AL Playoff Predictions: May

Welcome in ball boys and ball girls! Welcome to the SECOND of my division predictions. These predictions will come out monthly, around the beginning of the month for the rest of the season. So please sit back, relax, grab a drink(soda, water, a beer you choose), and let's continue to enjoy the season.

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Let's start with my updated May division standings:

Division Standings: AL East

1. Boston Red Sox(20-13)

   1. Final Projection: 92-70 3 seed

   2. April Prediction: 80-82 and 3rd place

2. Toronto Blue Jays(16-16)

   1. Final Projection: 90-72 4 seed

   2. April Prediction: 90-72 and 2nd place

3. NY Yankees(16-16)

   1. Final Projection: 85-77

   2. April Prediction: 88-74 and 3rd place

4. Tampa Bay Rays(18-16)

   1. Final Projection: 80-82

   2. April Prediction: 94-68 and 1st place and 3rd seed.

5. Baltimore Orioles(15-17)

   1. Final Projection 70-92

   2. April Prediction: 60-102

Division Standings: AL Central

1. Chicago White Sox(17-13)

   1. Final Projection: 93-69 2 seed

   2. April Prediction: 95-67 and 1st place and 1st seed in AL

2. Kansas City Royals(16-15)

   1. Final Projection:87-75 5 seed

   2. April Prediction: 70-92 and 4th place

3. Minnesota Twins:(12-19)

   1. Final Projection:85-77

   2. April Prediction: 92-70 and 2nd place and 4th seed

4. Cleveland Indians(17-14)

   1. Final Projection:85-77

   2. April Prediction: 85-77 and 3rd place

5. Detroit Tigers(9-24)

   1. Final Projection: 55-107

   2. April Prediction: 61-101

Division Standings: AL West

1. Oakland A's(20-114)

   1. Final Projection:95-67 1 Seed

   2. April Prediction: 94-68 and 1st place and 2nd seed

2. Houston Astros(17-15)

   1. Final Projection: 87-75

   2. April Prediction: 85-77 and 4th place

3. Seattle Mariners(18-15)

   1. Final Projection: 81-81

   2. April Prediction: 88-74 and 3rd place

4. LA Angels(14-17)

   1. Final Projection: 80-82

   2. April Projection: 91-71 2nd place and 5th seed

5. Texas Rangers(16-18)

   1. Final Projection: 60-102

   2. April Prediction: 60-102 and 5th place

The biggest surprise comes from the KC Royals, who end up making the playoffs over the Astros because they hold the tiebreaker in the early season matchups.

ALWCS: The Wildcard is going to be a 1-game play-in, as we have seen traditionally. In this ALWCS, we will see the Blue Jays(4) with Hyun-Jin Ryu going against the KC Royals(5) Danny Duffy, an excellent matchup. The offense, however, has to go to George Springer, the breakout of Vlad Jr., and this offense will come together as the season goes on. The Blue Jays win this pitcher's duel 2-0 to advance to play the 1-seed Oakland A's.

ALDS: In round two, we will see the 1-seed vs. the wildcard winner. The Oakland A's will be taking on the Toronto Blue Jays. I love this matchup, and I think we will have a game of 5. Across the board, the pitching, defense, offenses are so close that it's hard to pick an outright winner. However, I will give the edge to the A's because of their experience and savvy vets and their unsung heroes and win the series 3-2.

-The second matchup in the ALDS will see the 2-seed White Sox vs. the 3-seed Red Sox. The battle of the Sox. The White Sox should have both Luis Robert and Eloy Jimenez back for the stretch run. However, the AL RoY, the Yerminator, will be running this show all season long for the White Sox. The Red Sox should swing a trade or two to upgrade their rotation and their pen slightly. The bat of Verdugo and Bogarts is leading the Red Sox. I think this series comes down to if the White Sox can get production from the bats of Robert and Jimenez coming off their injuries. I will give this series to Alex Cora and his managing in a 3-2 series.

ALCS: The ALCS is the best of seven.

We will see the 3-seed Boston Redsox v the 1-seed Oakland A's. Let's break down this matchup just a little deeper.

Rotation- Red Sox(Sale should return)

Bull Pen- Advantage Athletics

Defense- Advantage Athletics

Outfielders- Advantage Red Sox

Infielders- Advantage: TIED( 2B/SS Red Sox, 1B/3B A's)

Difference Makers: The health of the rotations. If Sale returns to full health in July/August, the advantage goes to the Red Sox. If Sale returns but struggles, then the A's will take advantage of the mistakes.

Who Wins?: This series comes down to a game 7; there isn't a chance of otherwise. I think the Red Sox win the first couple, the A's win the next, and then split 5 and 6. Game 7 is up there, but I will give it the A's and send them to the World Series because of how excellent Bob Melvin is as a manager.

Thanks for reading today, I am so grateful for your time reading, and I hope you enjoyed my first Playoff Prediction. I also want to thank my partners over at Repp Sports for RAZE Energy. Thanks to this clean and sufficient energy, I can have the intense focus to deliver content to you guys consistently. Click here to save 15% right now with the code "BALL BOY" at check out.