Toronto Blue Jays
2016: 89-73, tied for second place, wild card, lost to Cleveland in ALCS. Manager: John Gibbons (fifth season). He’s here: DH Kendrys Morales, INF-OF Steve Pearce, LHP J.P. Howell, C Jarrod Saltalamacchia, RHP Joe Smith, RHP Mat Latos, INF-OF Lourdes Gurriel Jr., RHP Glenn Sparkman. He’s outta here: 1B-DH Edwin Encarnacion, OF Michael Saunders, LHP Brett Cecil, RHP Joaquin Benoit, RHP R.A. Dickey, RHP Scott Feldman, C Dioner Navarro, C Josh Thole. Projected lineup: 2B Devon Travis (.300, 11 HRs, 50 RBIs in 101 games), 3B Josh Donaldson (.284, 37, 99), RF Jose Bautista (.234, 22, 69 in 116 games), DH Kendrys Morales (.263, 30, 93 with Kansas City), SS Troy Tulowitzki (.254, 24, 79), 1B Steve Pearce (.288, 13, 35 in 85 games with Baltimore and Tampa Bay), C Russell Martin (.231, 20, 74), LF Melvin Upton Jr. (.238, 20, 61 with San Diego and Toronto) or Ezequiel Carrera (.248, 6, 23 in 270 ABs), CF Kevin Pillar (.266, 7, 53). Rotation: RH Aaron Sanchez (15-2, ALleading 3.00 ERA), LH J.A Happ (20-4, 3.18), RH Marco Estrada (9-9, 3.48), RH Marcus Stroman (9-10, 4.37), LH Francisco Liriano (8-13, 4.69 with Pittsburgh and Toronto). Hot spots: First base and left field. Pearce had right elbow surgery last September and is unlikely to be part of the outfield mix until he is fully recovered. Instead, his early playing time will come at first base, pushing Justin Smoak to the bench. That leaves Toronto with an offensively challenged platoon of Upton and Carrera in left field. While Pearce should be able to provide some pop at either position once healthy, all the other players in this equation are inconsistent hitters at best. Outlook: After losing in the ALCS each of the past two seasons, Toronto hopes to take the next step in 2017 and reach its first World Series since 1993, when Joe Carter’s home run gave the Blue Jays the second of back-to-back titles. To get to the Fall Classic, Toronto will have to overcome the loss of Encarnacion, the slugger who signed with AL champion Cleveland. The Blue Jays will hope for a bounce-back year from Bautista, hobbled by foot and knee injuries last season, and a power boost from Morales as he moves into hitter-friendly Rogers Centre. Toronto has reason to feel good about its rotation, arguably one of the strongest in the American League, but doesn’t have much depth should any of its projected starters go down with an injury. Despite struggling for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic, the young Osuna is a dependable anchor at the back of the bullpen.