Pirates start No. 1 in MLB Power Rankings

The challenge for the Pirates is getting enough offensive support for superstar CF Andrew McCutchen, but they're getting there. 3B Josh Harrison had a breakout year in 2014, and young corner outfielders Starling Marte and Gregory Polanco can put up numbers too. Mix that with a solid pitching staff and the Pirates are poised to contend in the toughest division.

Key Injuries: RHP Charlie Morton (hip).

The Dodgers aren't afraid to spend, and they did some remodeling in the offseason, bringing in new keystone combination, Howie Kendrick and Jimmy Rollins as well as a new catcher, Yasmani Grandal. Add in high-ceiling rookie CF Joc Pederson and a couple of veteran starting pichers (Brandon McCarthy and Brett Anderson) and the Dodgers should be contenders.
Key Injuries: RHP Kenley Jansen (foot), LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (shoulder). 

There's a lot of continuity with this Cardinals team, with a lot of familiar faces from last year's 90-win team, and adding RF Jason Heyward is a good upside acquisition. If veterans like LF Matt Holliday and SS Jhonny Peralta remain productive and a young guy like 2B Kolten Wong could take a step forward, then the Cardinals will be right in the NL Central hunt.

Key Injuries: LHP Jaime Garcia (shoulder).

The bats should be there for the Tigers, but the question will be whether or not they have the pitching to hang in the race. With Max Scherzer moving to Washington as a free agent, LHP David Price takes over as staff ace, but righthanders Alfredo Simon and Shane Greene will have to provide mid-rotation stability. Getting a bounceback from RHP Justin Verlander would help, but starting the season on the DL doesn't provide a great deal of optimism for that scenario.

Key Injuries: RHP Justin Verlander (triceps).

When healthy, the Nats are the team to beat, with a ridiculously deep pitching staff, but they are starting the year with three regulars on the shelf, including 3B Anthony Rendon, who may be their best everyday player. But that pitching -- so deep that they don't have room in the rotation for Tanner Roark, who had a 2.85 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in 31 starts for the Nats last season.
Key Injuries: 3B Anthony Rendon (knee), CF Denard Span (core), RF Jayson Werth (shoulder).

Big improvement is expected for the White Sox, after they brought in LF Melky Cabrera and DH Adam LaRoche to solidify the lineup and RHP Jeff Samardzija to raise the rotation. Off the start, however, staff ace Chris Sale is on the shelf, so that limits the early-season appeal.
Key Injuries: LHP Chris Sale (foot).

Not a lot of changes from last year's 82-win club, though 1B Adam Lind could add some pop and a healthy Ryan Braun would help. For the Brewers to hang with the rest in the challenging NL Central, they will need their young pitchers -- Mike Fiers, Wily Peralta, Jimmy Nelson -- to perform.
Key Injuries: None.

Last year did not go nearly as planned after the A's looked like the team to beat before making their midseason moves, so they continued with the roster shake-up. The infield -- Ike Davis, Ben Zobrist, Marcus Semien and Brett Lawrie is new and Oakland will need young pitchers -- Jesse Hahn, Kendall Graveman and Drew Pomeranz -- to support Sonny Gray and Scott Kazmir in the rotation.

Key Injuries: RHP A.J. Griffin (elbow), RHP Jarrod Parker (elbow), OF Craig Gentry (hand).
 

Added power to the lineup, getting Brandon Moss from Oakland, but a lot of the Indians' fate is going to be determined by young pitchers. LHP Corey Kluber emerged as a shocking Cy Young winner and RHP Carlos Carrasco finished 2014 well, but Danny Salazar was sent down to Triple-A and Trevor Bauer, Zach McAllister and T.J. House need to give them reliable innings.
Key Injuries: 1B Nick Swisher (knee).

The pitching staff is still a little banged-up, so the Angels are probably lower than expected in the season-opening rankings. It's going to be fascinating to see how the Josh Hamilton situation plays out. He struggled last season and after a drug relapse in the offseason, who knows what the 33-year-old could possibly contribute?
Key Injuries: RHP Tyler Skaggs (elbow), LHP Garrett Richards (knee), LF Josh Hamilton (shoulder).

Key Injuries: RHP Jose Fernandez (elbow), 2B Derek Dietrich (wrist), RHP Henderson Alvarez (shoulder).

There's some urgency for the Jays to win, and after adding 3B Josh Donaldson to the middle of their order, they could power their way to a winning season. The biggest questions revolve around unprovens in regular roles. A rookie centre fielder, Dalton Pompey, and rookie second baseman, Devon Travis, take a couple of spots in the everyday lineup but, more importantly, LHP Daniel Norris and RHP Aaron Sanchez make up 40% of the starting rotation. They might all be great, but they might not.
Key Injuries: RHP Marcus Stroman (knee), LF Michael Saunders (knee), 2B Maicer Izturis (groin).

The Orioles will count on internal improvement in the rotation, looking to Chris Tillman and Kevin Gausman to lead the way, but the additions to the lineup -- SS Everth Cabrera, LF Alejandro De Aza, RF Travis Snider -- aren't likely to have much of an impact.
Key Injuries: C Matt Wieters (elbow), SS J.J. Hardy (shoulder).

Lots of expectations for the Red Sox to bounce back from a miserable 2014 season -- after all, they did in 2013 -- but it's fair to question whether a pitching rotation comprised of Rick Porcello, Clay Buchholz, Wade Miley and Justin Masterson is solid enough to win consistently. The good news for Boston is that the AL East appears to be there for the taking anyway.

Key Injuries: RHP Koji Uehara (hamstring), C Christian Vazquez (elbow).