1 prediction for each AL team in 2023

Prognosticating what will happen during an MLB season that's always filled with twists and turns is a tough assignment. However, the following predictions for each American League club have a good chance of coming to fruition this year.

Angels: Trade Ohtani at deadline

The Angels will fall out of contention again in an improved AL West despite another fruitful offseason. As a result, they'll be forced to deal Shohei Ohtani at the trade deadline before the generational two-way superstar hits free agency after the 2023 campaign. The club will receive some young and controllable assets for Ohtani, who's expected to be at the center of the biggest bidding war in major-league history.

Astros: Javier becomes All-Star

Houston let Justin Verlander walk because its rotation has a ton of depth, including budding star Cristian Javier. The right-hander will make his first All-Star Game this year, building on his impressive 2022 stats. The 25-year-old authored a 2.54 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 194 strikeouts over 148 2/3 innings during his first full season as a starter.

Athletics: Lose most games in AL

Oakland will lead the AL in defeats for a second straight season after a 102-loss campaign in 2022. This will mark the first time since 1964-65 that the club registers 100-plus losses in back-to-back years. The Athletics simply don't have the talent to compete in a division where four teams could finish with records near or above .500.

Blue Jays: Varsho wins 1st Gold Glove

Daulton Varsho is already considered one of the best defensive outfielders in baseball. He ranked in the 99th percentile in outs above average and the 97th percentile in outfield jump last year, according to Baseball Savant. The 26-year-old's contributions will be recognized with his first Gold Glove in 2023. Varsho will also go deep 30 times and swipe 20 bases in what should be a very good first season in Toronto.

Guardians: Bullpen leads AL in fWAR

Cleveland's outstanding relievers will be the most productive in the AL. The group posted the fourth-best fWAR (6.6) mark in the majors in 2022 and will continue to dominate thanks to Emmanuel Clase, James Karinchak, Trevor Stephan, Sam Hentges, and others. The Guardians' bullpen also doesn't have a single pitcher older than 27.

Mariners: J-Rod posts 35-35 season

Julio Rodriguez will cement his status as a superstar by hitting at least 35 homers with 35 stolen bases. A 40-40 season isn't out of the question after he went deep 28 times and stole 25 bags across 132 games during his rookie campaign. The electric outfielder will benefit from the rule changes and will be firmly in the MVP conversation.

Orioles: Rutschman an MVP candidate

Speaking of MVP contenders, Adley Rutschman is primed for a monster season. The AL Rookie of the Year runner-up amassed 5.3 fWAR in just 113 games after Baltimore called him up in late May. It's plausible for the 24-year-old catcher to increase his production in his first full campaign with a young and talented team on the rise. Look for Rutschman to finish top five in MVP voting thanks to 20-25 homers and solid defense behind the plate, resulting in 7.0-plus fWAR.

Rangers: deGrom wins AL Cy Young

Jacob deGrom is the best pitcher in baseball when he's healthy. However, the two-time Cy Young winner only logged a combined 156 1/3 innings (26 starts) over the last two years due to multiple injuries. The right-hander is due for a healthy season and will be the AL's top hurler in his first campaign with Texas.

Rays: Post AL's best team ERA

Tampa Bay owns one of the majors' top pitching staffs, highlighted by a rotation that features Shane McClanahan, Drew Rasmussen, Jeffrey Springs, newcomer Zach Eflin, and a now-healthy Tyler Glasnow. The bullpen also includes top arms like Pete Fairbanks, Jason Adam, and Jalen Beeks. Rays pitchers amassed MLB's fourth-best ERA last season without Eflin and despite extremely limited contributions from Glasnow and Fairbanks.

Red Sox: Finish last in AL East

Boston is staring down another last-place finish in the AL East after an underwhelming offseason that saw longtime stars Xander Bogaerts and J.D. Martinez leave town. The arrivals of Masataka Yoshida, Justin Turner, Corey Kluber, Chris Martin, Kenley Jansen, and Joely Rodriguez won't move the needle much in MLB's deepest division. There's still plenty of uncertainty regarding the Red Sox lineup and rotation.

Royals: Witt posts 30-30 campaign

Kansas City didn't have much to cheer about last year in a sixth consecutive losing season. However, former top prospect Bobby Witt Jr. showed there's hope for the future with 20 homers and 30 steals in his first big-league campaign. The 22-year-old had major pop in the minors and a 30-30 year is coming in 2023.

Tigers: Baez regains All-Star form

Javier Baez endured the worst full season of his career with Detroit after signing a six-year, $140-million pact last offseason. The two-time All-Star went deep 17 times with a .671 OPS in his debut campaign with the Tigers after belting 102 homers with an .819 OPS between 2018-21. He's still a very talented player in his prime. Don't be surprised if 2022 was an outlier for Baez.

Twins: Gallo leads team in HRs

Minnesota feels like the right place for Joey Gallo to resurrect his career after a dreadful 2022 campaign split between the Yankees and Dodgers that saw him slash .160/.280/.357 with 19 homers. Getting out of the spotlight in Minneapolis will give him a boost. The 29-year-old has also gone deep six times with a .954 OPS over 15 games at Target Field, the home of the Twins.

White Sox: Bounce back to win division

Chicago missed the postseason after a tumultuous 2022 that began with World Series aspirations. The team dealt with multiple significant injuries to stars such as Eloy Jimenez, Luis Robert, and Tim Anderson, as well as underperformance by key veterans. Then-manager Tony La Russa's health also made headlines. The White Sox still have a solid rotation, lineup, and bullpen when everybody can stay on the field. The talent is undeniable and the weak AL Central is there for the taking.

Yankees: Highest win total in AL

New York is set to be the toast of the AL after a fantastic offseason. The club brought back reigning MVP Aaron Judge and slugger Anthony Rizzo while significantly improving the rotation by adding star left-hander Carlos Rodon. The Yankees arguably boast the best rotation in baseball with Rodon, Gerrit Cole, Nestor Cortes, Frankie Montas, and Luis Severino. That should lift the Bronx Bombers past an Astros club that lost Verlander.