NATIONAL LEAGUE
When it comes to star power in 2021, it will be hard to find a division rivalry in Major League Baseball that will top what is expected in Southern California. The Dodgers adeed free agent signee Trevor Bauer to a rotation anchored by Clayton Kershaw and baseball’s highest-scoring lineup led by Mookie Betts. At their heels will be I-5 neighbor, the Padres, with 22-year-old Fernando Tatis Jr. coming off a breakthrough year after signing a $340 million deal last offseason. Which team could break up the party in the postseason? Watch out for the Braves, with the hard-swinging tandem of Marcell Ozuna and Ronald Acuña Jr.
There is a new Mets owner in Queens who has a net worth of upwards of $12 billion. There is also nonstop hype surrounding the Amazin’s and their on-paper talent that’s expected to do damage in a crowded National League East. Then there are COVID-19 protocols and another baseball season that promises to be nothing short of bizarre.
The Mets are gearing up for their first season under new owner Steve Cohen, who is also the CEO of hedge fund Point72 Asset Management based in Stamford, Connecticut. Cohen made a larger bid ($2.4 billion to be exact) than star couple Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez and injected $76 million into the team’s payroll this winter. Former GM Sandy Alderson returned to Queens to be the team president and didn’t waste time using Cohen’s money to make a big splash.
Superstar Francisco Lindor joined the Mets, alongside pitcher Carlos Carrasco, in a six-player trade with the Indians. All Alderson and acting GM Zack Scott must do now is make sure the shortstop, who will become a free agent after the 2021 season, stays with the team in perpetuity.
“I’m all blue’d out, man,” Lindor said last month after he arrived at Mets camp with blue hair. “Everything is blue in my life right now — blue and orange.”
There’s always buzz around slugger Pete Alonso, and this year is no different. The Mets first baseman deleted all of his social-media accounts before spring training started because he wanted to “live in real life.” He removed all the clutter that may sometimes oversaturate his brain and has enjoyed exhibition games being completely locked in.
If Alonso can bring his focus, attention and always-fun energy into the regular season, the Mets can expect a big year from their 2019 Rookie of the Year. Though Alonso said he wants to win a Gold Glove award in 2021, he has other dreams for the club too, including winning a World Series and bringing the classic Mets black jerseys back with a Citi Field event he referred to as “Friday Night Blackouts.”
“The attention to details and going out and competing our asses off and going out there and wanting to win and doing anything possible for a win, I think for us, that’s the goal,” Alonso said. “And being in that type of environment is a privilege. I can’t wait for that. It’s gonna be special and it’s going to be fun. I hope all five boroughs turn into a massive block party when we do it.”
Jacob deGrom will take the mound for his third straight Opening
Day nod when the Mets take on the Nationals in Washington D.C. on April 1. The Mets ace is already getting the fan base excited with his increased velocity (deGrom started throwing 101 mph fastballs in exhibition games) and his goal to win a third Cy Young remains on the forefront of his mind.
DeGrom won the NL Cy Young in back-to-back seasons in 2018 and ’19.
“It’s definitely a goal of mine,” he said of winning the highest honor for a pitcher. “I think I say that every year. The goal for me is to be the best pitcher I can be, and that’s going to help us win baseball games. You set individual goals. Ultimately, the team goal is to win the World Series. The pieces we added, it’s going to be a huge plus. You still set personal goals and my goal is to win another Cy Young.”
Cohen made sure the pieces were put in place. He stated that his goal is to win a championship in 3-5 years. But of course, he would be even happier if the Mets achieved that intention even sooner.
“I’m going to be an owner who builds a team that has continued success,” Cohen said. “We want to create a blueprint for winning.”
After coming up one win short of the World Series, the Atlanta Braves have only one goal in mind for 2021. Winning it all. The Braves finally won a postseason series — two of them, in fact — for the first time since 2001, and they had Los Angeles on the ropes with a 3-1 lead in the NL Championship Series.
Alas, the Dodgers won the final three games and went on to beat the Tampa Bay Rays in the World Series.
For the Braves, the agonizing finish to the pandemic-shortened season merely fueled their determination to win Atlanta’s first Series title since 1995.
The front office did its part to get over the hump, re-signing slugger Marcell Ozuna to a $65-million, fouryear contract and bolstering a thin rotation by landing Charlie Morton and Drew Smyly.
“Are we in a competitive championship window?” general manager Alex Anthopoulos said. “Sure, there’s no doubt about it.”
Some things to watch from the Braves in 2021:
POWER PUNCH
Atlanta has one of the most dynamic 1-2 hitting punches in the big leagues with Freeman and Ozuma.
Freeman was a runaway choice for the MVP award after bouncing back from a frightening bout with COVID-19 to hit .341 with 13 homers and 53 RBIs. His numbers were greatly helped by the guy hitting behind him. Ozuna nearly won the Triple Crown, leading the league in homers (18) and RBIs (56) while finishing third in average (.338). And don’t forget Ronald Acuna Jr., who battled injuries but still had 14 homers and 29 RBIs in 46 games. The 23-year-old outfielder is just two years removed from a 41-homer, 101-RBI, 37-stolen base campaign.
ACES WILD
The Braves have three potential aces
— none older than
27 years old. Max Fried followed up a 17-win season in 2019 by going 7-0 with a 2.25 ERA. He finished fifth in the NL Cy Young balloting. Mike Soroka was an All-Star in 2019 and the opening-day starter last season, but he went down with a torn Achilles in just his third appearance. Soroka will likely begin the season on the DL to make sure he’s fully recovered, but it won’t be long before he rejoins the rotation. And then there’s Ian Anderson, who dazzled in his rookie season by going 3-2 with a 1.95 ERA in six regular-season starts before showing poise beyond his years in the playoffs.
NEW LOOK
The starting rotation was extremely thin last season, so the Braves made an aggressive push to add more depth. Postseason stalwart Morton returned to the organization with a $15 million, one-year deal, while Smyly signed on for one year at $11 million. Combined with the team’s talented young starters, the rotation suddenly looks like one of the best in baseball. On the other hand, the bullpen is a bit of a question mark after being a huge strength in 2020. Closer Mark Melancon (11 saves) left in free agency, and there’s no one else on the roster who had more than one save last season. Former Giants closer Will Smith is an obvious candidate, but he surrendered seven homes in just 16 innings. Chris Martin, Tyler Matzek and A.J. Minter all have the potential to finish out games in what could be a closer-by-committee approach from manager Brian Snitker.
ROOKIES TO WATCH
CF Cristian Pache impressed last season after a late-season call-up, starting six games in the NLCS. Even though he’s got scant experience above Double-A, the Braves are confident that the 22-year-old is ready for the big leagues. He certainly showed off his enticing talents against the Dodgers with a second-deck homer and an above-the-wall catch. Pache is battling for the starting job against former All-Star Ender Inciarte, who has been plagued by injuries and is coming off the worst season of his career.
FANS IN THE STANDS
The Braves are planning to allow 33% capacity — about 13,500 fans per game — at Truist Park to start the season. Team officials will review the seating plan after each homestand and make adjustments as needed to ensure fan safety. No fans were allowed in MLB stadium during the 2020 regular season because of the pandemic, though hundreds of Braves’ backers gathered on a lawn outside their ballpark to watch the Braves’ playoff run on a giant video board. Matzek looks forward to having them closer to the action in 2021. “We have great fans,” the reliever said. “I can’t wait for them to be in the stadium with us this year.”