The Trade Deadline has passed, and the American League Central looks a bit different. While a few teams have a new look going into the final stretch of the season, others look exactly the same as they did before the Deadline. Each team's approach could mean something different for the rest of 2019 and beyond.

Indians: Will trading Trevor Bauer hurt the Tribe’s run?

The Indians posted the best record in baseball from June 4 through the Trade Deadline, owning the best ERA in the AL (3.50) in that stretch. The team certainly needed some power in the middle of its lineup to relieve Jason Kipnis of his cleanup hitter duties, and it got just that in Yasiel Puig and Franmil Reyes.

But the biggest question that will need to be answered is whether the Tribe's bats will outweigh the innings, strikeouts and total pitches – categories in which he led his former club -- that Bauer had given the Indians through the first four months of the season.

• What to take away from Tribe's blockbuster deal

Royals: What’s next?

A lot of evaluation. The Royals will view the next two months as auditions for who they believe is part of the core of the future. Kansas City knows it has part of the core for 2020 in place in shortstop Adalberto Mondesi, super utility man Whit Merrifield, third baseman Hunter Dozier, second baseman Nicky Lopez, outfielder Jorge Soler, catcher Salvador Perez (back for '20 after Tommy John surgery), possibly Gold Glove outfielder Alex Gordon, center fielder Bubba Starling, right-handers Brad Keller and Jakob Junis, left-hander Danny Duffy and so on.

What manager Ned Yost and general manager Dayton Moore will be evaluating most is the bullpen. The Royals have several young arms they want to identify as potential pieces moving forward, such as right-handers Josh Staumont, Kyle Zimmer, Jorge Lopez, Scott Barlow and Kevin McCarthy, and left-handers Richard Lovelady and Tim Hill.

The Royals also will like to see outfielders Brett Phillips, acquired in the Mike Moustakas trade in 2018, and Jorge Bonifacio before the season ends.

Tigers: How many prospects will follow Jake Rogers up to Detroit this summer?

The Tigers' front office and manager Ron Gardenhire will spend a chunk of August discussing this topic. Rogers’ callup came not just sooner than expected, but at a random time in the middle of a West Coast trip, suggesting the Tigers are willing to promote aggressively to address their second-half doldrums.

That doesn’t mean Casey Mize or Matt Manning will pitch in Detroit this year, but prospects like infielders Willi Castro and Dawel Lugo, starter Beau Burrows, relievers Bryan Garcia and John Schreiber, and outfielders Daz Cameron and Jacob Robson -- all of whom need to be added to the 40-man roster this coming offseason anyway -- could be up Sept. 1, if not sooner. The closer Detroit inches toward a potential record-setting 120-loss season, the greater the urgency.

Twins: Which young arms will step up in the bullpen?

Sergio Romo is in. Sam Dyson is in. The Twins went out and got the external bullpen help that they needed at the Trade Deadline, but that was never going to be a fix-all for this relief corps, which will still need a few Major League-ready pitching prospects to round out the bullpen depth.

Zack Littell, Sean Poppen, Devin Smeltzer, Lewis Thorpe, Kohl Stewart and Cody Stashak have all answered the call at various points this season, and all have pitched well in short stints at the Major League level. One or more of those young pitchers proving worthy of a more consistent spot in a playoff bullpen would be another big boon for the Twins.

White Sox: Can they truly contend in 2020?

There was interest in White Sox relievers such as Alex Colome, Aaron Bummer and Jace Fry, but keeping these late-inning presences with whom they have contractual control indicates, in part, the White Sox believe 2020 could be the year they take a step into contention.

The White Sox will need to add front-end pitching, with projected starters Michael Kopech, Dane Dunning and Carlos Rodon all coming back from Tommy John surgery. They attempted to start that building process going into the Trade Deadline, but to no avail per general manager Rick Hahn. They also will need to figure out how Jose Abreu fits into the immediate future, with the organization staple and middle-of-the-order presence a free agent after 2019. Young standouts such as Luis Robert, Nick Madrigal and even Andrew Vaughn should arrive in ’20, reinforcing this potential contention belief.