Baltimore Orioles aiming for another AL East title

EAST DIVISION

Baltimore Orioles

2014: 96-66, first place. Last year in playoffs: 2014.

Baltimore led baseball in home runs last season with little help from Manny Machado and Matt Wieters. If both play this season — Wieters will open on the DL — that could ease the loss of Nelson Cruz (40 HRs). It won’t mean much, though, if Wei-Yin Chen (16-6) and Bud Norris (15-8) don’t build on or repeat career-best seasons.

LF A. De Aza

3B M. Machado

CF A. Jones

1B C. Davis

DH S. Pearce

SS J.J. Hardy*

RF T. Snider

C M. Wieters*

2B J. Schoop

Rotation

RH C. Tillman

LH W. Chen

RH M. Gonzalez

RP B. Norris

RH K. Gausman

Closer

LH Z. Britton

2. Toronto Blue Jays

2014: 83-79, third place. Last year in playoffs: 1993.

Russell Martin has played in more postseason games than the rest of the Blue Jays combined. Toronto is counting on his experience and leadership — at the plate and behind it — to end the team’s 21-year playoff drought, longest in the majors.

SS J. Reyes

C R. Martin

RF J. Bautista

DH E. Encarnacion

3B J. Donaldson

1B J. Smoak

LF K. Pillar

CF D. Pompey

2B D. Travis

Rotation

RH D. Hutchinson

RH R.A. Dickey

LH D. Norris

LH M. Buehrle

RH A. Sanchez

Closer

LH B. Cecil

3. Boston Red Sox

2014: 71-91, fifth place. Last year in playoffs: 2013.

The lineup is old and one-dimensional, so pitching will be the key for the Red Sox, who haven’t made the playoffs since 1999 without at least three starters winning 11 or more games. Boston will also need a big year from 40-year-old closer Koji Uehara, who could miss opening day because of a hamstring injury.

CF M. Betts

2B D. Pedroia

DH D. Ortiz

LF H. Ramirez

3B P. Sandoval

1B M. Napoli

RF S. Victorino

SS. X. Bogaerts

C R. Hanigan

Rotation

RH C. Buchholz

RH R. Porcello

RH B. Masterson

LH W. Miley

RH J. Kelly*

Closer

RH K. Uehara*

4. New York Yankees

2014: 84-78, second place. Last year in playoffs: 2012.

Didi Gregorius, who has the unenviable task of replacing Derek Jeter, is the only projected starter younger than 30. Nathan Eovaldi is the only pitcher who made more than 20 starts in 2014. Add in the Alex Rodriguez circus and the longest playoff drought in the Bronx in 20 years figures to continue.

CF J. Ellsbury

LF B. Gardner

RF C. Beltran

1B M. Teixeira

C B. McCann

3B C. Headley

DH A. Rodriguez

2B S. Drew

SS D. Gregorius*

Rotation

RH M. Tanaka

RH M. Pineda

LH C. Sabathia

R N. Eovaldi

RH A. Warren

Closer

RH D. Betances/LH A. Miller

5. Tampa Bay Rays

2014: 77-85, fourth place. Last year in playoffs: 2013.

The Rays’ best pitcher, Alex Cobb, will start the season on the DL. But at least he’s still with the team. Gone is All-Star Matt Joyce, former rookie of the year Jeremy Hellickson, manager Joe Maddon and GM Andrew Friedman. Without a new stadium deal, everyone else might soon be leaving Tampa too.

DH J. Jaso

2B L. Forsythe

SS A Cabrera

3B E. Longoria

1B J. Loney

LF D. Jennings

CF K. Kiermaier

RF B. Guyer

C R. Rivera

Rotation

RH C. Archer

RH J. Odorizzi

RH N. Karns

RH A. Cobb*

LH D. Smyly*

Closer

RH B. Boxberger