Five Things To Look For In The American League In 2022

After a slight delay, the 2022 MLB season is set to begin so here are five things to look for in the American League this year.

The 2022 Major League Baseball season begins this week with a number of clubs anticipating making the playoffs with the new postseason format, but with the late signing of a new collective bargaining agreement and a shortened spring training, the American League landscape has a higher-than-normal level of uncertainty.

Here are five things that fans will ponder this season in the junior circuit.

1. Will the Yankees’ strange offseason come back to bite them?

The expectation in New York after losing to the Red Sox in the AL wildcard was Aaron Boone or Brian Cashman would be fired, but neither happened. After Cashman and owner Hal Steinbrenner went to great lengths to stay under the luxury tax last season, it was thought that the Bombers would be big players in free agency for a big-ticket item like Freddie Freeman or Carlos Correa. That did not happen either.

The big move made was trading Gary Sanchez and Gio Urshela to Minnesota for third baseman Josh Donaldson, shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and catcher Ben Rortvedt, bringing back first baseman Anthony Rizzo. Hardly the type of moves that the pinstripe’s fanbase expected. If New York does not get off to a quick start, it will not be cheering that is heard in the Bronx.

2. Can the Blue Jays’ pitching match their big bats?

Toronto is the chic pick for the top spot in the AL East, with a powerhouse lineup including Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Bo Bichette, and George Springer that may have gotten stronger with the trade for Matt Chapman, but the big question is whether their pitching staff will be up to the task after losing Cy Young winner Robbie Ray and Steven Matz in free agency.

The Blue Jays re-signed Jose Berrios and added Kevin Gausman and Yusei Kikuchi to fill out their rotation, but the difference between success or failure may be how youngsters Alek Manoah, Nate Pearson, and a questionable bullpen fare.

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3. Can Boston stay close without Chris Sale?

The Red Sox added to their offense by signing free-agent infielder Trevor Story and bringing back Jackie Bradley Jr.but received some bad news as ace Chris Sale was placed on the 60-day IL with a stress fracture in his right rib. That makes their rotation to start the season an unspectacular combo of Nathan Eovaldi, Nick Pivetta, Tanner Houck, and ex- Rays Michael Wacha and Rich Hill.

4. Can the Rays continue to work their magic?

Tampa Bay continues to defy logic by being better than the Yankees, Red Sox, and Blue Jays in spite of spending a fraction of their big budgets. Their latest preemptive move was shipping outfielder Austin Meadows to Detroit a week after signing the 26-year-old to a one-year, $4 million contract, with prospect Josh Lowe likely taking his spot. Pitching and defense have never been the problem for the Rays, and they will have phenom Wander Franco the entire year, but can they score enough runs without Meadows and Nelson Cruz in their lineup?

5. Who will be the AL’s surprise contender?

Most experts have the Toronto, New York, Tampa Bay, the Chicago White Sox, and Houston Astros in the playoff mix, but there is always a team that no one expects to emerge as a playoff contender. Is it Seattle, who spent big money on Cy Young winner Robbie Ray, have prized prospect Julio Rodriguez on the Opening Day roster, and added third baseman Eugenio Suarez and outfielder Jesse Winker in a trade with Cincinnati, Minnesota who went big adding All-Star Correa, and trading for former Yankees Sanchez, Urshela and Sonny Gray, Los Angeles who bolstered their rotation by signing Noah Syndergaard, or Detroit added free-agent starter Eduardo Rodriguez, shortstop Javier Baez, Meadows, and prospect first baseman Spencer Torkelson.

Time will tell