It’s no secret that the American League Central is expected to be one of the worst groups in MLB this season. The Cleveland Guardians made a few solid moves in the offseason, along with the Minnesota Twins, but the division itself still lacks any real firepower or a threat to make a run at the World Series.
The MLB news expects the Chicago White Sox to compete, but it’s impossible to predict accurately after last season. As for the Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers, they will likely be battling to avoid a last-place finish.
1. White Sox
- Odds of Winning the World Series | +3300
- Win Total O/U | 82½
- Odds to Make the Playoffs | +105
The 2022 White Sox were a popular MLB bet to run away with the AL Central with a superior roster than the rest of the division. Instead, the White Sox became one of the biggest disappointments in the first half of the season and barely clawed their way into second place by the end. They missed the playoffs for the first time in three years and took a significant step back after two straight winning seasons.
Unfortunately for Chicago, the offseason wasn’t kind to this team. Longtime fan favorite and veteran slugger Jose Abreu left in free agency, and the White Sox just sat there and let it happen. Meanwhile, they did nothing to get better in any meaningful way. The most significant moves by Chicago were adding Andrew Benintendi and Mike Clevenger to the mix. Nothing against them, but the pair just don’t change things enough to make a big difference here.
The path to a winning season in 2023 will go through starter Dylan Cease and the rest of the rotation. Cease is a Cy Young-caliber talent and will need to put together another dominant season to keep the White Sox north of .500. Meanwhile, Chicago needs Eloy Jimenez, Yasmani Grandal and Luis Robert to remain off the IL and play up to their potential.
2. Guardians
- Odds of Winning the World Series | +2200
- Win Total O/U | 87½
- Odds to Make the Playoffs | -140
The Guardians took a huge step forward in 2022 thanks in part to the emergence of three breakout stars. On offense, Anders Gimenez and Steven Kwan helped their lineup exceed expectations and lead the Guardians to the ALDS. Meanwhile, Triston McKenzie shined on the bump and finished 11-11 with a 2.96 ERA and an absurd 0.95 WHIP.
During the offseason, the front office did a great job filling in the gaps the roster still had by adding Mike Zunino and Josh Bell. The pair may not have superstar appeal, but they are consistent contributors on offense and defense.
On the hill, Cleveland’s rotation features Cy Young winner Shane Bieber who, along with McKenzie, could be the most potent one-two punches in the American League. Emmanuel Clase is another breakout star and could be a leading closer in baseball this season.
Sophomore slumps are real, but the Guardians’ roster is built to dominate the division and punch another ticket to the playoffs in 2023.
3. Tigers
- Odds of Winning the World Series | +15000
- Win Total O/U | 69½
- Odds to Make the Playoffs | +900
The Detroit Tigers barely avoided finishing last in the AL Central, thanks to the Royals’ awful regular season. However, after finishing 71-91, it’s clear the Tigers and Royals are runaway favorites to lose the division.
A primary reason to remain suspicious of the Tigers this season is their decision to roll with most players who failed them in 2022. They brought in Eduardo Rodriguez, Javier Baez and Spencer Torkelson last year to help them compete, but all three failed miserably. Additionally, Austin Meadows was hurt for most of the year and two young pitchers, Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal, required surgeries on their throwing arms.
The Tigers desperately hope that E-Rod, Baez, and Torkelson can bounce back and play up to their potential. Any improvement over last year would be a help. The rest of the roster is harder to trust regarding playing to their talent. Mize, Turnbull, and Skubal are all starting the year on the IL, and the Tigers lack the depth to effectively fill those spots with anything more than a warm body.
4. Royals
- Odds of Winning the World Series | +20000
- Win Total O/U | 68½
- Odds to Make the Playoffs | +850
Miracles don’t often happen in sports, and the Royals will need one to compete effectively in the AL Central. They appear stuck in a cycle of rebuilding and failing after winning the World Series in 2015 and haven’t made the playoffs since. The MLB lines list them as one of the least likely World Series winners in 2023.
While we don’t expect much from the Royals, they do have some of the most exciting young talents in the MLB. Bobby Witt Jr. excelled as a rookie last season while Vinnie Pasquantino swung a heavy bat and earned a lot of walks. KC also has former top draft picks Nate Eaton and Michael Massey. The group could develop into the best team in the division, but it’s implausible they will grow into a winning team in 2023.
The pitching staff is far less exciting and headlined by an aging Zack Greinke. The former superstar leads a rotation that added Jordan Lyles and Ryan Yarbrough in the offseason to join Grienke and Brady Singer.
The Royals are tempting MLB picks to surprise the league with their young talent and high odds. But we suggest tempering expectations and watching this team develop for another season before betting online on any Royals futures.
5. Twins
- Odds of Winning the World Series | +4000
- Win Total O/U | 83½
- Odds to Make the Playoffs | +135
The Minnesota Twins held a share of first place in the AL Central for over 100 days last season. However, a terrible end to the season that saw Minnesota go 2-8 in its final 10 games and left the Twins in third place with 78 wins.
Despite their late-season struggles, the team was able to re-sign Carlos Carrea after a fantastic debut season with the Twins. To be fair, he tried to escape but failed physicals with the San Francisco Giants and New York Mets led him back to Minnesota for six years. It will be interesting to see his ankle’s state and whether he will be a contributor or a frequent member of the IR. The Twins also added catcher Christian Vazquez and outfielder Joey Gallo. The latter is expected to have a career year now that the defensive shift is outlawed.
This shift was placed on Joey Gallo this Spring Training:
– Both middle infielders heavily shading towards 2nd base
– Left Fielder playing deep 2nd
– 3rd baseman off the line
– CF slightly shaded to LCF
– RF is pretty normal with position but very deep near the warning track pic.twitter.com/pJBJ6juRED
— Noah Bieniek (@Seventy7NB) March 21, 2023
MLB predictions for the Twins have them in the thick of the AL Central race again in 2023. If they put together a stronger end to the season, they may be able to pull off making the playoffs. To do so, Minnesota’s pitching staff will need to take a big step forward after faltering down the home stretch. Sonny Gray, Joe Ryan, Kenta Maeda, and Tyler Mahle are talented but lack a true ace to lead them.
