MLB 2022: AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST

AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST

            TORONTO BLUE JAYS (91 – 71 in 2021)

Under the new playoff format, in which MLB has added a third wild card team in each league, the Blue Jays 91 wins last season would have gotten them into the playoffs. But last year there were only two wild card teams, the Yankees and the Red Sox. With 92 wins each, both came out of what is probably the toughest division in either league, the American League East. This left the Blue Jays on the outside looking in. They’ve aimed to correct that this season. It doesn’t appear that they’re interested in a wild card spot either. They want to win the division, something they’ve only done once in 30 years, back in 2015. To reach that goal, they traded four prospects to Oakland for third baseman Matt Chapman, and then promptly signed him to a two-year contract extension. They needed a vacuum cleaner at third base, and they got that in Chapman. With a dangerous lineup consisting of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., George Springer, Teoscar Hernandez, and Bo Bichette, they hardly needed another bat. While Chapman’s numbers were down slightly last season, as recently as 2018 he popped 36 home runs. He’s also just 29 years old, entering his prime. So, if he finds his stroke, that’s an added bonus and it just makes the Blue Jays that much more dangerous on offense. When it comes to pitching, they lost Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray and fellow starter Steven Matz to free agency. So, they signed free agents Kevin Gausman and Yusei Kikuchi, both 31, to replace them, quite possibly improving the rotation in the process. That’s an impressive starting rotation consisting of Jose Berrios, Alek Manoa, Gausman, Hyun Jin Ryu, and Kikuchi. And finally, for the first time in two years, they are playing their home games in Toronto. Having a true home-field advantage has got to be worth three or four wins all by itself. It will be a tight race, but they should win the division.

            TAMPA BAY RAYS (100 – 62)

For several years now, people have been underestimating the Rays. They’ve always had good players, just not great players. And they have always been an organization that has made the most of what it had. Some of their methods are decidedly unconventional, but the end result is a team that generally is greater than the sum of its parts. And now they have a true superstar in the making with Wander Franco, if his 70-game audition last season is any indication. Of course, 70 games don’t make a career and a lot can happen on the way to Cooperstown. But imagine, what if…?

As for pitching, well, this is where Tampa Bay really plays fast and loose. I said some of their methods were unconventional. This is where all that comes into play. They added Corey Kluber to the rotation. At age 36, the question is, is he past his prime? I say that with my tongue somewhat planted in my cheek. Remember, that freak of nature, otherwise known as Nolan Ryan, pitched 2 no-hitters after the age of 40. The rest of the starting rotation is questionable with Shane McClanahan and Ryan Yarbrough expected to carry much of the load. But then the Rays don’t pitch like any other team in the majors. Last season they used 41 different pitchers, most of whom nobody had ever heard of. When I grew up, most teams had four-man rotations. Those guys would start around 40 games every season. The best pitchers would routinely have 20 or more complete games in a season. Pitch counts were nonexistent. Once again, citing Nolan Ryan as an example, he once pitched 13 innings and threw 235 pitches. Then teams went to a five-man rotation. Then they limited starters to 100 pitches. A quality start was five innings. I have long said, it’s only a matter of time before they eliminate the need for starters altogether. Just bring in a new arm every three innings or even once through the lineup. That’s the direction Tampa Bay has taken the game. And you know what? It works for them. They won the division last year. I don’t know if they can pull that off again in 2022, but I think they are a solid choice for second and a wild card berth.

            BOSTON RED SOX (92 – 70)

The Red Sox always seem to be in contention. They may be down for a year or two, but they go out and fix what needs fixing and they’re right back in the mix. After missing the playoffs in 2019 in 2020 they, typically, fixed what needed fixing and last year’s team made it all the way to the American League championship series, eventually losing to the Houston Astros. In what is probably the toughest division in either league, if they wanted to stay in contention, they had to get even better. They added Trevor Story, a free agent second baseman from the Rockies, to what was already a very good infield with Rafael Devers at third, Xander Bogaerts at shortstop, and Bobby Dalbec at first base. Nathan Eovaldi, Nick Pivetta, Chris Sale, James Paxton, and Tanner Houck are the starters. Rich Hill and Michael Wacha add some depth. The only trouble is Hill is now 42. Wacha has pitched well in the early going but he does have a recent history of injury problems. Also, Chris Sale will be out until the end of May and James Paxton won’t be back until the All-Star break. If the Sox can hold it together until those guys are healthy, I think they will finish third in a very competitive division. Last season both wild card teams came out of this division. With a third wild card team in play under the new format, I think the top three teams in this division will again all make the playoffs.

            NEW YORK YANKEES (92 – 70)

This is the team that won’t make the playoffs. They also haven’t been to a World Series since 2009. Surprisingly, with most teams scrambling to pick up free agents and making trades, the Yankees didn’t do as much as you would have expected. They didn’t pick up any of the premier shortstops available or first basemen Freddie Freeman or Matt Olson. But then, these aren’t the George Steinbrenner Yankees. Under the Boss, they had a penchant for snapping up all of the high quality and high-priced free agents. Not that they stood still this winter. After acquiring first baseman Anthony Rizzo from the Chicago Cubs late last year they signed him to a two-year contract. They tried Gleyber Torres out at shortstop last year with limited success. This year they returned Torres to his more natural position of second base. They then signed free agent shortstop Isaiah Kiner-Falefa from the Rangers to fill the hole vacated by Torres. Not a bad pick up but certainly subpar considering what else was available on the free agent market. They also picked up third baseman Josh Donaldson, but at age 36 that’s a short-term patch. He’s also only played one full season since 2016 so injuries may be an issue. Not signing Aaron Judge to a contract before the start of the season is problematic. It is very un-Yankee like. Could it be a distraction during the season? Or will Judge put together the best season of his short career to beef up his resume as he tests the free agent market in 2023? I think the Yankees are in a period of transition and they’re looking for themselves. I don’t think they will find themselves this year so I’m picking them to finish in 4th place but, being the Yankees, anything is possible.

            BALTIMORE ORIOLES (52 – 110)

As recently as 2016 the Orioles had a five year stretch where they played .500 ball or better every season. They were a wild card team in 2012 and again in 2016. They won the division outright in 2014. Then they got bad. Real bad, real fast. Four years after winning the division they lost 115 games. They’ve lost 108 games or more in each of the last three full seasons. They are in the unfortunate position of being in the American League East where they will be absolutely pummeled by the Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays, and Rays. They have stockpiled their farm system with a lot of talent; D. L, Hall, Kevin Smith, Kyle Bradish, Felix Bautista, Logan Gillespie, and Grayson Rodriguez are probably the stars of the future. Top MLB prospect Adley Rutschman should be ready by the All-Star break, if not sooner, and he will be the everyday catcher for years to come. But none of that is happening this year. Probably not yet next year either. A major accomplishment for this team would be to not lose 100 games. But they are a sure bet, if there is such a thing, to finish last in the division.