Tim Anderson & Byron Buxton Dictate The AL Central Race

For many fans and analysts around Major League Baseball, entering the season, the AL Central champ was a forgone conclusion.

The Chicago White Sox, lead by MLBbro and budding superstar Tim Anderson, were headed to their second straight division crown under wily legend Tony LaRussa in what many consider the weakest division in baseball.

Fortunately for Byron Buxton and the Minnesota Twins, pennants are won on the field and not on paper.

While it’s far too early to pick a favorite, Buxton has Minnesota in first place and many wondering if the Central has suddenly gone from a one team demolition to a legit two (or three) team race.

Anderson hasn’t been outdone by much, but even with his success the teams seem headed in opposite directions. Let’s take a look at how this division battle has shaped up so far.

ANDERSON ALONE OUT THERE

Lately the White Sox lineup has felt like Tim Anderson vs. the world. Instead of the explosive offense most predicted, Chicago has been terrible at the plate. As a team the Southsiders rank 24th in OPS, 26th in runs scored, 27th in RBI and dead last in walks.

Chicago’s offense may be awful right now, but Anderson has continued to produce like the superstar we project him to be.

So far this season, Anderson has collected 24 hits in 72 at bats out of the leadoff spot for Chicago. After Monday’s matchup with the Los Angeles Angels, Anderson was slashing .357/.379/.500 over his last seven games.

 

Anderson already missed two games via suspension this season, and is currently appealing another for flipping the bird at Guardians fans a la Kyrie Irving. But unlike the aforementioned Irving, Tim has been head and shoulders the best ballplayer on his team every time he takes the field.

MINNESOTA GETTING BETTER AS WE GO

The Minnesota Twins offensive numbers won’t blow you away, but over the last seven games Buxton has gotten some help from their prize free agent signing, World Series Champion Carlos Correa. Over the last week of games, Carlos is slashing .357/.419/.393, a sign that Carlos is putting the ball in play, just not out of the ballpark.

 

 

The improved play of Correa combined with lefty Max Keplers .888 OPS have given Byron enough help throughout the first few weeks of the season to propel the Twins to first in the division. If fellow offseason additions like Gary Sanchez and Gio Urshela can snap out of their early season funk to contribute, Minnesota may have some staying power at the top the AL Central.

As for Buxton, the concerns about his health remain and the threat of injury hangs over any projections we make about him. Buxton has always produced when on the field, often putting up numbers in spurts that compare to Mike Trout.

If Big Bux stays in the lineup all season, the Twins will be a formidable opponent the remainder of the season.

Both TA and Buxton have been close to their A games all season, the only question remaining is which one’s supporting cast will catch up quickest.