MLB Win Totals 2021: Predicting AL West Over Unders
By Travis Koch
Vegas Insider posted MLB win totals for the 2021 season, which means it’s time to predict over/unders. We’re going division by division, pinning each team against their total and picking a side. Catch up on our AL East and AL Central editions, and read on to see how the AL West will unfold.
Oakland Athletics
Over/Under 87.5 wins
Prediction: Over
The Athletics have overachieved on the Vegas scale each of the past three seasons. It seems the oddsmakers have finally caught on, setting the bar at 87.5 wins for the A’s in 2021, the highest of any AL West club.
Will Oakland overachieve once again?
Their bullpen took an early hit this offseason when Liam Hendricks joined the Chicago White Sox, but they responded by signing veterans Trevor Rosenthal and Sergio Romo. They also wisely re-signed dependable right-hander Yusmeiro Petit. With Lou Trivino and Jake Diekman still in the mix, Oakland will be smooth sailing in the ladder half of games.
Offensively, they replaced shortstop Marcus Semien with Elvis Andrus and sent Khris Davis to Texas to get Andrus. The career Texas Ranger won’t match Semien’s power numbers, but he’ll hit good pitching and be a tough out wherever he bats in the lineup.
The Athletics will rely on their mainstays to carry the torch in 2021. Ramon Laureano, Matt Chapman, and Matt Olson are equally talented on offense and defense. Laureano’s strength and athleticism can take over a game, and the pair of Matts wreak havoc at the heart of the batting order – albeit with different styles. Oakland’s offense will go as those three go, so they better put forth stellar campaigns.
If the A’s win back-to-back division titles, it will be because Jesus Luzardo, Sean Manaea, and Frankie Montas held their own within the rotation. Each starter is far too talented to repeat their underwhelming 2020 season.
The Moneyballers were on pace to win 97 games last year, despite their rotation ranking in the middle of the AL in ERA and WHIP. Starting pitching will catch up to their other formidable facets in 2021, and the Athletics will ultimately win over 87 games.