AL Central roundtable: Taking stock of the division’s contenders in a wide-open AL

May 22, 2025 7:00 am EDT

By Dan Hayes, Zack Meisel and Cody Stavenhagen

It’s rivalry week in the surprisingly good American League Central.

After splitting a pair of rain-slogged games with the Twins in Minneapolis, the Guardians open a four-game series at the Tigers on Thursday night. Meanwhile, the Royals are set to face the Twins three times at Target Field starting Friday night.

With four of the AL Central’s five teams firmly in the playoff picture, The Athletic’s Dan Hayes, Zack Meisel and Cody Stavenhagen discussed the race.

Meisel: The AL Central, the motley crew of five midwest misfits has, for years, been the subject of jokes, criticism and eye rolls. Even when the Guardians, Tigers and Royals advanced to the postseason in 2024 — and each won a series — it was the White Sox and the sorriest season in league history that emerged as the top storyline to come out of the division.

But this isn’t your slightly older sibling’s Central. This is a group out to prove it can once again populate the AL playoff field. This is a division wreaking havoc on its counterparts… or something like that, and through an admittedly small sample of about 30 percent of the season.

The White Sox are no longer the face of baseball ineptitude, thanks to the high-altitude, low-aptitude Rockies. And the other four teams? Well, if the playoffs started today, they would claim four of the six AL postseason berths.

The Tigers have been a runaway train, steamrolling their way to the best record in the sport. The Guardians, Twins and Royals are mostly doing what they did last year. So as Cleveland and Detroit begin a four-game set and the Twins host the Royals for three, let’s check in on the state of affairs in the powerhouse AL Central.

Hayes: Rainouts aside, this is a fun division. Has anyone mentioned to you guys there have been an excessive amount of rainouts or rain delays this season? If not, I’ve got a PowerPoint ready to go.

Stavenhagen: I remember when you guys used to do these and the Tigers were so bad that I didn’t even get invited. Well, times have changed. The Tigers are off to a roaring start — and much of it looks like it could be for real. But I have questions for both of you. Zack: The Guardians have a winning record despite a minus-17 run differential. What is going on there? And Dan, for as good as the Tigers’ pitching is, the Twins rank above them with a 3.20 team ERA. What’s going on with the pitching staff in Minnesota?

Hayes: It’s all about the strikeout to walk ratio. The Twins throw more strikes than anyone and don’t sacrifice command to do it. Entering Wednesday, the Twins led the majors with 3.66 strikeouts for every walk they’ve issued. Joe Ryan and Pablo López are having strong seasons. Bailey Ober has a 2.40 ERA over his last nine starts. Though his first two starts were poor, Chris Paddack has been solid since. And the rotation is backed by a group of relievers who also feature a lot of swing-and-miss and don’t walk many. Even though they’re only 18th in the league in innings pitched, Twins relievers lead all of baseball by 0.5 WAR with 3.1, according to FanGraphs.

But we knew, coming into the season, this group could be very good and would benefit from all of last year’s injuries because the Twins now feature tremendous depth. What we still don’t know is if the Twins can hit well enough to support the pitching. They have for about a month now. But the offense will determine how far they go.
Joe Ryan has a 2.68 ERA and 0.81 WHIP. (Stephen Maturen / Getty Images)

Meisel: Well, the Guardians’ offense is slightly below average (96 OPS+) and the pitching is slightly below average (97 ERA+) and so that equates to a team that… inexplicably has a winning record.

They’re probably the most difficult team in this division to figure out, and that’s coming from someone who examines their every inning. The lineup is a couple of bats short. By wRC+, the Guardians rank second-to-last in the league in production from their right fielders, third-worst from their shortstops and worst from their center fielders. The imminent return of Lane Thomas should help a bit, and David Fry’s return in a couple of weeks should be a boost, but those two aren’t enough to overhaul an offense that desperately needs support for José Ramírez and Steven Kwan.

How familiar is the rest of the AL Central with Daniel Schneemann? He has been Cleveland’s third-best hitter this season, which has, for now, earned him the starting second base job. Two and a half years ago, he was a 25-year-old at Double A with a .578 OPS.
Daniel Schneemann has a 137 OPS+ in 110 plate appearances this season. (James A. Pittman / Imagn Images)

The Guardians have wasted a lot of quality starting pitching lately. Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams and Luis Ortiz started slow, but we’re finally seeing signs the rotation could regain its customary status as the team’s backbone. That’s a necessary step, because at the moment, this team doesn’t really have an identity. The back end of the bullpen remains a strength, but the group as a whole is a far cry from the historically dominant bunch it was last year.

Cleveland needs to find some reinforcements for its lineup. That’s been the separator in Detroit, it seems.

Hayes: Cody, what’s been the key to Detroit’s young bats finally taking the next step?

Stavenhagen: Let’s sort by wRC+. The Tigers entered Wednesday with Riley Greene (147), Spencer Torkelson (143) and Kerry Carpenter (132) as their leaders. I’ve been trying to tell people for a long time that Greene is as good as almost anyone when healthy. He was an All-Star last year and is putting it all together in a big way this season, particularly since the start of May. Carpenter crushes right-handed pitching, but that’s hardly news. Torkelson has been the surprise. He was pushed to the edge of the roster this spring when the Tigers signed Gleyber Torres and intended to move Colt Keith to first base. Instead, a series of tiny adjustments have Torkelson playing more like the hitter he was drafted to be. The Tigers needed right-handed help this offseason. They got it from a player they already had on their roster.

Torres, too, has given the Tigers steady at-bats and seems comfortable in Detroit after years of being both overshadowed and harshly scrutinized in New York.​​ The Tigers also wouldn’t be where they are without unexpected contributions from the likes of Zack McKinstry (130 wRC+), Javier Báez (125) and Dillon Dingler (122). I’m not sure those performances are as sustainable, but the Tigers are about to get two key players back from injuries in Parker Meadows and Matt Vierling. They’ve developed some high-end talent, got some pleasant surprises and also cultivated useful depth.

Coming into the year, I actually thought the Royals might be the team to beat. How are we feeling about KC?

Hayes: Any team featuring Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez always needs to be respected. Now, Maikel Garcia is having a breakout season and Vinnie Pasquantino really hasn’t hit just yet.

But one thing the Royals had all season last year was outstanding health in the starting rotation. Last week, Seth Lugo and Cole Ragans hit the injured list at the same time, something Kansas City didn’t deal with at all during their impressive 2024 season. How they handle this next few weeks will be key.
Seth Lugo is on the IL with a finger sprain in his throwing hand. (Nic Antaya / Getty Images)

Any final thoughts?

Stavenhagen: Another thing I said before the year: The talent levels in this division are equal enough that it might come down to who stays healthy. The Tigers are padding their lead and continue to look like they’re for real. But to keep these other teams at bay, they’ll need Greene and Carpenter to stay healthy and avoid any more injuries to their rotation.

Meisel: The American League as a whole feels wide open this season. There are a ton of teams buzzing around the .500 mark. There’s no reason the Central can’t send someone to the World Series. Of course, that’s a conversation for the fall (though the weather in Minneapolis and Detroit this week sure feels like playoff weather). I’m looking forward to another four months of these four teams beating up on each other — and, of course, on the White Sox.

Hayes: It is definitely strange to be speaking optimistically about the teams in this division. Should make for an interesting summer — whenever that weather arrives. Please, please, please let the weather arrive soon.

Guardians’ long-standing black hole in right field, and who could maybe, finally, fix it May 14, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians center fielder Nolan Jones (22) fails to catch a home run hit by Milwaukee Brewers right fielder Sal Frelick (not pictured) during the fifth inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
By Zack Meisel

May 23, 2025 6:00 am EDT

DETROIT — How pronounced is the Guardians’ long-standing black hole in right field? Consider the three players with the most starts in right field for the club since the start of the 2013 campaign.

No. 1: A third baseman-turned-platoon outfielder who hasn’t appeared in a game in seven years.

No. 2: A platoon player who arrived two years ago and has already lost his grip on the job.

No. 3: A former platoon player who is now a pitcher in the Guardians’ system.

The team hasn’t been able to unearth a steady solution at the spot since Shin-Soo Choo patrolled right field. Cleveland has started a different right fielder on Opening Day each of the last 14 years: Choo, Drew Stubbs, David Murphy, Brandon Moss, Collin Cowgill, Abraham Almonte, Lonnie Chisenhall, Tyler Naquin, Domingo Santana, Josh Naylor, Steven Kwan, Will Brennan, Ramón Laureano and Jhonkensy Noel. Since the start of 2013, Cleveland’s right fielders rank 26th in fWAR, 27th in wRC+ and 27th in OPS. No one has made 200 starts at the position.

It’s long been a land of platoon bats, repositioned infielders and patchwork free-agent signings. And with Nolan Jones and Noel floundering for the first two months of the 2025 season, it’s once again a problem area for a team desperate for offense.

Center field hasn’t been much steadier, by the way. Myles Straw is the only player to start in center on Opening Day in consecutive seasons in that same time frame. As for left field, Kwan and Michael Brantley have at least made one outfield spot a source of reliability.

Before we assess the Guardians’ future in right field, let’s venture down memory (nightmare?) lane and revisit the short-lived next great hopes, the free-agent follies and other reminders of the organization’s most glaring deficiency.
Most starts in RF for CLE, 2013-2025
Lonnie Chisenhall

196
Will Brennan

159
Tyler Naquin

125
David Murphy

119
Oscar Gonzalez

109
Drew Stubbs

86
Ryan Raburn

77
Brandon Moss

77
Brandon Guyer

71
Melky Cabrera

65

2012: Four different starters, led by Choo with 151 starts … third among the league’s 30 teams in wRC+ (weighted runs created, a way to measure total offensive output relative to the rest of the league) by right fielders.

With apologies to Aaron Cunningham (eight starts), Thomas Neal (two) and Vinny Rottino (one, but an incredible walk-up song: the “Godfather” theme), this was Choo’s domain, where he thrived for five seasons, until Cleveland traded him to the Reds ahead of his contract year.

The hope: They landed Terry Francona in October and dealt Choo two months later, but they wanted to reinvest, with designs to (at least attempt to) win under their new manager. Enter Stubbs and Nick Swisher.
Cleveland hasn’t been able to unearth a steady solution in right field since Shin-Soo Choo patrolled the outfield. (J. Meric / Getty Images)

2013: Six different starters, led by Stubbs with 86 … 14th in wRC+

Stubbs slid over to right when the club signed Michael Bourn to cover center. Ryan Raburn spent some time in right. Swisher mostly manned first base, but was an option in right as well. Jason Kubel, Ezequiel Carrera and Matt “Crash” Carson made cameos, too.

The hope: Swisher and Raburn were in tow, but they needed a free agent to replace Stubbs. How about Murphy?

2014: Nine different starters, led by Murphy with 109 … 29th in wRC+

Remember Tyler Holt? How about Chris Dickerson or JB Shuck or Zach Walters or Chris Johnson, who missed time after a spider bite? Murphy was a tick below league-average at the plate.

The hope: Murphy had one more year remaining on his contract, but there was hope on the horizon with a couple of first-round picks in Naquin and Clint Frazier.

2015: Seven different starters, led by Moss with 77 … 26th in wRC+

Ten years ago, Cleveland fans spent several weeks chanting, “Jerry, Jerry,” as Jerry Sands delivered a handful of pivotal hits (but finished with a .676 OPS). Moss was a much-ballyhooed addition who fell short of expectations and was dumped midseason, as was Murphy.

The hope: With Bourn and Swisher booted from the roster, it was time to build a new outfield around Brantley. Chisenhall made the switch from third base, Naquin was on the cusp, and, hey, maybe that José Ramírez kid could help in a pinch.

2016: Nine different starters, led by Chisenhall with 99 … 25th in wRC+

Cowgill started on Opening Day, with lefty David Price on the mound for Boston. Cowgill totaled 12 at-bats for the club. Marlon Byrd handled the position until he was popped for PEDs and vanished. There was a sprinkling of Almonte, Michael Martínez and Brandon Guyer. Naquin settled in center, along with Rajai Davis. Oh, and this team nearly won the World Series.

The hope: Chisenhall and Guyer seemed like the perfect pairing, like a ribeye and a glass of cabernet.

2017: Eight different starters, led by Jay Bruce with 40 … 15th in wRC+

This lineup was loaded, but right field was a bit messy. Almonte, Chisenhall, Guyer and Austin Jackson all shared reps. Does the name Daniel Robertson ring a bell? He started 13 games in right. He’s now the bench coach at Triple-A Columbus. Even Carlos Santana moonlighted as a right fielder during interleague play so Edwin Encarnacion could play first base. When Brantley suffered an ankle injury in August, Cleveland traded for Bruce, who was a brilliant fit, highlighted by his walk-off hit to secure the club’s final win during its 22-game streak that summer.

The hope: The team was stacked. Surely it could find someone.
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AL Central
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With four of the AL Central’s five teams firmly in the playoff picture, we discuss the race.

2018: Six different starters, led by Melky Cabrera with 65 … 21st in wRC+

Right field was perhaps the greatest weakness on a talented roster. Cabrera was sitting at home when Cleveland called in late April. The team cut him in mid-June and then brought him back a few weeks later to occupy right, even though he had the defensive range of a cactus. This was the end of the Chisenhall/Guyer platoon. Surely you recall that Brandon Barnes started a game in right in September.

The hope: Naquin and a to-be-acquired platoon partner would have to be the answer.

2019: Seven different starters, led by Naquin with 60 … 14th in wRC+

Welcome to the Summer of Puig. Jordan Luplow joined the roster and annihilated lefties. Franmil Reyes and Yasiel Puig arrived at the trade deadline. Things were looking up.

The hope: If Reyes could boost his agility, he would be the long-term solution. (That would become an annual refrain.) Or, at least, he could partner with Naquin so he’s not a full-time DH.

2020: Five different starters (in only 60 games), led by Naquin with 32 … 28th in wRC+

Domingo Santana, we hardly knew ye. The club bailed on the free-agent signee midway through the shortened season after he mustered a .583 OPS. With Naquin, Luplow, Reyes, Delino DeShields, Oscar Mercado, Bradley Zimmer and Naylor, Cleveland had plenty of outfield candidates.

The hope: Naylor was acquired to lock down right field, leaving left and center as the more pressing questions.

2021: Seven different starters, led by Naylor with 50 … 14th in wRC+

Naylor wrecked his leg in late June, ending his season. Zimmer transformed into a hulking slugger in his absence. Remember Harold Ramírez and Daniel Johnson? They had brief chances, too.

The hope: With Naylor’s status a concern, it was again time for Reyes to prove reliable in the outfield.

2022: Nine different starters, led by Oscar Gonzalez with 82 … ninth in wRC+

The guy with the “SpongeBob SquarePants” theme as his walk-up song certainly wasn’t the plan for right field, but he seized his opportunity and delivered a couple of October walk-offs. Jones debuted. Mercado said goodbye. Kwan burst onto the scene but quickly shifted to left. Naylor moved to first to protect his leg, and Reyes played his way off the roster. In a year of 17 rookie debuts, Alex Call, Brennan and Will Benson all surfaced.

The hope: In case Gonzalez’s production wasn’t sustainable, there was plenty of depth with Brennan, Jones and Benson — you know, as long as they traded the right guys.

2023: Six different starters, led by Brennan with 88 … 28th in wRC+

This season marked the downfall of Gonzalez, the arrival of Laureano and the final big-league breaths for Kole Calhoun. In the end, the club once again lacked a sufficient answer in right.

The hope: Brennan, even after an uninspiring rookie season, was the guy, with Laureano as his right-handed partner.

2024: Ten different starters, led by Brennan with 65 … 20th in wRC+

By the end of the season, Brennan and Noel were a tandem. Laureano and Estevan Florial started the season on the roster, but neither made it past Memorial Day.

The hope: Noel, the postseason hero, just needed a platoon partner. Brennan seemed to be the likeliest choice.

2025: Four different starters in 49 games, led by Jones with 26 … 28th in wRC+

At last, we have arrived at the present. Jones is out of minor-league options, which buys him more time to convert sexy underlying metrics into substantial production. So far, that hasn’t happened, and there are a few prospects knocking on the door. C.J. Kayfus has shifted to first base to right field at Triple A, all to widen his potential path to the majors. Chase DeLauter, recovered from an abdominal injury, has joined him in Columbus. Both should force their way to Cleveland at some point this summer, even if Jones turns it around. George Valera should eventually lurk at Triple A, too.

The hope: Once again, promising prospects have risen to the forefront of this equation. Kayfus could wind up at first in the long run, but his recent exposure to right field can only help. If DeLauter can stay healthy — a Terminal Tower-sized if — he’s done nothing but hit as a professional. Should he need a platoon partner, Noel and Johnathan Rodriguez are hanging around, though Noel has had a rotten two months. Juan Brito, a second baseman by trade, also saw time in right last season.