to finally live up to their potential in order to top the division again. But if they can be merely adequate, the O’s should still be very competitive.
Writer’s Prediction: The Orioles break even at 81-81.
Tampa Bay Rays (+1,500)
Win total O/U: 78.0
The days of the Rays punching above their weight despite a puny payroll are long gone. Tampa had its worst record in nearly a decade last year, and didn’t really do much to improve. Instead, they did former GM Andrew Friedman a solid by dealing away Logan Forsythe to the Dodgers. Evan Longoria and Chris Archer – a +2,000 contender for AL Cy Young – will help prop the Rays up, but there isn’t much around them to think they can go over 78.0 regular season wins.
Writer’s Prediction: The Rays bring up the rear a second year in a row with a 76-86 record.
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