The biggest concerns for every MLB contender

A 60-game MLB season will begin in just over two weeks’ time. While COVID-19 concerns will trump all others, there is still a Commissioners’ Trophy on the line. Here are the biggest on-field concerns for Major League Baseball's top World Series contenders in 2020.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Kershaw’s playoff performance

The Dodgers’ lineup is unassailably brilliant – there’s talent from top to bottom, and Cody Bellinger and Mookie Betts being on the same team seems unfair. Clayton Kershaw, set to make his ninth Opening Day start for L.A., headlines a rotation that includes Walker Buehler and the underrated Julio Urias and Alex Wood. Kershaw’s regular season credentials are beyond reproach –  thanks mainly to those three Cy Young Awards – but he has yet to conquer his postseason jitters.

For whatever reason, Kershaw has been a shrinking violet in October, going 9-11 with a 4.43 ERA, contrasting sharply with his 169-74 record and 2.44 ERA in the regular year. What will fate have in store for him in 2020?

New York Yankees: Health

On paper, the Yankees have an incredible roster. Strikeout maestro Gerrit Cole anchors the rotation, while Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton head up a homer-happy lineup.

But over the last two seasons, Bombers have been making trips to the IL as often as the average fan makes a trip to the grocery store. New York can’t afford to go into the World Series, most likely against a deep Dodgers roster, shorthanded.

Houston Astros: Starting pitching

Losing Gerrit Cole was not a death knell for the Astros – who will wear the Mark of Cain this year in the aftermath of their sign-stealing scandal – but they still need to figure out who’s going to replace him.

Lance McCullers, who underwent Tommy John surgery and missed all of 2019, is penciled in behind Justin Verlander and Zack Greinke (both of whom, like Kershaw, have a modicum of postseason demons to overcome) as the third starter. Behind him is promising sophomore Jose Urquidy and swingman Josh James. Will that be good enough?

Minnesota Twins: Postseason pedigree

Twins fans might be brimming with optimism after last year’s 101-win campaign and the signing of Josh Donaldson, but their dreadful postseason record is cause for concern.

Minnesota has failed to win a playoff series dating back to 2002. They’ve been eliminated in the first round seven straight times since then, with the Yankees dealing the deathblow on six occasions.

Atlanta Braves: Offensive depth

The Braves were wise enough to replace Donaldson’s bat in the lineup with Marcell Ozuna’s, but unlike the NL rival Dodgers, their top-to-bottom depth comes under scrutiny.

Atlanta’s outfield was a weak spot beyond Ronald Acuna Jr. in 2019. Nick Markakis has opted-out, and they can’t afford to have Adam Duvall or Austin Riley play too many games in lieu of Ender Inciarte like they did last year. And even if Freddie Freeman is healthy and ready for all 60 games, the Braves are still counting on the light-hitting Dansby Swanson to build on that sudden jump in production last year as well as a bounce-back year from Johan Camargo in the infield.

Washington Nationals: Replacing Rendon

It simply may not be possible for the Nationals to replace a heart-and-soul type like Anthony Rendon, but they’ll be asking the tandem of Carter Kieboom, who struggled in 2019, and the aging Asdrubal Cabrera to do just that. The road back to the Fall Classic is going to be a bumpy one for Washington.

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