2015 MLB preview: American League East

Baltimore Orioles

2014 record: 96-66, first place, lost to Kansas City in A.L. Championship Series

Manager: Buck Showalter (fifth season)

Hot Spots: Offensive production. The Orioles figured to lose DH Nelson Cruz to free agency and can survive RF Nick Markakis leaving for Atlanta, but they have few players with a high on-base percentage and will rely heavily on 3B Manny Machado (.278, 14 HRs, 50 RBIs in 82 games), 1B Chris Davis (.196, 26, 72), CF Adam Jones (.281, 29, 96) and DH Steve Pearce (.293, 21, 49) for power. Problem is, Davis struggled in 2014, Machado is returning from knee surgery and Pearce might be pressed to duplicate a career season. .

Outlook: Showalter is a master at getting the most out of a pitching staff and juggling his lineup, skills that will be essential if the Orioles are to remain atop a very competitive division. RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (6-9, 4.81 ERA), a flop in his first season in Baltimore, might be a welcome addition to an underrated rotation and an effective bullpen hasn’t changed much since October. C Matt Weiters (.308, 5, 18 in 26) will likely start the season on the DL with a sore elbow as he strives to return from ligament-replacement surgery.

New York Yankees

2014 record: 84-78, second place

Manager: Joe Girardi (eighth season)

Hot Spots: Rapid returns. Alex Rodriguez, back from a yearlong drug suspension, is relegated to a designated hitter as he approaches his 40th birthday in July. RF Carlos Beltran (.233, 15, 49), 37, is back from September elbow surgery after pain limited him to 32 outfield appearances. LF Brett Gardner (.256, 17, 58) returns from offseason abdominal surgery. 2B Stephen Drew (.162, 7, 26 with Boston and Yankees) must show he can regain offensive form, and SS Didi Gregorius (7 for 51, .137, against left-handers) must prove he can be an everyday shortstop as Derek Jeter’s successor.

Outlook: The Yankees have missed consecutive postseasons for the first time since 1992 and ‘93. To reach the postseason, the Yankees must improve an offense that scored 633 runs (13th in AL) and had a .307 on-base percentage (14th). C Brian McCann (.232, 23, 75), 1B Mark Teixeira (.216, 22, 62), CF Jacoby Ellsbury (.271, 16, 70, 39 SBs) and Gardner all are coming off subpar seasons.

Toronto Blue Jays

2014 record: 83-79, third place

Manager: John Gibbons (third season)

Hot Spots: Starting rotation and closer. When right-hander Marcus Stroman (11-6, 3.65) sustained a season-ending knee injury during a pregame fielding drill in early March, 22-year-old RHP Aaron Sanchez (2-2, 1.09 in 24 relief appearances) moved from closer candidate to starter and veteran LHP Brett Cecil (2-3, 2.70, 5 saves) was tabbed to finish games. .

Outlook: Toronto’s 21-year postseason drought isn’t just baseball’s longest, it’s the longest in all four major North American leagues. While hopes of snapping that slump weren’t ended by Stroman’s injury, the Blue Jays can’t afford any further health concerns to key players. To compete, they’ll need solid performances from their young pitchers and plentiful power from the lineup core of RF Jose Bautista (.286, 35, 103), DH Edwin Encarnacion (.268, 34, 98) and 3B Josh Donaldson (.255, 29, 98 with Oakland).

Tampa Bay Rays

2014 record: 77-85, fourth place

Manager: Kevin Cash (first season)

Hot Spots: Starting rotation. Despite trading 2012 AL Cy Young Award winner David Price last summer, pitching remains the Rays’ strongest asset. But with LHP Matt Moore still recovering from elbow surgery that sidelined him most of last season, and expected opening-day starter RHP Alex Cobb (10-9, 2.87) and LHP Drew Smyly (9-10, 3.24 with Detroit and Tampa Bay) likely to begin the season on the disabled list, it could be a while before the rotation is at full strength.

Outlook: In the wake of losing manager Joe Maddon to the Cubs, the Rays overhauled their roster with a series of trades that shipped out nine players. Just three players in the projected opening-day lineup – 3B Evan Longoria (.253, 22, 91, 26 2Bs), 1B James Loney (.290, 9, 69) and LF Desmond Jennings (.244, 10, 36) – remain from the first game a year ago. The team is counting on Longoria and Jennings to bounce back offensively.

Boston Red Sox

2014 record: 71-91, last place

Manager: John Farrell (third season)

Hot Spots: Starting rotation. Who’s the ace? That seems to be the offseason question the club will need to answer after LHP Jon Lester spurned them in free agency and signed with the Cubs. RHP Clay Buchholz (8-11, 5.34) and RHP Rick Porcello (15-13, 3.43 with Detroit) both seem most likely to be the top-of-the-rotation types. If they don’t get off to good starts, the club could be in the market for an ace at the trade deadline The club is hoping for a rebound-year from RHP Justin Masterson (7-9, 5.88 with Cleveland and St. Louis) to strengthen the rotation’s depth.

Outlook: With the offseason free-agent signings of LF Hanley Ramirez (.283, 13, 71 with Dodgers) and 3B Pablo Sandoval (.279, 16, 73 with Giants), Boston hopes to have fixed the weak link of last year’s last-place team – the offense. Despite another strong year by DH David Ortiz (.263, 35, 104), the club was 11th in the AL in scoring. Moving 1B Mike Napoli (.248, 17, 55) down in the order behind Ramirez and Sandoval gives the lineup depth. Two years ago, Boston followed its last-place finish by capturing the World Series.