With only two weeks left until pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to Spring Training for the 2021 MLB season, there are still a handful of big-name free agents that still haven’t signed a deal with a new team.

The market has changed throughout the winter, with teams having filled roster holes that might have been open back in November, and other possibilities for free agents opening up thanks to non-tenders and trades.

Let’s take a look at the three biggest free agent names still left unsigned, evaluate their markets, and choose a new home for them.

Trevor Bauer

The biggest name left on the market is 2020 NL Cy Young Award winner, who dazzled as arguably the best pitcher in all of baseball last season.

Bauer has long been an enigma, and has upped his status as a unique figure in the game by stating that he wants to start every fourth game with whatever club he signs for.

It’s clear that Bauer wants to go to a forward-thinking team, and there are plenty of franchises with money to spend and holes in their rotations where he could be a fit. Despite theoretically having enough starting pitching, the Dodgers have been reported to be getting in the fray as a potential destination for the California native.

We think that Bauer, however, will end up across town. We predict that he signs with the Los Angeles Angels on a five-year contract worth $175 million, a team that is so desperate for starting pitching that they might just consider his fourth-day proposal.

Marcell Ozuna

It’s hard for many to believe that Marcell Ozuna, one of the best consistent right-handed power bats in the league, still has not found a new home.

Despite the uncertainty related to the implementation (or not) of a universal DH in 2021, the 30-year-old star, should theoretically fit for any team with a hole in the middle of its lineup. Ozuna isn’t a great fielder, but he is passable in left field and doesn’t necessarily have to be a DH.

We think that Ozuna likely will not return to the Braves team where he thrived in 2020 thanks to their reticence to give out multi-year deals to free agents. Ozuna, we predict, will instead head to the Seattle Mariners for three years and $75 million as they look to compete with an exciting young core.

Justin Turner

The long-time Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman might be getting up there in age, but what is undeniable is that he provides consistent production at third base and would be a great addition to most lineups.

Will Turner stick around in Los Angeles, where he resurged as a player after a mediocre run with the Mets?

We find it difficult to imagine him playing anywhere else, even though there does seem to be a gap between the two sides, with Turner wanting a four-year deal and the Dodgers only offering two. How about they split the gap, with Turner heading back to the Dodgers on a three-year contract worth $60 million?

The post Re-Evaluating the Top MLB Free Agents Left on the Market appeared first on SportzBonanza.

MLB’s free agency period has begun and the league is beginning to see some minor deals made as some of the less notable names in the league begin to sign deals with new teams.

The big fish are yet to find a new home, however, as all five of our top free agents of the 2020-21 offseason are still out in the market.

What teams would be the best fits for these players? Let’s select a destination for this offseason’s cream of the crop.

JT Realmuto

Realmuto is arguably the most attractive free agent on the market this offseason, a true five-tool player who is among the best hitters at the catcher position in the entire league.

At the age of only 29 and with many productive years left to come, he’s in line for a big deal. Who can afford him and has needs at the catcher position? While the Phillies might want to retain him, the Mets under new ownership and with big plans can offer him an attractive proposal that would see him leave for an NL East rival.

Prediction: New York Mets

Trevor Bauer

The 2020 NL Cy Young Award winner previously stated that he would prefer to exclusively sign one-year deals as a free agent, but backtracked on his word earlier this year.

The Southern California native has spent most of his time playing in Ohio, and a return to his home with the pitching-starved and big-budget Angels makes an awful lot of sense. New GM Perry Minasian has stated that believes the team is on the verge of contention and Bauer could be the missing ingredient.

Prediction: Los Angeles Angels

George Springer

George Springer silenced many of his doubters after the Astros cheating scandal broke last offseason, having another successful season while manning center field for Houston. He shook off a slow start to hit .265 with 14 home runs and played typically good defense in center.

Houston would be awfully short on outfield depth if they don’t re-sign Springer, and let’s be honest–they have the money to do so, and Springer feels at home there. A return to the Astros makes the most sense for all parties involved.

Prediction: Houston Astros

Marcell Ozuna

Marcell Ozuna was one of the sensations of the 2020 season, coming within striking distance of the NL Triple Crown after an outstanding season on a one-year contract with the Atlanta Braves.

Both the Braves and Ozuna seemed happy with their marriage, but will the contending Braves shell out big for a free agent for the first time over the past decade? With uncertainty over the DH next season in the National League, a team that’s looking to contend like the White Sox with both outfield and DH openings makes more sense for the slugger.

Prediction: Chicago White Sox

DJ LeMahieu

While DJ LeMahieu might technically be a free agent, it sure would seem odd for him to do anything but stay in the Bronx.

After joining the Yankees from the Rockies in 2019, the versatile infielder has become a fan favorite and taken his hitting ability to a new level. Yankee Stadium is the perfect place for LeMahieu to hit and the big-money team would be left with a huge hole on its roster were the Louisiana native to leave. Expect him to stick around.

Prediction: New York Yankees

The post Picking a Destination for MLB’s Top Free Agents appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Major League Baseball’s free agency period kicked off last week as 147 different Major Leaguers around the league saw their contracts expire.

Plenty of those players will find new homes over the offseason, looking to make impacts wherever they sign. So, which of these players will be the most hotly-contested assets and the most valuable additions? Here is the ranking of our top five.

1. JT Realmuto, Catcher

JT Realmuto has emerged as the best all-around catcher in the game of baseball over the past five seasons. Traded from the Marlins to the Phillies prior to the 2019 season, he continued to produce and put up huge defensive numbers. Realmuto’s 2020 was his best at the plate, as he put up a career-high .349 OBP and hit for a career-high .225 isolated power figure.

Realmuto can do it all, and his importance at baseball’s most demanding position cannot be overstated. Despite the deflated post-COVID-19 market, he’s in line for a multiple-year deal worth a lot of money.

2. Trevor Bauer, Starting Pitcher

Trevor Bauer is a polarizing figure in the league, using his social media clout to build his own brand and pick fights with everyone from commissioner Rob Manfred to fellow players.

What can’t be denied is that he took a huge step forward in 2020 with the Reds, turning himself into an elite starting pitcher with huge strikeout numbers and a 1.73 ERA. Whether Bauer is more of that type of pitcher or more of the type that saw him post a 4.48 ERA in 2019 is yet to be determined, but the odds-on favorite for NL Cy Young Award is undoubtedly tantalizing.

3. George Springer, Center Fielder

Are you looking for consistently good play in center field and big offensive productions? Plenty of GMs will be this offseason, and no one fits the bill better than long-time Astros outfielder George Springer.

He hasn’t had a bad offensive year since his debut in 2014, ranking sixteenth in home runs and thirty-eighth in OBP among qualified hitters in that stretch. Springer isn’t quite a superstar, but he’s a perennial All-Star caliber player who should continue to produce over the next few seasons. He’ll be in high demand.

4. Marcell Ozuna, Left Fielder/DH

Marcell Ozuna is one of the most difficult-to-read players on the free agent list this offseason. His career has been a roller coaster ride, as he burst onto the scene as one of baseball’s top young talents in 2017 before having two decent but not great seasons in St. Louis.

He reminded everyone why he was so heralded in 2020, absolutely crushing the baseball with the Braves after signing a one-year deal. Playing mostly as a DH (something to watch, as his outfield play has worsened in recent years), he crushed 18 home runs (3rd in MLB) and hit .338 as part of Atlanta’s deadly 1-2 punch with Freddie Freeman. He is much like Bauer, but as a position player: can teams count on something resembling a 2020 Ozuna, or will he simply be just an above-average piece?

5. DJ LeMahieu, Infielder

DJ LeMahieu might be turning 33 next year, but there’s no doubt that the man can hit. In fact, in five of the past six seasons, he has hit over .300 and he took home the MLB batting crown in 2020 on the back of a .364 average.

It remains to be seen recent power surge is more of a product of improvement or playing at hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium, but the team that signs LeMahieu can count on a player who will get on base plenty while providing solid defense at a variety of positions, including first, second, and third base. He’s an ideal top-of-the-lineup hitter and some team will be lucky to have him.

The post Ranking MLB’s Top Free Agents This Offseason appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The MLB’s penultimate playoff round is set to kick-off, with four teams in the hunt for two prized spots in the World Series.

In the American League, the Tampa Bay Rays and the Houston Astros will battle for a chance to claim a pennant. On the National League side of things, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves will square off.

Both of these matchups promise to hold plenty of intrigues. Let’s preview the series and make a prediction as to who will win.

American League: Tampa Bay Rays (1) vs. Houston Astros (6)

The top-seeded Tampa Bay Rays punched their ticket to the ALCS after a thrilling Game 5 victory against the New York Yankees. Their date in the clash for the pennant will be the Houston Astros, who finished the season with a losing record at 29-31 and have gotten hot and played off of their status as the heel of the playoffs in order to find themselves playing for yet another chance to go to the World Series.

The Rays are the better team, they have a better manager, and their pitching is far superior to the Astros’. The matchup on paper says that they should take the series. Not all teams have the luxury of a starting rotation with players as good as Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Charlie Morton along with a lineup full of hitters which mash opposite-handed pitching.

With that being said, don’t expect the Astros to lie down. George Springer, Alex Bregman, and Jose Altuve have shaken off a slow regular season to hit like the old versions of themselves so far in their playoff run. While they’ve gotten a breakout performance from Framber Valdez so far in the playoffs, I just don’t think that their pitching staff is deep enough to beat the Rays.

Prediction: Rays in 6

National League: Los Angeles Dodgers (1) vs. Atlanta Braves (2)

The clash of the National League’s two titans will take place in the NLCS as the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves, neither of which have lost a playoff game yet, meet up with a ticket to the World Series on the line at Globe Life Park.

The Dodgers were the favorites heading into the playoffs and they remain the favorites after their electric offense bludgeoned past the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres. Mookie Betts is arguably baseball’s best player, and when he’s surrounded by hitters like Cody Bellinger and Will Smith, runs are guaranteed when facing this team.

While Atlanta’s pitching staff has been the story of the playoffs so far, having thrown 4 shutouts in 5 games against the Reds and Marlins, they haven’t seen anything like this Dodgers team yet. The Braves’ offense, led by MVP favorite Freddie Freeman, breakout catcher Travis d’Arnaud, and young sensation Ronald Acuna can go head-to-head with the Dodgers’, but I think the lack of experience in their starting rotation will be their downfall.

Prediction: Dodgers in 5

The post Predicting the MLB Championship Series Matchups appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After just 60 games of regular-season action in the shortened 2020 season, the expanded playoff bracket has been set and October baseball is just around the corner!

16 teams will take part in the three-game Wild Card Round of the playoffs, which has the potential to lead to tons of exciting action and maybe even a few upsets. Let’s predict each series!

American League

#1 Tampa Bay Rays vs. #8 Toronto Blue Jays

The top-seeded Tampa Bay Rays will do battle with the division rival Toronto Blue Jays in what should be an interesting series. While the Blue Jays are on the upswing and promise to be playoff threats for years to come with plenty of young talent, I expect the more experienced Rays to come out on top.

Prediction: Rays in 2

#4 Cleveland Indians vs. #5 New York Yankees

Few expected the Indians and Yankees to meet up in the first round of the playoffs after both teams were on the fringe playoff picture for much of the season, but these two AL rivals will do battle in a matchup of baseball’s best pitching staff against one of its best offenses. The old adage says that pitching wins championships, and I think Shane Bieber, Zach Plesac, and company will be enough to sneak past the Bronx Bombers.

Prediction: Indians in 3

#3 Minnesota Twins vs. #6 Houston Astros

The Astros might have made the World Series last season, but without ace pitchers Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole along with a floundering offense, they’re a shell of what they were last year. The Twins, on the other hand, have a dynamic offense bolstered by Nelson Cruz and Byron Buxton alongside new addition Josh Donaldson. They should take care of the ‘Stros.

Prediction: Twins in 3

#2 Oakland Athletics vs. #7 Chicago White Sox

The A’s got a tough draw despite facing the #7 seed, going up against one of baseball’s most exciting young teams in the White Sox. While they look like World Series contenders just a month ago, the Sox have fallen off in past weeks as their rotation’s warts have come to surface and its offense hasn’t looked quite as deadly. The A’s might not be flashy, but they’re the #2 seed for a reason and I think they’ll squeak out a tight win.

Prediction: Athletics in 3

National League

#1 Los Angeles Dodgers vs. #8 Milwaukee Brewers

The Dodgers are the team to beat heading into the 2020 Postseason, and for good reason. Corey Seager and Mookie Betts were MVP candidates after putting together huge offensive seasons for baseball’s best offense, and Clayton Kershaw put together a resurgent season alongside Walker Buehler. With no offense to Milwaukee, this shouldn’t be much of a contest.

Prediction: Dodgers in 2

#4 San Diego Padres vs. #5 St. Louis Cardinals

The Padres finished with the league’s second-best record but were forced into the playoffs as a #4 seed thanks to the Los Angeles Dodgers. While they didn’t look quite as good in the final two weeks of the season thanks largely to a cold streak by Fernando Tatis Jr., it’s hard to see the Cardinals getting past them despite their veteran savvy.

Prediction: Padres in 3

#3 Chicago Cubs vs. #6 Miami Marlins

The Marlins are finally back in the postseason 17 years after their last appearance, but few might believe that they could get past the NL Central winning Cubs and their fearsome collection of talent, including NL Cy Young candidate Yu Darvish. Miami was a great story this season, but they simply don’t have the talent to keep up with Chicago.

Prediction: Cubs in 2

#2 Atlanta Braves vs. #7 Cincinnati Reds

While the Braves might be the #2 seed in the playoffs, they have a truly difficult matchup ahead of them against the Reds. The Braves had one of baseball’s best offenses this season, but Cincinnati’s formidable 1-2 punch of Trevor Bauer and Luis Castillo has the potential to shut them down. Add Atlanta’s rotation troubles to the mix, and I think this series has the makings of an upset.

Prediction: Reds in 3

The post MLB Wild Card Round Predictions appeared first on SportzBonanza.

With the shortened MLB season coming to a close after just over two months of action, the races to decide the Most Valuable Players and Cy Young Award winners in both leagues are finally wrapping up.

Despite the 60-game slate, there have been plenty of pitchers and position players who have stood out in what will undoubtedly be a season for the history books.

Let’s predict the winners of the league’s top awards!

AL Cy Young: Shane Bieber, Cleveland Indians

The easiest award to hand out will be the AL Cy Young Award, where one player laps the rest of the competition: Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Shane Bieber.

Bieber is third in baseball in innings pitched, first in ERA, first in strikeouts, and has compiled an outstanding 8-1 record to push the Indians to yet another playoff berth. At just 25 years old, you can bet that this won’t be the only time that Bieber will be in the race for a pitching prize like this.

Runners-up: Kenta Maeda (Twins), Dylan Bundy (Angels)

NL Cy Young: Yu Darvish, Chicago Cubs

The NL Cy Young Award might be the tightest awards race in all of baseball. While there are other deserving candidates, the ace of a Chicago Cubs team that has led them to first place in their division despite pre-season doubts in an enormous comeback season is my pick: Yu Darvish.

Darvish has returned to his prime form this season, posting a minuscule 2.22 ERA in 11 starts for the Cubs. He has maintained an excellent 88:13 strikeout to walk ratio and kept opposing batters from making hard contact. This will be a close vote, but the Japanese ace is my pick to dethrone Jacob deGrom, who also has a real shot at winning.

Runners-up: Jacob deGrom (Mets), Trevor Bauer (Reds)

AL Most Valuable Player: Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Indians

No one would have expected Jose Ramirez to be the leader in contention for the AL MVP at this point a month ago, but a blistering hot final stretch to the season has led the Dominican infielder to 2nd place in the Major Leagues in home runs (17) and the sixth-best wRC+ in the league (158) for an Indians’ offense he helped ignite. Not only that, but he’s been one of the best defensive third basemen in the Majors.

Ramirez might lose out to teammate Shane Bieber for the award, but I think his day-to-day contributions both offensively and defensively have made him even more important for his team than their ace pitcher.

Runners-up: Shane Bieber (Indians), Jose Abreu (White Sox)

NL Most Valuable Player: Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves

While Fernando Tatis Jr. looked to be running away with the NL MVP trophy just a few weeks ago, long-time superstar Freddie Freeman now looks to be the best pick for the league’s best player, which would give him his first MVP trophy.

Freeman has been the best offensive player in baseball (minimum 200 PA) according to wRC+ (185) and is posting an insane .457 on-base percentage along with 12 home runs and 51 RBI for baseball’s best offense, statistically. The Braves have overcome pitching struggles to win their division for a third straight season, and Freeman has been the straw that has stirred the drink for his team.

Runners-up: Fernando Tatis Jr. (Padres), Mookie Betts (Dodgers)

The post Predicting the MLB MVP and Cy Young Races appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Major League Baseball season is now just three weeks away from ending, and there are plenty of questions as to which teams will make the playoffs, who will be the top seeds in their respective leagues, and whether some teams are contenders or pretenders.

Teams like the Padres and White Sox have made a big step forward in 2020, competing with long-time powerhouses like the Dodgers and Indians as postseason threats, which brings us to our first question:

Can the upstart Padres and White Sox compete in October?

The Padres (27-17) and White Sox (26-16) have ridden the backs of young and rising talent to emerge as playoff locks and as a potential threat in October. But are these teams for real, and could they compete for a World Series?

The Padres have arguably been the story of the season so far, riding an MVP-caliber performance from second-year shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr., a big year from resurgent superstar Manny Machado, and major contributions from pitchers such as Zach Davies and Dinelson Lamet to find themselves with the NL’s second-best record. They look pretty real, as a deep rotation and a solid enough bullpen could be enough to back up a strong lineup for an October run.

The White Sox might not have anyone putting up crazy numbers like the Padres’ Tatis, but breakout rookie Luis Robert has been plenty impressive himself alongside lineup staples like Tim Anderson and Jose Abreu. Lucas Giolito and new addition Dallas Keuchel are, however, pitching like Cy Young candidates and they have a top-ten bullpen in the Majors. They might not be as big of a threat as the Padres, but don’t worry a deep run out for this upstart squad.

Who will emerge from the jumbled-up NL East?

The NL East has been baseball’s weirdest division so far, with the Miami Marlins contending for a division title out of nowhere, the defending World Series champions in the cellar, and the Braves and Phillies looking as if they just don’t want to stake their claim as the favorite.

While the Braves currently have a two-game lead, the Phillies (1.5 GB) and the Marlins (2 GB) look like threats to challenge them for their third consecutive crown. As baseball’s weakest record division-wise, making the top two in the division is probably these teams’ only way to qualify for the playoffs.

Atlanta might be the favorites, but the surging Phillies and the underdog Marlins will battle along with them to qualify for the postseason.

Will the New York Yankees right the ship?

The Yankees have arguably been baseball’s biggest disappointment this season, as the Bronx Bombers are limping along at 21-21 and would be the #8 seed (barely) in the playoffs if the season ended today.

Injuries to Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge have hurt the Yankees, and the fact that rotation and bullpen staples like James Paxton, Luis Severino, and Tommy Kahnle have missed time haven’t helped things either.

Nonetheless, a healthy Yankees team is still talented enough to be a major October threat. Will they have all of their key players healthy by the time the playoffs start, if they even qualify?

The post The Three Biggest Questions Heading into the MLB Home Stretch appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Monday’s MLB Trade Deadline came and went with more movement than was expected during a shortened season, seeing plenty of important players move to contending teams.

So, which teams emerged from the Trade Deadline as the biggest winners, and which ones lost out after disappointing? Let’s take a look at the winners and losers of the deadline.

Winners

San Diego Padres

The San Diego Padres, one of the breakout teams of the 2020 season with a 22-15 record and a sure thing to make the playoffs, got even better at the Trade Deadline after making a whirlwind of moves.

The acquisition of the best starting pitcher on the market in Mike Clevinger was the crown jewel of their haul, as the former Indians starter will bring a career 3.20 ERA to a team with one of the best rotations in the game.

Not only that, but they made a number of other moves including trades for catcher Austin Nola, DH Mitch Moreland, and bullpen help in players like Trevor Rosenthal. They gave up plenty, but the Padres are set for a World Series charge.

Oakland A’s

The Oakland A’s were also one of the most active teams at the Trade Deadline, as the AL West leaders made a couple of moves to upgrade both its lineup and its pitching rotation.

The A’s gave up former top prospect Franklin Barreto to get him from the Rangers, sure, but newly-acquired starting pitcher Mike Minor had a 3.59 ERA last season in 34 starts and will help sure up the team’s one weak point

The addition of Tommy La Stella for two players to be named later from the Angels is an underrated move as well, as the second baseman/DH option has broken out over the past two seasons and will give the team some left-handed thump.

Losers

Atlanta Braves

Arguably the biggest disappointment of the trade deadline was the Atlanta Braves, the NL East leaders who have had success despite a starting rotation that has been decimated by injuries and poor play.

While there were plenty of starters on the market to improve a rotation that has featured only Max Fried as a consistent option, the team failed to make a deal with any of its number of prospects to improve in anticipation of the playoffs. They were only able to acquire back-end starter Tommy Milone, who promptly gave up 7 runs in only 2.1 innings of work in his Braves debut.

Texas Rangers

The Texas Rangers find themselves in fourth place in the AL West and out of the playoff picture, and many speculated that they would trade front-end starter Lance Lynn to improve its prospect stash.

However, the Rangers failed to do so, and their one major trade of Mike Minor failed to net a significant return. Jon Daniels really could’ve done better at this deadline, but he seemed to hold onto his chips for too long.

The post Winners and Losers of the MLB Trade Deadline appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The ongoing COVID-19 outbreak has forced nearly all of the world’s sporting leagues to be put on hold as governments and societies at large attempt to slow the spread of this global health pandemic.

Major League Baseball, whose Opening Day was scheduled for March 26th, was forced to postpone the beginning of its season after calling off all activities in mid-March.

In recent days, an audacious and unprecedented idea has been proposed by forces inside the league. This plan would have all thirty teams congregate in Arizona, undergo a “mini Spring Training,” and then switch to regular season action at the eleven baseball parks in the Phoenix metro area.

Despite the temptation to return to baseball as soon as possible, this plan presents a number of problems. From the brutal Arizona summer heat to logistical problems to the health risks associated with gathering so many athletes in one place, MLB’s Arizona plan is flawed and simply would not be a good plan of action.

Arizona has long been a late winter and early spring refuge for many teams, as its warm and dry climate allows for a great place to get prepared for the season. Ten Spring Training parks are located near Phoenix, and the regular season home of the Diamondbacks, Chase Field, would presumably be the parks where games would be held in this scenario.

However, this plan ignores one key problem: while late winter and early spring weather is nice, once the calendar turns to June, all bets are off. Average summer highs in Arizona regularly top 100 degrees, and only Chase Field features a roof and an air conditioning system. This brutal heat, which often persists into the night, would be a real health risk for players and umpires.

Even if the league planned to hold the games late at night in order to avoid brutal heat, the three-hour time difference between Arizona and the East Coast of the United States, where many teams are based, would make it exceedingly difficult for fans to follow the games on television.

In addition, with eleven parks only being enough for eleven games to be held simultaneously, it would be extremely difficult to maintain a normal competition rhythm in a sport in which teams are used to playing nearly every day.

Finally, let’s not ignore the real and persistent risk that the coronavirus still poses in the United States. Maricopa County, Arizona, where all eleven parks are hosted, currently has over 1,500 active cases of the virus. How could Major League Baseball expect to keep its players safe here in just a month’s time? Gathering so many athletes in such a small area, relatively speaking, could lead to an outbreak and potentially disastrous outcomes.

While temptation might lead us to want our sports to be back as soon as possible, the Arizona proposal suggested by Major League Baseball is simply not how the game should return.

The post MLB’s Arizona Proposal is the Wrong Way to Return to Baseball appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Baseball season is just around the corner, with the beginning of the MLB season just starting in April.

The National League is set to be a competition filled with powerhouse teams and star players. The Washington Nationals, the surprise winners of the league and the World Series last season, have a strong roster, but do they have one of the league’s top MVP candidates?

Let’s take a look at the top three NL MVP candidates for the 2020 season.

Christian Yelich, Brewers

The 2018 NL MVP finished in second place in a close vote for the 2019 award, coming in just behind Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger. He looks to be one of the favorites for this year’s award.

The outfielder batted .329 last season with 44 home runs and 97 RBI despite only playing in 130 games due to injury. Expect more big production from the California native, who just agreed to a 9-year, $215 million extension with his team, in 2020. A great eye at the plate and a power surge that coincided with his trade from the Marlins to Milwaukee has turned him into one of the top players in the league, and expect his production to continue in 2020.

Mookie Betts, Dodgers

The biggest trade of the 2019-20 MLB offseason sent perennial All-Star outfielder Mookie Betts from the Boston Red Sox to the Los Angeles Dodgers, establishing a new big star in the National League.

Betts and Yelich were named MVPs in the same season, with the Nashville native having won the award in the American League during his tenure in Boston. A move to Los Angeles places the talented outfielder in the middle of a stacked lineup, which should lead him to drive in even more runs than he has in previous seasons.

Expect Betts to compete for the hardware in his first year as a Dodger.

Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves

Acuña is one of the top young stars in baseball. The Braves center fielder was exceptional in 2019 at the ripe age of 21, finishing the year with 41 long balls and 37 stolen bases.

Expect the young Venezuelan talent to continue his rise in 2020 for a team that looks to contend for a World Series title. Acuña improved his plate discipline in the 2019 season, a development that led him to post a higher-than-expected .365 on-base percentage along with his power production.

Power-speed combinations like Acuña’s are rare in today’s game and don’t be surprised if his gaudy home run and stolen base totals lead him to compete for the MVP Award.

The post NL MVP Candidates to Keep an Eye on in 2020 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

With only two weeks left until pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to Spring Training for the 2021 MLB season, there are still a handful of big-name free agents that still haven’t signed a deal with a new team.

The market has changed throughout the winter, with teams having filled roster holes that might have been open back in November, and other possibilities for free agents opening up thanks to non-tenders and trades.

Let’s take a look at the three biggest free agent names still left unsigned, evaluate their markets, and choose a new home for them.

Trevor Bauer

The biggest name left on the market is 2020 NL Cy Young Award winner, who dazzled as arguably the best pitcher in all of baseball last season.

Bauer has long been an enigma, and has upped his status as a unique figure in the game by stating that he wants to start every fourth game with whatever club he signs for.

It’s clear that Bauer wants to go to a forward-thinking team, and there are plenty of franchises with money to spend and holes in their rotations where he could be a fit. Despite theoretically having enough starting pitching, the Dodgers have been reported to be getting in the fray as a potential destination for the California native.

We think that Bauer, however, will end up across town. We predict that he signs with the Los Angeles Angels on a five-year contract worth $175 million, a team that is so desperate for starting pitching that they might just consider his fourth-day proposal.

Marcell Ozuna

It’s hard for many to believe that Marcell Ozuna, one of the best consistent right-handed power bats in the league, still has not found a new home.

Despite the uncertainty related to the implementation (or not) of a universal DH in 2021, the 30-year-old star, should theoretically fit for any team with a hole in the middle of its lineup. Ozuna isn’t a great fielder, but he is passable in left field and doesn’t necessarily have to be a DH.

We think that Ozuna likely will not return to the Braves team where he thrived in 2020 thanks to their reticence to give out multi-year deals to free agents. Ozuna, we predict, will instead head to the Seattle Mariners for three years and $75 million as they look to compete with an exciting young core.

Justin Turner

The long-time Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman might be getting up there in age, but what is undeniable is that he provides consistent production at third base and would be a great addition to most lineups.

Will Turner stick around in Los Angeles, where he resurged as a player after a mediocre run with the Mets?

We find it difficult to imagine him playing anywhere else, even though there does seem to be a gap between the two sides, with Turner wanting a four-year deal and the Dodgers only offering two. How about they split the gap, with Turner heading back to the Dodgers on a three-year contract worth $60 million?

The post Re-Evaluating the Top MLB Free Agents Left on the Market appeared first on SportzBonanza.

MLB’s free agency period has begun and the league is beginning to see some minor deals made as some of the less notable names in the league begin to sign deals with new teams.

The big fish are yet to find a new home, however, as all five of our top free agents of the 2020-21 offseason are still out in the market.

What teams would be the best fits for these players? Let’s select a destination for this offseason’s cream of the crop.

JT Realmuto

Realmuto is arguably the most attractive free agent on the market this offseason, a true five-tool player who is among the best hitters at the catcher position in the entire league.

At the age of only 29 and with many productive years left to come, he’s in line for a big deal. Who can afford him and has needs at the catcher position? While the Phillies might want to retain him, the Mets under new ownership and with big plans can offer him an attractive proposal that would see him leave for an NL East rival.

Prediction: New York Mets

Trevor Bauer

The 2020 NL Cy Young Award winner previously stated that he would prefer to exclusively sign one-year deals as a free agent, but backtracked on his word earlier this year.

The Southern California native has spent most of his time playing in Ohio, and a return to his home with the pitching-starved and big-budget Angels makes an awful lot of sense. New GM Perry Minasian has stated that believes the team is on the verge of contention and Bauer could be the missing ingredient.

Prediction: Los Angeles Angels

George Springer

George Springer silenced many of his doubters after the Astros cheating scandal broke last offseason, having another successful season while manning center field for Houston. He shook off a slow start to hit .265 with 14 home runs and played typically good defense in center.

Houston would be awfully short on outfield depth if they don’t re-sign Springer, and let’s be honest–they have the money to do so, and Springer feels at home there. A return to the Astros makes the most sense for all parties involved.

Prediction: Houston Astros

Marcell Ozuna

Marcell Ozuna was one of the sensations of the 2020 season, coming within striking distance of the NL Triple Crown after an outstanding season on a one-year contract with the Atlanta Braves.

Both the Braves and Ozuna seemed happy with their marriage, but will the contending Braves shell out big for a free agent for the first time over the past decade? With uncertainty over the DH next season in the National League, a team that’s looking to contend like the White Sox with both outfield and DH openings makes more sense for the slugger.

Prediction: Chicago White Sox

DJ LeMahieu

While DJ LeMahieu might technically be a free agent, it sure would seem odd for him to do anything but stay in the Bronx.

After joining the Yankees from the Rockies in 2019, the versatile infielder has become a fan favorite and taken his hitting ability to a new level. Yankee Stadium is the perfect place for LeMahieu to hit and the big-money team would be left with a huge hole on its roster were the Louisiana native to leave. Expect him to stick around.

Prediction: New York Yankees

The post Picking a Destination for MLB’s Top Free Agents appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Major League Baseball’s free agency period kicked off last week as 147 different Major Leaguers around the league saw their contracts expire.

Plenty of those players will find new homes over the offseason, looking to make impacts wherever they sign. So, which of these players will be the most hotly-contested assets and the most valuable additions? Here is the ranking of our top five.

1. JT Realmuto, Catcher

JT Realmuto has emerged as the best all-around catcher in the game of baseball over the past five seasons. Traded from the Marlins to the Phillies prior to the 2019 season, he continued to produce and put up huge defensive numbers. Realmuto’s 2020 was his best at the plate, as he put up a career-high .349 OBP and hit for a career-high .225 isolated power figure.

Realmuto can do it all, and his importance at baseball’s most demanding position cannot be overstated. Despite the deflated post-COVID-19 market, he’s in line for a multiple-year deal worth a lot of money.

2. Trevor Bauer, Starting Pitcher

Trevor Bauer is a polarizing figure in the league, using his social media clout to build his own brand and pick fights with everyone from commissioner Rob Manfred to fellow players.

What can’t be denied is that he took a huge step forward in 2020 with the Reds, turning himself into an elite starting pitcher with huge strikeout numbers and a 1.73 ERA. Whether Bauer is more of that type of pitcher or more of the type that saw him post a 4.48 ERA in 2019 is yet to be determined, but the odds-on favorite for NL Cy Young Award is undoubtedly tantalizing.

3. George Springer, Center Fielder

Are you looking for consistently good play in center field and big offensive productions? Plenty of GMs will be this offseason, and no one fits the bill better than long-time Astros outfielder George Springer.

He hasn’t had a bad offensive year since his debut in 2014, ranking sixteenth in home runs and thirty-eighth in OBP among qualified hitters in that stretch. Springer isn’t quite a superstar, but he’s a perennial All-Star caliber player who should continue to produce over the next few seasons. He’ll be in high demand.

4. Marcell Ozuna, Left Fielder/DH

Marcell Ozuna is one of the most difficult-to-read players on the free agent list this offseason. His career has been a roller coaster ride, as he burst onto the scene as one of baseball’s top young talents in 2017 before having two decent but not great seasons in St. Louis.

He reminded everyone why he was so heralded in 2020, absolutely crushing the baseball with the Braves after signing a one-year deal. Playing mostly as a DH (something to watch, as his outfield play has worsened in recent years), he crushed 18 home runs (3rd in MLB) and hit .338 as part of Atlanta’s deadly 1-2 punch with Freddie Freeman. He is much like Bauer, but as a position player: can teams count on something resembling a 2020 Ozuna, or will he simply be just an above-average piece?

5. DJ LeMahieu, Infielder

DJ LeMahieu might be turning 33 next year, but there’s no doubt that the man can hit. In fact, in five of the past six seasons, he has hit over .300 and he took home the MLB batting crown in 2020 on the back of a .364 average.

It remains to be seen recent power surge is more of a product of improvement or playing at hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium, but the team that signs LeMahieu can count on a player who will get on base plenty while providing solid defense at a variety of positions, including first, second, and third base. He’s an ideal top-of-the-lineup hitter and some team will be lucky to have him.

The post Ranking MLB’s Top Free Agents This Offseason appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The MLB’s penultimate playoff round is set to kick-off, with four teams in the hunt for two prized spots in the World Series.

In the American League, the Tampa Bay Rays and the Houston Astros will battle for a chance to claim a pennant. On the National League side of things, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves will square off.

Both of these matchups promise to hold plenty of intrigues. Let’s preview the series and make a prediction as to who will win.

American League: Tampa Bay Rays (1) vs. Houston Astros (6)

The top-seeded Tampa Bay Rays punched their ticket to the ALCS after a thrilling Game 5 victory against the New York Yankees. Their date in the clash for the pennant will be the Houston Astros, who finished the season with a losing record at 29-31 and have gotten hot and played off of their status as the heel of the playoffs in order to find themselves playing for yet another chance to go to the World Series.

The Rays are the better team, they have a better manager, and their pitching is far superior to the Astros’. The matchup on paper says that they should take the series. Not all teams have the luxury of a starting rotation with players as good as Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Charlie Morton along with a lineup full of hitters which mash opposite-handed pitching.

With that being said, don’t expect the Astros to lie down. George Springer, Alex Bregman, and Jose Altuve have shaken off a slow regular season to hit like the old versions of themselves so far in their playoff run. While they’ve gotten a breakout performance from Framber Valdez so far in the playoffs, I just don’t think that their pitching staff is deep enough to beat the Rays.

Prediction: Rays in 6

National League: Los Angeles Dodgers (1) vs. Atlanta Braves (2)

The clash of the National League’s two titans will take place in the NLCS as the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves, neither of which have lost a playoff game yet, meet up with a ticket to the World Series on the line at Globe Life Park.

The Dodgers were the favorites heading into the playoffs and they remain the favorites after their electric offense bludgeoned past the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres. Mookie Betts is arguably baseball’s best player, and when he’s surrounded by hitters like Cody Bellinger and Will Smith, runs are guaranteed when facing this team.

While Atlanta’s pitching staff has been the story of the playoffs so far, having thrown 4 shutouts in 5 games against the Reds and Marlins, they haven’t seen anything like this Dodgers team yet. The Braves’ offense, led by MVP favorite Freddie Freeman, breakout catcher Travis d’Arnaud, and young sensation Ronald Acuna can go head-to-head with the Dodgers’, but I think the lack of experience in their starting rotation will be their downfall.

Prediction: Dodgers in 5

The post Predicting the MLB Championship Series Matchups appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After just 60 games of regular-season action in the shortened 2020 season, the expanded playoff bracket has been set and October baseball is just around the corner!

16 teams will take part in the three-game Wild Card Round of the playoffs, which has the potential to lead to tons of exciting action and maybe even a few upsets. Let’s predict each series!

American League

#1 Tampa Bay Rays vs. #8 Toronto Blue Jays

The top-seeded Tampa Bay Rays will do battle with the division rival Toronto Blue Jays in what should be an interesting series. While the Blue Jays are on the upswing and promise to be playoff threats for years to come with plenty of young talent, I expect the more experienced Rays to come out on top.

Prediction: Rays in 2

#4 Cleveland Indians vs. #5 New York Yankees

Few expected the Indians and Yankees to meet up in the first round of the playoffs after both teams were on the fringe playoff picture for much of the season, but these two AL rivals will do battle in a matchup of baseball’s best pitching staff against one of its best offenses. The old adage says that pitching wins championships, and I think Shane Bieber, Zach Plesac, and company will be enough to sneak past the Bronx Bombers.

Prediction: Indians in 3

#3 Minnesota Twins vs. #6 Houston Astros

The Astros might have made the World Series last season, but without ace pitchers Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole along with a floundering offense, they’re a shell of what they were last year. The Twins, on the other hand, have a dynamic offense bolstered by Nelson Cruz and Byron Buxton alongside new addition Josh Donaldson. They should take care of the ‘Stros.

Prediction: Twins in 3

#2 Oakland Athletics vs. #7 Chicago White Sox

The A’s got a tough draw despite facing the #7 seed, going up against one of baseball’s most exciting young teams in the White Sox. While they look like World Series contenders just a month ago, the Sox have fallen off in past weeks as their rotation’s warts have come to surface and its offense hasn’t looked quite as deadly. The A’s might not be flashy, but they’re the #2 seed for a reason and I think they’ll squeak out a tight win.

Prediction: Athletics in 3

National League

#1 Los Angeles Dodgers vs. #8 Milwaukee Brewers

The Dodgers are the team to beat heading into the 2020 Postseason, and for good reason. Corey Seager and Mookie Betts were MVP candidates after putting together huge offensive seasons for baseball’s best offense, and Clayton Kershaw put together a resurgent season alongside Walker Buehler. With no offense to Milwaukee, this shouldn’t be much of a contest.

Prediction: Dodgers in 2

#4 San Diego Padres vs. #5 St. Louis Cardinals

The Padres finished with the league’s second-best record but were forced into the playoffs as a #4 seed thanks to the Los Angeles Dodgers. While they didn’t look quite as good in the final two weeks of the season thanks largely to a cold streak by Fernando Tatis Jr., it’s hard to see the Cardinals getting past them despite their veteran savvy.

Prediction: Padres in 3

#3 Chicago Cubs vs. #6 Miami Marlins

The Marlins are finally back in the postseason 17 years after their last appearance, but few might believe that they could get past the NL Central winning Cubs and their fearsome collection of talent, including NL Cy Young candidate Yu Darvish. Miami was a great story this season, but they simply don’t have the talent to keep up with Chicago.

Prediction: Cubs in 2

#2 Atlanta Braves vs. #7 Cincinnati Reds

While the Braves might be the #2 seed in the playoffs, they have a truly difficult matchup ahead of them against the Reds. The Braves had one of baseball’s best offenses this season, but Cincinnati’s formidable 1-2 punch of Trevor Bauer and Luis Castillo has the potential to shut them down. Add Atlanta’s rotation troubles to the mix, and I think this series has the makings of an upset.

Prediction: Reds in 3

The post MLB Wild Card Round Predictions appeared first on SportzBonanza.

With the shortened MLB season coming to a close after just over two months of action, the races to decide the Most Valuable Players and Cy Young Award winners in both leagues are finally wrapping up.

Despite the 60-game slate, there have been plenty of pitchers and position players who have stood out in what will undoubtedly be a season for the history books.

Let’s predict the winners of the league’s top awards!

AL Cy Young: Shane Bieber, Cleveland Indians

The easiest award to hand out will be the AL Cy Young Award, where one player laps the rest of the competition: Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Shane Bieber.

Bieber is third in baseball in innings pitched, first in ERA, first in strikeouts, and has compiled an outstanding 8-1 record to push the Indians to yet another playoff berth. At just 25 years old, you can bet that this won’t be the only time that Bieber will be in the race for a pitching prize like this.

Runners-up: Kenta Maeda (Twins), Dylan Bundy (Angels)

NL Cy Young: Yu Darvish, Chicago Cubs

The NL Cy Young Award might be the tightest awards race in all of baseball. While there are other deserving candidates, the ace of a Chicago Cubs team that has led them to first place in their division despite pre-season doubts in an enormous comeback season is my pick: Yu Darvish.

Darvish has returned to his prime form this season, posting a minuscule 2.22 ERA in 11 starts for the Cubs. He has maintained an excellent 88:13 strikeout to walk ratio and kept opposing batters from making hard contact. This will be a close vote, but the Japanese ace is my pick to dethrone Jacob deGrom, who also has a real shot at winning.

Runners-up: Jacob deGrom (Mets), Trevor Bauer (Reds)

AL Most Valuable Player: Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Indians

No one would have expected Jose Ramirez to be the leader in contention for the AL MVP at this point a month ago, but a blistering hot final stretch to the season has led the Dominican infielder to 2nd place in the Major Leagues in home runs (17) and the sixth-best wRC+ in the league (158) for an Indians’ offense he helped ignite. Not only that, but he’s been one of the best defensive third basemen in the Majors.

Ramirez might lose out to teammate Shane Bieber for the award, but I think his day-to-day contributions both offensively and defensively have made him even more important for his team than their ace pitcher.

Runners-up: Shane Bieber (Indians), Jose Abreu (White Sox)

NL Most Valuable Player: Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves

While Fernando Tatis Jr. looked to be running away with the NL MVP trophy just a few weeks ago, long-time superstar Freddie Freeman now looks to be the best pick for the league’s best player, which would give him his first MVP trophy.

Freeman has been the best offensive player in baseball (minimum 200 PA) according to wRC+ (185) and is posting an insane .457 on-base percentage along with 12 home runs and 51 RBI for baseball’s best offense, statistically. The Braves have overcome pitching struggles to win their division for a third straight season, and Freeman has been the straw that has stirred the drink for his team.

Runners-up: Fernando Tatis Jr. (Padres), Mookie Betts (Dodgers)

The post Predicting the MLB MVP and Cy Young Races appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Major League Baseball season is now just three weeks away from ending, and there are plenty of questions as to which teams will make the playoffs, who will be the top seeds in their respective leagues, and whether some teams are contenders or pretenders.

Teams like the Padres and White Sox have made a big step forward in 2020, competing with long-time powerhouses like the Dodgers and Indians as postseason threats, which brings us to our first question:

Can the upstart Padres and White Sox compete in October?

The Padres (27-17) and White Sox (26-16) have ridden the backs of young and rising talent to emerge as playoff locks and as a potential threat in October. But are these teams for real, and could they compete for a World Series?

The Padres have arguably been the story of the season so far, riding an MVP-caliber performance from second-year shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr., a big year from resurgent superstar Manny Machado, and major contributions from pitchers such as Zach Davies and Dinelson Lamet to find themselves with the NL’s second-best record. They look pretty real, as a deep rotation and a solid enough bullpen could be enough to back up a strong lineup for an October run.

The White Sox might not have anyone putting up crazy numbers like the Padres’ Tatis, but breakout rookie Luis Robert has been plenty impressive himself alongside lineup staples like Tim Anderson and Jose Abreu. Lucas Giolito and new addition Dallas Keuchel are, however, pitching like Cy Young candidates and they have a top-ten bullpen in the Majors. They might not be as big of a threat as the Padres, but don’t worry a deep run out for this upstart squad.

Who will emerge from the jumbled-up NL East?

The NL East has been baseball’s weirdest division so far, with the Miami Marlins contending for a division title out of nowhere, the defending World Series champions in the cellar, and the Braves and Phillies looking as if they just don’t want to stake their claim as the favorite.

While the Braves currently have a two-game lead, the Phillies (1.5 GB) and the Marlins (2 GB) look like threats to challenge them for their third consecutive crown. As baseball’s weakest record division-wise, making the top two in the division is probably these teams’ only way to qualify for the playoffs.

Atlanta might be the favorites, but the surging Phillies and the underdog Marlins will battle along with them to qualify for the postseason.

Will the New York Yankees right the ship?

The Yankees have arguably been baseball’s biggest disappointment this season, as the Bronx Bombers are limping along at 21-21 and would be the #8 seed (barely) in the playoffs if the season ended today.

Injuries to Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge have hurt the Yankees, and the fact that rotation and bullpen staples like James Paxton, Luis Severino, and Tommy Kahnle have missed time haven’t helped things either.

Nonetheless, a healthy Yankees team is still talented enough to be a major October threat. Will they have all of their key players healthy by the time the playoffs start, if they even qualify?

The post The Three Biggest Questions Heading into the MLB Home Stretch appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Monday’s MLB Trade Deadline came and went with more movement than was expected during a shortened season, seeing plenty of important players move to contending teams.

So, which teams emerged from the Trade Deadline as the biggest winners, and which ones lost out after disappointing? Let’s take a look at the winners and losers of the deadline.

Winners

San Diego Padres

The San Diego Padres, one of the breakout teams of the 2020 season with a 22-15 record and a sure thing to make the playoffs, got even better at the Trade Deadline after making a whirlwind of moves.

The acquisition of the best starting pitcher on the market in Mike Clevinger was the crown jewel of their haul, as the former Indians starter will bring a career 3.20 ERA to a team with one of the best rotations in the game.

Not only that, but they made a number of other moves including trades for catcher Austin Nola, DH Mitch Moreland, and bullpen help in players like Trevor Rosenthal. They gave up plenty, but the Padres are set for a World Series charge.

Oakland A’s

The Oakland A’s were also one of the most active teams at the Trade Deadline, as the AL West leaders made a couple of moves to upgrade both its lineup and its pitching rotation.

The A’s gave up former top prospect Franklin Barreto to get him from the Rangers, sure, but newly-acquired starting pitcher Mike Minor had a 3.59 ERA last season in 34 starts and will help sure up the team’s one weak point

The addition of Tommy La Stella for two players to be named later from the Angels is an underrated move as well, as the second baseman/DH option has broken out over the past two seasons and will give the team some left-handed thump.

Losers

Atlanta Braves

Arguably the biggest disappointment of the trade deadline was the Atlanta Braves, the NL East leaders who have had success despite a starting rotation that has been decimated by injuries and poor play.

While there were plenty of starters on the market to improve a rotation that has featured only Max Fried as a consistent option, the team failed to make a deal with any of its number of prospects to improve in anticipation of the playoffs. They were only able to acquire back-end starter Tommy Milone, who promptly gave up 7 runs in only 2.1 innings of work in his Braves debut.

Texas Rangers

The Texas Rangers find themselves in fourth place in the AL West and out of the playoff picture, and many speculated that they would trade front-end starter Lance Lynn to improve its prospect stash.

However, the Rangers failed to do so, and their one major trade of Mike Minor failed to net a significant return. Jon Daniels really could’ve done better at this deadline, but he seemed to hold onto his chips for too long.

The post Winners and Losers of the MLB Trade Deadline appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The ongoing COVID-19 outbreak has forced nearly all of the world’s sporting leagues to be put on hold as governments and societies at large attempt to slow the spread of this global health pandemic.

Major League Baseball, whose Opening Day was scheduled for March 26th, was forced to postpone the beginning of its season after calling off all activities in mid-March.

In recent days, an audacious and unprecedented idea has been proposed by forces inside the league. This plan would have all thirty teams congregate in Arizona, undergo a “mini Spring Training,” and then switch to regular season action at the eleven baseball parks in the Phoenix metro area.

Despite the temptation to return to baseball as soon as possible, this plan presents a number of problems. From the brutal Arizona summer heat to logistical problems to the health risks associated with gathering so many athletes in one place, MLB’s Arizona plan is flawed and simply would not be a good plan of action.

Arizona has long been a late winter and early spring refuge for many teams, as its warm and dry climate allows for a great place to get prepared for the season. Ten Spring Training parks are located near Phoenix, and the regular season home of the Diamondbacks, Chase Field, would presumably be the parks where games would be held in this scenario.

However, this plan ignores one key problem: while late winter and early spring weather is nice, once the calendar turns to June, all bets are off. Average summer highs in Arizona regularly top 100 degrees, and only Chase Field features a roof and an air conditioning system. This brutal heat, which often persists into the night, would be a real health risk for players and umpires.

Even if the league planned to hold the games late at night in order to avoid brutal heat, the three-hour time difference between Arizona and the East Coast of the United States, where many teams are based, would make it exceedingly difficult for fans to follow the games on television.

In addition, with eleven parks only being enough for eleven games to be held simultaneously, it would be extremely difficult to maintain a normal competition rhythm in a sport in which teams are used to playing nearly every day.

Finally, let’s not ignore the real and persistent risk that the coronavirus still poses in the United States. Maricopa County, Arizona, where all eleven parks are hosted, currently has over 1,500 active cases of the virus. How could Major League Baseball expect to keep its players safe here in just a month’s time? Gathering so many athletes in such a small area, relatively speaking, could lead to an outbreak and potentially disastrous outcomes.

While temptation might lead us to want our sports to be back as soon as possible, the Arizona proposal suggested by Major League Baseball is simply not how the game should return.

The post MLB’s Arizona Proposal is the Wrong Way to Return to Baseball appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Baseball season is just around the corner, with the beginning of the MLB season just starting in April.

The National League is set to be a competition filled with powerhouse teams and star players. The Washington Nationals, the surprise winners of the league and the World Series last season, have a strong roster, but do they have one of the league’s top MVP candidates?

Let’s take a look at the top three NL MVP candidates for the 2020 season.

Christian Yelich, Brewers

The 2018 NL MVP finished in second place in a close vote for the 2019 award, coming in just behind Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger. He looks to be one of the favorites for this year’s award.

The outfielder batted .329 last season with 44 home runs and 97 RBI despite only playing in 130 games due to injury. Expect more big production from the California native, who just agreed to a 9-year, $215 million extension with his team, in 2020. A great eye at the plate and a power surge that coincided with his trade from the Marlins to Milwaukee has turned him into one of the top players in the league, and expect his production to continue in 2020.

Mookie Betts, Dodgers

The biggest trade of the 2019-20 MLB offseason sent perennial All-Star outfielder Mookie Betts from the Boston Red Sox to the Los Angeles Dodgers, establishing a new big star in the National League.

Betts and Yelich were named MVPs in the same season, with the Nashville native having won the award in the American League during his tenure in Boston. A move to Los Angeles places the talented outfielder in the middle of a stacked lineup, which should lead him to drive in even more runs than he has in previous seasons.

Expect Betts to compete for the hardware in his first year as a Dodger.

Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves

Acuña is one of the top young stars in baseball. The Braves center fielder was exceptional in 2019 at the ripe age of 21, finishing the year with 41 long balls and 37 stolen bases.

Expect the young Venezuelan talent to continue his rise in 2020 for a team that looks to contend for a World Series title. Acuña improved his plate discipline in the 2019 season, a development that led him to post a higher-than-expected .365 on-base percentage along with his power production.

Power-speed combinations like Acuña’s are rare in today’s game and don’t be surprised if his gaudy home run and stolen base totals lead him to compete for the MVP Award.

The post NL MVP Candidates to Keep an Eye on in 2020 appeared first on SportzBonanza.