The Most Grossly Overrated AL Teams Heading Into the 2020 Season

MLB Power Rankings always seem to bank on teams that had a lot of success the season prior, as well as give teams too much credit for not doing enough to make the playoffs. The American League is filled with talented rosters at the top, but these playoff teams all have their respective faults. Here are the most overrated teams in the AL.

4. Houston Astros

New York Mets v Houston Astros / Mark Brown/Getty Images

This offseason, Houston could not stay out of the news cycle in baseball even if they wanted to. Starting pitcher Justin Verlander is a year older (and has already gone down with a groin injury) and the ‘Stros lost one of the best pitchers in the league in Gerrit Cole to the Yankees in free agency. Most of the team’s top hitters are back, but the sign-stealing scandal will loom over their heads, and teams in the AL will take that into account. It could simply be one of those years, whenever it starts.

3. Los Angeles Angels

San Diego Padres v Los Angeles Angels / Masterpress/Getty Images

With the hitting duo of Mike Trout and newly-acquired Anthony Rendon, Anaheim is expected to make a push in the AL West. The question mark is about whether two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani will be ready to go as both a pitcher and a hitter, one year removed from Tommy John surgery. LA would also have to leapfrog both Oakland and Houston in the division to make a playoff push, but that seems unlikely.

2. New York Yankees

Pittsburgh Pirates v New York Yankees / Mark Brown/Getty Images

The Bombers dealt with injuries throughout 2019, and 2020 is proving to be no different. It is more than possible to play a stretch of games without pitchers Luis Severino and James Paxton, as well as power bats Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, but that cannot fly for all of 2020. A lot of pressure is being put on Gerrit Cole to be the ace in the rotation, but the bats in the Bronx need to be healthy to compete in a top-heavy AL.

1. Minnesota Twins

Cleveland Indians v Minnesota Twins / Hannah Foslien/Getty Images

Minnesota had the most dynamic offense in the Majors with a record-breaking 307 home runs last season, but pitching is the one thing holding the team back. Michael Pineda was suspended for PEDs, and Rich Hill’s elbow is still in question. Speed demon Byron Buxton is also rehabbing from shoulder surgery, but the addition of Josh Donaldson offensively will look to cancel out what the team is missing with its pitching. This team can mash, but we already know they didn't have the horses for October, after Randy Dobnak started Game 2 of the 2019 ALDS in the Bronx. Why would this year be any different?