AL Central
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Chicago White Sox: White Sox lead the majors in home runs
The White Sox finished 23rd in the majors with 165 home runs last season, and Lenyn Sosa was the team leader with 22 long balls.
This year they entered the All-Star break fourth in the league with 129 homers, behind only the Yankees (142), Nationals (138) and Astros (132). With Munetaka Murakami back healthy and Kyle Teel also rejoining the lineup, the South Siders should continue to pile up impressive power numbers, while the Yankees are still without Aaron Judge and the Nationals and Astros both have second-half fade potential.
Cleveland Guardians: Ralphy Velazquez is MLB’s loudest September call-up
Last season, Carter Jensen (69 PA, 162 OPS+, 3 HR, 13 RBI) and Sal Stewart (58 PA, 123 OPS+, 5 HR, 8 RBI) paved the way to everyday roles in 2026 by making an immediate offensive impact as September call-ups.
Looking ahead to this year’s crop of potential late-season promotions, Ralphy Velazquez could make a similar splash. The 21-year-old has a 50-hit, 60-power offensive profile, and after hitting .317/.414/.566 with 19 extra-base hits in 36 games at Double-A, he made his Triple-A debut on May 20, opening the door for a late-season debut.
Detroit Tigers: Tarik Skubal stays put at the deadline
There will not be a more talked about player leading up to this year’s trade deadline than two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, and with free agency looming this offseason, the Tigers have a huge decision to make.
Despite a disappointing first half, they still sit just 6.5 games back in the AL Central standings and 3.5 back for a wild-card spot. They play 13 games in 13 days coming out of the break, including series with the Angels, Royals and Orioles. If they go 8-5 or 9-4 over that stretch, it could be enough to convince them to ride it out and push for a playoff berth.
Kansas City Royals: Jac Caglianone becomes a bona fide star
After annihilating minor league pitching last season, Jac Caglianone dealt with some growing pains during his first taste of the big leagues. Now he finally seems to be settling in, and stardom could be right around the corner.
The 23-year-old logged a 120 OPS+ with 15 home runs during the first half, and that included a huge June where he batted .309/.387/.649 with nine homers and 19 RBI. All the pieces are falling into place for him to emerge as a complementary star to Bobby Witt Jr.
Minnesota Twins: Buy at the trade deadline, win AL Central
Much of the trade deadline talk surrounding the Twins has been about whether Byron Buxton might be willing to waive his no-trade clause or which catcher-needy contender would end up with free-agent-to-be Ryan Jeffers.
However, after going 10-5 in their last 15 games, they are suddenly just three back in a wide-open AL Central and tied for the third AL wild-card spot. After opting against a full-scale rebuild during the offseason, it would not be surprising for the front office to once again put faith in a roster that might be a piece or two away from a division title push.
