Play This +300 Division Winner

AL Central Preview

Baseball season is almost upon us, and I am super excited for it. This is one of the most successful sports in my arsenal each year and I am looking forward to making it that way once again. If you have followed me, you'll know one of my most embarrassing picks of the past few years is that I said the White Sox wouldn't be THAT bad last year. They then went on to lose 121 games. I suppose in my defense, I played that before they traded away Dylan Cease and others. Let's see if I have better luck this year with the AL Central. 

The Guardians won the division last year, winning 92 games. There is very little reason to believe they can't replicate that success this season despite losing some of their starting pitching. The one thing that I'll say is that the pitching staff for the Guardians seems to be good each year, no matter who they have on the mound. They still have Jose Ramirez, one of the best players in the game. The rest of the team is decent enough, and they certainly have a realistic shot to repeat as division winners at +300. This should be a competitive division though. The good news is most teams really didn't do much to get better.

There were two massive surprises in the playoffs last season. One team was the Royals and the other team was the Tigers, both of which are in this division. the Royals and Tigers both ended the season with an 86-76 record, barely beating out the Mariners for the final spot in the Wild Card race. Can they do it again? The Royals seemingly got more out of their staff than most teams did last year. They don't have a true ace on the team, but a few talented pitchers. Seth Lugo made me a ton of money last year, but I am not expecting him to be quite as good last year. Cole Ragans, Michael Wacha, and Michael Lorenzen are all good pitchers, but not exactly the front-of-the-line starters you'd hope for. The team still has Salvador Perez and Bobby Witt Jr. Perez is arguably the best hitting catcher in basketball, and Witt Jr. is potentially the best young player in baseball. I like what the team has done in the offseason, adding Jonathan India. I don't think they have enough for the division lead though.

HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 01: Tarik Skubal #29 of the Detroit Tigers reacts recording a strikeout against the Houston Astros in the sixth inning during Game One of the Wild Card Series at Minute Maid Park on October 01, 2024 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

For the Tigers, who had the same record as the Royals, an ace was not the problem for them. They had the Cy Young winner, and still have him in their rotation. A full year of Jack Flaherty should help bolster their chances of improving on last year's record. Kenta Maeda is one of the better fourth starters in baseball as well. The team addded Gleyber Torres and has benched (maybe) Javier Baez so their offense should also be better. I'm not quite ready to back them personally as their offense is still my second-least favorite in the division. The pitching staff could certainly carry them, but I want to see Tarik Skubal do it more than one year. 

The Twins finished in 4th place last season, but they were my pick for the division winner. I had doubted the Twins forever, and then when I finally believed they could do it, the team had to compete with three other good squads. They still ended with a winning record. The thing is, the Twins really didn't do anything this offseason. They added some bench players to the team but that's about it. So, sure, they are deeper, but are they better? I don't see how they are going to get past all three other teams. They are listed as the favorite but I don't agree with that at all. 

The White Sox do play in the AL Central. They are terrible and have no shot at winning the AL Central unless all other teams stop playing baseball. Even then, the White Sox might find a way to lose in a division that only they play in. 

As for who to bet. My favorite is the Indians to repeat at +300. I think they have the best offense and I've found that their pitching staff is consistently good even with average starters. If I had a second choice, I'd take the Tigers. 

For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024