MLB Power Rankings: Where Your Team Stands on Opening Day

The 2013 Major League Baseball season kicked off on Sunday with the Houston Astros defeating the Texas Rangers 8-2 in Houston, and it was an eventful offseason as always.

Josh Hamilton and Zack Greinke headlined a solid free-agent class, while stars like Justin Upton, R.A. Dickey, Jose Reyes and James Shields found new homes in blockbuster trades.

Here are my final preseason power rankings. Check back here each week throughout the season to see where your favorite team stands.

Note: Rosters taken from MLBDepthCharts.com; all stats taken from Baseball-Reference.com.

30. Houston Astros

Season Outlook

The Astros are in store for another long season. They made the move to the AL West and will continue to rebuild their roster from the ground up.

Carlos Pena was signed as a free agent, and slugger Chris Carter was acquired from the A's for Jed Lowrie. So the offense should have a bit more firepower this season.

The pitching staff is poor, to put it mildly. Bud Norris and Lucas Harrell anchor a rotation that will likely see a good deal of turnover in the season ahead. The bullpen lost its best arm in Wilton Lopez and turns to Jose Veras to close.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

2B Jose Altuve
1B Brett Wallace
DH Carlos Pena
LF Chris Carter
RF Fernando Martinez
CF Justin Maxwell
C Jason Castro
SS Ronny Cedeno
3B Matt Dominguez

Projected Opening Day Rotation

SP Bud Norris
SP Lucas Harrell
SP Phil Humber
SP Brad Peacock
SP Erik Bedard
CP Jose Veras

29. Miami Marlins

Season Outlook

After spending big last offseason, the Marlins entered the 2012 season with sky-high expectations and a team that looked ready to contend for a postseason spot.

Instead, they struggled mightily. As a result, the front office blew things up this offseason and dealt most of the roster's veteran talent. They are likely in for a long season.

While Giancarlo Stanton gives the Marlins a legitimate superstar and is worth the price of admission, filling the seats in their new stadium will be tricky in 2013.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

LF Juan Pierre
CF Chris Coghlan
RF Giancarlo Stanton
3B Placido Polanco
C Rob Brantly
2B Donovan Solano
1B Casey Kotchman
SS Adeiny Hechavarria
Pitcher 

Projected Opening Day Rotation

SP Ricky Nolasco
SP Kevin Slowey
SP Wade LeBlanc
SP Alex Sanabia
SP Jose Fernandez
CP Steve Cishek

28. San Diego Padres

Season Outlook

The Padres are headed in the right direction as a franchise, though they are still at least a few years from contention. San Diego continues to implement pieces from its deep farm system.

Jedd Gyorko has the potential to make a serious impact offensively as a rookie. Alongside Carlos Quentin and Yonder Alonso, the team has a decent offense.

Edinson Volquez and Clayton Richard front their staff, but they profile more as No. 3 starter types in the grand scheme of things. The rest of the staff is weak and will likely be the reason the Padres struggle to avoid a last-place finish in 2013.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

SS Everth Cabrera
RF Will Venable
LF Carlos Quentin
1B Yonder Alonso
3B Jedd Gyorko
C Nick Hundley
CF Cameron Maybin
2B Alexi Amarista
Pitcher

Projected Opening Day Rotation

SP Edinson Volquez
SP Clayton Richard
SP Eric Stults
SP Jason Marquis
SP Tyson Ross
CP Huston Street

27. Colorado Rockies

Season Outlook

The Rockies were unable to overcome their disastrous pitching staff last season, and it's an issue that will likely plague them once again this year.

Getting Jhoulys Chacin, Jorge De La Rosa and Juan Nicasio back healthy should lead to some improvement. But in the end, they just don't have the horses.

A healthy Troy Tulowitzki is a major addition for the offense, and the Rockies should score plenty of runs. It's just a matter of having to out-slug their opponents as a result of their weak pitching staff.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

CF Dexter Fowler
2B Josh Rutledge
LF Carlos Gonzalez
SS Troy Tulowitzki
RF Michael Cuddyer
1B Todd Helton
C Wilin Rosario
3B Chris Nelson
Pitcher

Projected Opening Day Rotation

SP Jhoulys Chacin
SP Jorge De La Rosa
SP Juan Nicasio
SP Jeff Francis
SP Jon Garland
CP Rafael Betancourt

26. Minnesota Twins

Season Outlook

A perennial contender just a few years ago, the Minnesota Twins are now among the worst teams in the American League and are in need of a major overhaul.

Pitching held the Twins back last season. As a result, they added Vance Worley, Kevin Correia and Mike Pelfrey this offseason to provide some stability.

Joe Mauer and Josh Willingham give the offense a pair of dangerous bats, while Aaron Hicks is a dynamic rookie who could make a run at AL Rookie of the Year.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

CF Aaron Hicks
2B Brian Dozier
C Joe Mauer
LF Josh Willingham
1B Justin Morneau
RF Chris Parmelee
DH Ryan Doumit
3B Trevor Plouffe
SS Pedro Florimon Jr.

Projected Opening Day Rotation

SP Vance Worley
SP Kevin Correia
SP Mike Pelfrey
SP Liam Hendriks
SP Cole De Vries
CP Glen Perkins

25. New York Mets

Season Outlook

Surprise contenders in the first half last season, the Mets eventually fell off and finished a distant fourth in the NL East.

David Wright was locked up on a long-term deal to once again lead the offense, while Ike Davis provided some solid pop with 32 home runs and has room to improve.

Jonathon Niese assumes the role of staff ace, though Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler should push him for the job before too long. The bullpen is improved with a number of veteran pieces, but it is still relatively weak.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

CF Collin Cowgill
2B Daniel Murphy
3B David Wright
1B Ike Davis
RF Marlon Byrd
LF Lucas Duda
C John Buck
SS Ruben Tejada
Pitcher 

Projected Opening Day Rotation

SP Jonathon Niese
SP Matt Harvey
SP Dillon Gee
SP Jeremy Hefner
SP TBD
CP Bobby Parnell

24. Chicago Cubs

Season Outlook

With a new front office in place and a rebuild under way, the Cubs lost 101 games last season. They should be improved this season, though avoiding a last-place finish in the NL Central will be tough.

Young stars Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo give the team a pair of building blocks in the lineup and, along with Alfonso Soriano, a productive middle of the order.

Jeff Samardzija enjoyed a breakout season last year and could emerge as the team's ace long-term if he can build off last year. Meanwhile, the rest of the rotation was filled out with veteran additions this offseason and could serve as trade chips.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

CF David DeJesus
SS Starlin Castro
1B Anthony Rizzo
LF Alfonso Soriano
RF Nate Schierholtz
3B Luis Valbuena
C Welington Castillo
2B Darwin Barney
Pitcher

Projected Opening Day Rotation

SP Jeff Samardzija
SP Edwin Jackson
SP Scott Feldman 
SP Travis Wood
SP Carlos Villanueva
CP Carlos Marmol

23. Seattle Mariners

Season Outlook

The Mariners are a team on the rise. They have one of the best collections of top-end prospect talent in baseball and a solid young core in place.

Felix Hernandez returns atop the staff as one of the best pitchers in the game. Youngsters Taijuan Walker, Danny Hultzen, James Paxton and No. 4 starter Brandon Maurer will give the team a dynamic rotation moving forward.

After ranking last in the AL in runs scored each of the past three seasons, the team acquired Michael Morse and Kendrys Morales in hopes of improving that in the short term. Jesus Montero, Justin Smoak and Dustin Ackley need to turn potential into production.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

RF Michael Saunders
3B Kyle Seager
DH Kendrys Morales
LF Michael Morse
1B Justin Smoak
C Jesus Montero
2B Dustin Ackley
CF Franklin Gutierrez
SS Brendan Ryan

Projected Opening Day Rotation

SP Felix Hernandez
SP Joe Saunders
SP Hisashi Iwakuma 
SP Brandon Maurer
SP Blake Beavan 
CP Tom Wilhelmsen

22. Pittsburgh Pirates

Season Outlook

The Pirates have remained in contention throughout the first half in each of the past two seasons, only to fall apart down the stretch. But they'll be looking to get over the hump in 2013.

Andrew McCutchen is a bona fide superstar, but he needs more consistent secondary production from the lineup around him if the Pirates are going to contend. Pedro Alvarez, Garrett Jones and Neil Walker are solid complementary pieces.

The rotation will benefit from a full season of Wandy Rodriguez, but beyond him and A.J. Burnett, the staff is weak. Top prospects Gerrit Cole and Jameson Taillon are pushing ever closer to their debuts, and they could make an impact in 2013.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

LF Starling Marte
2B Neil Walker
CF Andrew McCutchen
3B Pedro Alvarez
1B Garrett Jones
C Russell Martin
RF Travis Snider
SS Clint Barmes
Pitcher 

Projected Opening Day Rotation

SP A.J. Burnett
SP Wandy Rodriguez
SP James McDonald
SP Jeff Locke
SP Jonathan Sanchez
CP Jason Grilli

21. New York Yankees

Season Outlook

No team has been hit harder by injuries this spring than the Yankees. Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez, Curtis Granderson, Derek Jeter and Phil Hughes are all expected to open the season on the disabled list.

With guys like Brennan Boesch, Travis Hafner, Lyle Overbay and Vernon Wells now counted on to pick up the pieces in the lineup, the Yankees could struggle to score runs to start off the season.

They return the same rotation as last season after re-signing Hiroki Kuroda and Andy Pettitte. The bullpen gets back legendary closer Mariano Rivera after he missed most of 2012 with a torn ACL.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

CF Brett Gardner
RF Ichiro Suzuki
2B Robinson Cano
3B Kevin Youkilis
DH Travis Hafner
LF Brennan Boesch
SS Eduardo Nunez
1B Lyle Overbay
C Chris Stewart

Projected Opening Day Rotation

SP CC Sabathia
SP Hiroki Kuroda 
SP Andy Pettitte
SP Ivan Nova
SP David Phelps
CP Mariano Rivera

20. Chicago White Sox

Season Outlook

The White Sox exceeded expectations last season, pacing the AL Central for much of the year before faltering down the stretch and coughing up the division lead to Detroit.

Alex Rios and Adam Dunn both enjoyed big bounce-back seasons, and they'll need to again thrive if the offense is going to be a plus. An aging Paul Konerko is still a weapon, but the rest of the infield is below average.

Chris Sale won 17 games last season in his first year as a starter, and he has as high a ceiling as any young pitcher in the game. Jake Peavy was re-signed after a rebound season, but the rest of the rotation is suspect.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

CF Alejandro De Aza
3B Jeff Keppinger
RF Alex Rios
1B Paul Konerko
DH Adam Dunn
LF Dayan Viciedo
SS Alexei Ramirez
C Tyler Flowers
2B Gordon Beckham

Projected Opening Day Rotation

SP Chris Sale
SP Jake Peavy
SP Gavin Floyd
SP Jose Quintana
SP Dylan Axelrod
CP Addison Reed

19. Boston Red Sox

Season Outlook

After freeing up a ton of payroll in their August blockbuster with the Dodgers, the Red Sox filled out their roster this winter with a number of mid-level veteran pieces.

Mike Napoli, Shane Victorino, Jonny Gomes and Stephen Drew were all added on the offensive side of things. If Jacoby Ellsbury can bounce back and Will Middlebrooks can build off a solid rookie season, they'll have a terrific offense.

The pitching staff was the biggest issue last season, with Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz both struggling to pitch up to their abilities atop the staff. Ryan Dempster was added in free agency, and John Lackey is healthy after missing all of 2012.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

CF Jacoby Ellsbury
RF Shane Victorino
2B Dustin Pedroia
1B Mike Napoli
3B Will Middlebrooks
DH Jonny Gomes
C Jarrod Saltalamacchia
LF Jackie Bradley Jr.
SS Jose Iglesias 

2013 Projected Rotation

SP Jon Lester
SP Clay Buchholz
SP Ryan Dempster
SP Felix Doubront
SP John Lackey
CP Joel Hanrahan

18. Cleveland Indians

Season Outlook

Expected by most to be sellers this offseason, the Indians instead added a number of veteran pieces as they look to make a run at the Tigers in the AL Central.

Nick Swisher, Michael Bourn and Mark Reynolds join an offense that already had some nice pieces in Carlos Santana, Jason Kipnis and Asdrubal Cabrera. They should be much better as a group this year.

Pitching will be what holds them back, though, with Ubaldo Jimenez and Justin Masterson fronting a below-average staff and looking for bounce-back seasons.

The bullpen is a strength, led by All-Star closer Chris Perez and Vinnie Pestano. But how many leads the starters can turn over to the 'pen remains to be seen.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

CF Michael Bourn
SS Asdrubal Cabrera
2B Jason Kipnis
1B Nick Swisher
C Carlos Santana
DH Mark Reynolds
LF Michael Brantley
3B Lonnie Chisenhall
RF Drew Stubbs

Projected Opening Day Rotation

SP Justin Masterson 
SP Ubaldo Jimenez 
SP Brett Myers
SP Zach McAllister
SP Scott Kazmir
CP Chris Perez

17. Kansas City Royals

Season Outlook

Looking to add some pitching to a good core of young hitters, the Royals completely reworked their starting rotation this offseason. They have an outside shot at contention as a result.

James Shields and Wade Davis were acquired in a huge trade with the Rays, giving them the staff ace in Shields that they've been sorely lacking. The Royals also traded for Ervin Santana and re-signed Jeremy Guthrie. Kansas City should once again have a top-tier bullpen.

Billy Butler enjoyed a breakout season last year, and guys like Mike Moustakas, Eric Hosmer and Salvador Perez could all take a similar step forward this season.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

LF Alex Gordon
SS Alcides Escobar
DH Billy Butler
3B Mike Moustakas
C Salvador Perez
1B Eric Hosmer
CF Lorenzo Cain
RF Jeff Francoeur
2B Chris Getz

Projected Opening Day Rotation

SP James Shields
SP Jeremy Guthrie
SP Ervin Santana 
SP Wade Davis
SP Luis Mendoza
CP Greg Holland

16. Milwaukee Brewers

Season Outlook

If not for the worst bullpen in baseball, the Brewers likely would have made the playoffs last season. They had the highest-scoring offense in the National League and a solid rotation.

Burke Badenhop, Tom Gorzelanny and Mike Gonzalez were added to improve the bullpen, and the bigger question now may be the rotation. Kyle Lohse was signed as a second front-line arm alongside ace Yovani Gallardo, but the rest of the rotation is unproven.

They'll open the season without Corey Hart, but they should once again score plenty of runs with an offense led by MVP candidate Ryan Braun.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

RF Norichika Aoki
2B Rickie Weeks
LF Ryan Braun
3B Aramis Ramirez
C Jonathan Lucroy
1B Alex Gonzalez
CF Carlos Gomez
SS Jean Segura
Pitcher

Projected Opening Day Rotation

SP Yovani Gallardo
SP Marco Estrada
SP Wily Peralta
SP Kyle Lohse
SP Michael Fiers
CP John Axford

15. Texas Rangers

Season Outlook

The Rangers were hit harder by free agency than perhaps any team in baseball. They lost a number of key players—including Josh Hamilton, Mike Napoli and Michael Young—from their highly regarded lineup.

What's left of their roster is still more than capable of competing, however. And while the lineup may not lead the league in scoring, guys like Adrian Beltre, Ian Kinsler and Nelson Cruz are solid weapons.

The pitching staff is led by the duo of Matt Harrison and Yu Darvish, who should rank among the top starters in the league. Jason Frasor and Josh Lindblom were added to serve as the primary setup men for Joe Nathan, and the bullpen looks strong entering the year.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

2B Ian Kinsler
SS Elvis Andrus
DH Lance Berkman
3B Adrian Beltre
RF Nelson Cruz
LF David Murphy
C A.J. Pierzynski
1B Mitch Moreland
CF Leonys Martin

Projected Opening Day Rotation

SP Matt Harrison
SP Yu Darvish
SP Derek Holland
SP Alexi Ogando
SP Nicholas Tepesch (will be recalled to fill rotation spot)
CP Joe Nathan

14. Philadelphia Phillies

Season Outlook

Injuries to their core superstars hurt the Phillies badly last season. Once they finally got healthy and strung together some wins, it was already too late, as they'd dug themselves too big of a hole.

Age is certainly not on their side. But if they can avoid filling up the disabled list, the Phillies may have the horses to make one last playoff push before they start to think about rebuilding.

Cole Hamels is expected to step forward as the ace of the staff. Newcomers Michael Young, Ben Revere and Delmon Young will look to spark the lineup around stars Ryan Howard and Chase Utley.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

SS Jimmy Rollins
2B Chase Utley
3B Michael Young
1B Ryan Howard
LF Laynce Nix
RF Domonic Brown
CF Ben Revere
C Erik Kratz
Pitcher

Projected Opening Day Rotation

SP Cole Hamels
SP Roy Halladay
SP Cliff Lee
SP Kyle Kendrick
SP John Lannan
CP Jonathan Papelbon

13. Arizona Diamondbacks

Season Outlook

It was a busy offseason in Arizona, as the Diamondbacks finally pulled the trigger on dealing Justin Upton. They also moved Chris Young and Trevor Bauer in separate three-team trades.

The offense will once again be led by catcher Miguel Montero and young slugger Paul Goldschmidt, who could take a big step forward in his second full season in the majors. The versatile Martin Prado is a welcome addition, and he'll spend most of his time at third base.

The rotation should be strong once again. If newcomer Brandon McCarthy can stay healthy, he'll give the team a second front-line arm atop the rotation. The bullpen is a question mark of sorts, though the late-inning duo of David Hernandez and J.J. Putz is lights-out.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

3B Martin Prado
CF Gerardo Parra
2B Aaron Hill
C Miguel Montero
1B Paul Goldschmidt
LF Jason Kubel
RF A.J. Pollock
SS Cliff Pennington
Pitcher

Projected Opening Day Rotation

SP Ian Kennedy
SP Brandon McCarthy
SP Trevor Cahill
SP Wade Miley
SP Pat Corbin
CP J.J. Putz

12. Baltimore Orioles

Season Outlook

The Orioles came out of nowhere last season to land a wild-card spot. Their young team will look to once again contend for a playoff spot in the deep AL East in 2013.

Adam Jones showed signs of a being a bona fide superstar last season, and Chris Davis finally tapped into his vast potential with a 33-home run season. A healthy Brian Roberts and a full season of young star Manny Machado should help the cause as well.

On the pitching side of things, Wei-Yin Chen was the only starter to make over 20 starts last year. The team will look to avoid a similar carousel approach to the rotation this season.

The O's will once again have the benefit of one of the game's better bullpens. Breakout closer Jim Johnson saved 51 games last year.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

RF Nick Markakis
LF Nate McLouth
CF Adam Jones
C Matt Wieters
1B Chris Davis
SS J.J. Hardy
DH Nolan Reimold
3B Manny Machado
2B Brian Roberts

Projected Opening Day Rotation

SP Jason Hammel
SP Wei-Yin Chen
SP Miguel Gonzalez
SP Jake Arrieta
SP TBD
CP Jim Johnson

11. Oakland Athletics

Season Outlook

One of the biggest surprises of 2012, the A's used a fantastic second half to capture the AL West title with a group of unproven youngsters and unheralded veterans.

They're not likely to surprise anyone this time around, but they'll once again rely on the performance of the team as a whole rather than turning to a few superstars.

The starting rotation will benefit from a full season of Brett Anderson atop the staff. The lineup should be improved with the additions of Jed Lowrie and Chris Young. 

Projected Opening Day Lineup

CF Coco Crisp
SS Jed Lowrie
RF Josh Reddick
LF Yoenis Cespedes
1B Brandon Moss
DH Seth Smith
3B Josh Donaldson
C John Jaso
2B Eric Sogard

Projected Opening Day Rotation 

SP Brett Anderson
SP Jarrod Parker
SP Tom Milone
SP A.J. Griffin
SP Daniel Straily
CP Grant Balfour

10. Los Angeles Dodgers

Season Outlook

The free-spending Dodgers were at it again this offseason, signing Zack Greinke and Hyun-Jin Ryu to bolster their pitching staff. After adding so many new faces in the past 10 months, they'll now need to work on coming together as a team.

A healthy Matt Kemp is joined by Adrian Gonzalez and Andre Ethier in the middle of the lineup. Carl Crawford will be looking to prove he's still a star after a rocky tenure in Boston and Tommy John surgery in August.

The rotation will once again be led by Clayton Kershaw. And though he's battled elbow problems this spring, Greinke should give them a second ace-caliber arm once he's healthy.

The Dodgers may have more rotational depth than any team in baseball, and that will only help them over the course of a full season.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

LF Carl Crawford
2B Mark Ellis
CF Matt Kemp
1B Adrian Gonzalez
RF Andre Ethier
SS Luis Cruz
C A.J. Ellis 
3B Nick Punto
Pitcher

Projected Opening Day Rotation

SP Clayton Kershaw
SP Hyun-Jin Ryu
SP Josh Beckett
SP Zack Greinke
SP Chris Capuano
CP Brandon League

9. St. Louis Cardinals

Season Outlook

The Cardinals used a late-season push to sneak into the postseason last year. Manager Mike Matheny will be looking to lead his team into October once again in his second season at the helm.

Kyle Lohse left in free agency, while Chris Carpenter is sidelined indefinitely, so the pitching staff has some question marks. But top prospect Shelby Miller earned the No. 5 starter spot out of camp, and he projects as a future staff ace.

Offensively, the team has some questions up the middle, but it also has an emerging star in Allen Craig and solid veterans like Carlos Beltran and Yadier Molina. The Cardinals have work to do, but I wouldn't bet against them.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

CF Jon Jay
RF Carlos Beltran
LF Matt Holliday
1B Allen Craig
C Yadier Molina
3B Matt Carpenter
2B Daniel Descalso
SS Pete Kozma
Pitcher

Projected Opening Day Rotation

SP Adam Wainwright
SP Jaime Garcia
SP Lance Lynn
SP Jake Westbrook
SP Shelby Miller
CP Mitchell Boggs

8. Tampa Bay Rays

Season Outlook

The Rays have had one of the best pitching staffs in baseball for the past several seasons, but they have struggled at times to score enough runs to back their arms.

As a result, the team pulled the trigger on trading workhorse James Shields this offseason to acquire top prospect Wil Myers. Myers could be playing right field by midseason, and he'll join Yunel Escobar, James Loney and Kelly Johnson as newcomers in an improved lineup.

Even with Shields gone, the rotation is deep. Reigning AL Cy Young winner David Price and youngsters Matt Moore and Jeremy Hellickson lead the way. Meanwhile, Fernando Rodney was one of the best closers in the game last year. The bullpen is solid top to bottom.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

CF Desmond Jennings
DH Matt Joyce
3B Evan Longoria
RF Ben Zobrist
SS Yunel Escobar
1B James Loney 
C Jose Molina
2B Kelly Johnson
LF Sam Fuld

Projected Opening Day Rotation

SP David Price
SP Jeremy Hellickson
SP Roberto Hernandez
SP Matt Moore
SP Alex Cobb
CP Fernando Rodney

7. Los Angeles Angels

Season Outlook

A year after spending big to add Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson, the Angels opened their wallets again this winter when they signed slugger Josh Hamilton to a five-year, $125 million deal.

With Pujols and Hamilton alongside Mike Trout and Mark Trumbo, the Angels have plenty of impact talent in their lineup. There is no real hole from an offensive standpoint.

The pitching staff has a new look, as Zack Greinke, Dan Haren and Ervin Santana were replaced by Jason Vargas, Joe Blanton and Tommy Hanson. Whether their rotation is better remains to be seen, but the bullpen should be improved with the additions of Sean Burnett and Ryan Madson.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

LF Mike Trout
SS Erick Aybar
1B Albert Pujols
RF Josh Hamilton
DH Mark Trumbo
2B Howie Kendrick
3B Alberto Callaspo
C Chris Iannetta
CF Peter Bourjos 

Projected Opening Day Rotation

SP Jered Weaver
SP C.J. Wilson
SP Joe Blanton
SP Jason Vargas
SP Tommy Hanson 
CP Ernesto Frieri

6. Toronto Blue Jays

Season Outlook

The Blue Jays went all in this offseason, tapping into one of the league's best farm systems to pull off blockbuster trades with the Marlins and Mets.

Jose Reyes and Melky Cabrera are new faces in a lineup that features the high-powered duo of Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Bautista and should score plenty of runs.

The rotation, meanwhile, welcomes the trio of R.A. Dickey, Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle. Alongside Brandon Morrow and J.A. Happ, they have a formidable staff.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

SS Jose Reyes
LF Melky Cabrera
RF Jose Bautista
1B Edwin Encarnacion
CF Colby Rasmus
DH Adam Lind
C J.P. Arencibia
2B Emilio Bonifacio
3B Maicer Izturis

Projected Opening Day Rotation

SP R.A. Dickey 
SP Brandon Morrow
SP Mark Buehrle
SP Josh Johnson 
SP J.A. Happ
CP Casey Janssen

5. Atlanta Braves

Season Outlook

Though they finished behind the Nationals in the NL East last season, the Braves ran away with a wild-card spot. And after making a pair of huge additions to their lineup, they'll look to push Washington for the title this year.

After losing Michael Bourn in free agency, the team signed B.J. Upton as a free agent to replace him in center field. Two months later, they pulled off a blockbuster deal to acquire his brother, Justin. They'll join Jason Heyward and Freddie Freeman in a talented lineup.

The bullpen remains one of the best in the game, led by flame-throwing closer Craig Kimbrel. And they'll support a staff that will benefit from a full season of Kris Medlen and a potential breakout from Julio Teheran.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

SS Andrelton Simmons
RF Jason Heyward
LF Justin Upton
1B Freddie Freeman
CF B.J. Upton
2B Dan Uggla
3B Juan Francisco
C Gerald Laird 
Pitcher 

Projected Opening Day Rotation

SP Tim Hudson
SP Kris Medlen
SP Mike Minor
SP Paul Maholm
SP Julio Teheran
CP Craig Kimbrel

4. Cincinnati Reds

Season Outlook

The Reds return essentially the same team that won the NL Central crown last season. They have to be considered the favorites to win the division again this year.

The one major addition the team made shored up a huge hole. The Reds acquired Shin-Soo Choo from the Indians to serve as a high on-base table-setter atop a potent lineup led by MVP candidate Joey Votto.

Health was certainly on the Reds' side last year in the rotation, as their five Opening Day starters made all but one start during the course of the season. If they can enjoy similar health this season, they should have one of the top pitching staffs in the game.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

CF Shin-Soo Choo
2B Brandon Phillips
1B Joey Votto
LF Ryan Ludwick
RF Jay Bruce
3B Todd Frazier
SS Zack Cozart
C Ryan Hanigan
Pitcher

Projected Opening Day Rotation

SP Johnny Cueto
SP Mat Latos
SP Bronson Arroyo
SP Homer Bailey
SP Mike Leake
CP Aroldis Chapman

3. Washington Nationals

Season Outlook

The Nationals won an MLB-best 98 games last season, but they bowed out of the playoffs early when the Cardinals beat them in the NLDS. Now, they'll be looking to build off that success as they push toward a title.

Denard Span was acquired from the Twins, giving the team two things it needed badly: a plus defensive center fielder and a legitimate leadoff hitter. He'll set the table for Ryan Zimmerman and Bryce Harper, who could be in for a huge sophomore campaign.

The pitching staff is the real strength of the team, however. Ace Stephen Strasburg will be off the leash following a 2012 season in which he was shut down in September. Dan Haren was signed to replace Edwin Jackson in the rotation, and Rafael Soriano takes over as closer in a talented bullpen.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

CF Denard Span
RF Jayson Werth
LF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Adam LaRoche
SS Ian Desmond
2B Danny Espinosa
C Wilson Ramos
Pitcher

Projected Opening Day Rotation

SP Stephen Strasburg
SP Gio Gonzalez
SP Jordan Zimmermann
SP Dan Haren
SP Ross Detwiler
CP Rafael Soriano

2. Detroit Tigers

Season Outlook

Though it took a late-season push to even make the postseason, the Tigers captured the AL pennant last year. And at least on paper, they look to be an even better team now.

Victor Martinez is back after missing all of last season with a torn ACL. The Tigers also add Torii Hunter, who was signed to shore up the glaring hole in right field. They'll join the dynamic duo of Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrera in the team's high-powered offense.

The pitching staff is among the best in all of baseball, led by the best pitcher in the game, Justin Verlander. They'll employ a closer-by-committee—with prospect Bruce Rondon optioned to the minors to get a bit more seasoning—but they have the arms to make that work.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

CF Austin Jackson
RF Torii Hunter
3B Miguel Cabrera
1B Prince Fielder
DH Victor Martinez
LF Andy Dirks
SS Jhonny Peralta
C Alex Avila
2B Omar Infante

Projected Opening Day Rotation

SP Justin Verlander
SP Anibal Sanchez
SP Rick Porcello
SP Doug Fister
SP Max Scherzer
CP Joaquin Benoit

1. San Francisco Giants

Season Outlook

The reigning champs have owned the top spot in my rankings all offseason, and that's where they'll start 2013 as they look to defend their crown.

Pitching is still the strength of the team. Though it remains to be seen if Tim Lincecum can return to form, the rest of the rotation is solid, and the bullpen is one of the best in baseball.

Offensively, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The Giants find ways to back their pitching staff without a high-powered offense. NL MVP Buster Posey will once again be asked to do the heavy lifting.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

CF Angel Pagan
2B Marco Scutaro
3B Pablo Sandoval
C Buster Posey
RF Hunter Pence
1B Brandon Belt
LF Gregor Blanco
SS Brandon Crawford
Pitcher

Projected Opening Day Rotation

SP Matt Cain
SP Madison Bumgarner
SP Tim Lincecum
SP Barry Zito
SP Ryan Vogelsong
CP Sergio Romo

Joel Reuter is a National MLB Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report.

Follow @JoelReuterBR