Caesars Sports Book has posted the 2020 MLB win totals. Today, we’ll analyze each AL West team’s lean towards the over/under.
MLB win totals have been released for the 2020 regular season. Caesars Sports Book introduced them to the public less than a month ago. To no surprise, the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers are projected to notch the most victories. Also to no surprise, the Baltimore Orioles and Detroit Tigers are the dunces of the pack, each marked at 55.5 wins. You can find your team’s win total here.
Now is the time to run some analysis before you “invest” your hard-earned money at a Sports Book. If you’re not a gambler, it’s still fun to see if a Sports Writer’s opinion leans in the same direction as yours. Thus, we’re compiling a series of articles addressing each team’s win total, suggesting whether a team will exceed the number or fall short of it.
We’ll go division by division, beginning with the AL West.
Houston Astros
Win Total: 97
Prediction: Under
Scandalous and controversial, the Astros remain incredibly talented. They possess the league’s Cy Young winner, Rookie of the Year, and MVP runner-up from a season ago. That was a season in which they won 107 games and came one victory shy of hoisting the Commissioner’s Trophy.
However, they lost Gerrit Cole to the Yankees this offseason. Cole earned the ‘Stros 20 wins in 2019 and posted a 10th-ranked WAR of 6.9. He is impossible to replace, and Houston must now rely on a healthy Lance McCullers and 36-year-old Zack Greinke to makeup the gaping void.
The Astros still have the ability, experience, and depth to reach 97 wins. That said, they’ll face much-improved divisional opponents — the Angels and Rangers had impressive offseasons, and the Athletics appear as strong as they have in years. There’s also a good chance Houston emerges slowly this season due to the giant monkey on their backs — the monkey of course representing a tainted organization.
Houston might still conquer the AL West, but they would do so by winning less than 97 games.