MY AL CENTRAL SECOND HALF SEASON PREVIEW

CLEVELAND INDIANS (52-43, 1ST PLACE, AL CENTRAL)

BIG PICTURE: The Indians were expected to win their third consecutive division title and are in position to do so despite having a so-so first half. They had winning records in April, May and June but were no more than three games over .500 in any of the three months. Nevertheless, they have the largest lead (7 1 / 2 games) of any of the six first-place teams.

BEST PERFORMANCE: Jose Ramirez was third in the American League MVP voting last season and has been even better. He is hitting .302, is tied for the major league lead in home runs with 29 and has 20 stolen bases in 94 games. The homer total matches the career high he set last year in 152 games.

BIGGEST SURPRISE: Right-hander Shane Bieber has given the rotation a lift after beginning the season at Class AA Akron (Ohio). He is 5-1 with a 3.53 ERA and has struck out 42 and walked just eight in 43 1 ⁄ 3 innings.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: Right-hander Josh Tomlin is 0-5 with a 6.98 ERA and has given up 21 home runs in 49 innings. A strained right hamstring landed him on the disabled list July 10, and the Indians believe that is at the root of his problems.

TRADE-DEADLINE FORECAST: The Indians would like to bolster a surprisingly shaky bullpen and add an outfielder.

KEY SERIES: vs. Minnesota Twins Aug. 28-30

MINNESOTA TWINS (44-50, 2ND PLACE, AL CENTRAL)

BIG PICTURE: While Minnesota is in second place, it will need a big second half to return to the postseason after being a surprise participant in last year’s American League wild-card game. The Twins fell a season-low 13 games below .500 on July 4 before winning nine of their last 11 games before the break.

BEST PERFORMANCE: One of the biggest All-Star Game snubs this season was left fielder Eddie Rosario, who was left off the AL roster despite hitting .311 with 19 home runs.

BIGGEST SURPRISE: Jake Cave was acquired in a spring training trade after being designated for assignment by the New York Yankees and is hitting .312 as the primary center fielder. Gold Glove winner Byron Buxton has been injured and was demoted to Class AAA Rochester (N.Y.).

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: Third baseman Miguel Sano went from playing in last year’s All-Star Game to finding himself trying to rebuild his career at high Class A Fort Myers (Fla.) at this season’s break.

TRADE-DEADLINE FORECAST: Theoretically within striking distance of the Indians, the Twins are still more likely to be sellers. Among the players who could be moved are right-handers Lance Lynn and Jake Odorizzi, first baseman Logan Morrison, second baseman Brian Dozier and infielder Eduardo Escobar.

KEY SERIES: vs. Cleveland Indians July 30-Aug. 1

DETROIT TIGERS (41-57, 3RD PLACE, AL CENTRAL)

BIG PICTURE: The Tigers got off to a surprisingly good start in the first season of a major rebuild under new manager Ron Gardenhire. A five-game winning streak in mid-June raised their record to 36-37, but they then went 5-19 in their last 24 games before the All-Star break.

BEST PERFORMANCE: Right-hander Mike Fiers was signed as a free agent in the offseason to stabilize a young rotation and eat innings. The 33-year-old has done what the Tigers had hoped, pitching into the sixth inning in 15 of 18 starts while going 6-6 with a 3.70 ERA.

BIGGEST SURPRISE: Niko Goodrum was signed as a minor league free agent in the offseason, and the infielder-outfielder has played so well he has supplanted Dixon Machado as the starting second baseman. Goodrum, 26, is hitting .250 with nine home runs and seven stolen bases in 78 games.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: Victor Martinez is expected to retire at the end of the season, and it appears the finish will not be pretty. The 39-yearold designated hitter is hitting .231 with four homers in 86 games.

TRADE-DEADLINE FORECAST

The Tigers are sellers and have two intriguing players they are listening to offers on: right-hander Michael Fulmer and right fielder Nicholas Castellanos.

KEY SERIES: vs. Cleveland Indians July 27-29

CHICAGO WHITE SOX (33-62, 4TH PLACE, AL CENTRAL)

BIG PICTURE: The White Sox did not expect to be competitive in the second season of a rebuild, and they have struggled at times to even be respectable on their way to their sixth consecutive losing season. They have not won more than three consecutive games and have had five losing streaks of at least six games. However, optimism runs high in the organization.

BEST PERFORMANCE: Shortstop Tim Anderson is becoming the power/speed player the White Sox projected when they chose him in the first round of the 2013 amateur draft. The 25-year-old is hitting .246 with 13 home runs and 21 stolen bases.

BIGGEST SURPRISE: Kevan Smith has provided a boost at catcher after Welington Castillo was suspended for 80 games for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. Smith has formed a solid tandem with Omar Narvaez.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: Lucas Giolito, the headliner among the three young right-handers acquired from the Washington Nationals in a trade for outfielder Adam Eaton in December 2016, is 6-8 with a 6.18 ERA.

TRADE-DEADLINE FORECAST First baseman Jose Abreu and right fielder Avisail Garcia are the two most attractive veterans, but the White Sox don’t seem inclined to deal either. Righthander James Shields, closer Joakim Soria and left-handed reliever Luis Avilan could draw interest.

KEY SERIES; vs. Chicago Cubs Sept. 21-23

KANSAS CITY ROYALS (27-68, 5TH PLACE, AL CENTRAL)

BIG PICTURE: Three years after winning the franchise’s first World Series title in 30 years, the Royals are in the running with the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago White Sox for the worst record in the major leagues. The Royals were basically out of contention with a 7-21 record at the end of April, and then had a disastrous June (5-21) before losing 11 of their first 13 games in July.

BEST PERFORMANCE: Whit Merrifield is hitting .307 with 17 stolen bases a year after leading the American League with 34 stolen bases.

BIGGEST SURPRISE: Right-hander Brad Keller, 22, has gone from unknown Rule 5 draft pick in December to the Royals’ best pitcher (3.13 ERA in 29 games, including eight starts). The Cincinnati Reds selected Keller from the Arizona Diamondbacks at the winter meetings, and then traded him to the Royals.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: Jason Hammel was shifted from the rotation to the bullpen a week before the All-Star break after going 2-11 with a 6.16 ERA in 18 starts.

TRADE-DEADLINE FORECAST: The Royals got a jump on the deadline by trading closer Kelvin Herrera and center fielder Jon Jay in June. Merrifield is generating interest because he can play multiple positions and is not eligible for free agency until after the 2023 season. Third baseman Mike Moustakas is also likely to be dealt.

KEY SERIES: vs. Baltimore Orioles Aug. 31-Sept. 2