2019 MLB Divisional Predictions: American League

American League East

1. Boston Red Sox

2. New York Yankees (WC)

3. Tampa Bay Rays (WC)

4. Toronto Blue Jays

5. Baltimore Orioles

Transparency of AL East: Wild Card Will Definitely Come From This Division

The easy thought on this division is that the Orioles are the worst team in the division. In, fact, the Orioles are the worst team in baseball for a second straight year. But outside of the obvious, this division is a bit murkier than expected. And it’s not because no one has any idea if the Red Sox or Yankees are going to win the division. the unknown this season in the Al East are the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays won 90 games last season and held the league’s best ERA after the implementation of the Opener. They did not make the playoffs last season, in part, because the Yankees locked down an early Wild Card spot, and the Oakland A’s had, perhaps, the most surprisingly productive season in the league. I don’t expect the A’s to be as successful this season, so that second Wild Card spot is up for grabs for Tampa Bay to grab.

There’s no shame in losing this division if you’re the Red Sox or Yankees. Whichever team does not claim the divisional title is almost certainly going to be playing in the Wild Card game. While there’s no guarantees of winning that game, and it clearly puts a team at a disadvantage in the Divisional Series, it does qualify as making the playoffs. Both the Red Sox and Yankees will make the playoffs this year. But it’s the Red Sox talented roster over the Yankees potent offense that does it for me. The Yankees are going to hit what seems like a million home runs this season. That exaggeration may only be off by one or two. But the Red Sox have an equally talented offense, headlined by the reigning MVP Mookie Betts.

Picking here is like picking your starting Pokemon. Assuming you don’t take Bulbasaur, you can’t go wrong. But I’ll go fire over water here (read red over blue for the none nerds) and take the Red Sox to win the division, with the Yankees and Rays both representing the East in the Wild Card game.