2022 AL East Preview: Blue Jays' division to lose?

At this time just over a month ago, it didn’t look like we were going to make it to an early April start to the season. Fresh off the latest round of failed collective bargaining agreement negotiations, commissioner Rob Manfred announced MLB was cancelling the first two series of the season and pushing back Opening Day a week.

The more days that went by without the league and MLB Players Association reaching a deal, the more games that would be cancelled. Over the course of a few long days, it looked like no longer like a question of when we would get baseball in 2022, but if.

Then, somehow, someway, on the 99th day of the lockout, they figured things out. The season – all 162 games no less – was saved. And we couldn’t be happier.

With Opening Day just two days away, here is a team-by-team look at the American League East division, where the Toronto Blue Jays look like they're finally ready to take the next step.

2021 Record: 52-110

Key Additions: C Robinson Chirinos, 2B Rougned Odor, OF Shed Long Jr., P Jordan Lyles

Key Losses: C Pedro Severino, P Matt Harvey, P Fernando Abad

It’s well documented how bad the Orioles have been for the last several years. But has there been any improvement? Baltimore went a laughable 47-115 in 2018 and bumped that up to 54-108 a season after. In the 2020 pandemic-shortened season they held their own, sort of, managing a 25-35 record.

But they didn’t build on whatever upward momentum they’d attained last season, going 52-110 and dropping their winning percentage nearly 100 points from .417 in 2020 to .321. According to the Baseball Almanac, the Orioles have lost more games than any franchise in baseball history since their inception in 1901. That isn’t likely to start changing any time