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

The American League Central is the most bland, unexceptional, and dissatisfying division in baseball, which is tremendously irritating to the entire division’s fandom. Four AL Central teams will triumphantly fail to make the playoffs, and one will win by default.

If your team competes in the AL Central, you’re used to this being the most turbulent division in baseball. For years, it was typically a battle between the two teams that fell apart the least after the All-Star break. No AL Central team has taken the division without a late September push, and it is always a down-to-the-wire fight, and 94 wins will almost guarantee the division.

As it currently stands, that looks like what will go down this September. The Opening Day projections had the Twins and Guardians taking it down to late September for a photo finish for the division. So let’s look at May’s bold prediction for each team in the AL Central, starting with the Royals.

Kansas City Royals bold prediction: Trades before the deadline

At 7-21, it is a dumpster fire at Kauffman Stadium every time the Royals take the field. Kansas City sits at the bottom of the MLB stat column in both batting average (.218) and OPS (.621), while lurking at second from the bottom in homers, runs, and RBI. They are in the bottom five in almost every statistical category.

While the Royals are building for the future and dwelling in the AL Central cellar, one thing is certain: They will be shopping their bullpen for young talent to add to Vinnie Pasquantino, Bobby Witt Jr., and MJ Melendez. That’s a bright, good-looking core three to build on.

The Royals will move Aroldis Chapman, Amir Garrett, and Brad Keller before the trade deadline. They are a prime shop for any contending team looking to bolster their bullpen. They will get a few young players in trade this year that, along with prospects Cayden Wallace, Beck Way and Gavin Cross, will go on to build a team that will dominate the AL Central in years to come.

In May, the bold prediction for the Royals is that their relief pitchers will yield Tampa Bay’s shortstop prospect Carson Williams and the Blue Jays left-hander Ricky Tiedemann in trades before the deadline. Also, they will be one of the three worst teams in baseball.

Better luck in the future, Royals.