There are some strong divisions in MLB: the American League East and the National League West come to mind, for example.
Those two have some of the very best clubs in baseball: the Tampa Bay Rays, the New York Yankees, the Boston Red Sox, the Toronto Blue Jays, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the San Francisco Giants.
However, the outlook isn’t as bright in other divisions.
These two, in particular, pale in comparison with the other four.
2. AL Central
The NL East was considered for this spot, but the New York Mets could be a powerhouse and the Atlanta Braves are the reigning World Champions.
Even if the Philadelphia Phillies, Washington Nationals, and Miami Marlins probably won’t be fighting for the championship or anything close to it, the Mets and Braves should do enough to hold the division.
The AL Central, meanwhile, projects as one of the worst divisions in baseball again.
In 2021, only the 93-69 Chicago White Sox played above-.500 ball.
The rest, starting with the 80-82 Cleveland Indians (now Guardians) were mediocre to bad.
that and the AL Central was by far the worst division in baseball, just them being a wild card team is a successful season
— Norrin Radd 🏁 (@ImJusSayingTho) December 2, 2021
The Detroit Tigers finished third at 77-85, the 74-88 Kansas City Royals were fourth, and the Minnesota Twins, surprisingly, finished last with a 73-89 record.
Heading into 2022, the division once again is shaping up as one of the worst in MLB.
However, that doesn’t mean it won’t be better than what it showed as a whole in 2021.
The White Sox should be able to win around 90 games once again, perhaps more now that they will have Luis Robert and Eloy Jimenez from the start.
The Tigers are making a concerted effort to improve, bringing in pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez and shortstop Javier Baez to a young, up-and-coming roster.
They could theoretically finish as high as second next season, and finishing over .500 is a real possibility.
The Twins extended Byron Buxton and have a few nice pieces for the future, but they have work to do to challenge the White Sox.
The Royals have a young, promising core, and the Guardians will have Jose Ramirez and a full season of Shane Bieber, if he can avoid the injured list.
Things are looking up for most of the AL Central teams, but they are still one of the worst divisions in baseball.
1. NL Central
The NL Central could be the worst division in MLB.
The Cincinnati Reds, who held a Wild Card spot at some point in the second half, appear to be set to cut costs, trading Tucker Barnhart and letting Wade Miley leave for free.
Of course we have the perpetually-rebuilding Pittsburgh Pirates, a team that seems destined for last place once again.
The Milwaukee Brewers should remain the best team of the lot, with a fantastic pitching staff led by Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, and Freddy Peralta.
But they need some offense to truly challenge for more than a Division Series exit.
Then we have the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals.
Chicago seems interested in competing, bringing in catcher Yan Gomes, outfielder Clint Frazier, and pitcher Marcus Stroman.
But their roster needs more improvements, even though they seem to be respectable again.
St. Louis could challenge the Brewers, but also needs to invest.
Signing a star shortstop, such as Trevor Story, could be a nice addition for both.
Once again, the AL and NL Central are the worst divisions in Baseball. NL West and AL East are the strongest.
— Scott Deakesッ (Deakesy) (@TheDeakesy) October 13, 2021
All in all, the NL Central seems a bit lagging when compared to other divisions.
Leave a Reply