Fatal flaw: Every MLB contender has a weak spot
By Bill Felber
In 2021, every MLB postseason contender has a fatal flaw.
It could be a weakness in the rotation, an unreliable bullpen, or a lineup soft spot (or two).
But in 2021, there are no perfect teams. Each has a potential fatal flaw, and sometimes two. That means a pennant or even a World Series trophy could well ride on which contender does the best job of patching its potential blowout holes by making the right deal this week.
Finding the fatal flaws in every MLB contender
It’s an odd scenario because in recent seasons we have become used to powerhouse clubs. That was certainly true of the 2020 World Series winners, the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers rolled to the Majors’ best regular season record, a .717 winning percentage in the Covid-shortened season, before winning 11 of 16 postseason games.
Two seasons earlier, the Boston Red Sox won two-thirds of their regular season games, then raced through the postseason with 11 victories in 14 games.
That is not the case in 2021. The team with the best record, the San Francisco Giants (62-37, .626), would have ranked no higher than third in any of the four most recent MLB seasons.
Positioning for the postseason will be especially important this year because, particularly in the National League, the identities of the five post-season teams seem largely certain. The Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Diego Padres appear to be sure bets for the NL West and the two wild card slots, while the Milwaukee Brewers have a healthy grasp on first place in the NL Central.
The only bit of drama is in the NL East, where the New York Mets must fend off the Phillies, Braves, and possibly Nationals.
Things aren’t far different in the American League. The Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays look safe for the East title and a wild card spot, the Chicago White Sox have a season-long death grip on the AL Central, and the Houston Astros control the AL West.
The only real question is whether the Oakland Athletics can hold on to the second wild card spot against plausible challenges from Seattle, the Yankees and/or Toronto.