MLB Team X-factors for 2017, Part I: AL East

We all know the term “x-factor” by now. It’s the over-used, go-term term for sports analysts to describe the player who is not necessarily the best but is also important enough to swing a game or a season. It may be over-used, but it is over-used for good reason. It’s a term that all MLB fans will understand as soon as you use it.

Of course, each MLB fan has a slightly different interpretation of “x-factor,” and this author is no different. Personally, I think of an x-factor – especially when in a season-long context – as a player in an important position with an extreme variance of possibilities for his 2017 season.

Maybe it’s a young player who we just don’t know if he will make the leap this season. Maybe it is a savvy veteran hanging on for one more season of relevance. Maybe it’s a mid-career player who simply struggles to stay healthy, or a player in a more forward role this season.

Here at Call to the Pen, we are going to give you x-factors for all 30 MLB teams before the season starts. Since you’ll want more than just a cursory glance at the player, we’re going to split up the article by division, starting with the American League East. (Sorry, the east coast bias is strong with this one.) Check back later this week for the American League Central.