MLB 2016 Season: 5 Bold Predictions

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Nov 1, 2015; New York City, NY, USA; Kansas City Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas (8) celebrates with first baseman Eric Hosmer (35) after defeating the New York Mets in game five of the World Series at Citi Field. The Royals won the World Series four games to one. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports /

The Royals will miss the playoffs

If the Indians are on the way up, someone has to come down in the AL Central.

The Royals pitching has not necessarily been a strength during their run of dominance, and last year it was what everybody pointed to when saying their 2014 run was a sham, but here we go again.

They don’t have the pitching to hold up to make a run. They seem heavily reliant on Yordano Ventura to be a young emerging ace, but he is erratic with a high walk rate. You look at the rest of the rotation and see Edinson Volquez, who clearly pitched over his head last year, especially in the playoffs. Then you have Chris Young at 37 years old coming off of a year with only 18 starts, as he was relied on as a bullpen option last year. Kris Medlen is also in a rotation for the first time since 2013 after only pitching 58 innings last year.

The lineup was able to survive a down year from Alex Gordon as well as a midsummer DL stint. However, a lot of that had to do with Ben Zobrist and his acquisition at the trade deadline. He is now gone, leaving to join the Cubs.

They still have a strong lineup and should have a good defense, but they do have flaws. With the earlier prediction on the Indians, and the Detroit Tigers adding in the offseason it is safe to say the division rivals are coming. They seemed to have a chip on their shoulder last year, and if they have a bit of a hangover this year, it may catch them in a wide open American League.

Next: Gerrit Cole will win the NL Cy Young

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