AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST

The A.L. East asks the question: What do you get when you combine one recent champion (Red Sox), the best regular season team of the last decade (Yankees), a perennial close-but-not-quite contender (Rays), a team that won’t even be playing in its home country (Blue Jays), and one of the worst teams in baseball history (Orioles). – Jamieson Weiss

Standings by win total prediction

A Sentence at a Time
By Andrew Calagna

The Yankees need to stay healthy in 2020. They were not healthy in 2019, but exceeded expectations due to unexpected contributions. Gerrit Cole is really good at throwing a baseball. Gleyber Torres is really good at hitting a baseball too. The bullpen is still a huge weapon and should give them an advantage. This team can win the World Series.

Now playing: Mr. Mister – Broken Wings

Yankees win total prediction: 38

Mask Up and Flip the Bat
By Jeremy Ashton

How far the Tampa Bay Rays go in 2020 will depend heavily on their starting rotation, but the fun part of watching this team in this weirdest of seasons will be Ji-Man Choi. This video sums it up perfectly — he plays with joy, and he’s a walking advertisement for the safety protocols that Floridians should be practicing right now.

Now playing: The Clash – Should I Stay or Should I Go

Rays win total prediction: 32

Dark Days for the Red Sox: Can Financial Flexibility Pitch?
By Jamieson Weiss

The Red Sox traded their best home-grown talent since Carl Yastrzemski and lost their top pitcher to history’s most predictable Tommy John. They’re embarking on a 60-game version of a 3-0, get-me-over-fastball, and the PawSox won’t get to send off McCoy Stadium properly in its final year. Everything’s falling apart.

On the plus side: Rafael Devers is still massively fun.

Now playing: The Jackson Five – I Want You Back

Red Sox win total prediction: 27

Brought to You by the Letter “B”
By Darius Austin

The brand-new bizarre bombshell in a baffling 2020: the banished Blue Jays. Barred from baseball in Canada to block the bug, Bo Bichette, Biggio and baby Vlad will bring their bats to a back-up ballpark. The best bet is brought by the Bisons, a brief bound beyond the border. Bye-bye Toronto; bonjour Baltimore, Boston and the Bronx Bombers in Buffalo.

Now playing: Garfunkel & Oates – Pretty in Buffalo

Blue Jays win total prediction: 24

Baltimore Won’t Lose 100 Games!
By Chris Baber

The Orioles haven’t played meaningful baseball since 2017, and it’ll be difficult to watch them this season without thinking of Trey Mancini and his fight against stage 3 colon cancer. Trey is the best player left on this team, and we’re looking forward to seeing him in 2021. His home runs, awkward throws, and smile will be missed this season.

Now playing: Cher – If I Could Turn Back Time

Orioles win total prediction: 21

NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST

The Washington Nationals won the World Series for the first time in their history, lost their best position player for the second straight offseason, and, despite having a few solid replacement options for him, could find themselves finishing third or fourth. Atlanta, the Mets, and the Phillies all have a shot at dethroning the Nats. The Marlins? Not so much. – Jamieson Weiss

Standings by win total prediction

The Baby Braves (but Slightly Older)
By Matt Mudd

Ronald Acuña Jr., Ozzie Albies, and Mike Soroka boast a historic combination of youth and production. All named All-Stars at age 21, Albies and Acuña already Silver Sluggers, and Soroka finishing 6th in Cy Young voting last year, they have proven experts at making a lot of noise in a short amount of time. 60 games won’t be a problem.

Now playing: George Michael – Faith

Atlanta win total prediction: 39

Random Game Generator
By Kyle Godown

The Phillies were always going to be one of the toughest teams to predict in 2020, shortened season or not. This collection of players has shown the type of volatility that will make a 60-game season so fascinating. Their season could rise as high as Bryce Harper’s 2015 MVP season or as low and Rhys Hoskins’ second half of 2019.

Now playing: The Hold Steady – Constructive Summer

Phillies win total prediction: 36

The Washington Nationals: Basking in the Afterglow
By Mick Reinhard

Washington should have one goal this year. No, it is not to amplify the muted victory lap for its World Series win last October. It’s not even to repeat as champions in the sprint known as the 2020 season. Instead, it’s to protect 21-year-old wunderkind Juan Soto at all costs from injury and coronavirus. Juan – your body bubble awaits you.

Now playing: Bruce Springsteen – Protection

Nationals win total prediction: 34

The 2020 New York Mets, to the Tune of “Meet the Mets!”
By Michael Conte

Pete got fat,

Yo can bat!

Díaz can’t be bad as all that?

Ramos left his kids and wife,

Noah’s elbow went under the knife!

Jacob deGrom might three-peat for a Cy Young; McNeil hitting .400, that’d be fun!

Here comes Steve C!

Will the GM throw a chair?

As long as they stay COVID free, then we! Don’t! Care!

Now playing: Yo La Tengo – Meet The Mets

Mets win total prediction: 33

Quantity Over Quality
By Jonathan Jacoby

The Marlins are the only team predicted to have their average attendance increase this season. The modified schedule hurts the Marlins. The young, deep pitching staff will help. With Jonathan Villar and Jon Berti, maybe they will become “The Flying Fish”, stealing and going for the extra base. If they can’t play winning baseball, might as well play exciting baseball.

Now playing: Barnes & Barnes – Fish Heads

Marlins win total prediction: 25