AL Championship: Buy or Sell Biggest Contenders

The MLB trade deadline has passed, with the home stretch beginning for the championship contenders. The AL has been a roller coaster of a season, with plenty of teams pushing their chips all in to bolster their postseason success chances. As the field presents itself, here are our buy-or-sell verdicts on the strongest AL contenders.Texas Rangers (+330)

The Texas Rangers had the most active trade deadline of any major league club and now sit tied with the Rays to win the AL. Adding Max Scherzer and Jordan Montgomery was a significant get as not only do they add considerable talents to their already strong starting rotation, they can extend their rotation and allow themselves to have a well-rested group come playoff time. Offensively, this lineup is as deep as it gets in the AL. Of the ten players who’ve appeared in at least 70 games this season, nine are betting north of .265. This team is for real and is my favorite to advance to the World Series.

Verdict: Buy

I don’t understand why the Rays are still getting major love. After a historic start of the season, beginning 13-0 and later 30-9, the Rays have been completely blah since, going 38-36. They are still an excellent team, but I don’t consider them in the same class as the Rangers, Astros, and Orioles. Offensively, many of the top hitters have regressed throughout the season, and on the mound, everything is falling apart. Shane McClanahan is flying to LA to meet with Dr. Neal ElAttrache, the Tommy John specialist, about his forearm tightness, with Tyler Glasnow being scratched from his start due to back spasms. I’m not high on this team in the slightest down the stretch, so I’ll fade them any chance.

Verdict: Sell

The reigning World Series champions made the biggest deal of the trade deadline, re-acquiring Justin Verlander from the Mets. The Astros have been a sleeping giant all season long, remaining second behind the Rangers in the AL West while continually racking up wins to position themselves for a chance at the top wild-card spot. Whether you think it’s by banging trash cans or not, the Houston Astros know how to win in the postseason. With a championship core leading the way at the plate, and a rotation led by Verlander and Framber Valdez, the Astros are sitting right where they want to be as the playoffs approach.

Verdict: Buy… but not more than the Rangers

The Baltimore Orioles have been the best story from this MLB season so far and are now tied with the Atlanta Braves with the most wins in baseball. Sitting first in the AL, the oddsmakers are still not buying their postseason vitality as they sit fourth in the odds. Say what you want about their youth, but this team keeps winning. Everyone contributes at the plate, and the starting rotation leads the way for an elite bullpen to bring home the W. While everyone is waiting for them to regress, they keep winning. At +500, they are worth some coin.

Verdict: Buy

After the top four, there is a bit of a gap leading to the Toronto Blue Jays (+850) and Minnesota Twins (+1000). Toronto could be a dangerous team in the wild card that can make noise led by a loaded lineup and reliable pitching staff. They’ve had the second-best record in the American League since June 1, only behind the O’s. They could warrant a play if you lack confidence in the rest of the field. The Minnesota Twins are being completely dismissed, and that’s justified. The AL Central is the weakest division in baseball, and there is not much about the Twins’ offense or pitching staff to write home about.

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