The 2020 MLB season is set to be nothing like we’ve experienced before. With only 60 games on the cards, teams have to come at this season as a sprint rather than a marathon. Shorter games, new batting rules, an increased emphasis on bullpens, and heightened regional rivalry is going to turn this into a mouthwatering match up in every game.
The home-field advantage isn’t a given without the presence of fans this season and it’s going to be interesting to see how teams manage without the psychological advantage that they usually thrive off of.
We’re going to take a look at the MLB 2020 season power rankings and how the shorter season, as well as the designated hitter rule, is going to impact teams. Baseball betting odds, players, and fans are all bound to be affected by this unpredictable and exciting season.
The 2020 season power rankings
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers take the top spot for the current MLB power rankings. Representing the West Division in the National League, the Dodgers’ current roster is loaded with talent that could’ve taken them through a normal season. They’ve managed to keep their mitts on All-Star Mookie Betts, who could become their second MVP next to Cody Bellinger, with David Price right behind them. Corey Seager and Justin Turner are two more players that any of the other teams would be delighted to have on their roster.
2. New York Yankees
The addition of Gerrit Cole adds depth to the Yankees rotation that already looks strong with James Paxton, Masahiro Tanaka, J.A. Happ, and Jordan Montgomery behind him. On the health front, baseball bettors and fans of the Yankees will be pleased to know Aaron Judge, Aaron Hicks, Giancarlo Stanton, and Paxton all seem to be healed and ready for the 60-game season. It seems that the COVID-19 pandemic hiatus has helped the Bronx Bombers come back in better form than ever and the strength in their bullpen looks primed for shorter, more intense games.
3. Houston Astros
Also representing the West Division, the Houston Astros boast stellar intact offensive players in the field, including Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker. Will Verlander will be ready to return to the baseball season too, after a spring troubled by injury. The Astros will be pleased to add him to a rotation that already has plenty of firepower up top.
4. Minnesota Twins
Last year, the Minnesota Twins set a Major League record with 307 homers. This certainly gives the Twins the ability to field one of their more complete teams in recent history. Their starting pitchers also look to impress — with Kenta Maeda, Homer Bailey, Jhoulys Chacin, and Rich Hill on pitching duties, the Twins are baseball betting favorites. The new short-season format will certainly have its own advantages and the addition of masher Josh Donaldson means that we could see the most complete Twins team that has been fielded in years.
5. Atlanta Braves
Yes, Josh Donaldson may have departed from the Braves, but they are still the hardest team to beat in the East Division, National League. With incredible depth in the bullpen, five experienced relievers, and six able starters, just when it comes to pitchers, they are the most likely to come into the season fast and hard. The Atlanta Braves have won back-to-back NL East titles, and they are certainly in a good position to do some damage in the 2020 MLB season.
6. Tampa Bay Rays
Representing the East Division, the Tampa Bay Rays’ starting lineup is made up of senior players such as Blake Snell, Ryan Yarbough, Yonny Chirinos, Charlie Morton, and Tyler Glasnow. Few teams look as good on paper as the Rays to rule this short season.
7. Oakland Athletics
The A’s have consecutive 97-win seasons. They sure are impactful enough to be contenders once again. The Athletics have the addition of the versatile infielder/outfielder Tony Kemp and lefty reliever T.J. McFarland. They could give the Astros a run for their money with their improved starting rotation.
8. Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals fans can expect a powerful lineup with the trio of Patrick Corbin, Max Scherzer, and Stephen Strasburg. Baseball bettors should keep in mind that the Nationals were a wild-card team a year ago.
9. St. Louis Cardinals
After an impressive 12- year run in the KBO, Kwang Hyun Kim joins the Cardinals. In addition to Kim, the Cardinals have also added the utility infielder Brad Miller to their roster. A lot of emphasis will be placed on the young bloods Jack Flaherty and Dakota Hudson in the team’s starting rotation.
10. Chicago Cubs
The Cubs have had a quiet offseason with additions to their team. However, they still have a great range of talent to make an impact in the postseason push. The Cubs’ offense will have to play up to its potential for the starting rotation to work successfully. If all works in their favor, the Cubs could rule the NL Central.
What do these new power rankings mean for baseball betting?
What we can say, is that this is baseball as we’ve never seen it before. A three-batter minimum, active roster limits, a designated hitter, and the absence of longer extra innings is going to make for an exciting and unpredictable season. Sports betting is undoubtedly going to be impacted by the new 60-game season and bettors should expect teams to come out of the starting blocks as fast as possible. The shorter season certainly leaves some room for upsets, especially when it comes to stronger teams that are traditionally slow in finding their sweet spot. One thing is for sure, baseball fans and bettors alike are going to be glued to their screens in what is going to be one of the most exciting seasons on record.
The new 60-game season will definitely impact online sports betting and the way sportsbook casinos calculate list odds. With the new rules, including a three-batter minimum, active roster limits, the inclusion of a designated hitter, and the extra innings having a runner on second base, the way baseball bettors bet on single-game moneyline wagers and team-based futures will change. The new game format may be short of over 100 games, but it should still make for an interesting betting strategy. Sportsbook casinos will now be ranking teams in the National League based on lineups with a designated hitter. The 60-game sample size will leave some room for an under the radar team to slip into the baseball playoffs and potentially the World Series. Keep this in mind when placing your futures betting odds.
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