2020 MLB season: Don’t Sleep On These Teams
Washington Nationals – 2019 record: 93-69
Wait, what?
The World Series champions are your sleeper team for 2020? Come on!
Well yes here’s why.
The Nationals are now competing with a Braves team that is young and very talent-heavy, a Phillies team with a new direction and new pieces in the lineup and rotation as well as the Mets who are intriguing enough to back again this season.
The Nats have their work cut out for them and despite getting Strasburg back they are now with one less power bat in the lineup.
Eric Thames is a comparable replacement but not nearly at the same production level that Rendon was at.
The Nationals do have of course an outstanding pitching staff as well as the very exciting Juan Soto in left field. They have as good a chance to repeat but not many are giving them the same projections.
Never forget, this was the best team in baseball following Memorial Day last year and look where it got them.
They were able to do very well without Bryce Harper on their roster last season. Will the lack of Rendon make them even better?