The Post’s Mark W. Sanchez previews the AL East with MLB spring training set to begin.
Baltimore Orioles
2022: 83-79
Manager: Brandon Hyde (fifth season)
Spring training site: Sarasota, Fla.
Key additions: Upgrades, if marginal ones, have been made across the board. Kyle Gibson and Cole Irvin should help the rotation, former Met Mychal Givens will return to the Orioles bullpen and Adam Frazier will lock down second base. Another former Met, James McCann, should be a nice veteran for young catching star Adley Rutschman to lean upon.
Key losses: Righty Jordan Lyles, infielder Rougned Odor and catcher Robinson Chirinos have been replaced. John Means, a one-time All-Star starter, was lost to Tommy John surgery last April but could return midseason.
Storylines to watch: Will the Orioles regret spending frugally in free agency? They are loaded with young talent, led by Rutschman and third baseman Gunnar Henderson, but have too few proven major league contributors. Top pitching prospect Grayson Rodriguez will try to make the team out of camp, and electric closer Felix Bautista will be back.
The Red Sox signed Masataka Yoshida to a five-year, $90 million contract. Getty ImagesBoston Red Sox
2022: 78-84
Manager: Alex Cora (third season, fifth overall)
Spring training site: Fort Myers, Fla.
Key additions: After a disappointing 2021, the Red Sox were active, but not as aggressive as many fans wanted. Longtime Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner, Japanese outfielder Masataka Yoshida, journeyman Adam Duvall (who will play center field) and former Royals shortstop Adalberto Mondesi will be new faces around the field. Corey Kluber has joined the rotation, and Kenley Jansen, ex-Met Joely Rodriguez and Chris Martin should fortify the bullpen.
Key losses: Plenty, beginning with perennial All-Star Xander Bogaerts, who is now with the Padres. His heir at shortstop could have been Trevor Story, but Story could miss the whole season following surgery to his throwing elbow. Longtime DH J.D. Martinez is gone, as are Nathan Eovaldi, Michael Wacha and Rich Hill, leaving a very uncertain Red Sox rotation.
Storylines to watch: Do the old guys still have it? If oft-injured Chris Sale and James Paxton turn back the clock, the Red Sox could answer some questions at the top of their rotation. Do the young guys have it at all? Top prospects such as righty Brayan Bello and first baseman Triston Casas will be leaned upon. If Boston proves too thin to hang with the rest of the AL East, fan anger will grow toward boss Chaim Bloom.
The Rays gave Zach Eflin a three-year, $40 million contract. APTampa Bay Rays
2022: 86-76
Manager: Kevin Cash (ninth season)
Spring training sites: St. Petersburg and Lake Buena Vista (after their Port Charlotte facility was damaged in Hurricane Ian)
Key additions: Zach Eflin (three years, $40 million) became the best-paid free agent in Rays history after never fulfilling his potential with the Phillies. Tampa believes the righty is better than his career 4.49 ERA indicates. While the Rays added several interesting potential bullpen arms, their only other big-league addition has been Rule 5 reliever Kevin Kelly.
Key losses: Corey Kluber is in Boston, Kevin Kiermaier in Toronto, Ryan Yarbrough in Kansas City and middle-of-the-order bat Ji-Man Choi was dealt to the Tigers. The Rays, who seem to churn through pitchers like no one else, traded J.P. Feyereisen (to the Dodgers), Brooks Raley (Mets), Javy Guerra (Brewers) and JT Chargois (Marlins).
Storylines to watch: How good is the rotation? If Eflin is worth the money, Shane McClanahan is an All-Star again and Tyler Glasnow regains his stuff in his first full season after Tommy John surgery, the ceiling is high. Their offense contains several bounce-back candidates, including potential superstar Wander Franco, Brandon Lowe and Josh Lowe.
The Blue Jays signed former Mets pitcher Chris Bassitt to a three-year, $63 million contract. APToronto Blue Jays
2022: 92-70
Manager: John Schneider (second season, first complete)
Spring training site: Dunedin, Fla.
Key additions: Daulton Varsho and Kevin Kiermaier immediately transform their outfield into one of the game’s best, and veteran first baseman Brandon Belt, if healthy, could add some lefty pop and excellent defense himself. Former Met Chris Bassitt joins a strong rotation. The bullpen is more potent after trading for Seattle’s Erik Swanson and signing ex-Yankee Chad Green, who could help later in the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Key losses: A couple fan favorites are gone in Teoscar Hernandez and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Ross Stripling, who was excellent last season as a swingman, signed with the Giants. Gabriel Moreno, a top catching prospect, was moved in the Varsho trade.
Storylines to watch: The young infield core of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette have not made it past the wild-card round. Is this the year they take the next step? Much better run-prevention will help. There are back-of-the-rotation questions after disappointing seasons from Jose Berrios and Yusei Kikuchi.
