2021 MLB Bold Predictions For All 30 Teams

30. Arizona Diamondbacks — Fire Sale

Bold Prediction: Ketel Marte, David Peralta, and other D’Backs veterans are traded elsewhere

It wasn’t that long ago that the Diamondbacks represented the Dodgers’ greatest competition in the NL West. In 2017, Arizona won 93 games and reached the postseason. The D-Backs finished the next two seasons above .500, and entered the 2020 campaign with high expectations following an aggressive offseason that included handing Madison Bumgarner a big contract. Instead, the D-Backs floundered and finished 25-35.

And while the team has some nice pieces on its roster ahead of the ’21 season, it is also far behind both the Dodgers and Padres. Marte is two-years removed from a top-4 MVP finish and Peralta has remained a consistent threat at the plate. With both players on team-friendly contracts, it may seem like a reach to envision them on the move. However, with both the Dodgers and Padres primed for lengthy runs atop the National League, Arizona will see its opportunity to rebuild and will ship its best players out for prospect-heavy packages.

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29. Atlanta Braves — Buyer’s Remorse

Bold Prediction: Free-agent signing Charlie Morton struggles

Charlie Morton’s career has come full circle. After breaking into the Majors with the Braves in 2008, Morton has spent 12 years away from the defending NL East champs — but now returns for the twilight of his career. Morton remains a good pitcher and could be a boon for Atlanta this season, but we see things going the other way. In 2020, Morton saw his numbers balloon to their highest marks in quite some time. The veteran allowed 10.2 H9 — after sitting between 7.1-7.8 every year since ’16. Additionally, Morton’s strike out rate dipped for the first time in four seasons. In ’21, Morton’s age will begin to catch up to him.

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28. Baltimore Orioles — Second-Year Star

Bold Prediction: Ryan Mountcastle is named an AL All-Star

Career years from Jose Iglesias, Anthony Santander, and Renato Nunes (among others) fueled Baltimore’s offense in 2020, but the emergence of a 23-year-old signifies the O’s future. As a rookie, Ryan Mountcastle generated a 1.1 offensive WAR in just 140 plate appearances. He’ll have no trouble finding playing time as he can play either 1B or LF for the O’s. Mountcastle showed a refined level of patience in Year 1, and his power numbers improved every year he spent in the minors.

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27. Boston Red Sox — Big Bat Bounce-Back

Bold Prediction: 3B Rafael Devers and DH JD Martinez both finish top-10 in OPS

It was a shortened-season to forget for Boston’s two biggest sluggers. Devers and Martinez’ combined OPS dropped a staggering .382 points from 2019 to 2020. Martinez’ .680-mark was especially shocking for a guy who has averaged a .954 OPS since 2014. Devers’ down 2020 is less surprising as the 24-year-old has been prone to cold streaks at the plate in small sample sizes. In 2019, Devers didn’t record his first home run until the 33rd game of the season — then proceeded to smash 29 dingers over the ensuing 100 games. Both players have the track record and ability to once again be at the top of all hitting leaderboards.

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26. Chicago Cubs — Trades former MVP

Bold Prediction: 2016 NL MVP and World Series champion 3B/LF Kris Bryant ends the year on another team

All signs are pointing towards Kris Bryant’s time in Chicago coming to an end. After winning the Rookie of the Year, MVP, and World Series in his first two seasons with the club, Bryant appeared destined to become a Cub legend. Instead, the 29-year-old has been a frequent subject of trade talk the past few years. Recently, Bryant has been linked to two NL heavyweights — the Dodgers and Nationals. With the Cubs seemingly ready to enter a rebuild and Bryant entering the final year of his contract, it is likely that the former MVP is traded during (or before) the season. Contending teams in both leagues will make a play for Bryant, and the Cubs will happily move on from him.

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25. Chicago White Sox — A New MVP Candidate

Bold Prediction: 3B Yoan Moncada finishes in the top-3 in AL MVP voting

White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu ran away with the MVP in 2020 after top-5 AL finishes in hits, home runs, RBI, and batting average while appearing in all 60 games for the club. Abreu wasn’t the only Sox player who enjoyed a big year — Chicago also got big years from Eloy Jimenez and Tim Anderson. One player who was unusually quiet during the White Sox’ run to the playoffs was former top prospect Yoan Moncada. Moncada had a down year in 2020, as the 25-year-old dealt with lingering effects following his bout with COVID-19. He’s now healthy and ready to mash for a team that will likely make another run at a postseason berth. The switch-hitting 3B is a bonafide stud and will be the star of this team — alongside Jimenez and Luis Robert — for years to come.

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24. Cincinnati Reds — Nick Lodolo Arrives

Bold Prediction: Highly-touted pitching prospect Nick Lodolo makes an impact for the Reds in 2021

With reigning National League Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer leaving town, the Reds will have an opening in their rotation. One player that has a golden opportunity to fill Bauer’s role is Nick Lodolo. The Reds drafted the left-handed pitcher with the No. 7 pick in the 2019 draft. Lodolo profiles as a future ace — or a No. 2 at worst — and should help the Reds immediately. Cincinnati may have a chance to compete for the NL Central, but it will need a boost in the rotation. With a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and a live changeup, Lodolo has true swing-and-miss stuff. The Reds could opt to put Lodolo in the pen to start the year, but the club’s top prospect will be an impact arm in the rotation by year’s end.

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23. Cleveland Indians — Less is More

Bold Prediction: The Cleveland offense will be better in 2021 than it was in 2020

Only one team in the American League scored fewer runs than Cleveland did last year — an awful 22-38 Texas Rangers team. Jose Ramirez was the only Cleveland player to record an OPS higher than .800. Though they are losing two All-Stars in Francisco Lindor and Carlos Santana, it’s incredibly unlikely the rest of Cleveland’s lineup performs as poorly as it did in 2019. Players like Franmil Reyes, Oscar Mercado, and Roberto Perez will all be better, and adding depth with Eddie Rosario, Amed Rosario, and Andres Gimenez will help fill-in the margins.

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22. Colorado Rockies — End of Story

Bold Prediction: All-Star SS Trevor Story requests a trade

The Rockies are an absolute dumpster fire. In a wild move that has been discussed ad nauseum, the franchise shipped superstar third baseman Nolan Arenado to the St. Louis Cardinals. Not only did the team move on from its best player, but it also sent the Cards roughly $50 million to complete the deal. Now the Rockies are left with arguably baseball’s worst lineup. So, why in the world would Trevor Story want to remain with the franchise? The two-time All-Star is approaching free agency, but he will surely not want to waste another year of his prime with the Rockies. Colorado will be forced to listen to his trade demands and seek some type of compensation before allowing Story to leave for nothing as a free agent.

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21. Detroit Tigers — Miggy’s Last Run

Bold Prediction: Miguel Cabrera hits 25 home runs

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20. Houston Astros — 2020 Was A Fluke

Bold Prediction: Jose Altuve will hit .300 

The one thing Jose Altuve has done his entire career (that we can prove with 100-percent evidence, at least) is hit the baseball. In 2020, the disgraced 2B seemingly forgot how to play the sport entirely. The former league MVP set career–lows (emphasis on low) across the board in 48 games. Astros fans can look at Altuve’s playoff numbers as a silver lining. During Houston’s run to the ALCS, Altuve hit five homers and posted a .500 OBP in 13 playoff games. Batting average has never been an issue for Altuve before. He’s had five seasons over .300 in his career, and never hit below .276 before the .219 clunker last year. Chalk it up to nerves — with an extra-large side of guilt.

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19. Kansas City Royals — New Sherriff In The Bullpen

Bold Prediction: Josh Staumont emerges as AL’s best reliever

The duo that patrols Milwaukee’s bullpen is excellent, but out in the AL it’s a KC Royal who looks to take the crown as the league’s top reliever. Like most young pitchers who throw hard, Staumont struggles with command. But his strikeout stuff is absolutely top-notch. Staumont punched-out 13 batters/per 9 innings in his first “full” season of work. He’s not just a one-pitch guy either, Staumont’s curveball ranked in the top-10 in whiff-percentage among relievers.

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18. Los Angeles Angels — Trout Gets Help

Bold Prediction: Angels finish top-10 in runs allowed

It has been six years since we’ve seen Mike Trout play in the postseason. The consensus best player in baseball will finally get some reinforcements in 2021. The Angels have not had a top-10 finish in runs allowed since 2011 — Trout’s rookie year — when the team had two pitchers (Jered Weaver and Dan Haren) finish 2nd and 7th in the Cy Young race. The team’s No. 1 — Dylan Bundy — is coming off a fantastic year, and the Angels did a nice job building a formidable rotation which also includes a healthier Shohei Ohtani and a solid lefty in Andrew Heaney.

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17. Los Angeles Dodgers — Double Champ

Bold Prediction: Dodgers repeat as World Series champions

After eight-straight NL West titles and two losses in the World Series, the Dodgers finally won it all in 2020. A year after winning 106 games, Los Angeles ran roughshod over the National League en route to an MLB-best 43-17 record. Now, the reigning champs return the core of their team — including Mookie Betts, Cody Bellinger, Corey Seager, Walker Buehler, and Clayton Kershaw. Oh, and they added National League Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer for good measure. The Dodgers are a wagon.

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16. Miami Marlins — Back to Cellar

Bold Prediction: Marlins finish in last place in the NL East in 2021

Last season, the Marlins were the feel-good story of Major League Baseball. Miami’s season got off to a terrible start as the franchise was faced with a massive COVID outbreak. Despite this, the underdog Marlins continued to play good ball upon returning to the field and eventually reached the postseason. After sweeping the Cubs 2-0 in the Wild Card round, Miami was swept out of the playoffs by Atlanta. This year, the Marlins will find themselves at the bottom of the NL East. We don’t think the team will be bad by any means — they may win around 75 games — but the rest of the division will outperform the young Marlins. Atlanta, New York, and Washington can contend in the NL. Philadelphia should hover around .500, as well. Miami’s a fun team, but not good enough to avoid a last place finish.

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15. Milwaukee Brewers — Blockbuster Trade

Bold Prediction: Two-time Reliever of the Year Josh Hader gets traded

Since making his debut in 2017, Josh Hader has been baseball’s best reliever — or at worst a top-3 option. The hard throwing lefty strikes batters out at will, and should be at the top of his game for years to come as he approaches his 27th birthday. Despite his dominance, however, Hader’s name was floated around on the trade market last season. The Brewers are aware they are not amongst the NL’s top contenders, and a return for Hader could bring them closer to the top in the coming years. Additionally, the emergence of Devin Williams has made Hader more expendable. When the Brewers struggle, Hader will be dealt.

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14. Minnesota Twins — Re-Writing Record Books

Bold Prediction: Twins set the record for most home runs in a season

If the season ends up being shortened to 140 or so games then this sort of pace will be a tough ask, but the Twins have the power and depth to make it happen. In 2019, Minnesota smashed 307 homers, blowing the previous record (267, set by the Yankees the year before) out of the water. With Nelson Cruz back in the mix, and full seasons out of Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton, the Twins will hit 300-plus dingers no matter how short of a season.

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13. New York Mets — Lindor-Mania

Bold Prediction: Francisco Lindor wins the 2021 NL MVP in first year with the Mets

Under the new ownership of Steve Cohen, the New York Mets are going for it. Finally acting like the big market club they are, the Mets acquired stud shortstop Francisco Lindor from Cleveland this offseason. Lindor is a complete player — a four-time All-Star, Lindor hits from both sides of the plate (two-time Silver Slugger) and fields his position at an elite level (Platinum Glove). Although he had a down year at the plate in 2020, Lindor is going to flourish in New York. Starring in a lineup that also features Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil, and Michael Conforto, Lindor will see more pitches than he ever has. Lindor will hit 30 homers, flirt with batting .300, and play stellar defense. With great production and the narrative behind him, Lindor will claim his first MVP.

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12. New York Yankees — Everything Goes Wrong

Bold Prediction: Yankees miss the playoffs

The Yankees still have one of the most talented lineups in baseball with arguably the best pitcher in the AL. However, the weak spots of this team may in fact outweigh its strengths. Namely, the lack of pitching depth. Masahiro Tanaka is gone and Luis Severino is already projected to be out for the first-half of 2021. After Gerrit Cole, the Yankees will deploy some combination of Corey Kluber, Jameson Taillon, Jordan Montgomery, Deivi Garcia, and Domingo German — all of whom have various levels of risk associated with them. With how prone to injury the everyday players have been over the years, a couple of disappointing seasons from that list of starters and the Yankees could find themselves in some trouble in the brutal AL East.

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11. Oakland Athletics — A’s Ace

Bold Prediction: Frankie Montas wins AL Cy Young

Montas was expected to assert himself as Oakland’s top-dog in 2020, but had a rough year by his standards. Part of his struggles can be attributed to an inflated HR/9 of 1.7 — a full-digit above the mark he had posted the previous two years (0.7 HR/9 in 161 innings between ’18 and ’19). With his improved strikeout rate (9.8 K/9 over last two seasons), and a bit more home run luck, Montas has the chance to put together a monstrous season for the AL West contenders.

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10. Philadelphia Phillies — Bohm-Stick

Bold Prediction: 24-year-old Alec Bohm hits 20-plus home runs

The Phillies have two expensive stars in Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto, but their third baseman might be their best player in a few short years. The No. 3 overall pick out of Wichita State in 2018, Alec Bohm is on the cusp of stardom. The gargantuan 6-foot-5 24-year-old made his debut last year and impressed. In 44 games, Bohm slashed .338/.400/.481 with four home runs and 11 doubles. For a young player, Bohm has a great approach at the plate. He draws walks, doesn’t strike out much, and possesses a quick swing. If there is one area he must improve, it is his power — power that is there, but being held back by his launch angle. With an offseason under his belt, Bohm will add the longball to his repertoire with an improved swing path.

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9. Pittsburgh Pirates — Familiar Territory

Bold Prediction: Pirates finish with the worst record in the National League

While we are predicting the Dodgers will repeat as World Series champions, the Pirates are on the complete opposite end of the spectrum — the Pirates will finish with the worst record in the National League for the second year in a row. Pittsburgh is in the midst of a rebuild, going as far as trading Josh Bell (2019 All-Star) and Jameson Taillon (No. 1 starter) this offseason. With Colin Moran, Gregory Polanco, and promising youngster Ke’Bryan Hayes in the mix, Pittsburgh’s lineup shouldn’t be the worst in the league. However, the Pirates may not be able to get anybody out. It’s going to be a long, long season.

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8. San Diego Padres — Embarrassment of Riches

Bold Prediction: Ha-Seong Kim is named starting 2B

Unless you are an avid Padres fan, you may not know the name Ha-Seong Kim — but you will soon. Kim, a middle infielder, is set to make his MLB debut after spending the first seven years of his career in the KBO. Over his last two seasons playing for the Kiwoom Heroes, Kim smacked 49 homers, hit over .300, stole 56 bases, and drew nearly as many walks (145) as strikeouts (148). Kim has plenty of competition at the position with both Jake Cronenworth and Jurickson Profar returning, but the 25-year-old Korean star will take over the starting job. 

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7. San Francisco Giants — Firmly in the Hunt

Bold Prediction: Giants contend for a Wild Card spot

Barring some truly crazy events, the Giants will not contend for the National League West. However, they may just contend for a Wild Card spot. San Francisco will not wow you with any particular part of its play, but it does possess a solid group of players. The Giants’ lineup has a knack for putting the ball in play, led by Donovan Solano (.326 BA), Mike Yastrzemski (.297), Alex Dickerson (.298), and a returning Buster Posey. San Francisco has a solid — not great — rotation and an improving bullpen. While the Dodgers and Padres steal all of the headlines, the Giants will fly under the radar and quietly push for the final Wild Card spot.

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6. Seattle Mariners — Showcase of the Future

Bold Prediction: Jarred Kelenic, Logan Gilbert, and Taylor Trammell all make their MLB debut

The Mariners have a couple of interesting pieces in their lineup, and should be active around the trade deadline. However, the 2021 Mariners aren’t expected to win many games. As such, fans have to look at the future for any sense of hope. Equipped with one of the top farm systems in the Majors, the Mariners will unleash at least three of their young prospects in 2021. Kelenic is the best of the bunch — a 21-year-old outfielder who is ranked No. 4 on MLB.com‘s Prospect Ranking. No. 5 on that list? Another Seattle prospect — 20-year-old outfielder Julio Rodriguez — who we didn’t even include in the trio of Seattle call-ups. Help is on the way.

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5. St. Louis Cardinals — A Star is Born

Bold Prediction: SP Jack Flaherty wins the NL Cy Young

The Cy Young competition in the National League is stacked. Two-time winner Jacob deGrom, reigning Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer, Walker Buehler, Max Scherzer, and Yu Darvish are just a handful of potential Cy Young candidates entering 2021. This year, however, my money is on Flaherty. The 25-year-old dazzled in 2019, leading the National League in WHIP (0.968) and H9 (6.2). St. Louis’ ace struggled in the COVID-shortened season, but I believe that was an anomaly. Flaherty has struggled throughout his career with the long ball, but this will be the year he figures it out. Flaherty will finish 18-4 with a sub 2.50 ERA for the NL Central winners.

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4. Tampa Bay Rays — Beasts of the East

Bold Prediction: Rays win the AL East

Business as usual. Tampa may have lost a former Cy Young winner in Blake Snell and a World Series hero in Charlie Morton, but no matter. The Rays are going to do what the Rays always do — re-tool and win baseball games. Consider this, the Rays won the AL East by seven (!) games in a 60-game season without Randy *FREAKING’* Arozarena (*not his official nickname). The postseason Supernova had more playoff at-bats (77) than he had in the regular season (64) in his first year with the Rays. Give him 450-plus plate appearances and he’ll light up the scoreboard. This team has depth and a 25-year-old superstar. They’ll be perfectly fine.

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3. Texas Rangers — Gallo is Going, Going, Gone

Bold Prediction: Joey Gallo is moved at the trade deadline

Not too many clubs have a higher chance of finishing with the league’s worst record than Texas. The Rangers are thin across the board, and the previous crop of prospects don’t seem to be working out. Though Gallo’s weaknesses are well-documented, he remains a viable trade piece as a great defender who can hit 40 homers every year. His 70-game 2019 season may have been a bit of an anomaly (.253/.389/.598), but it’s still closer to average than his putrid 2020 sample (.181/.301/.378). Early prediction? Gallo gets sent to the Bronx who need a left-handed bat and outfield insurance.

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2. Toronto Blue Jays — Birds Take Flight

Bold Prediction: Blue Jays finish no. 1 in runs scored

Adding George Springer and Marcus Semien to a lineup which features young mashers from top-to-bottom is a recipe for success. Toronto finished seventh in runs and eighth in total bases in 2020 — and that was with Bo Bichette missing half the games and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. having a mediocre year. Teoscar Hernandez and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. are studs, Rowdy Tellez and Randall Grichuk have always mashed, and Cavan Biggio is elite at getting on base. The Blue Jays aren’t a year away — they are ready to take over right now.

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1. Washington Nationals — Pay for Power

Bold Prediction: Offseason signings 1B Josh Bell and OF Kyle Schwarber combine to hit 60 homers

The Nationals quest to repeat as World Series champions ended with a whimper last season. The Nats finished at the bottom of the NL East with a 26-34 record — the third-worst in the NL — and never felt like a threat. Ahead of the 2021 campaign, Washington has bolstered its lineup with the additions of Josh Bell and Kyle Schwarber. Two power hitters, both Bell and Schwarber are coming off down years. A year after slashing .277/.367/.569 with 37 HR, Bell struggled to the tune of .226/.305/.364 in ’20. Schwarber had a worse year, slashing .188/.308/.393 with 11 HR. Neither player will be that bad this year, and the star power surrounding them in Washington’s lineup will result in big production. Between the two of them, the sluggers will top 60 homers.

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