Final 2021 Projected Standings

The 2021 Season will begin in 3 days on Thursday, April 1st, 2021. This will be a very interesting season during the pandemic as many teams are improving and others are getting worse. This will be fascinating to see in many ways.

American League East:

Noah K. Murray / USA TODAY Sports

1) New York Yankees (97-65)

The New York Yankees are a great team and have been so since 2017. The club has made the playoffs in four straight seasons and this will almost definitely remain in the playoffs in 2021. The Yankees do have weakspots particularly in their rotation and left-handed hitters. The Yankees do need more help in the rotation, though they did improve during the offseason and are ready to go in 2021.

2) Toronto Blue Jays (89-73)

The Toronto Blue Jays greatly improved during the offseason as their signed star Center Fielder George Springer and Second Basemen Marcus Semien. The Blue Jays did sign Closer Kirby Yates, though he is injured and will miss the entire 2021 season. Despite this, the Jays are a very good team that is only on the up. The team is a fringe playoff team that will just barely make the playoffs.

3) Tampa Bay Rays (88-74)

The Tampa Bay Rays have been good for years since 2018 when they won 90 wins. The Rays made the playoffs two years in a row in 2019 and 2020 and will continue to be a good team in 2021. Tampa Bay has an average roster that is nothing special. However, the Rays always find a way to win and do well. Though this is true, I do not think the Rays will make the playoffs this year in 2021 because the club traded Starting Pitcher Blake Snell and lost Charlie Morton to the Atlanta Braves.

4) Boston Red Sox (79-83)

The Boston Red Sox are another team that has been good in recent years but not in 2020. The Red Sox won three straight division titles from 2016 to 2018 which included a World Series title in 2018. Boston was good in 2019 and then were just terrible in 2020 after trading Mookie Betts. The Red Sox did make some good moves this offseason but those won't be enough and they will once again underperform.

5) Baltimore Orioles (62-100)

The Baltimore Orioles have been a terrible team for many seasons in a row. The Orioles did make the playoffs in 2016 but that was five seasons ago and since then they have been one of the worst teams. They will not be good in 2021 though they are getting better as they've brought talent onto their roster and have some talented prospects like Ashley Rutschman coming up.

American League Central:

Matt Marton / AP

1) Chicago White Sox (92-70)

The Chicago White Sox in recent years have been bad up until 2020, the opposite of the previously mentioned Red Sox. Chicago has some very good players and elite prospects ready for the majors this season. The team had a good offseason as they improved their pitching through the trade of Starting Pitcher Lance Lynn and the free agent signing of the best reliever in the game, Liam Hendriks. The club will be very good in 2021 and will make the playoffs

2) Minnesota Twins (91-71)

The Minnesota Twins have been good for years and were amazing in 2019. In 2020, they once again were good. The club signed some players in the offseason and upgraded their team in areas that they needed and some they didn't. The Twins made small improvements in their rotation but they were not enough. However, the team is still very good and they will just lose the division to the White Sox.

3) Cleveland Indians (80-82)

The Cleveland Indians have been very good for years since making the World Series in 2016. However, the Indians are no longer what they used to be, a top team in the majors. The club has traded many of their stars including star Shortstop Francisco Lindor and Starting Pitcher Carlos Carrasco this offseason. Although the club still has elite players in Shane Bieber and Jose Ramirez, they will have a rough season in 2021 and beyond.

4) Kansas City Royals (74-88)

The Kansas City Royals have been bad since they won the World Series in 2015 and have not made the playoffs since. The Royals did improve during the offseason by bringing in some talent including Andrew Benintendi and Carlos Santana. However, the team still has little pitching and will have a poor season in 2021.

5) Detroit Tigers (59-103)

The Detroit Tigers are improving and have some hype around their pitching, where they have many elite prospects including Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal, among others. The Royals also drafted Third Basemen Spencer Torkelson who is an elite talent and will come up in 2022. However, the Tigers roster is very young and still is very poor, especially in their lineup and bullpen and their rotation is still very unproven with rookies.

American League West:

Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images

1) Houston Astros (89-73)

The Houston Astros in recent years have been one of the best teams in baseball. In 2017, the Astros won the World Series for the first time in the club's history. They were amazing in 2018 and even better in 2019. In 2020, the Astros finished below .500 for the first time since 2014. Though they were bad in 2020 and are trending downward, they should be able to win the weak AL West in 2021.

2) Oakland Athletics (87-75)

The Oakland Athletics have made the playoffs for three straight seasons since 2018. The A's have made smart moves and have done well against all the odds. In 2020, they were good once again and won their division for the first time in years. However, their luck can't last forever and the roster simply isn't as good as it was in past years due to huge loses in free agency.

3) Los Angeles Angels (82-80)

The Los Angeles Angels have underperformed for years despite having stars including the best player in baseball Center Fielder Mike Trout and the best third basemen Third Basemen Anthony Rendon. The team has done poorly due to their pitching and lack of reliable starters. The team was in the race for both Cole and Bauer in consecutive offseasons, though they didn't get either. The team will do what they are good at and underperform once again.

4) Seattle Mariners (77-85)

The Seattle Mariners have not made the playoffs since 2001, despite having some very good players on their roster in recent years including Robinson Cano, Felix Hernandez, and many others. Now, the club has some hype around them revolving around their elite prospects that will come up in 2021. However, club won't do well this season, though they are fairly close to success in 2022.

5) Texas Rangers (57-105)

The Texas Rangers have tried to contend in recent years but have never went far enough in the players that they acquire. The club have decided to enter a rebuild by trading impact players like Starting Pitcher Lance Lynn. The club likely will trade more players and will have a rough season in 2021 and beyond.

National League East:

DALE ZANINE / USA TODAY SPORTS

1) Atlanta Braves (95-67)

Many think that the Mets will win the NL East and not the Braves, due to their roster and busy offseason. However, The Braves have proben themselves, whereas the Mets, Phillies, and Marlins really have not. The Braves with their underrated pitching staff and star lineup that includes Freeman, Acuna, Ozuna, and Albies will lead them to a fourth straight NL East title.

2) New York Mets (91-71)

The New York Mets have a very good roster in both their rotation and lineup. The Mets have Ace Jacob deGrom and other star and good players including recently acquired Shortstop Francisco Lindor, Starting Pitchers Carlos Carrasco, Taijuan Walker, and Catcher James McCann and among some others as well. The Mets are a very good team though they are still behind the Braves in the division.

3) Washington Nationals (85-77)

The Washington Nationals won the World Series in 2019 and then returned in 2020 and had a forgettable season. The Nationals did lose some good players including star Third Basemen Anthony Rendon and others. However, the club is still very good and has many good players remaining on the roster. The Nationals had a good offseason, though they are aging, specifically in their rotation and will finish.

4) Philadelphia Phillies (83-79)

The Philadelphia Phillies that will finish fourth behind the Braves, Mets, and Nationals. The club has not improved this offseason though they brought back players from their core including star Catcher JT Realmuto and Shortstop Didi Gregorius, among others. The Phillies have many good players, though their team is still fairly weak in their rotation and bullpen.

5) Miami Marlins (77-85)

The Miami Marlins had a cinderella story in 2020 as they were ravished with covid and still were able to make the playoffs. Nevertheless, the Marlins still are not a great team and have many weak spots on their team. The Marlins this season in 2021 will do alright and will finish below .500 just barely.

National League Central:

Jeff Curry / USA TODAY Sports

1) St. Louis Cardinals (86-76)

The St. Louis Cardinals were great in 2019 and won their division over tough rivals, the Brewers and the Cubs. In 2020, St. Louis was alright and mediocre in part due to their covid outbreak which caused hysteria, though they still made the playoffs in the short season and expanded playoffs. This offseason, they made big moves by trading for Arenado, though the Cardinals aren't amazing and are just a good team. They are the favorites to win their division as the NL Central is an extremely weak division.

2) Milwaukee Brewers (81-81)

The Milwaukee Brewers made the playoffs for the third straight season in 2020, despite finishing below .500 for the first time since 2016. The club made a few impact this moves this offseason include bringing in Second Basemen Kolten Wong and Center Fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. The Brewers will come back in 2021 as they have a good team, though it likely won't be enough to make the playoffs.

3) Chicago Cubs (79-83)

The Chicago Cubs were very good in 2020 in the short season and won the division. However, it didn't mean that much as they got out of the playoffs in the first round and had a tough offseason. They club traded star Starting Pitcher Yu Darvish and also lost Left Fielder Kyle Schwarber. The Cubs brought in some other good players but are no match for the Cardinals and will only get worse after this season as Baez, Bryant, and Rizzo will all become free agents.

4) Cincinnati Reds (77-85)

The Cincinnati Reds have been bad for years, though they did make the playoffs in 2020 alogn with the Cubs, Cardinals, and Brewers. The Reds haven't improved this offseason but they have gotten worse as they lost star Starting Pitcher Trevor Bauer, who earned a record setting contract with the Dodgers. The Reds have some good players though they need more to contend in their division, and especially in the National League Wild Card race.

5) Pittsburgh Pirates (54-108)

The Pittsburgh Pirates have had a poor showing the last few seasons since 2015, which is the last season they made the playoffs. The Pirates traded some good players during the offseason including First Basemen Josh Bell and Starting Pitchers Joe Musgrove and Jameson Taillon. The Pirates are now arguably the worst team in baseball and will have a brutal time going forward.

National League West:

Kim Klement / USA TODAY Sports

1) Los Angeles Dodgers (107-55)

The Los Angeles Dodgers are easily the best team in baseball and it isn't even remotely close. The club finally won the World Series last season have acquiring Right Fielder Mookie Betts and got even better during the offseason through their signing of Starting Pitcher Trevor Bauer. The Dodgers will win their division, dispite the Padres improvement this offseason.

2) San Diego Padres (97-65)

The San Diego Padres have improved greatly this offseason. The club traded for Starting Pitchers Blake Snell, Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove, and also signed some good relievers and Second Basemen Ha-Seong Kim. The Padres are one of the best teams in baseball and a World Series contender with the NL West rival Dodgers and others.

3) San Francisco Giants (77-85)

The San Francisco Giants were one of the best teams in the 2010s as they won the World Series three times in five seasons. However, the Giants were a poor team over the last few seasons since their Wild Card birth in 2016. The Giants now are simply mediocre and nothing more than that. The club could finish above .500, though they won't get any further than that as their roster is just okay.

4) Arizona Diamondbacks (76-86)

The Arizona Diamondbacks are alright and have not gotten better this offseason. They are similar to the Giants as they are just mediocre and nothing more than that. The Dbacks need to work and much help to their roster. They do have a few very great players including Ketel Marte and Zac Gallen. Nevertheless, the team is shaky beyond those players and need much help.

5) Colorado Rockies (62-100)

The Colorado Rockies in 2017 and 2018 were good as they made the playoffs in both seasons. However, in 2019 the Rockies were just bad and it got even worse in 2020. The club then traded star Third Basemen Nolan Arenado to the Cardinals for almost nothing and now are very bad with Trevor Story becoming a free agent next offseason. The club is likely to trade Story and maybe some other good players too. The club will be terrible in 2021 and beyond.

2021 Postseason:

Mark Sports

This is my playoff bracket for 2021 and my prediction of where teams will go and who will win in each league and the World Series. The Braves are a great team and have been so for years. They got very close in 2020, reaching game seven in the NLCS against the Dodgers. 2021 will be their year.