Last week, we made some postseason predictions. We predicted who would make it and what would happen once the playoffs begin.
Of course, a lot can change over the course of just one week, and in some races, it’s gotten a little tighter. So today, we’re going to break down who the biggest threats are to some of our predicted teams from the American League.
If you didn’t read our article from last week, here are our predicted AL postseason teams.
AL East Winner: Rays
AL Central Winner: White Sox
AL West Winner: A’s
AL Wild Card #1: Astros
AL Wild Card #2: Yankees
So how does this work, you ask? Well, we simply look at who’s leading each pennant race and decide what teams behind them pose the biggest threats to them winning that race. We won’t consider the race between the top two Wild Card teams for the top spot since two teams do make it. We’re also going to leave out the AL Central. The White Sox have pretty much buried everyone else, but we will look at our other projected playoff teams and determine who their biggest threats are.
Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays are ahead in the American League East and have the best record in the AL. But they’re not out of the woods yet. They face stiff competition from their division rivals.
Biggest Threat: Boston Red Sox
Perhaps we should’ve thought twice about Boston when making our predictions. Now that they have Chris Sale back, things are looking quite good for them. They’re winners of three straight games and are just three back of the Rays. They’ve been a surprise to many, but you shouldn’t sleep on them. Plenty of time to run down the Rays for the top spot.
Dark Horse: New York Yankees
They’ve been bitten by injuries, COVID, and inconsistencies, but the Bronx Bombers appear to be back. Joey Gallo and Anthony Rizzo have filled their desperate need for a left-handed bat or two. We picked them to win the second Wild Card, but they’ve closed the gap in the division to 5.5 games. Another team you can’t sleep on.
Oakland A’s
Will Oakland be able to catch the Astros? Possibly. We picked them to take the West, and they’re only 2.5 behind. But their path won’t be easy.
Biggest Threat: Houston Astros
The Astros actually are in first, and they’re a dangerous team, with or without the trash cans. Their offense is among the best in the league, and their rotation remains strong despite the absence of Justin Verlander. They’ve been to the World Series twice in the last four years. Is another run in the stars?
New York Yankees
Just like the A’s, the Yankees aren’t actually in the spot we projected them to finish in yet. There’s plenty of time left and they’re just a game and a half back, but their road to the final Wild Card spot is going to be a tough one.
Biggest Threats: Boston Red Sox, Oakland A’s
Boston and Oakland currently occupy the two Wild Card slots in the AL. Both teams are loaded with talent and are major threats to the Yankees. The race is almost certain to come down to the wire.
Dark Horses: Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners
We all probably expected Toronto to make noise this year. But the Mariners? They’ve been the biggest surprise of them all. They’re both within reach of the second Wild Card slot, and should not be overlooked as we approach the final month of the 2021 season.
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