With the 2020 MLB season finally starting in just 10 days, fans just like me are itching to hear the crack of a bat. Although we won't be getting the full 162, I'll take what I can get at this point. COVID-19 turning the scheduled 162 marathon of a season into a 60 game sprint totally changes the MLB playoff picture. In order to make the playoffs this year, teams will need to get hot at the right time and stay hot. The implementation of the 60 game season opens up the league for essentially all teams to have a chance at making a run. Apart from the big market teams like the Yankees, Dodgers and Astros who are pretty much guaranteed to make it in, there are some sleeper teams that I'd keep my eyes on. One of those teams is the Cincinnati Reds.
The Reds have made some serious moves during this past off-season to acquire more talent. The team made two $64 million dollar deals with OF/3B Nick Castellanos and an absolute stud named Mike Moustakas. Castellanos put up a respectable .289 batting average in 2019 with 27 homers and 73 RBI. Castellanos will primarily be playing right field this year. Moustakas is still in his peak years and has shown no signs of slowing down. During the 2019 season, Moustakas batted .254 with a career high .845 OPS. He also hit 35 moon bombs, generated 87 RBI, and gathered a career high 53 walks. He is slotted to play second base for the Reds and should do so no problem. Mous ranks 9th in the league among active players in fielding percentage (.960) at third base and therefore his defensive skills should transfer nicely to second. Mous has also made 3 All-Star Games (2015,2017,2019). Couple those two acquisitions with an above average pitching rotation consisting of Sonny Gray, Luis Castillo, Trevor Bauer, Wade Miley, and Anthony DeSclafani, the Reds mean business. Oh! And don't forget about stud reliever Amir Garrett and the king of player trash talk, 1B Joey Votto!
What we've learned so far is that the Reds aren't holding back and are trying to win now. The thing is...they could actually do it! (and by do it I mean they could make the playoffs, the World Series is a different story but crazier things have happened ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ). The way the 2020 season is set up, teams are largely playing within their divisions. The Reds are in arguably the weakest division in baseball. Accompanying them in the National League Central Division are the St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago Cubs, and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Although the Reds did finish fourth in the division last year, the upgraded team should yield more wins. Another factor to take into account if your looking for reasons to root for the Red Stockings is to take a gander at the non-division games. For example, the Reds will be playing the Kansas City Royals who finished 59-103 and 4th place in the AL Central in 2019. They will get a chance to beat up on the 47-115 Detroit Tigers as well.
Overall, the Reds control their own destiny and I'll be keeping a close eye on them.
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