Tigers, Royals, Twins and more: May bold predictions for every AL Central team

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 29: Byron Buxton #25 of the Minnesota Twins celebrates his solo home run while Bobby Witt Jr. #7 of the Kansas City Royals reacts in the seventh inning at Target Field on April 29, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Royals defeated the Twins 3-2. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 29: Byron Buxton #25 of the Minnesota Twins celebrates his solo home run while Bobby Witt Jr. #7 of the Kansas City Royals reacts in the seventh inning at Target Field on April 29, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Royals defeated the Twins 3-2. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
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TORONTO, ON – APRIL 26: Elvis Andrus #1 of the Chicago White Sox bats against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on April 26, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – APRIL 26: Elvis Andrus #1 of the Chicago White Sox bats against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on April 26, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)

Chicago White Sox bold prediction: A big trade coming

The Chicago White Sox are surprisingly pitiful this year as well. They share a .250 winning percentage with the Royals at the bottom of the division. We didn’t expect much for the Southsiders this year, but it is far worse than expected. Chicago’s apocalyptic April pretty much eliminated the team’s playoff hopes before the first game of May. In addition, the minus-58 run differential posted by the White Sox is exceptionally concerning.

The White Sox are sellers already, and we will see two big names moved from Chicago’s roster. The team’s commitments to Lynn, Grandal, Kelly, Clevinger, Diekman, Elvis Andrus, and Hanser Alberto are all up at the end of the season, and Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez are free agents as well.

At the same time, their star shortstop has a $1 million buyout on his 2024 club option. He is due $14 million from the White Sox, but if he exercises that buyout, he could be looking at a Xander Bogaerts-level payday of $25 million per year. Spoiler alert, he will; the White Sox know it and will move him this year.

In May’s bold prediction for the AL Central, the Chicago White Sox will trade Tim Anderson to the Los Angeles Angels to be reunited with USA World Baseball Classic teammate Mike Trout. Anderson will be one of the biggest free agents on the market next year.