Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press
Chicago White Sox
Current Record: 79-57
Projected Win Total: 91.5
Current Projected Win Total: 93
The Chicago White Sox have run away with the AL Central.
Despite some hiccups against the Athletics and Rays in mid-August, the White Sox possessed a 9.5-game lead over Cleveland heading into Saturday.
The White Sox have a clear path to 92 wins since Oakland and Boston are the only teams left on the schedule that are in the postseason hunt.
The only concern regarding the White Sox’s win total is how much they rest their top players ahead of the postseason.
Chicago should clinch the AL Central before the final week of the regular season, and it may be more cautious with its stars since Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert spent time on the injured list and Tim Anderson, Lance Lynn and Lucas Giolito are all currently sidelined.
The White Sox have a 33-33 road record, and they have an 11-game road swing against Texas, Detroit and Cleveland in which they could drop some unexpected results while not at full strength.
Tony La Russa’s team will win the division, but it will be a sweat to get to 92 wins.
Prediction: Under
Cleveland
Current Record: 67-66
Preseason Projected Win Total: 81.5
Current Projected Win Total: 81
For Cleveland to reach its win total, it needs to keep up its strong record against the AL Central.
Cleveland holds a 35-22 division record, which is only two games worse than the White Sox.
There are 19 divisional games left on Cleveland’s slate. The five that are against the White Sox come at Progressive Field, where it has a 35-30 mark.
Cleveland’s pitching should be the key to reaching that total. Since August 15, it held opponents to three runs or fewer in nine of its victories.
Prediction: Over
Detroit Tigers
Current Record: 64-73
Projected Win Total: 68.5
Current Projected Win Total: 75
Detroit’s form on the diamond has slowed down, but it has done more than enough to reach its projected win total from the start of the season.
The Tigers reeled off a seven-game winning streak out of the All-Star break, and they had another three-game winning run at the end of July.
Since then, Detroit has only won more than two games in a row once, and it is competing for third place in the AL Central.
The goal for the Tigers is to play well in September to create momentum ahead of the 2022 season, when top prospect Spencer Torkelson could arrive and the young pitchers will carry more experience.
Prediction: Over
Kansas City Royals
Current Record: 60-75
Projected Win Total: 72.5
Current Projected Win Total: 73
Kansas City set a blistering pace in April by posting a 15-9 record.
Over the last few months, the only thing about the Royals that has been consistently hot is Salvador Perez’s bat.
Kansas City will face a tough time getting to 73 wins to hit the over because of the 14 road games it faces in September.
Kansas City has one of the worst road records in the American League at 27-40. The road games are not difficult, with Baltimore and Minnesota on the docket, but the Royals were swept on their travels by Cleveland and Texas earlier in the summer.
Prediction: Under
Minnesota Twins
Current Record: 58-77
Projected Win Total: 88.5
Current Projected Win Total: 72
If you bet Minnesota’s under, you have already cashed your ticket.
The Twins’ trade deadline firesale allowed that ticket to safely cash.
Minnesota won more than two games in a row once since the start of August, and the Twins lost four of their last five games.
The Twins appear destined to land at the bottom of the AL Central because they have eyes on next season, and they face the Blue Jays on seven occasions on top of their regular divisional foes.
Prediction: Under
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