American League

WEST DIVISION 1. HOUSTON ASTROS Last year: 107-55(1st place), lost to Washington Nationals in World Series, 4-3 Key newcomers: RHP Austin Pruitt, C Dustin

Garneau

Key losses: SP Gerrit Cole, RP Will Harris, C Robinson Chirinos, OF Jake Marisnick, SP Aaron Sanchez, SP Wade Miley

Best-case scenario: The Astros continue to chug along despite their new role as baseball’s villains and contend for their second World Series title in four years.

Worst-case scenario: Houston crumbles amidst the pressure, Justin Verlander and Zack Greinke begin to show their age and they’re an early exit in the playoffs. 2. A’S

Last year: 97-65(2nd place), lost to Tampa Bay Rays in AL wild-card game

Key newcomers: OF Tony Kemp, C Austin

Allen

Key losses: SP Brett Anderson, SP Homer Bailey, 2B Jurickson Profar, SP Tanner Roark, RP Blake Treinen, C Josh Phegley

Best-case scenario: Jesus Luzardo delivers as advertised and helps solidify Oakland’s rotation, Marcus Semien, Matt Chapman, Matt Olson and Ramon Laureano continue playing like budding stars and the A’s finally win the wild-card game.

Worst-case scenario: Oakland’s lack of established pitching comes back to bite and they miss the playoffs altogether. 3. LOS ANGELES ANGELS

Last year: 72-90(4th place)

Key newcomers: 3B Anthony Rendon, SP Dylan Bundy, SP Julio Teheran, SP/RP Matt Andriese, C Jason Castro

Key losses: 1B Justin Bour, OF Kole Calhoun, SP Trevor Cahill, C Kevan Smith

Best-case scenario: Mike Trout and Rendon do superstar things, Andrelton Simmons and Shohei Ohtani return to form and the Angels get just enough out of their starting rotation to make the wild-card game.

Worst-case scenario: Trout misses time after the birth of their first child, the Angels don’t get enough out of their rotation, Ohtani fails to re-discover his pre-injury form, Rendon struggles to adapt to American League pitching and the Angels miss the playoffs. 4. TEXAS RANGERS

Last year: 78-84(3rd place)

Key newcomers: SP Corey Kluber, SP Kyle Gibson, SP Jordan Lyles, RP Joely Rodríguez, C Robinson Chirinos, 3B Todd Frazier

Key losses: IF Logan Forsythe, OF Nomar Mazara, OF Hunter Pence

Best-case scenario: Kluber, Gibson and Lyles give Texas a legitimate one-through-five rotation, Danny Santana duplicates his breakout 2019and the Rangers flirt with a wild-card spot.

Worst-case scenario: Texas’ offense sputters, and the Rangers open up Globe Life Field with dud. 5. SEATTLE MARINERS

Last year: 68-84(5th place)

Key newcomers: SP Kendall Graveman, RP Yoshihisa Hirano, RP Carl Edwards Jr.

Key losses: SP Félix Hernández, C Omar Narváez, RP Wade LeBlanc, OF Domingo Santana, OF Tim Beckham

Best-case scenario: Kyle Lewis and Jake Fraley help make up for the absence of injured All-Star OF Mitch Hanniger. Young pitchers put together encouraging seasons. Worst-case scenario: Seattle’s youth struggles to develop and the team slogs through another rough campaign.

CENTRAL DIVISION

1. MINNESOTA TWINS Last year: 101-61(1st place), lost to New York Yankees in ALDS, 3-0

Key newcomers: 3B Josh Donaldson, SP Kenta Maeda, C Alex Avila, SP Homer Bailey, SP Rich Hill, RP Sergio Romo, RP Tyler Clippard Key losses: C Jason Castro, 1B CJ Cron, 2B Jonathan Schoop, SP Kyle Gibson, SP Martín Pérez

Best-case scenario: The Bomba Squad, now including Donaldson, continues to hit bombs. Maeda, Hill and Bailey steady the rotation, and the Twins prove worthy of hanging with the big dogs.

Worst-case scenario: Minnesota’s home run-centric offense falters in the postseason, and the Twins end still searching for their first postseason victory since 2004. 2. CLEVELAND INDIANS

Last year: 93-69(2nd place)

Key newcomers: 2B César Hernández, OF Delino DeShields, C Sandy León

Key losses: SP Corey Kluber, 2B Jason Kipnis, OF Yasiel Puig, RP Tyler Clippard

Best-case scenario: José Ramírez and Francisco Lindor carry an otherwise average offense, and the pitching staff is productive enough to reclaim the division. Worst-case scenario: Cleveland’s lack of weapons and starting rotation depth are too much to overcome, the Indians miss the playoffs and Lindor gets traded. 3. CHICAGO WHITE SOX

Last year: 72-89(3rd place)

Key newcomers: C Yasmani Grandal, SP Dallas Keuchel, DH Edwin Encarnación, SP Gio Gonzalez, OF Nomar Mazara

Key losses: C Welington Castillo, SP Iván Nova, RP Hector Santiago, 2B Yolmer Sanchez, SP Michael Kopech (opted out) Best-case scenario: Grandal, Keuchel and Encarnación provide a huge boost to Chicago’s existing core, Luis Robert, MLB Pipeline’s No. 3prospect, looks the part of a future superstar

and a run the for White their money. Sox give the Twins and Indians

Worst-case scenario:

agents aren’t enough to The compete splashy this free season and away the from Sox legitimate miss the playoffs, contention. remaining a year 4. KANSAS CITY ROYALS

Last year: 59-103(4th place)

Franco Key newcomers: RP Greg Holland, 3B Maikel

Boxberger Key losses: IF Cheslor Cuthbert, RP Brad

Best-case scenario: Adalberto Mondesi has his breakout season, Salvador Perez doesn’t miss a beat, and the Royals establish a sneakily good lineup while Jakob Junis and Brad Keller emerge as legitimate starters.

Worst-case scenario: Jorge Soler, Whit Merrifield and Hunter Dozier regress, and Perez can’t return to pre-injury form as the Royals struggle. 5. DETROIT TIGERS

Last year: 47-114(5th place)

Key newcomers: 1B C.J. Cron, 2B Jonathan Schoop, C Austin Romine, SP Ivan Nova Key losses: SP Edwin Jackson, SP Matt Moore, SP Tyson Ross, RP Victor Alcántara Best-case scenario: Matthew Boyd, Victor Reyes and Niko Goodrum begin to establish a foundation before first-round pick Spencer Torkelson fast tracks his way to the Motor City.

Worst-case scenario: Detroit’s young cubs don’t show growth and rebuilding project continues to founder..

EAST DIVISION

1. NEW YORK YANKEES

Last year: 103-59(1st place), lost to Houston Astros in ALCS, 4-3

Key newcomer: SP Gerrit Cole

Key losses: DH Edwin Encarnación, SP CC Sabathia, RP Dellin Betances, SS Didi Gregorius, C Austin Romine, SP Luis Severino (elbow surgery), SP Domingo German (suspension)

Best-case scenario: Cole continues to pitch at a Cy Young level while Miguel Andjuar and Giancarlo Stanton return to full health, giving the Bronx Bombers a legit one-through-nine lineup as the Yankees return to Death Star status.

Worst-case scenario: Injuries once again derail another season, leaving the Yankees still searching for their first championship in over a decade. 2. TAMPA BAY RAYS

Last year: 96-66(2nd place), lost to Houston Astros in ALDS, 3-2

Key newcomers: 1B Yoshitomo Tsutsugo, DH José Martínez, OF Manuel Margot, OF Hunter Renfroe, C Mike Zunino

Key losses: OF Tommy Pham, RP Emilio Pagan, C Travis d’Arnaud, OF Avisaíl García, 3B Matt Duffy, RP José De León

Best-case scenario: SPs Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow stay healthy, Tsutsugo, Nate Lowe and Yandy Díaz break out to complement All-Star OF Austin Meadows, Nick Anderson emerges as the top closer in the league,and the Rays make the ALCS for the first time since 2008.

Worst-case scenario: The Rays’ collection of good-but-not-great hitting proves detrimental, the pitching staff regresses and they miss the playoffs. 3. BOSTON RED SOX

Last year: 84-78(3rd place)

Key newcomers: OF Alex Verdugo, SS Jeter Downs, SP Martín Pérez, RP Austin Brice, C Kevin Plawecki

Key losses: OF Mookie Betts, SP David Price, SP Rick Porcello, IF Brock Holt, C Sandy León, SP Chris Sale (elbow surgery), SP Collin McHugh (elbow injury)

Best-case scenario: Xander Bogartes, Rafael Devers and J.D. Martinez continue to mash, Andrew Benintendi and Jackie Bradley Jr. have career years and the offense provides fireworks to make up for the loss of Betts, willing Boston into wild-card contention.

Worst-case scenario: The loss of Betts and SPs Sale (to injury), Price and Porcello is too much to remain competitive in an already top-heavy AL East and Boston’s championship window slams shut. 4. TORONTO BLUE JAYS

Last year: 67-95(4th place)

Key newcomers: SP Hyun-Jin Ryu, SP Tanner Roark, SP Chase Anderson, IF Travis Shaw, SP Shun Yamaguchi, RP Anthony Bass Key losses: 1B Justin Smoak, SP Clay Buchholz, RP Ryan Dull

Best-case scenario: Toronto’s young core of Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Cavan Biggio emerge as budding stars and the Blue Jays make some noise as a budding, scrappy young team.

Worst-case scenario: The Jays’ young bats experience the sophomore slump and free agent signee Ryu can’t stay healthy. 5. BALTIMORE ORIOLES

Last year: 54-108(5th place)

Key newcomers: SS José Iglesias, RP Kohl Stewart, RP Wade LeBlanc

Key losses: IF Jonathan Villar, SP Dylan Bundy, OF Mark Trumbo, OF Trey Mancini (cancer surgery), SS Richie Martin (wrist surgery), SP Ty Blach (elbow surgery)

Best-case scenario: Renato Nunez and Anthony Santander show last year’s power breakout was no fluke and the O’s find a spot for rookie Ryan Mountcastle’s bat.

Worst-case scenario: Baltimore’s pitching staff somehow gives up more home runs at a higher rate than last season (nearly two per game) and no young players emerge to complement 2019first-round pick Adley Rutschman down the line.