2020 MLB season: Biggest risks in the NL East
Let us take a look around the NL East at the biggest risks each team faces as they look ahead to the 2020 MLB season.
Atlanta Braves: Letting Josh Donaldson Walk
After weeks of speculation and rumors, Josh Donaldson has finally made his free-agency decision. The third-baseman agreed to a four-year deal with the Minnesota Twins, as first reported by MLB insider Mark Feisand.
With one of their key middle-of-the-lineup bats now gone, the Braves can either turn to Austin Riley as an in-house option or pursue trade candidates such as Kris Bryant or Nolan Arenado in their quest to upgrade the lineup for the 2020 MLB season. While Bryant and Arenado are more than viable options, trading for them involves both a financial commitment and giving up coveted prospects- whereas a Donaldson reunion would have only required the former.
The Braves do have a farm system deep enough to pull off a trade, but fans may be left wondering if Donaldson could have been enticed into returning with the right offer. After all, this is a team that managed to extend a 22 year-old star in Ronald Acuña Jr. for only $100 million over 6 years. Needless to say, they have the ability to keep their elite players around for a reasonable price.
One headline to keep an eye on will be what the Braves’ final offer to Donaldson was and how it compares to the Twins’ offer of 4 years and $92 million. If the Braves choose to pursue a blockbuster trade, they will very likely find themselves at the top of most NL East prediction boards. However, it may just cost a future star or two to get there.
If they do not pursue a trade, then they will have lost a cornerstone of their lineup and a crucial contributor to the 2019 NL East title run.
Miami Marlins: Impatience in the Rebuild
The Marlins seem to yet again be the only true non-contender in the NL East heading into the 2020 MLB season. However, the fruits of their rebuild are starting to become apparent. Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report placed Miami at #9 in his overall farm-system rankings for 2020.
The only thing that the Marlins need now is to commit to this rebuild and await a bright future.
If they grow impatient and refuse to sell at the 2020 trade deadline, then their farm system will
stay put.
The Marlins have a chance to build an incredible talent-pool of prospects that they can either
develop themselves or use as trade-bait when the time to compete arrives, and they are better off
continuing to build it rather than forcing a few more wins in an already crowded division.
New York Mets: The New Bullpen
Throughout the 2019 season, the contenders of the NL East all found themselves with the same
weakest link: relief pitching. The Mets were surely not immune to this as they blew 27 saves in
2019 and tons of early leads, as well.
The Mets have addressed the pitching issue during the offseason by not only signing multiple
starting pitchers in Rick Porcello and Michael Wacha, but also by signing Dellin Betances to a
one-year deal. Betances has the ability to be a truly elite reliever when healthy, but has struggled to avoid injuries in the recent past. Still, if he can find a way to stay on the field during the 2020 MLB season, the Mets bullpen will have gained a much-needed cornerstone.
It is safe to say that if Edwin Díaz manages to bounce back in 2020, the addition of a healthy
Betances will not only make the Mets heavy contenders, but it will also give them one of the best overall pitching staffs in the MLB.
Philadelphia Phillies: Signing Zack Wheeler
Speaking of guys who can be elite when healthy, the Phillies gained a much-needed starting
pitcher to compliment Aaron Nola. In early December, the Phillies signed Zack Wheeler to a 5-
yr, $118 million contract (first reported by Marc Carig from the Athletic). Wheeler has the stuff
to be an elite pitcher at the Major League level. However, he has struggled to stay healthy- only
reaching the threshold of 30 starts per season twice in his career (2014 and 2019).
From the $118 million offer, it is clear that the Phillies are signing Wheeler to be the pitcher they
hope he will be rather than the one he has been in the past. Naturally, there is a lot of risk in
signing a pitcher with as much injury-trouble as Wheeler has. However, if Wheeler can manage
to stay healthy during the 2020 MLB season and beyond, then he will make General Manager Matt Klentak look like a genius.
The Phillies obviously missed out on top-tier starting pitcher Gerrit Cole and could not even
entice 2008 World Series MVP Cole Hamels into returning to the City of Brotherly Love, so
their eggs are being placed largely in Wheeler’s basket during the 2020 MLB season.
Washington Nationals: Going Without an Elite Third-Basemen (Probably)
The question that has been on Nats fans’ minds since December 11 (when Anthony Rendon
agreed to a 7-yr, $245 million contract with the L.A. Angels) is undoubtedly: who will fill the
gap at third-base?
The reigning World Series champs have been linked to several third-base candidates this off-
season just as the division-rival Braves have. In addition to Josh Donaldson, the Nationals have
been linked to Kris Bryant and potentially even Nolan Arenado this winter. However, the
Nationals have a quite top-heavy farm system and are undoubtedly reluctant to deal away top
prospects such as Carter Kieboom and current talent such as Victor Robles or Juan Soto.
Now, as the end of the off-season approaches, it appears that the Nationals will look to newly
acquired infielders Starlin Castro and Asdrubal Cabrera to help fill the void left by Rendon.
These are solid additions at a low-cost, but it is undeniable that Rendon’s presence (both
offensively and defensively) was instrumental for the Nats and their title run in 2019.
Next. Luxury tax small price to pay for playoffs. dark
Going without someone like Rendon or Donaldson at the hot corner is quite risky if the Nationals
truly want to compete for back-to-back World Series Titles. So as we enter into a new decade of
baseball, all eyes in the District turn towards what now must be described as “Rendon’s old spot” on the diamond