Rating angst of fan bases for American League teams

At the beginning of February, roughly two weeks before the start of spring training games, hope springs eternal for fans of most MLB franchises. Teeth-gritting Chicago White Sox and Toronto Blue Jays fans, however, may be approaching this season with a sense of dread or anger.

Ahead of this special time on the sports calendar, Yardbarker MLB writers rate the angst of fan bases of all 15 AL teams on a scale from "1" (Worries? What worries?) to "5" (OMG!). Last season's records are in parentheses.

AL East 

BALTIMORE ORIOLES (91-71) | Rating: 4 | Despite new ownership, the Orioles have failed to supplement their excellent young core with the talent that could put them over the top. That’s not how you win over a fan base that gets to watch star catcher Adley Rutschman and star shortstop Gunnar Henderson play every day.

BOSTON RED SOX (81-81) | Rating: 3 | The Red Sox have had a solid offseason, acquiring starting pitchers Walker Buehler and Garrett Crochet, but their fans are surely left wondering if Boston’s front office could’ve done more. How serious was its pursuit of slugging outfielder Juan Soto, for example?

NEW YORK YANKEES (94-68) | Rating: 5 | Let's face it: Yankees fans are rarely satisfied. OF Juan Soto left for Queens, which will never not sting, no matter how much better New York's roster is compared to last season.

TAMPA BAY RAYS (80-82) | Rating: 2 | If the Rays didn't have to play home games this season at 11,000-seat George M. Steinbrenner Field, their fans would probably have rated a "1." (The team's regular home, Tropicana Field, suffered extensive hurricane damage in October and won't reopen until 2026.) The good news is Tampa Bay signed utility man Ha-Seong Kim in free agency.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS (74-88) | Rating: 5 | It must be torture to be a Blue Jays fan. Toronto somehow managed to sign outfielder Anthony Santander and veteran starter Max Scherzer, but it cannot otherwise sway top free agents. — Seth Carlson 

AL West

ATHLETICS (69-93) | Rating: 5 | Ownership went out of its way to destroy a beloved Oakland franchise, alienating the fan base, before temporarily moving the A's to a minor league stadium in Sacramento before an eventual move to Las Vegas. Then, it spent big money during free agency. This rating could easily be a 70.

HOUSTON ASTROS (88-73) | Rating: 4 | The Astros signed first baseman Christian Walker to upgrade the lineup, but they also traded outfielder Kyle Tucker and reliever Ryan Pressly to the Cubs in separate deals. What direction are they heading? No one seems to know.

LOS ANGELES ANGELS (63-99) | Rating: 4 | The Angels were active at the beginning of free agency, but are they better? Forget competing for the postseason. Avoiding a 10th consecutive losing season would be a victory at this point.

SEATTLE MARINERS (85-77) Rating: 5 | The biggest offseason move by the Mariners, who finished a game out of the playoffs last season, was bringing back infielder Jorge Polanco. The Mariners missed out on every NPB or KBO player available, have never made the World Series and were oddly quiet while the division improved. Expect mediocrity this season.

TEXAS RANGERS (78-84) | Rating: 2 | In theory, a healthy Rangers team that added a great deal of swagger in outfielder Joc Pederson should be an instant contender. Winning the World Series in 2023 takes away some of the sting of their disappointing and injury-plagued 2024. — David Hill

AL Central

CHICAGO WHITE SOX (41-121) | Rating: 5 | The plus side is that the White Sox can’t get much worse after losing a big league-record 121 games in 2024. The future may be bright with six top 100 prospects (per MLB.com), but a mediocre MLB roster, cheapskate owner and rumors of a potential sale and relocation to Nashville cast a shadow over what will be another long season.

CLEVELAND GUARDIANS (92-69) | Rating: 2 | The Guardians again tinkered around the edges in the offseason. This time, they brought 1B Carlos Santana back into the fold. And yet, Cleveland should contend for the postseason and perhaps end the longest active World Series title drought (1948). 

DETROIT TIGERS (86-76) | Rating: 1 | 2024 was a fun ride for the Tigers, who caught fire over the final few weeks, made an unexpected playoff run and then came within a game of the ALCS. The Central is there for the taking, so their fans should be jacked.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS (86-76) | Rating: 3 | A surprising return to the postseason in 2024 was welcome for a fan base that has endured tragedy and disappointment since winning the World Series in 2015. Essentially staying pat aside from signing reliever Carlos Estevez, however, is not how fans wanted the Royals to build on that playoff run.

MINNESOTA TWINS (82-80) | Rating: 4 | An epic collapse foreshadowed an offseason in which the biggest reason for optimism is that the Pohlad family is going to sell the team. Maybe new owners will open the checkbooks and build a roster that can move past the ALDS for the first time since 2002. — David Hill