2017 MLB Predictions – American League East Division Odds & AL East Expert Predictions

2017 MLB Predictions – American League East Division Odds & AL East Expert Predictions: The 2017 MLB Baseball season is almost here and today we take a closer look at the American League East Division and how we for see the division ending up this 2017 MLB season. The odds makers at Bovada Sportsbook have installed the Boston Red Sox as -175 favorites to repeat as AL East Division Champions this season after winning the division last year with a 93-69 record. Let’s take a look at how our MLB expert handicapper, Sonny LaFouchi(aka The Legend), sees the AL East Division finishing this season. Be sure and visit NSAwins.com all season long for the best 2017 MLB picks and daily LIVE 2017 MLB Betting Odds.

2017 MLB Predictions – American League East Division Odds & AL East Expert Predictions

1. Boston Red Sox(93-69 last season, 96-66 prediction for 2017) – The Red Sox look to be improved this season with the addition of left-handed stud pitcher Chris Sale who was acquired via a trade from the Chicago White Sox. Sale was 17-10 with a 3.34 ERA last year and he combines with last year’s AL Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello and veteran left-hander David Price to give the Red Sox the best 1-2-3 rotation in the American League. The everyday lineup will be without retired legend David Ortiz but will still have plenty of pop led by outfield Mookie Betts(.318, 31 HR, 113 RBI in 2016) and first baseman Hanley Ramirez(.286, 30 HR, 111 RBI in 2016).

2. Baltimore Orioles(89-73 last season, 91-71 prediction for 2017) – Baltimore Orioles manager Buck Showalter is one of the top managers in all of baseball and always seems to get his teams to outperform expectations and their overall talent. This year should be no different as the Orioles should sneak over 90 wins led by a dominant bullpen that led the American League with a 3.40 ERA last season. The Orioles starting rotation is not great but is solid led by veteran right-hander Chris Tillman who went 16-6 with a 3.77 ERA last season. Tillman along with right-handers Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy give Showalter three grinders who will get him to his bullpen with a chance to win close games most of the season. The lineup has pop led by infielders Chris Davis(.221, 38HR, 84 RBI in 2016) and Manny Machado(.294, 37 HR, 96 RBI in 2016).

3. New York Yankees(84-78 last season, 87-75 prediction for 2017) – The game’s most storied franchises still has work to do before it can start competing for more World Series Championships but they are headed in the right direction. Manager Joe Girardi did a nice job last year getting 84 wins out of this team and he should be able to get a few more this season with the addition of Matt Holiday(.246, 20 HR, 62 RBI) from the St Louis Cardinals to give the offense some more thump in the middle of the lineup. The starting rotation is serviceable led by veterans Masahiro Tanaka(14-4, 3.07 ERA in 2016) and C.C. Sabathia(9-12, 3.91 ERA) and the bullpen should be forimable led by the return of closer Aroldis Chapman(36 saves last year for Yankees/Cubs).

4. Toronto Blue Jays(89-73 last season, 86-76 prediction for 2017) – The Blue Jays have made the playoffs the last two seasons but will struggle to get back there this season in our opinion. The Blue Jays lost a handful of solid veterans in OF Jose Bautista, 1B/DH Edwin Encarnacion, RHP R.A. Dickey and LHP Brett Cecil in free agency and that will knock them back a peg or two this season. The Blue Jays still have a very good starting rotation led by Aaron Sanchez(15-2, 3.00 ERA in 2016), J.A. Happ(20-4, 3.18 ERA) and Marco Estrada(9-9, 3.48 ERA) but the everyday lineup has some questions and their bullpen is a question mark.

5. Tampa Bay Rays(68-94 last season, 72-90 prediction for 2017) – The Tampa Bay Rays were absolutely awful last season and they will be bad again this season despite maybe winning a couple more games in the process. Tampa Bay has a solid pitching staff overall that should keep them in a lot of games but they simply lack the type of offensive firepower and talent to enable themselves to be on the winning side of the many close games they will likely find themselves in. It also doesn’t help that they are in the best division in the Majors so their record will probably make them look worse than they truly are. Veteran third baseman Evan Longoria(.273, 36 HR, 98 RBI) is still plenty of reason to pay attention to the Rays but unfortunately they don’t have much else in the everyday lineup to help him out.

Odds to Win 2017 American League East Division
Boston Red Sox -175
Toronto Blue Jays +425
New York Yankees +550
Baltimore Orioles +750
Tampa Bay Rays +1800