The MLB and MLBPA have, FINALLY, reached an agreement to play the 2020 MLB season. Players will report to training camp on July 1st in anticipation of Opening Day on July 23rd or 24th (hopefully those discussions go smoother).
Teams will play 60 regular-season games with 40 of them coming against division rivals. The remaining 20 games will be interleague games against the teams in the same region (NL East vs. AL East, etc.) In addition to the schedule changes, the National League will field a DH and a runner will begin on second base if a game goes to extra innings.
Now that we finally know what the season will look like, we can analyze who the winners and losers of MLB’s shortened schedule are.
Losers: MLB, MLBPA, Fans, Baseball
This is obvious. The players and the league have damaged baseball’s reputation with a fan base that is alienated too often. The fans have watched relations between the league and the players reach an all-time low, which is saying something, and in the process, lost a potential influx of fans to the game.
Winners: N/A
This point may seem redundant, but the MLB missed a huge opportunity. The chance to be the only professional sport during a time when the entire country was itching for something to gather around. Instead, the league and the players argued about money for months. All to just fall back on a deal that was struck in March.
Losers: Second Tier National League Contenders
The 2020 season will not feature an expanded playoff field despite it being discussed extensively. Teams like the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago Cubs, and Arizona Diamondbacks will now be left to fight for the same two Wild Card spots.
Winners: NL and AL Central
With the schedule being as it is, the St. Louis Cardinals, Cubs, and Minnesota Twins will play far easier schedules than their counterparts in different divisions. With the Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals, and Detroit Tigers being among the worst teams in the league, the contenders in the NL and AL Central could have very important games against bottom-tier teams.
Losers: NL and AL East
In the same way the teams in the Central are winners, the teams in the NL and AL East are hurt by the competitiveness in their divisions. With seven of the ten teams winning more than 80 games and improvement likely for the Toronto Blue Jays, teams fighting for a Wild Card berth in these divisions will have very difficult schedules down the stretch.
Winner: Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers remain one of the best teams in the league. The addition of the DH in the National League gives them yet another boost. With an extremely deep bench, the Dodgers will lengthen a lineup that led the National League in Runs, Home Runs, and OPS.
Losers: Houston Astros Hitters
Sorry Houston, the rest of the league has not forgotten. It may have been months since someone brought up the sign-stealing scandal, but once Jose Altuve steps into the batter’s box, opposing pitchers will remember. Even Twitter is trying to make everyone forget.
Twitter won’t send any tweet that mentions the Astros & a gif of a batter getting hit by a pitch and I think that’s hilarious. #MLBTwitter
— Ryan McCarthy (@WhoIsRyanMcC) June 24, 2020
Winners and losers aside, BASEBALL IS BACK! It has truly been a wild ride since the season was delayed in March. First, there was hope. Then, there was despair. After that came anger. Now, finally, there is baseball.
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