Boston Red Sox

The Skinny: As a Boston Red Sox fan, I’m going to keep this short and sweet. There is absolutely no direction with this organization right now. The Red Sox are coming off of back-to-back 78 win seasons, and it doesn’t look like anything different is coming this year. They have lost star after star in recent years, but managed to hold onto Raffy Devers. They brought in Yoshida from Japan, he was streaky all year. Jarren Durran had a breakout year, but it wasn’t enough to get the sox over the hump. As a whole, the team hit well enough to win.

The pitching and defense were underwhelming. Sale was hurt again, the Corey Klueber experiment was a failure, Paxton was hurt, Whitlock was hurt, and Houk was just okay, and Pivetta was mostly a bullpen piece.

 The Bottom Line: The Red Sox were shockingly quiet this offseason and did next to nothing to make this team better. They moved on from Sale, Adam Duvall, Alex Verdugo, and Justin Turner. They added Vaughn Grissom, Tyler O’Neill, and Liam Kendricks, all small price tag high upside guys. If Yoshida and O’Neill can get going, and the trio of Devers / Trevor Story / Tristan Casas can provide some juice in the middle of the lineup, this team probably wins somewhere in the low 80’s in a STACKED AL East.

New York Yankees

The Skinny: The Yankees were extremely mediocre last year, but I’d be hard pressed to say that happens again. Judge missed 42 games last year and when he returned it just wasn’t the same. Health has been the one massive knock on Judge the last few years, eventhough he was still quite productive last year. Gleyber Torres had one of his best seasons in the pros, but that was off-set by a brutal year from Giancarlo Stanton and an injury plauged year from Anthony Rizzo. They had good pitching from Gerrit Cole as always, but Michael King, Ian Hamilton, and Clay Holmes were solid on the back end as well. The Carlos Rondon experiment blew up in their face but he looks ready to go in 2024. 

This offseason they went out and got All-World player Juan Soto from the Padres. They added Alex Verdugo from the Red Sox, and got Trent Grisham in the Soto trade as well. They adding Marcus Stroman to the rotation, and a healthy Nestor Cortes should help fill out the back end of the rotation. 

The Bottom Line: This team has struggled to stay healthy and find quality depth in the lineup. The latter has been solved this year, as the Yankees have their deepest lineup in a few years. Judge needed help, and they went out and got it. Even if Judge gets hurt, a guy like Soto has enough juice to bring this team to the playoffs on his own, he’s that good. This feels like a World Series or bust season in New York. This time of the year in New York the Yankees are always a favorite to win it all, but this year those rumors have some truth to them. I have the Yankees as a low 90-win team this year.

Toronto Blue Jays

The Skinny: This team still has a roster full of young talent. The urgency to win now while all those guys are under contract is palpable. In each of the last four years Toronto has been extremely competitive but they’ve failed to win a playoff game. This team was great all year, posting 89 wins. This team is well-rounded, with Bo Bichette and Vladdy Jr. leading the way in the lineup, and Kevin Gausman spearheading the rotation. 

Toronto made some big moves this offseason, bringing in Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Justin Turner to major league deals and re-signing Kevin Kiermaier. They also brought in MLB fan’s favorites in Joey Votto and “The Burger Boy” Daniel Vogelbach. They added Yariel Rodriguez from Japan to be a great depth piece in the rotation. This team has little weak spots and is in a “solid up and down the lineup” position. 

The Bottom Line: This Blue Jays team needs to win this year in a crowded AL East. Not just in the regular season, this team needs to advance in the playoffs for me to believe in their process. With their offseason additions filling some positions of need, I think this team only falls off a slight bit, I have them taking home 85 games. 

Tampa Bay Rays

The Skinny: I give the Rays credit, this team wins, year after year. Kevin Cash has done a phenomenal job at putting this team in positions to win, and it seems like they always find ways with guys you’ve never heard of. The organization does a great job in finding value in ways not many organizations can. The offense was led by Yandy Diaz and Randy Arozarena, but took a big hit when Wander Franco brutally broke the law and was removed from the team. Isaac Paredes blessed 31 home runs, and Josh Lowe, Harold Ramirez, Luke Raley, Brandon Lowe, and Jose Siri filled out the rest of the lineup. 

Last season, the pitching staff was led by Zach Eflin, Tyler Glasnow, and Shane McClanahan, but Elfin is the only one who’ll be there this year with Glasnow now a Dodger and McClanahan going to Tommy John. The bullpen was once again one of the best in baseball. The team added Jose Caballero to play shortstop, and Chris Devenski and Phil Maton to be in the rotation. 

The Bottom Line: The Rays will once again compete for the top of the AL East, they are strong top to bottom, and this team always finds ways to win. Diaz, Parades, Arozarena, and both Lowes should combine with a shutdown bullpen to led this team to the playoffs. With a newly rejuvenated Yankees roster and the Blue Jays being as hungry as they are, I see this team falling a little in the win column, but not falling far and still making the playoffs. I’d say they’re in the low 90’s. 

Baltimore Orioles

The Skinny: The Orioles recorded their first 100-win season since 1980 last year and became the most entertaining show in the Majors. They were led by their core of young guns including Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson. Both emerged as some of the best at their position in the league, with Henderson winning the AL Rookie of the Year. The pitching side was extremely team-oriented. Kyle Bradish was strong, top prospect Grayson Rodriguez finished off the season throwing well, and they had great bullpen depth from guys like Felix Bautista, Yennier Cano, and others. 

This offseason they went out and made one of the splashiest moves of the calendar year with their acquisition of NL Cy Young Winner Corbin Burnes. He will prove pivotal in their chase for a deep postseason run. They added Craig Kimbrel to the back end of the bullpen due to last years closer Felix Bautista being out for the year with Tommy John. The rotation will probably be Burnes, Bradish (when he returns from injury), Tyler Wells, Dean Kramer (when he returns from injury), and Cole Irvin. 

The Bottom Line: This team is stacked with young talent, but will they be able to repeat their 100-win season from last year? I don’t think so. They got better, but there’s some key injuries that may cause the O’s to get off to a slow start. I think this team hits its stride in the dog days of summer baseball. If former number one overall pick Jackson Holiday doesn’t make the opening day roster, I can see him bringing this team a big jolt when he finally gets called up. I think this division is a fight for first place all the way to the end. The Orioles are a mid-90 win ball club and I think they take the division when it’s all said and done.

OVERALL FINAL STANDING PROJECTION:

1. Orioles (96-66)

2. Rays (93-69)

3. Yankees (92-70)

4. Blue Jays (85-77)

5. Red Sox (80-82)