Baseball Has Returned: Answering Some of the Biggest Questions Headed Into the 2021 Season

The start of the 2021 baseball season has officially began with pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training. With this in mind, I will be answering some of the biggest questions headed into the 2021 season.

How will Trevor Bauer Perform in His First Season with the Dodgers?

The Dodgers made a big splash in the offseason when they signed Trevor Bauer to a 3-year, $102 million contract. Bauer, the NL Cy Young winner last season, was regarded as the top pitching free agent this offseason. The Dodgers have now added another superior arm to their rotation along with Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler. Bauer should excel in his new home, knowing that he has one of the best offenses in baseball backing him up every fifth day he takes the mound. I do not expect him to repeat his shortened 2020 Cy Young campaign (1.73 ERA, 0.79 WHIP) but I do see him still being among the league's best pitchers. Bauer has even mentioned he would be willing to pitch every fourth day which would be interesting if he gets the opportunity. Should the Dodgers make another playoff run, expect Bauer to be a big part of the team's success.

Will George Springer Excel Among the Young Crop of Blue Jays?

Entering the offseason, George Springer was one of the top free agents on the market. As a result, he signed with Toronto for 6 years, worth $150 million. Springer, 31, is now considered a veteran on a Blue Jays team who consists of a team full of young talent and potential. Assuming he does hit leadoff, I can see his runs dropping off just a bit, but his projected batting average, home run and RBI totals should be around where they normally are annually. Springer is a .270 hitter with 35 home runs, 95 RBI, and 116 runs based on a 162 game average for his career. As a whole, the Blue Jays add another offensive threat to their young lineup consisting of young stars Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Cavan Biggio. The Jays also signed veteran shortstop Marcus Semien to a one-year, $18 million deal. It will be interesting to see how Springer fits into the young mold of Toronto. If it all comes together, I can see the Jays being very successful this season and could make the playoffs as a wild card team.

Is Lindor the Final Piece the Mets Need To Contend In the NL East?

The Mets and new GM Steve Cohen, were very busy this offseason and their biggest move came when they signed Francisco Lindor to a 1-year, $22.3 million contract. Cohen, the Mets new GM, brought a new feel to the Big Apple, giving the fan base hope for contention this season in the NL East, if not the National League as a whole. Lindor joins Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil, and Michael Conforto in a Mets lineup that should be more powerful than ever. I expect Lindor to be even more productive in New York than he was in Cleveland. I project Lindor to exceed 30 home runs and drive in 100 runs, provided where he hits in the batting order. On the pitching side of things, Cohen also brought in Joey Lucchesi from San Diego and Carlos Carrasco who was also included in the Lindor trade for Andres Gimenez and Ahmed Rosario. Most importantly, these offseason moves should bolster the pitching rotation and specifically provide Jacob deGrom with more wins and more run support, as well as solidify himself as the "no doubt" best pitcher in baseball. Lindor has also expressed interest in staying in New York for the long term. Expect the Mets to contend in the NL East and if all goes right, make a push for the NL Pennant.

Will Leaving Coors Field Affect Nolan Arenado's Production in St. Louis?

In one of the final big moves this offseason, the Cardinals were able to trade Austin Gomber, along with a few other prospects, to the Rockies for Nolan Arenado and $51 million. Arenado is arguably the best all-around third baseman in the league. The big question surrounding this is how will Arenado's offensive performance change in his move to Busch Stadium. Arenado is a career .322 hitter at home (Coors Field), while a .263 career hitter on the road. I suspect Arenado will hit around .280, or even .290, with 30 or more home runs, as well as drive in around 90 to 100 RBI. I do not think Arenado leaving the Rockies will have much affect on his offensive performance because he has shown to be a consistent, elite level hitter season after season. Last season, Arenado's offensive performance was at a lower rate because of a left shoulder injury, but I assume he will pick back up to his normal numbers this upcoming season. It will be interesting to see how Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt do in the middle of the Cardinals batting order with the amount of power they both can bring to the table. As far as Arenado's defense, expect him to still be making amazing plays at the hot corner. The Cardinals have put themselves into a good position to contend in the NL Central this season.

Can the Padres Win the NL West and Fight Off the Dodgers?

The San Diego Padres were one of the most exciting teams to watch this offseason, considering the amount of moves and players they were able to trade. The majority and biggest moves they made definitely improved their pitching rotation dramatically. They were able to trade for Blake Snell from the Rays, while only giving up Luis Patino, one of the top pitching prospects in baseball and Yu Darvish from the Cubs, making their rotation one of the deepest in all of baseball. With these moves, the Padres add to their rotation that already includes Dinelson Lamet and Chris Paddack. Having these four pitchers in a rotation is crazy to think about. San Diego was also able to sign infielder Ha-Seong Kim to a 4-year, $28 million contract, as well as Joe Musgrove to a 1-year, $4.45 million contract, to be a back-of-the-rotation starter. The Padres lineup is young, with superstar shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. leading the way, along with Trent Grisham and Manny Machado. The San Diego farm system is one of the best in the minors. MacKenzie Gore, one of the top pitching prospects in the minors, could debut later this season and be an ace in the future.

The NL West is the division to watch this season, as the Dodgers and Padres battle it out to see who can come out on top. Both pitching rotations are two of the best in baseball, but I believe the Dodgers have the better hitting and will win the NL West in a close, but fun, race to the finish.

Final Thoughts: The upcoming baseball season should be fun and exciting. It will be interesting to see how these players perform on their new teams. I look forward to writing about the season as it progresses!

See you at the ballpark!!!

Adam