Predicting the 2022 AL East standings

2. Boston Red Sox

On paper, there are questions about the Boston Red Sox. But that ignores the fact that Alex Cora may be the best manager in the game, someone that has worked miracles with the roster before.

The pitching staff has holes. Chris Sale is injured again and the back of the rotation is essentially a bunch of reclamation projects. Matt Barnes flamed out as the Red Sox closer last year and Boston did not add anyone for that role. While the lineup and defense are better with the addition of Trevor Story, that would not seem to be enough to compete in the AL East.

And then there is Cora. He has a knack for knowing exactly what buttons to push with his team. He took a roster that had disappointed in 2020 and brought them to the postseason the following year. Considering how well he has the pulse of that team, and how much they believe in him, there is no reason to think that is going to change in 2022.

1. Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays lost several key pieces. But they were also able to patch those holes effectively.

Gone are Marcus Semien, Robbie Ray, and Steven Matz. In their place, the Blue Jays have brought in Matt Chapman, Kevin Gausman, and Yusei Kikuchi. They will have a full season of Jose Berrios and Alek Manoah in the rotation, and Jordan Romano has solidified himself as their closer. Cavan Biggio has moved to second where he is a better fit. Based on those moves alone, one could say that the Blue Jays are the class of the AL East.

But they have another advantage as well. Unvaccinated players are not permitted to travel to Canada. That means that all of those unvaccinated players will be left behind for those games against the Blue Jays. For teams such as the Yankees, that could be a major loss to their roster, and an advantage that could lead to a divisional title.

Who do you think will take home the AL East title? Let us know in the comments below!