Today, I’ll crack into the AL Central edition of my season-long predictions for every MLB team, as well as one player to watch. We’ll start from 5th and move to first in my predictions, which means we’ll kick things off wi—… Oh no…

Chicago White Sox

Prediction: 5th

Actually: 5th

Player: Andrew Vaughn-Will he take the leap?

Words can hardly describe just how dismal the Chi Sox were this year. They began a bit of a turnover in the front office as they fired their previous GM and hired former player Chris Getz to lead the team. Just three years removed from an AL Central crown, Chicago is the worst team in baseball, and it’s not close. Their single bright spot from last season, outfielder Luis Robert, has been stuck on the IL for a good portion of the year and has struggled when on the field. The one highlight of the year for Chicago has probably been Garrett Crochet, a first-round draft pick from 2020 experiencing his first taste of starting games in the bigs after working out of the bullpen for most of the first couple years of his career. The lefty got off to an electric start, posting an ERA under 2 in his first two months and getting an All-Star nod. As of September 13th, Chicago sits at 33-114 and is just a few games away from setting the record for most losses in a single season. Vaughn has probably been the best hitter on the team this season, with 17 homers and hitting at a .244 clip. Still, he hasn’t been nearly enough to get the Pale Hose over the hump at all, and he certainly hasn’t taken the superstar “Leap” in question.

Team grade: F

Player grade: B-

Kansas City Royals

Prediction: 4th

Actually: 3rd

Player: MJ Melendez-Will he finally find his footing?

The Royals were heavy spenders this offseason, adding players like Seth Lugo, Adam Frazier, Michael Wacha, and Hunter Renfroe, casing the free agency market for whoever could support their young stars like Cole Ragans and Bobby Witt Jr. Their “Supermarket sweep”-type strategy was successful, as KC sits at 82-69 in mid-September. Bobby Witt Jr. has been one of the best shortstops in baseball this year, leading the league in hits and batting average while also nearing a 30/30 season. Lugo has been a godsend for the Kansas City pitching staff, making his first All-Star team and sitting in the pitching staff with an ERA just a touch over 3. They shored up their bullpen at the trade deadline, adding flamethrowers Lucas Erceg and Hunter Harvey. The Royals took a big leap from last year. It seems like their spending strategy in the offseason was a good one. Melendez just can’t get it going in the majors. The former top prospect is hitting just a tick over the Mendoza line and has a -0.6 WAR. He still can’t find consistent playing time, so the clock may be ticking.

Team grade: A

Player grade: D+

Cleveland Guardians

Predicted: 3rd

Actually: 1st

Player: Kyle Manzardo-Will he finally create a bad trade for Tampa Bay?

Well, this is a surprise. After a step back last year, longtime manager Terry Francona stepped down from his post in Cleveland, ushering in the Stephen Vogt era. Cleveland hired the longtime catcher, not even 10 years removed from an All-Star appearance in Cincinnati to lead the young team. To the surprise of many, the team succeeded. Steven Kwan got off to a scorching start, hovering around .400 in May before falling back to earth a bit, but that gave the rest of the team time to get hot. Jose Ramirez started a bit slower than usual but then found his way back to All-Star form. 1st-time All-Star Josh Naylor has found his identity as a run-producer, and even when the starting pitching for the Guards wasn’t the greatest, the bullpen has been phenomenal. Relievers Cade Smith, Hunter Gaddis, and Tim Herrin have all been incredible in their late-inning roles. Once they go, you can kiss your favorite team good night, because closer Emmanuel Clase has been the best relief pitcher in baseball this year, wielding a 102-MPH cutter that is nearly impossible to hit. Clase has allowed only 5 runs the entire season and has 46 saves. He’s been phenomenal. Cleveland’s weakness is their starting pitching. Ace Shane Bieber was lost to Tommy John surgery early on, and the expected number two, Triston Mckenzie, struggled mightily in the early months and found his way down to Triple-A. Manzardo did not make the Opening Day roster as expected, and the former Top-100 prospect and trade chip for longtime Guard Aaron Civale could be in a good position to finally punish Tampa for making a trade. Time will tell.

Team grade: A+

Player grade: Incomplete

Minnesota Twins

Predicted: 2nd

Actually: 2nd

Player: Byron Buxton-Will he finally stay healthy?

Coming off an ALDS appearance a season ago, the consensus was that the division was Minnesota’s to lose. They added in the offseason, it seemed their whole team was healthy, and they had a real pitching staff. They were primed for success. Then Royce Lewis got hurt. Again. The former #1 overall pick has battled injuries his entire professional career. It seems like he’s never had a fully healthy season. When he’s himself, the 3rd baseman has a 42-homer pace over a 162-game stretch. He can hit. Lewis is the spark of the team when he’s right, but unfortunately, he hasn’t been right enough to get the Twins over the hump this year. Carlos Correa caught fire in the summer months, and despite an IL stint, is having his best year with his new team, hitting .315 with 13 homers. Utility man Willi Castro made his first All-Star team this year, providing an extra presence in the Minnesota lineup. Closer Jhoan Duran has regressed, but he’s still a pretty good option to pick up a save, throwing 3 digits while also throwing a “splinker” that isn’t far behind in terms of velocity. Unfortunately, the team isn’t quite there. Expected ace Pablo Lopez wasn’t himself early on, and that cost the Twins in the early season. Their ace has been the 6’9″ giant of a man that is Bailey Ober, maintaining an ERA under 4 for most of the year. Buxton continues his cycle of having some electric moments but not being able to stay off the IL, losing 2 months to the injury bug yet again. He’s on pace to play 100 games for the first time since 2017, but a full season would be important for him.

Team grade: B+

Player grade: B

Detroit Tigers

Predicted; 1st

Actually: 4th

Player-Colt Keith-Will he prove the organization right?

I can explain this prediction. Besides my bias towards my favorite team, on paper, the division was up for grabs. There was a lot to like about the team’s young core. Spencer Torkelson hit 31 homers in 2023, Riley Greene was excellent when he was healthy, and Kerry Carpenter broke out in a big way, sporting an OPS over .800. Tarik Skubal had an electric second half, and the bullpen was serviceable. Good recipe, right? Well, Torkelson struggled mightily in the first two months of the season, earning him a trip to Toledo. Carpenter was stuck on the IL for a couple of months with a spine issue, but he has produced when healthy. Skubal has been phenomenal. The lefty is 17-4 with a 2.48 ERA and 221 strikeouts, which means he’s on Triple Crown watch as a pitcher. This would be the first time since 2011 that an AL pitcher has won the Triple Crown. The last winner was another Tiger, Justin Verlander. The big, important thing that has helped the Tigers succeed is the youth. Rookies such as Brant Hurter, Trey Sweeney, Jace Jung, and Justyn-Henry Malloy have been crucial for the team down the stretch. Parker Meadows has caught fire and has been one of the most valuable players in baseball since August. Keith was given a hefty contract this Spring, before playing his first big league game. He’s been solid, hitting .264 with 13 homers, which is perfectly reasonable for a rookie. Going into August, the team sat comfortably in 4th place and scuffling, but as of this writing, Detroit sits half a game out of a Wild Card spot. They’re making noise, and I’m excited to see more.

Team grade: A-

Player grade: B+