MLB players: The biggest difference makers for all 30 teams in 2020

MLB players: The biggest difference makers in 2020

American League Central

The Minnesota Twins won their division for the first time in a decade but still went largely unnoticed after being swept by the New York Yankees in October. But I am going with a pitcher who wasn’t on the roster last year: Kenta Maeda.

Josh Donaldson was their biggest offseason addition, which will make them arguably the most powerful lineup in all of baseball but if the Twins want to get past the divisional round, then they will need Kenta Maeda to step up.

The recently acquired right-hander is going to be in the rotation but he pitched very well out of the bullpen with the Los Angeles Dodgers last season so I wouldn’t be surprised if he is used as a starter and a reliever in October (assuming they get there).

I am a real believer in the Cleveland Indians, and I don’t know why a lot of people are looking right past them when Francisco Lindor is still on the roster so as long as he is at the top of the lineup there is no reason to doubt that Cleveland will be in contention.

But I want to shine a light on Jose Ramirez as my X-Factor for this ballclub. People forget that this guy that finished in the top 3 in the AL MVP voting in 2017 and 2018.

2019 was a different story, as he hit just .255 in 129 games. Jose Ramirez is one of the most underrated MLB players in the game, but he will certainly be noticed if he can have a big year again in 2020.

If Lindor is traded I could very well see Ramirez putting the team on his back and putting them in Wild Card contention.

The White Sox got a lot better this offseason, as they added Dallas Keuchel, Gio Gonzalez, Yasmani Grandal, Nomar Mazara, and Edwin Encarnacion. But the X-Factor in this team is Tim Anderson.

Anderson won the batting title last season but it did not get enough attention because he was on a rebuilding squad, but if he is able to hit anywhere close to what he did in 2019 then we will be seeing the White Sox in the postseason.

The Kansas City Royals are going to continue to field a very young squad in 2020 with Mike Matheny taking over, but there is one leader on this team that continues to shine and that is Whit Merrifield.

Merrifield has been in trade talks over the course of the winter but he is the new face of the franchise in my mind. And it helps that his contract is team-friendly.

The Detroit Tigers are going to have a long year, as casual fans can only name one player on the roster and that is Miguel Cabrera.

He is the most important player on the team because he still has that Triple Crown on his resume and the young guys know that he is a future Hall of Famer.

So this is going to be another rebuilding year for Detroit but if Miggy can bring back some power from his heydays then Tigers fans will benefit from it.