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Nearly five months after the originally scheduled 2020 MLB Opening Day, real baseball is about to begin. For the first time since October 30, 2019, we will be able to watch our favorite teams take the field as they battle it out through a 66-day-long regular season to see who comes out on top. Although MLB experts have predicted that the Los Angeles Dodgers will come out on top and win the 2020 World Series, a lot can change between now and then.
This is all exciting news for the fantasy baseball league as the quick-paced season will change the way stats are viewed overall. If you use an MLB trade simulator, you’re in for a busy season!
So how do some of the best teams look after this long offseason? Well, that depends on who you ask. However, experts clear across the board all agree on which teams hold the top five spots, and we’ve listed them below.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
On paper, the Dodgers are going into this season as a force to be reckoned with. Last year, they won 106 games but lost their shot at going to the World Series when the Washington Nationals beat them 7-3 at home. This year, they’ve got a powerhouse lineup, and Mookie Betts is their newly-acquired cherry on top. With Betts in the lineup with players like Bellinger, Turner, Buehler, and Muncy—plus the strongest bullpen the franchise has seen in years—the Dodgers are the favorite going into the season.
2. New York Yankees
Like the Dodgers, the Yankees had an incredible season last year, tallying 103 wins and boasting the most runs scored out of all 30 teams. However, a slew of injuries and a tired bullpen rotation kept them from beating the Houston Astros to advance to the World Series. But the long offseason was good for the team—injured players Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton are healthy and ready to play, and the acquisition of Gerrit Cole gives them that extra boost that could carry them through to the post-season.
3. Houston Astros
The Astros played hard last year and made it all the way to the World Series against the Nationals, but ultimately lost 6-2 in Game 7. Soon after, the revelations brought forth by the sign-stealing scandal shook the organization and led to the suspension and termination of the General Manager and Field Manager. While the scandal has become somewhat of an afterthought in light of… well, everything else that’s going on in the world right now, experts wonder how this will affect the team’s relationship with fans. However, the extended offseason gave fan-favorite Justin Verlander a chance to recover from groin surgery, which means he is healthy and ready to start Opening Day with his team.
4. Minnesota Twins
In the 2019 season, the Twins set the record for the most home runs in a single season with 317 home runs. As if that wasn’t enough for them, they added free agent, former All-Star, and MVP Josh Donaldson to their lineup on the offseason. With a line-up stacked from top to bottom with power hitters and a rock-solid bullpen with some wiggle room to maximize output, the Twins are looking to come in hot and just keep swinging.
5. Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays have more or less the same roster going into this season as they did last year—but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. They might not have the most impressive stats in the game, but that doesn’t keep them from keeping pace with the likes of the Yankees and the Astros. Their versatile roster means they always have someone who can play in a pinch, and that proclivity for unconventional chaos may just give them a leg up in this unconventionally chaotic short season. While the Rays were affected by COVID-19, their players are all apparently healthy and ready for opening day.
Close Contenders
- Atlanta Braves – After battling COVID-19, Freddie Freeman has returned healthy. The Braves have a strong rotation and a bullpen to be reckoned with.
- Oakland Athletics – The A’s managed to 97 wins last season, even with 11 different starting pitchers. Now they have Jesus Luzardo, who is one of the top prospects when it comes to pitching.
- Washington Nationals – Losing Anthony Rendon to the Angels may have delivered a blow, but a healthy Max Scherzer could make all the difference.
This may not be your typical MLB season, but that doesn’t mean these Clubs are going to sleep on it. With a long offseason to train rookies, reassess line-ups, and bring injured players off the DL, this 60-game season could end up surprising us all.
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