
Predicting the rest of the American League roster
The rest of the teams in the junior circuit all will have more than one representative. We’ll look at who each is and why they’re in.
Boston Red Sox: Rafael Devers (2.9 WAR), Mookie Betts (2.9 WAR) – Devers finally is reaching his potential, hitting .322 and 12 home runs, while Betts has recovered after a slow start as the pair lead their team back into the playoff race.
New York Yankees: Gary Sanchez (2.5 WAR) D.J. LeMahieu (3.6 WAR), and Aroldis Chapman (1.1 WAR) – The Yankees have been a rotating door of players this year due to injuries, but these three players have stuck above the rest. Sanchez has 23 homers, Mahieu leads the AL in batting average, and Chapman leads the AL in saves, making their respective cases very clear.
Cleveland Indians: Carlos Santana (2.9 WAR) and Fransisco Lindor (2.3 WAR) – Santana is in the middle of a renaissance year. his .290 BA, 18 homers, .950 OPS represent career high paces. Lindor was out for a chunk of the first half, but has rebounded well and the pair will represent the city well.
Chicago White Sox: James McCann (3.1 WAR) and Lucas Giolito (3.2 WAR) – The surprising Sox have been lead by a pair of surprising stars. McCann currently sports a .327 BA and a .914 OPS, two numbers that rank among the best for catchers. Giolito has been even better, sporting a 10-2 record, a 2.87 ERA, and is one of the top Cy Young contenders.
Texas Rangers: Mike Minor (5.5 WAR), Joey Gallo (3.3 WAR), and Hunter Pence (1.4 WAR) – Minor has been one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball, sporting his 8-4 record and 2.40 ERA, while Gallo and Pence have mashed a total of 34 first half home runs, keeping Texas in the playoff hunt.
Houston Astros: George Springer (2.6 WAR), Michael Brantley (2.4 WAR), Alex Bregman (4.1 WAR), Justin Verlander (3.8 WAR), and Gerrit Cole (1.7 WAR) – The Astros are one of the most electric teams in the league, and Springer, Brantley, Bregman, Verlander, and Cole all prove how good this team is.