noti.group’s Mark W. Sanchez previews the AL West:
1. Seattle Mariners
O/U Wins: 89.5
Key Player: Cal Raleigh. It bears repeating: Playing the game’s most consuming and demanding defensive position — a catching spot in which plenty of clubs punt offense — Raleigh challenged Aaron Judge’s AL record in demolishing 60 home runs last season. Is the switch-hitting, butt-having All-Star now one of the premier players and attractions in the game? Or did Raleigh, whose previous career high was 34 home runs, enjoy an aberrational season and return to being a good but not great slugger?
Player who’ll need to step up: George Kirby. Few have developed starting pitching better than Seattle, which has surrounded Luis Castillo with excellent under-30 arms. But Kirby’s ascension was paused last season when he was first sidelined with a shoulder injury, then was shaky in returning to the mound during a season his ERA rose by more than half a run.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
