CLEVELAND — Editor's note: the video in the player above is from Feb. 12, 2021.
On Wednesday, Cleveland Indians pitchers and catchers reported to Goodyear, Arizona, marking the unofficial start of the team's Spring Training.
But when it comes to the Indians' outlook for the 2021 campaign, oddsmakers have tempered expectations.
On Tuesday, the Las Vegas SuperBook released its over-under win totals for the 2021 season. And while the sportsbook is projecting Cleveland to enjoy a ninth consecutive winning season, the Indians' over-under win total of 82.5 is the third highest in the American League Central, trailing the Chicago White Sox (89.5) and Minnesota Twins (88.5).
You can see the full over-under win totals in the tweet below.
In the 2020 MLB season, which was shortened to 60 games due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Indians went 35-25, which would have put them on pace for 94 wins in a standard 162-game regular season. Prior to 2020, you'd have to go back to 2015 to find the last time Cleveland won fewer than 91 games in a regular season.
This past offseason, the Indians' lineup took a hit when Cleveland traded star shortstop Francisco Lindor to the New York Mets. And while veteran pitcher Carlos Carrasco was also a part of that deal, the Indians still lay claim to one of the best pitching staffs in baseball, as evidenced by Shane Bieber's status as the current co-favorite to win the 2021 American League Cy Young Award.