Which non-playoff teams can become contenders in 2020?
MLB Teams to Watch
Cincinnati Reds
The Reds finished with a 75-87 record in their first MLB season under manager David Bell. They finished 4th in the NL Central division, which is the first time in five years where they didn’t finish last. It has been a rough stretch for the Reds, who haven’t made the playoffs since 2013.
Thus, they have endured a complete rebuild. However, they have started to show signs of potential. Last offseason, the Reds made a series of aggressive moves to demonstrate that they were ready to move out of their rebuilding phase and compete. These moves included trading for Tanner Roark, Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp, Alex Wood, and Sonny Gray.
The Reds stayed aggressive at the trade deadline, acquiring prized starting pitcher Trevor Bauer in a three-way trade with the Indians and Padres, which sent Puig to Cleveland and their top prospect, Taylor Trammel, to San Diego. They also traded away Roark and Scooter Gennett.
The Good
While their record didn’t scream success, the Reds have plenty of reasons to be excited about their 2019 season. Eugenio Suárez followed up his all-star 2018 with an even better 2019. The 27-year-old third baseman slugged 49 home runs, which was second in the league. His stellar September performance earned him NL player of the month honors. Sonny Gray bounced back after struggling with the Yankees, posting a career-high 205 strikeouts and 2.87 ERA, which was 7th-best in all of baseball. His performance earned him his second career all-star bid. Luis Castillo solidified himself as an ace, winning 15 games with a 3.40 ERA and 226 strikeouts on the year.
However, nobody stood out more than rookie sensation Aristides Aquino. The 25-year-old right fielder burst onto the scene with a tremendous display of power. He became the first player in MLB history to hit 11 home runs in his first 17 career games. In only 56 games, he finished with 19 home runs and 47 RBIs. He showed a lot of promise and will go into 2020 with high expectations.
Overall, they have a powerful lineup with plenty of young talent looking to contribute more in 2020. The front end of their pitching staff is very formidable, with the 1-2-3 punch of Castillo, Gray, and Bauer being one of the better top three in the league. The back-end of their bullpen is also solid, with Michael Lorenzen, Amir Garrett, Robert Stephenson, and closer Raisel Iglesias all having productive MLB seasons in 2019.
Where they need improvement
The Reds have a good foundation in Cincinnati, but they lack veteran depth. They could use a good defensive veteran middle infielder that can hit in the middle of the lineup. The Reds could re-sign Jose Iglesias, who had a moderately productive year at shortstop. However, they could elect to make a splash and sign someone like Didi Gregorius, who would be a significant upgrade offensively. If they choose to re-sign Iglesias, other cheap, veteran options include Brian Dozier, Brock Holt, Howie Kendrick, and others.
In fact, the Reds could look to stay rather quiet this offseason, and add low-cost veterans to improve their depth offensively, defensively, and on the mound.
The X-Factor
Speaking of veterans, first baseman Joey Votto had one of the worst seasons of his career. His offensive production fell off significantly. He posted a .261/.357/.411 slash line, which were all full-season career lows. While it was clear Votto lost some of his pop in 2018, he still managed to do what he does best: get on base. Votto has lead the league in on-base percentage seven times in his career but struggled in 2019. The Reds don’t need Votto to slug 25 home runs anymore; they have Suárez and Aquino to do that. All they need is their 35-year-old former MVP to become an on-base machine again.
MLB Teams to Watch
Chicago White Sox
It has been a long time since the Chicago White Sox have been competitive. The last time they made the playoffs was in 2008, and it has been a long rebuild process. Last season, they fell short once again, posting a 72-89 record.
However, for the first time in a long time, there is reason to be excited about what’s next for the White Sox. They proved they were ready to spend big money last offseason in their aggressive pursuit of Manny Machado. While they failed to sign Machado, the young guys within their organization stepped up to put them in a position to turn heads next year.
The White Sox have done an incredible job flipping their former star players for young talent. Since 2017, they have managed to trade away their core of Chris Sale, Adam Eaton, and Jose Quintana. In those trades, they acquired the likes of Lucas Giolito, Michael Kopech, Yoan Moncada, and Eloy Jimenez to form a new, revamped young core.
The Good
In 2019, the moves they made during their rebuild began to pay off, creating a lot of excitement for the future. First, Lucas Giolito had a breakout MLB season. In 29 starts, he posted a 3.41 ERA with 228 strikeouts, as well as 3 complete games. He earned his first all-star game nod in 2019 and will look to carry over his success to next year as the team’s ace.
Yoan Moncada lived up to his potential in his second full season in the majors, hitting .315/.367/.548 with 25 home runs and 78 RBIs. He made the transition from second base to third, opening up second for Yolmer Sánchez, who won his first career gold glove. Eloy Jimenez somehow flew under the radar, putting together a fantastic rookie season that featured 31 home runs and 79 RBIs.
The offseason acquisitions made a big impact as well. Catcher James McCann had the best offensive season of his career in his first season with the team, where he earned his first career all-star selection. Alex Colomé had an impressive season as the White Sox closer, posting a 2.80 ERA with 30 saves.
However, no one made a bigger turnaround than Tim Anderson. The 26-year-old shortstop had a breakout campaign, leading the league in batting with a .335 average. He also had 18 home runs and 17 stolen bases. The core of Moncada, Anderson, and Jimenez gives the top of their lineup plenty of talent, with the potential to improve even more next year.
Where they need improvement
While their lineup showed potential in 2019, they still substantially lacked power. They ranked 25th in the league in home runs with 182, and 24th in total runs with 708, according to ESPN. That problem can become a lot worse if they lose their biggest run producer, José Abreu, to free agency. Abreu led the American League in RBIs with 123 in 2019 and paced the White Sox with 33 home runs. It is expected that Abreu will resign with Chicago, but the Sox need another middle-of-the-order power hitter in order to take their offense to the next level.
The X-Factor
The White Sox saw Lucas Giolito live up to his potential and become an ace. Now, they need the rest of their young rotation to follow suit. Reynaldo López had a wildly inconsistent season but showed flashes of becoming a quality, middle-of-the-rotation arm. Dylan Cease, another young talent acquired in the Jose Quintana trade, has immense potential as well. However, coming into next MLB season, all eyes will be on Michael Kopech. Kopech dominated his way through the minor leagues and created a lot of hype along the way. When he finally made it to the majors in 2018, his breakout party was cut immensely short by Tommy John Surgery after just four starts. He sat out all of 2019 but is poised for a comeback in 2020. If he can live up to his potential, he can change this White Sox team.
MLB Teams to Watch
New York Mets
The dysfunction of the New York Mets organization has always been well documented. This MLB season did not disappoint. There were locker room issues, front office disagreements, and as always, underperformance. Their big offseason acquisitions faltered, thus leading to a lot of criticism of General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen. Robinson Canó had by far the worst season of his career, Edwin Díaz had 7 blown saves after being the best closer in the league in 2018, and Jed Lowrie only managed to play 9 games.
However, not all was bad for the 2019 Mets. Thanks to an incredible second half, the Mets finished at an improved 86-76. They still missed the playoffs, but the future is not as bleak as it has been in years past.
First, they got rid of manager Mickey Callaway and replaced him with former Mets All-Star Carlos Beltrán. Now, the front office seems to finally be on the same page. The Mets still have some glaring needs, but fans have reason to be optimistic about the near future.
The Good
When talking about the good aspects of the Mets 2019 MLB season, it’s hard not to start with rookie sensation Pete Alonso. Alonso broke out in a big way, hitting .260/.358/.538. He led the league with 53 home runs, while also breaking Aaron Judge‘s single-season rookie home run record. He will anchor the Mets lineup for the foreseeable future. At the top of that lineup will be super-utility man Jeff McNeil, who also enjoyed a breakout season. He hit an impressive .318/.384/..531 with 23 home runs and 75 RBIs. He is a unique, versatile player who should be a staple in the Mets lineup for years to come.
The most surprising breakout performance in the Mets lineup was J.D. Davis. Davis came out of nowhere to hit .307/.369/.527 while bashing 22 home runs and 57 RBIs. Along with Amed Rosario, Michael Conforto, Brandon Nimmo, and Dominic Smith, the Mets have a solid young lineup.
The next good thing about the Mets roster is their starting rotation. While it appears they will let Zack Wheeler walk in free agency, Jacob DeGrom, Noah Syndergaard, and Marcus Stroman make up one of the best 1-2-3 punch in the majors. DeGrom has a chance to pick up his second straight NL Cy Young, after pitching to a 2.43 ERA with 255 strikeouts. Syndergaard had a down year but pitched incredibly well in the second half. Stroman came over in a trade at the deadline and continued one of the best seasons of his career. With the Mets, he went 4-2 with a 3.77 ERA in 11 starts.
Where They Need Improvement
The area that needs the most improvement for the Mets has been well documented in the media. They ranked 25th in bullpen ERA with a 4.95. Besides Seth Lugo and Justin Wilson, everyone in the bullpen was abysmal. Everyone already knows how bad Edwin Diaz was in 2019, so there’s no need to beat the dead horse. Robert Gsellman was ineffective, and Jeurys Familia was the worst of the bunch. If the Mets want to seriously compete, they must bolster their bullpen.
The X-Factor
Beyond the bullpen issues, the Mets have one person who needs to step up in order to transform the Mets into legitimate contenders. While Robinson Canó certainly needs to improve on his horrible 2019 campaign, another former All-Star must lead his team in the right direction. That would be the new Mets manager Carlos Beltrán. The Mets have been historically plagued with public embarrassment in the media. It seems every year the Mets get caught up in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Beltrán needs to ensure that it does not happen. He is familiar with the New York media and must stand tall in the spotlight. If he can manage the exterior media, then he can focus on creating a strong locker room culture. If he can do all of that, the Mets have enough talent to make a run to the playoffs, if they improve their bullpen. Out of all the talent in the Mets organization, Beltrán has the most to prove.
MLB Teams to Watch
Los Angeles Angels
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When will we see Mike Trout in October again? Trout only made one postseason appearance in 2014 with the Angels, as Los Angeles has fallen on some hard times in the past decade. In 2019, they underachieved once again, finishing with a 72-90 record, which was good for a 4th place finish in the AL West. Another MVP-Caliber season wasted on a mediocre team.
However, general manager Billy Eppler and the Angels’ front office have made it clear they want to compete now and are ready to spend big bucks in order to do so. The first move they made was firing manager Brad Ausmus, and replacing him with World Series champion manager Joe Maddon.
There is a lot to improve on the Angels roster, but they have the resources to give Maddon a good team to work with. It is realistic for Angels fans to be optimistic about the near future, as they have faced many years of disappointment in the past decade.
The Good
Obviously, Mike Trout is the good. Mike Trout is the very good. The game’s best player bested himself once again, having one of his most productive seasons. He led the American League with a .438 OBP, .645 SLG, and 1.083 OPS. He also bashed a career-high 45 home runs with 104 RBIs in just 134 games. He will fight for his 3rd MVP award. While there are no other Mike Trout’s in the league, the Angels did have some other offensive players.
Kole Calhoun turned his season around after an abysmal start to the season. He ended up hitting a career-high 33 home runs while playing stellar defense in the outfield. Brian Goodwin and David Fletcher had impressive years with the bat, and look to improve even more in 2020.
Shohei Ohtani also had a productive year at the plate. The two-way phenom did not pitch in 2019 due to his Tommy John surgery but remained a force offensively in another MLB season shortened by injury. Tommy La Stella had a surprise breakout year, hitting .295/.349/.486 with 16 home runs in half a season before he went down with a broken leg. The Angels have a good lineup that underachieved in 2019. If players like Justin Upton, Zack Cozart, and Andrelton Simmons can return to form, the Angels offense can make some noise with a little outside help.
Where they need improvement
Pitching is the obvious weakness for the Angels. As a team, the Angels ranked 25th in ERA with a horrible 5.12. In their starting rotation, they only have three bonafide starters going into next season. Those will be Griffin Canning, Andrew Heaney, and a healthy Shohei Ohtani. Thus, it is clear that they need help from the free-agent market. Expect the Angels to make aggressive pursuits for the likes of Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg, Madison Bumgarner, and pretty much anybody who can provide them with quality innings. Oh, and just for good measure, their bullpen can use some work as well.
dark. Next. Josh Lindblom back on MLB free agency radar
The X-Factor
For the Angels, it’s hard to tab anyone other than Ohtani as their X-factor. His young career has been full of success, but also full of injuries. When he has been able to stay on the field, he has been spectacular on both sides of the field. At the plate, he has a career .286/.343/.532 with 40 home runs and 123 RBIs in just 210 games. As a pitcher, he has a 3.31 ERA in just 10 career starts. No matter who they sign this offseason, much of the success of their starting rotation is going to be dependent on whether or not Ohtani can stay healthy and give them quality starts. On the days he doesn’t start, they need him to remain productive offensively. The Angels have a lot to improve on, but it all starts with a healthy and elite Ohtani.