The Cleveland Indians have fought their way towards the top of the American League Central following a slow start to the season. There is still a long way to go, but Cleveland is the clear favorite to win its division. Meanwhile, the Kansas City Royals have disappointed out of the gate with the worst record in the division but still have time to turn things around. Here is a look at the biggest x-factor for each of the five AL Central teams.
Detroit Tigers (10-8)
X-Factor: SP Matt Boyd
Justin Verlander was an AL Cy Young award candidate last season and should be just fine despite a shaky start. Meanwhile, Daniel Norris and Michael Fulmer make up a solid young tandem that is ready to handle the 2-3 spots in the Tigers rotation. That leaves Boyd as the x-factor at the back end of the rotation. Boyd earned the final spot in the rotation ahead of veterans Anibal Sanchez and Mike Pelfrey. He has responded by going 2-1 with a 3.77 ERA through his first three starts. The 26-year-old posted a 4.53 ERA last season but the consensus is that he has a lot more to offer Detroit. Boyd is getting his shot this season and he might just be the x-factor for the Tigers in the AL Central.
Cleveland Indians (10-8)
X-Factor: OF Bradley Zimmer
Cleveland is pretty loaded across the board and that is why this club was picked to win the AL Central. However, for as deep as they are the Indians have had some concerns early on with their hitting in particular not where they want it to be. Last year’s rookie standout Tyler Naquin has underachieved following a breakout season and the numbers indicate he could be in tough to duplicate last year’s production. That means their top prospect Zimmer could be called on sooner than expected. Zimmer had produced a .736 OPS with six extra-base hits and nine runs scored in 13 games for Triple-A Columbus this season. If he continues to produce then he could force the Indians hand and find his way to Cleveland sooner than expected.
Chicago White Sox (9-9)
X-Factor: Jose Quintana
The White Sox have played .500 baseball through their first 18 games. It will be very interesting to see how long they can hang around in the AL Central. Jose Quintana will be integral to their success as the 28-year-old has emerged as a model of consistency in recent years. The veteran lefty has four straight seasons with at least 200 innings with a 3.35 ERA and 1.22 WHIP over that span. Quintana has struggled early this season with a 6.75 ERA so the White Sox need him to be better. Quintana has a very team-friendly contract so Chicago will not look to move him this season.
Minnesota Twins (9-10)
X-Factor: Jose Berrios
Minnesota’s starting rotation is the biggest reason this club has hung around the .500 mark through the first 19 games of the season. The Twins rank fifth in the majors in ERA, which is a huge step forward for a group that finished dead last in that department a year ago. While Ervin Santana, Phil Hughes and Hector Santiago have led the way it’s only a matter of time before Minnesota calls on Berrios. The 22-year-old has the highest ceiling of any pitcher in the organization and the Twins will eventually want him pitching in the majors. After posting a 2.51 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP in Triple-A last season, look out for Berrios as the biggest x-factor for the Twins over the long term.
Kansas City Royals (7-12)
X-Factor: OF Lorenzo Cain
Cain finished third in AL MVP voting a year ago. Kansas City will need him to perform at an All-Star level in order to turn its season around. Cain is off to a solid start hitting .313 but he is still looking for his first home run and he has just four RBI. Part of the problem is a lack of support around him as the Royals rank 30th in the majors in batting average, OBP, slugging percentage and runs scored. Kansas City has enough talent to produce much better numbers so they should start to turn things around soon. Cain has been excellent for the Royals over the past couple of years. He will once again be their biggest x-factor here in 2017.
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