MLB 2024: Will the A’s escape the AL West cellar? Who’s the team to beat in the AL East?
Bay Area News Group's Danny Emerman predicts how the American League will shake out in 2024, division by division.
AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST
Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles stunned the baseball world by winning the vaunted AL East last season, in large part because their bevy of young stars arrived – and delivered – ahead of schedule. Now, with hired gun Corbin Burnes as their new ace, they should only get better, as their young core develops and breaks into the league. Next up is the No. 1 prospect in the game, Jackson Holiday.
Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto might have been the biggest losers of the offseason, letting Matt Chapman go as a free agent and signing only Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Kevin Kiermaier. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is still young, but he’ll have to prove his MVP-caliber 2021 season wasn’t an outlier if Toronto is to contend for a World Series berth.
The New York Yankees
With Juan Soto joining Aaron Judge, the Bronx Bombers have two of the five most lethal hitters in the game. But Gerrit Cole’s elbow is already a concern and Carlos Rodón is always a health question mark. The Yankees haven’t claimed a pennant since 2009, so they’re at risk of matching their longest drought ever.
Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay took a step back in trading ace Tyler Glasnow, but the Rays have long surpassed the A’s as the team that does more with less. Despite a reduced payroll from a year ago, the well-run Rays are always a threat to win 90 games.
Boston Red Sox
Red Sox ownership fired Chaim Bloom, the former chief baseball officer, after last season and vowed to go “full throttle” this offseason, then struck out on every impact free agent. A flukey 2021 ALCS run has masked a tough reality at Fenway: The Red Sox have been a mess since trading Mookie Betts to Los Angeles after the 2019 season.
AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST
Texas Rangers
Give manager Bruce Bochy and the defending World Series winners credit: It’s their division now. And they might just be scratching the surface. The championship nucleus is about to get augmented by a new wave led by Wyatt Langford, Evan Cater, Josh Jung and Jack Leiter.
Houston Astros
Houston has won the division six of the past seven years, and other than Jose Altuve, most of the roster has turned over. But the Astros have been the most consistent team in the American League, and they aren’t going away anytime soon.
Seattle Mariners
After finally returning to the playoffs in 2022, the Mariners appeared poised to take the next step last year. But they stumbled early and never really were a threat. A 21-6 record in August was a reminder of how good this team can be. Julio Rodriguez could be one of the top five players in the game and a rotation of George Kirby, Luis Castillo, Logan Gilbert and Bryce Miller is scary.
Los Angeles Angels
They couldn’t achieve postseason relevance with Shohei Ohtani, so what would make anyone think they could do it without the two-way star? Unless he’s traded, this will be Mike Trout’s 14th straight season without a playoff appearance.
Oakland A’s
The A’s lost 100 games in a season just once in their first 54 seasons in Oakland, back in 1978. Now they have done it in each of the past two seasons, and with the smallest payroll in baseball and another roster that resembles an expansion team, they will be hard-pressed to avoid 100 losses this year, too.
AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL
Minnesota Twins
The defending division champions are built on pitching, and exciting prospects Royce Lewis, Edouard Julien and Brooks Lee are set to contribute. The Twins have a strong chance at repeating in a weak Central.
Cleveland Guardians
Starters Shane Bieber, Triston McKenzie, Tanner Bibee and Gavin Williams could lift the Guardians back to contention. If not, some of them could be on the trading block.
Detroit Tigers
Hayward native Tarik Skubal might be the best starting pitcher no one talks about. Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter are dynamic young outfielders, and Detroit will need former top pick Spencer Torkelson, another Northern California native, to join them in ushering in the next era.
Kansas City Royals
Kansas City hasn’t reached the postseason since winning the 2015 World Series. That’s almost hard to do.
Cole Ragans was a revelation after coming over from the Rangers in the Aroldis Chapman trade, posting a 2.69 ERA and 11.2 strikeouts per nine innings in 12 starts. If he and Bobby Witt Jr. carry the momentum KC ended last season with – they won 11 of their final 16 games – the Royals could be a sneaky pick in the Central.
Chicago White Sox
John Brebbia and Brian Bannister can’t save the South Side’s sinking ship. Could Luis Robert Jr. be on the move?