How the 2021 Baseball Season is Shaping Up

The 2021 baseball season is just around the corner, and fans are eager to see how their favorite teams will fare. The pandemic forced a shortened season last year, but this year things are looking up. Here’s a look at how the 2021 baseball season is shaping up.

Most teams have made some significant changes to their rosters, and there are a few new faces in the mix. The reigning World Series champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers are looking to repeat, but they’ll have their work cut out for them. The San Diego Padres and the Chicago Cubs are both looking to take the next step and contend for a title. And the New York Yankees are always a force to be reckoned with.

There are a lot of great storylines heading into the new season, and it promises to be an exciting one. So be sure to catch your favorite team in action this year!

The top contenders for the 2021 season

The 2021 baseball season is still a ways off, but that doesn’t mean we can’t start handicapping the field. So, who are the early favorites?

The Los Angeles Dodgers are the early favorite to win it all in 2021. They’re coming off a World Series victory in 2020 and they have one of the deepest rosters in baseball. They also have a strong farm system which means they should be able to stay competitive for years to come.

The New York Yankees are also one of the favorites. They made some big additions this offseason, including signing Gerrit Cole to a massive contract. They also have a deep lineup and a strong pitching staff.

The Chicago Cubs are another team to watch They made some big changes this offseason, including hiring Joe Maddon as their new manager. They also have a young core of players that should be able to compete for years to come.

So, those are the early favorites for the 2021 season. But there are sure to be some surprises along the way. So, make sure to check back throughout the season for more updates on who’s hot and who’s not.

The Teams to Watch in the 2021 season

After an eventful offseason, the 2021 Baseball Season is finally upon us. With several teams making significant improvements to their rosters, it promises to be an exciting year. Here are a few of the teams that you should keep an eye on.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are the defending World Series champions, and they look poised to repeat in 2021. Their lineup is loaded with talent, led by MVP Mookie Betts They also have a strong pitching staff, anchored by perennial Cy Young candidate Clayton Kershaw

The New York Yankees are always a team to watch and they should be even better this year with the addition of slugger Giancarlo Stanton They also have a solid pitching staff, led by Gerrit Cole. The Yankees are always a force to be reckoned with, and they should be in the mix for a World Series title in 2021.

The Chicago White Sox made a splash this offseason by signing free agent outfielder Yasiel Puig They also have a young and talented core of players, including Jose Abreu and Eloy Jimenez. With their improved roster, the White Sox could be a dark horse contender in 2021.

The Houston Astros will be looking to Bounce Back after a disappointing 2020 season. They still have a talented roster, led by two-time AL MVP Jose Altuve If they can stay healthy, the Astros should be in contention for a playoff spot in 2021.

The players to watch in the 2021 season

With the 2021 baseball season underway, there are a few players that are standing out and shaping up to have a great year. Here are a few of the Top Players to Watch This Season

1. Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres shortstop – After an electrifying rookie season, Tatis is looking to build on his success in 2021 and help lead the Padres to a postseason berth.

2. Ronald Acuna Jr., Atlanta Braves outfielder – Acuna is one of the best young players in baseball and is poised for another big season as he looks to help the Braves return to the playoffs.

3. Mike Trout Los Angeles Angels outfielder – Trout is widely considered the best player in baseball and he is looking to continue his dominance in 2021 as he hopes to lead the Angels to a World Series title.

The rookies to watch in the 2021 season

There are a lot of talented rookies in the MLB this season, but there are a few that stand out above the rest. Here are the top three rookies to keep an eye on in the 2021 season.

1. Shohei Ohtani Los Angeles Angels
Ohtani is a two-way player who can both pitch and hit, and he’s already showing signs that he could be a superstar. In just a handful of games last season, he had a .285 batting average and pitched to a 3.60 ERA. He’s also shown significant improvement this spring, hitting .367 with four home runs and pitching to a 1.13 ERA. Ohtani is going to be fun to watch this season and he has the potential to be one of the best players in the league.

2. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays
Guerrero Jr. was one of the most hyped prospects in recent memory, and he lived up to the hype last season by hitting .272 with 15 home runs as a 20-year-old. He’s expected to take another step forward this season, and he could become one of the best hitters in baseball. Guerrero Jr. has already shown that he can hit for power and average, and if he can improve his plate discipline, he could be an MVP candidate this season.

3.) Eloy Jimenez, Chicago White Sox
Jimenez was one of the best hitters in baseball last season, hitting .31 with 29 home runs as a 22-year-old rookie. He’s expected to be even better this season as he continues to mature as a hitter. Jimenez has plus power and can hit for average, and he should be one of the best hitters in baseball this season.

The sleeper teams in the 2021 season

The 2021 Baseball Season is still a few months away, but there are already a few teams that are shaping up to be the sleeper teams of the year. These are the teams that may not be getting a lot of attention right now, but could surprise everyone with their performance on the field.

One team to keep an eye on is the San Diego Padres The Padres were a solid team in 2020, but they made some big changes in the offseason, adding star players like Fernando Tatis Jr. and Blake Snell With these additions, the Padres could be one of the best teams in baseball in 2021.

Another team to watch out for is the Toronto Blue Jays The Blue Jays were a young team in 2020 and they made some noise in the playoffs. With another year of experience under their belt, the Blue Jays could be even better in 2021 and they could be a force to reckoned with in the American League East.

The Milwaukee Brewers are another team that could surprise people in 2021. The Brewers have a talented young core of players, and they added some key pieces in the offseason, including pitching ace Brandon Woodruff. If everything comes together, the Brewers could be one of the best teams in baseball.

Finally, don’t sleep on the Pittsburgh Pirates The Pirates had a down year in 2020, but they have a lot of young talent on their roster. If those young players take another step forward in their development, the Pirates could be a much better team than people think.

The teams with the most to prove in the 2021 season

The 2021 baseball season is nearly upon us, and there are a number of teams with something to prove. Some are coming off disappointing seasons, others are looking to build on promising campaigns, and all will be looking to take the next step towards a championship. Here are four teams with the most to prove in the 2021 season:

The Los Angeles Dodgers are coming off a World Series loss, and will be looking to bounce back and win it all in 2021. They have one of the best rosters in baseball, and should be able to compete for a title once again.

The New York Yankees failed to make the playoffs in 2020, and will be looking to get back on track this season. They have a talented roster, and will be expected to contend for a title once again.

The Chicago Cubs missed the playoffs last season, but have a young and talented team that should be able to compete for a postseason berth in 2021. They will need to prove that they can still compete at a high level after losing several Key Players this offseason.

The Houston Astros were cheat scandal-plagued last season and failed to make the playoffs. They have revamped their roster this offseason, but still have a lot to prove in 2021.

The most interesting storylines of the 2021 season

With spring training underway and Opening Day just around the corner, let’s take a look at some of the most interesting storylines of the 2021 season.

One of the most anticipated aspects of the 2021 baseball season is the return of fans to ballparks. COVID-19 restrictions prevented fans from attending games in 2020, but this year they’ll be back in select stadiums. It remains to be seen how many fans will be allowed and what safety protocols will be in place, but it’s nonetheless a welcome development.

Another intriguing storyline is the ongoing labor dispute between Major League Baseball and the players’ union. The union has threatened to strike if a new Collective Bargaining Agreement isn’t reached, and with negotiations at an impasse, a strike could happen as early as mid-season. This would be a major blow to baseball, which is still struggling to recover from the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

Finally, there’s the matter of which teams will be competitive in 2021. The Los Angeles Dodgers are the defending World Series champions, and they’re once again favored to win it all this year. But there are several other teams with legitimate hopes of dethroning them, including the defending American League champion Tampa Bay Rays the up-and-coming San Diego Padres and last year’s surprise team, the Toronto Blue Jays It should be a wide-open race all season long

The players with the most to prove in the 2021 season

As the 2021 baseball season approaches, there are a Number of players with something to prove. These are the ones who will be under the most pressure to perform this year.

Pitchers
-Gerrit Cole, New York Yankees After signing a nine-year, $324 million contract with the Yankees, Cole will be under pressure to live up to his billing as the best pitcher in baseball.
--Chris Sale Boston Red Sox After missing most of 2020 due to injury, Sale will be looking to bounce back and show that he is still one of the top pitchers in the game.
-Noah Syndergaard, New York Mets Syndergaard is coming off a down year in which he posted a 4.28 ERA and 1.31 WHIP. He will be looking to prove that he is still an ace-caliber pitcher in 2021.

Hitters
--Mookie Betts Los Angeles Dodgers Betts was acquired by the Dodgers in a trade with the Red Sox prior to the 2020 season and then proceeded to have a down year at the plate, batting just .262/.366/.412 with 10 Home Runs He will be looking to rebound in 2021 and prove that he is worth the big contract extension he signed with Los Angeles
--Kris Bryant Chicago Cubs After winning NL MVP honors in 2016, Bryant has struggled with injuries and inconsistency over the past few years. He will be looking to prove that he can still be one of the best hitters in baseball in 2021.
--Mike Trout Los Angeles Angels Trout is widely considered to be the best player in baseball but has yet to win a World Series title. He will be looking to lead the Angels to glory this season and finally add a championship ring to his resume.

The teams with the most to lose in the 2021 season

The 2021 baseball season is still very much up in the air, but there are already a few teams that seem to have the most to lose. These teams have high expectations going into the season and if they don’t meet those expectations, it could be a long year for them.

The first team on this list is the Los Angeles Dodgers The Dodgers are coming off of a World Series loss and have one of the best rosters in baseball. They also have a new manager in Dave Roberts. The pressure is on for the Dodgers to win it all this year.

The next team is the Houston Astros The Astros are coming off of a disappointing 2020 season in which they didn’t make the playoffs. They also have a new manager in Dusty Baker The Astros are expected to be one of the best teams in baseball this year, so they will be under a lot of pressure to perform.

The third team on this list is the New York Yankees The Yankees had a down year in 2020, but they still have one of the best rosters in baseball. They also have a new manager in Aaron Boone. The pressure is on for the Yankees to get back to their winning ways this year.

The fourth team on this list is the San Diego Padres The Padres made some big splashs in Free agency this offseason by signing Manny Machado and Kirby Yates. They also have a new manager in Jayce Tingler. The Padres are expected to compete for a playoff spot this year, so they will be under pressure to perform well.

The fifth and final team on this list is the Chicago Cubs The Cubs are coming off of a disappointing 2020 season and have lost some key players from their roster (e.g., Yu Darvish). They also have a new manager in David Ross. The pressure is on for the Cubs to get back to their winning ways this year and make the playoffs

How the 2021 Baseball Season is Shaping Up