The Post’s Joel Sherman previews the AL Central.
1. Cleveland Guardians
O/U wins: 86.5
Key player: Josh Bell. Despite winning the AL Central, Cleveland had the majors’ second-fewest homers last season and the second-lowest OPS from the DH spot. Their first free-agent choice to change that combo was Jose Abreu, who instead signed with Houston. For two years at $33 million, the Guardians signed Bell, who despite being 6-foot-4, 260 pounds, isn’t a pure power hitter (he hit 17 last year, when he started the season very well for Washington, then was not so good for San Diego after he was traded). He will be asked to hit cleanup and protect Jose Ramirez.
Player who’ll need to step up: Oscar Gonzalez. The right fielder was not a touted prospect when he was called up last May 26. But he put together a strong debut with a 125 OPS-plus in 91 games and a couple of huge playoff moments versus the Rays and Yankees. Is the righty hitter for real?
Name you’ll get to know: Bo Naylor. The catcher was one of 17 players who made their MLB debut for the Guardians last year when they had the youngest average age in the majors. Mike Zunino was signed to replace Austin Hedges at catcher, but Naylor is part of still a deep system that promises to impact this season.
Biggest question mark: Will youth continue to be served? Cleveland had 506 more plate appearances from players 25 and under than any other team in 2022. Zunino is projected to be the only position player over 30 years old on the Opening Day roster.
Guardians manager Terry FranconaGetty ImagesHow it’ll go down: Manager Terry Francona is a terrific manipulator of a lineup and bullpen, and he will get to do that maneuvering around a rotation fronted by Shane Bieber, Triston McKenzie (who was recently shut down with a muscle strain) and Cal Quantrill. In a weak division, that again could be enough to win it.
2. Minnesota Twins
O/U wins: 84.5
Key player: Pablo Lopez. The Twins traded AL batting champion Luis Arraez to the Marlins to land the right-hander. Minnesota has traded for all five members of its rotation — Lopez, Sonny Gray, Kenta Maeda, Tyler Mahle and Joe Ryan. That could be a strong group, particularly if there is across-the-board health (a big question, especially concerning Maeda and Mahle) and if Lopez can pitch as he did in the first half last year (2.86 ERA), and not as he did in the second half (4.97).
Player who’ll need to step up: Byron Buxton. He often is described as a great player, but you can’t spell player without p-l-a-y and the oft-injured Buxton has played more than 92 games in a season just once in his career. He is coming off September knee surgery and was slow-played in spring training. Minnesota obtained Michael A. Taylor to play some center so Buxton can DH occasionally and not abuse his body as much. The Twins will be a different team if he bats 500-plus times — which he last did in 2017.
Twins outfielder Byron BuxtonGetty ImagesName you’ll get to know: Edouard Julien. The past two seasons the lefty-swinging infielder led the minors in walks (208) and on-base percentage (.437). The question is whether he has a position with which Minnesota will be comfortable. His bat, though, should get him to the majors in 2023.
Biggest question mark: What is up with Carlos Correa’s lower right leg? He suffered a fractured fibula while playing at the High-A level in 2014. In the majors, he has never missed significant time with a lower right leg problem despite having a plate inserted. Yet both the Giants (after agreeing to a $350 million pact) and the Mets (after agreeing to a $315 million deal) failed him on his physical, concerned about the long-term viability of his leg. The Twins stepped in for six years at $200 million. Is that a great deal or did Minnesota buy a time bomb?
How it’ll go down: The Twins were 57-50 and led the AL Central by two games through Aug. 6 last year. They finished in third at 78-84, 14 games back, after injuries and an imploding bullpen doomed them. Their free-agent signings were all positional (Correa, Christian Vazquez, Joey Gallo and Donovan Solano) and their big trade was for a starting pitcher (Lopez). Can Buxton and Correa combine for 1,000-plus plate appearances and 10-plus Wins Above Replacement to help right arguably the most underachieving team in the AL the past two years?
3. Chicago White Sox
O/U wins: 82.5
Key player: Lucas Giolito. The right-hander had a 129 ERA-plus in 72 starts from 2019-21. Last year, in 30 starts, he had an 81 ERA-plus (4.90 ERA). He is in his walk year. Can he return to join Dylan Cease and Lance Lynn for a strong rotation trio?
White Sox pitcher Lucas GiolitoGetty ImagesPlayer who’ll need to step up: Yoan Moncada. Yasmani Grandal and Moncada were well-paid 2022 duds. Grandal’s contract concludes after this season. Moncada, though, is still owed $29 million beyond 2023. So the White Sox need a lot more than the .212 average, .273 on-base percentage and 26.3 strikeout percentage their third baseman had in 2022.
Name you’ll get to know: Oscar Colas. Despite just seven Triple-A games, the lefty swinger looks like he will be the White Sox’s right fielder from the outset of the season. At three levels last year, Colas hit a combined .314 with an .895 OPS. He would go to one outfield corner, free-agent signee Andrew Benintendi to the other and Andrew Vaughn would come in from the outfield to play first base for long-time stalwart Jose Abreu, who signed with Houston.
Biggest question mark: What is the impact of removing manager Tony La Russa? Owner Jerry Reinsdorf’s two-year reunion with his friend La Russa did not go well. Will Pedro Grifol bring a greater crispness and unity to a talented, but underachieving group?
How it’ll go down: There is significant talent, with Benintendi added to Tim Anderson, Cease and Luis Robert. But too often the White Sox have played like solo artists, not a unified band.
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4. Detroit Tigers
O/U wins: 69.5
Key player: Javier Baez. The Tigers averaged the fewest runs (3.4) last season, and it was the whole lineup’s fault — they had 15 players with at least 125 plate appearances and just one (Eric Haase) with a positive OPS-plus (115). But only one Tiger, Baez, received a six-year, $140 million contract. Even hitting .293 with an .831 OPS in a meaningless September in Detroit only raised Baez’s overall numbers to a dismal .238 and .671.
Player who’ll need to step up: Spencer Torkelson. A preseason Rookie of the Year frontrunner, the first pick in the 2020 draft tanked in 2022 with a .203 average and eight homers. The Tigers are still hoping there is a version of Paul Konerko waiting to emerge.
Name you’ll get to know: Wilmer Flores. No, not that Wilmer Flores, though this one is actually the former Met’s brother though they have the same first name. The Tigers’ Wilmer Flores is a righty starting pitcher and has a chance to work his way into the rotation at some point this year.
Biggest question mark: How much are they going to get out of four top-five picks in a row from 2018-2021 — Casey Mize, Riley Greene, Torkelson and Jackson Jobe? The rebuilding was going so poorly that Alex Avila was removed as head of baseball operations and replaced with Scott Harris.
How it’ll go down: Can they find competence in Miguel Cabrera’s final season while essentially not playing Miguel Cabrera? A successful season would include Mize and Tarik Skubal returning from significant arm surgeries to reestablish themselves in the rotation.
5. Kansas City Royals
O/U wins: 69.5
Key player: Vinnie Pasquantino. The first baseman’s 72-game-debut was strong — 10 homers, .295 average, .832 OPS. Can he and shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. be building blocks to a strong future lineup?
Vinnie PasquantinoGetty ImagesPlayer who’ll need to step up: Daniel Lynch. The Royals took four pitchers in the first round in 2018, all of whom were expected to form the foundation of a future rotation. Only Brady Singer, though, has succeeded to date. Lynch, Kris Bubic and Jackson Kowar have appeared in 125 games (107 starts), going a combined 18-51 with a 5.53 ERA.
Name you’ll get to know: Michael Massey. Aldaberto Mondesi was traded and Nicky Lopez was turned into a utilityman to see if, in part, if Massey can be a full-time second baseman.
Biggest question mark: Is the new boss same as the old boss? Dayton Moore, who had been on the job since 2006, was dismissed as last season concluded. Moore reigned over a strong three consecutive years that concluded in a 2015 championship. But beyond that, the Royals never finished above .500, and his right-hand man the whole time, J.J. Picollo, took Moore’s job as president of baseball operations.
How it’ll go down: A bit of the past (Zack Greinke/Salvador Perez) and a few pieces for the future (Witt, Singer, Pasquantino and maybe MJ Melendez) are not enough to bring a positive present.
