MLB Division Preview: Will the Royals’ AL Central Dominance Continue?

This is the fifth of six divisional previews from Impact 89FM, stay tuned for the rest of the previews throughout the opening week of the MLB season.

The American League Central, home to the 2015 World Series Champion Kansas City Royals. The Royals will try to defend their trophy, but they will have to beat out the likes of the Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox, who both made a number of notable moves at the trade deadline and in the offseason.

Zachary Swiecicki, Zach Barnes, and Will Thiede talk about what could be the most competitive division in baseball. Impact 89FM is located in Michigan, so they do go in-depth on the Tigers (7:28) as well.

      MLB AL central preview (5-6)

After winning the Central four years in a row, Detroit fell to last place in one of the weakest years for the division. The entire 2015 division standings are below.

Team W L W-L% GB
Kansas City Royals 95 67 0.586
Minnesota Twins 83 79 0.512 12.0
Cleveland Indians 81 80 0.503 13.5
Chicago White Sox 76 86 0.469 19.0
Detroit Tigers 74 87 0.460 20.5

 

This year’s AL Central is anyone’s for the taking.


Our 2016 AL Central Projected Standings.

*American League lineups will be include the designated hitter*

1. Detroit Tigers

Rotation

1 Justin Verlander
2 Anibal Sanchez
3 Jordan Zimmerman
4 Mike Pelfrey
5 Shane Greene

 

Opening Day Lineup

2B Ian Kinsler
LF Justin Upton
1B Miguel Cabrera
DH Victor Martinez
RF J.D. Martinez
3B Nick Castellanos
C James McCann
SS Jose Iglesias
CF Anthony Gose

 

2. Kansas Royals

Rotation

1 Edinson Volquez
2 Chris Young
3 Kris Medlen
4 Yordano Ventura
5 Ian Kennedy

 

Opening Day Lineup

SS Alcides Escobar
3B Mike Moustakas
CF Lorenzo Cain
1B Eric Hosmer
DH Kendrys Morales
LF Alex Gordon
C Salvador Perez
2B Omar Infante
RF Reymond Fuentes

3. Chicago White Sox

Rotation

1 Chris Sale
2 Jose Quintana
3 Carlos Rodon
4 Matt Latos
5 John Danks

 

Opening Day Lineup

RF Adam Eaton
SS Jimmy Rollins
1B Jose Abreu
3B Todd Frazier
LF Melky Cabrera
DH Avisail Garcia
2B Brett Lawrie
C Dioner Navarro
CF Austin Jackson

 

4. Cleveland Indians

Rotation

1 Corey Kluber
2 Carlos Carrasco
3 Danny Salazar
4 Cody Anderson
5 Josh Tomlin

 

Opening Day Lineup

CF Rajai Davis
2B Jason Kipnis
SS Francisco Lindor
1B Mike Napoli
DH Carlos Santana
C Yan Gomes
LF Marlon Byrd
3B Juan Uribe
RF Collin Cowgill

 

5. Minnesota Twins

Rotation

1 Ervin Santana
2 Kyle Gibson
3 Phil Hughes
4 Tommy Milone
5 Ricky Nolasco

 

Opening Day Lineup

2B Brian Dozier
1B Joe Mauer
RF Miguel Sano
3B Trevor Plouffe
LF Eddie Rosario
DH Byung Ho Park
SS Eduardo Escobar
C Kurt Suzuki
CF Byron Buxton