2021 MLB PREVIEW

EASTERN DIVISION

Atlanta Braves 94-68

The Atlanta Braves pushed the Dodgers to the limit in the NLCS. They will again be among the elite teams in baseball. Ronald Acuna Jr. is among the best players in baseball. The Braves do not have many weaknesses and made improvements to their rotation, adding Charlie Morton. The race to win the East will be tight, but the Braves have a slight edge due to experience and understanding you need to go the extra mile.

New York Mets 92-70 (Wild Card)

The New York Mets have a new owner and a new outlook. Steve Cohen has added star power with the deal to land Francisco Lindor and made sure he was locked up for the next decade, making a contract extension at the 11th hour. The reaction of the Mets’ players on Twitter shows how important the deal was. The Mets should be among the best teams in baseball and will scrap with the Braves all season for the NL East. They may need one more piece to get over the top, but they should get in the postseason no matter what.

Washington Nationals 87-75

No team was hurt by the truncated season more than the Washington Nationals. Coming off a great run to a World Championship in 2019, the Nationals had the classic World Series hangover as they dealt with injuries. The Nationals had a slow start when they won the World Series in 2019 and finished strong. When last year ended, they were again playing their best baseball, but after only 60 games were short of the postseason. The Nationals will contend this year, but with some strong teams ahead of them, they will fall just short of the playoffs.

Philadelphia Phillies 79-83

The Philadelphia Phillies have a strong deep lineup but seriously lack pitching, especially in the bullpen. Aaron Nola and Zach Wheeler are solid front-end starters, but beyond that, the Phillies are lost. Their bullpen ERA was over seven last season, and they have not made much improvement. In a tough division, it is hard to see the Phillies making a serious playoff push, as there are too many holes to overcome.

Miami Marlins 71-91

No team was a bigger shock to make the playoffs than the Miami Marlins, who overcame a long COVID pause and a limited payroll using a record number of players to do enough to sneak in with the extra round. Truth be told, the Marlins are still a bad team; last year was a fraud as a full season would have eventually caught up and had them at 90 losses. The Marlins are developing talent but are still at least two years away from being a true contender in the National League.

CENTRAL DIVISION

St. Louis Cardinals 86-76

At corners, the St. Louis Cardinals are second to none, as Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt are just about the perfect players at third and first. The rest of the is far from ideal. The rotation is middle of the road, the outfield is pedestrian, and the bullpen can not be described as automatic. In perhaps the worst division in baseball, the play of Arenado and Goldschmidt will be enough as the Cardinals capture the Central Division crown.

Milwaukee Brewers 84-78

Christian Yelich had a terrible season last season after a pair of MVP-type seasons. Perhaps the lack of fans was a reason for the struggles, and a bounce back should be expected. Yelich, along with the addition of Jackie Bradley Jr. and the return of Lorenzo Cain, gives the Brewers the best defensive outfield in the game, and they also have a strong bullpen. However, the rotation is hardly reliable, and that, in the end, will be the undoing of Milwaukee.

Chicago Cubs 80-82

The Chicago Cubs are on the verge of the abyss, expiring contracts and a lack of desire to pay, the Cubs could be the biggest sellers at the trade deadline if they are out of the playoff chase. The Cubs’ dismantling has begun with the trades on Jon Lester and Yu Darvish. This has made their rotation among the weakest in the National League, with contracts in the air, the chances of the Cubs excelling is compromised and an ugly season could be in the cards in Wrigleyville

Cincinnati Reds 77-85

Last year the Cincinnati Reds eeked into the playoffs, with Trevor Bauer winning the Cy Young. Bauer is gone, and the Reds are facing a full season with more players leaving as the Reds just seem unable to keep anyone other than Joey Votto. Luis Castilo could be the next player to leave, he is an ace, but without any other reliable starters, the Reds will be far from making the playoffs.

Pittsburgh Pirates 55-107

The worst team in baseball in 60 games in 2020 has lost two of their best players. It is clearly a rebuild for the Pittsburgh Pirates, who have the top pick in the MLB Draft. The rotation is so bad that Jack Leiter could be drafted and become the Pirates’ best pitcher in July if they inserted him into the rotation. Ke’Bryan Hayes could also be a bright spot at the third as the favorite to win Rookie of the Year. The rest is a mess as the Pirates seem destined for another 100-loss season, sinking to the bottom of the Central.

WESTERN DIVISION

Los Angeles Dodgers 103-59

If you pro-rate their record over a 162-game season, the Los Angeles Dodgers would have won 116 games. The reigning World Champions are just as strong with the addition of reigning Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer. It will be hard to dethrone the Dodgers. However, their best competition could be from within the Western Division with the Padres. In the end, the Dodgers rotation and lineup will win out as they become the first team in 21 years to repeat.

San Diego Padres 100-62 (Wild Card)

The lone weak spot on the San Diego Padres was their rotation, as they have one of the best young lineups in baseball led by Fernando Tatis. During the offseason, the Padres added Blake Snell and Yu Darvish to address these issues and now have a team that can compete with anyone. The only issue is the Dodgers will be in the way. The Padres are clearly a playoff team and maybe the second-best overall team in baseball, but the Dodgers are in the way. It should be a great season for San Diego, but if they can’t get by the Dodgers it will be one of disappointment at the end.

San Francisco Giants 79-83

Buster Posey returns for what will likely be his final season with the San Francisco Giants as the era that brought three championships to the bay is fading away. Still, the Giants play hard and seem to win more than they should and could hover close to the race for the Wild Card, but with some heavily loaded teams ahead of them will not have the horses to stay in the race past August.

Arizona Diamondbacks 30-30

The Arizona Diamondbacks were in for a tough season to begin with; losing Zac Gallen to a stress fracture will not help matters. The Diamondbacks do not have a deep roster and need to have all players firing on all cylinders to even sniff a playoff spot. More than likely, Arizona will be sellers at the trade deadline, which could help set up the future and be better in the long run as the Dodgers and Padres will battle for the Western Divison.

Colorado Rockies 61-101

Nolan Arenado is gone and so is hope in the Mile High City. The Colorado Rockies did not get much in return for their All-Star third baseman. The Rockies are clearly in rebuild mode and possibly could be looking to move Charlie Blackmon and Trevor Story before the season is done. The pitching staff is thin and the Rockies are in line for 100 losses.

EASTERN DIVISION

New York Yankees 100-62

The New York Yankees have a loaded lineup and a deep bench, with the resources to absorb injuries and make a big splash deal at the deadline. However, the starting rotation is a major question mark. The Yankees have a team built to win the regular season and win 100 games again, but the lack of starting pitching will lead to more October heartbreak.

Toronto Blue Jays 90-72 (Wild Card)

The Toronto Blue Jays are a young, hungry team that is not sure where they will play all their games this season, as COVID restrictions in Canada have them starting the season in the spring home Dunedin. The hope is by summer. They are back in Toronto. The Blue Jays have a young and talented team that, with the addition of George Springer, can make a run at the Wild Card.

Tampa Bay Rays 86-76

The Tampa Bay Rays reached the World Series last season. They have become the experts at the use of the opener, but how long can that work. It was perfect for a 60-game season, but a full 162 will be much harder. Add in the loss of two of their top starters Blake Snell and Charlie Morton, and you have a team that will be hard-pressed to return to the playoffs.

Boston Red Sox 77-85

Alex Cora is back, but the Boston Red Sox are in a rebuild mode. The Red Sox have a good organizational structure and could be ready to contend again in a year or two, but in 2021 they will again take their lumps as they try to recover from years of spending over the luxury tax threshold.

Baltimore Orioles 64-98

Things are still bleak for the Baltimore Orioles. Trey Mancini is back after battling colon cancer and will be a player who could inspire a young team. The problem is the Orioles still lack the talent to be competitive on m0st nights.

CENTRAL DIVISION

Chicago White Sox 93-69

After a decade away, Tony LaRussa is back in the dugout. LaRussa, who has won World Series with the Athletics and Cardinals, returns to the Chicago White Sox, whom he managed from 1979-1986. LaRussa is within reach of John McGraw for second on the All-Time wins list. The White Sox have the talent to win the Central, and if LaRussa can figure out the modern game, which he helped invent, it could be a special season on the South Side.

Minnesota Twins 91-71 (Wild Card)

The Minnesota Twins have a deep power-packed lineup, that should again reach the postseason, in the top-heavy American League. However, there are holes and concerns that will likely lead to more postseason frustration, as they are an older team led by 40-year-old Nelson Cruz that will need to win this year before possibly rebuilding.

Cleveland Indians 76-86

In their final season as the Cleveland Indians, change is in the air. The Tribe who will have a new nickname in 2022, slashed payroll and began rebuilding for the future, trading away Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carasco. Shane Bieber at the front of the rotation will be a Cy Young contender again, but the future lies when the new name takes hold.

Kansas City Royals 73-89

The Kansas City Royals, who have plunged to the depths of the American League since winning the 2015 World Series, are trying to claw their way back to respectability. The Royals made a big move acquiring Andrew Benintendi from the Red Sox. Add in players like Jorge Soler and Adalberto Mondesi, and the Royals should be exciting if nothing else.

Detroit Tigers 67-95

It will be another long season in the Motor City as the Detroit Tigers continue to rebuild. Miguel Cabrera should provide some excitement as he pursues 500 home runs and 3,000 hits. The rest of the team is the pits. Expect the Tigers to begin bringing up future stars Spencer Torkelson as they hope to finish strong for 2022.

WESTERN DIVISION

Oakland Athletics 90-72

No team is better at building with spare parts than the Oakland Athletics. Limited by payroll, the Athletics always seem to pick up a few players who are looking to turn their career around, comeback from injury, or trying to land a big contract by showing what they can do on a one-year deal. The A’s won the West last year and are in a position to do it again.

Los Angeles Angels 87-75

With Mike Trout, Anthony Rendon, and Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles Angels have a powerful lineup. The Angels however do not have a reliable starting pitching, now do they have a bullpen that can lock down wins. Until the Angels get some pitching, the talents of Mike Trout will be wasted.

Houston Astros 84-78

The Houston Astros lost George Springer, Justin Verlander is out for the year, and Jose Altuve is nothing without the trash can. The Houston Astros have too much to overcome to return to the top of the American League West. They will stumble and struggle all season as they may consider dealing Carlos Correa.

Seattle Mariners 71-91

Happy Anniversary Seattle Mariners, 20 years ago they won 116 games and fizzled in the ALCS they have not sniffed the postseason since. The Seattle Mariners have some talent knocking on the door led by Jarred Kelenic

Texas Rangers 64-98

The World Series was played at Globe Life Park last season as the MLB had a postseason bubble. The Texas Rangers will not have their first playoff game any time soon, as they are a rebuilding team that does not have a great farm system, so it will be a few years before the Rangers will get their new stadium buzzing.