Dodgers and Yankees repeat as big favorites for MLB in 2021

The MLB is about to start in its 2021 season and although it will look little like last year, widely cut by the pandemic, in what it does appear similar is in the favorites to stay with the title: Los Angeles Dodgers for the National League and the New York Yankees for the American .

The Californian team responded to expectations by taking the title after 32 years, but new yorkers failed and were eliminated in the championship series by the Houston Astros . Now, another favorite for this year are the San Diego Padres with the talented pitcher Yu Darvish as the main addition and a compact team from Tampa Bay , which played the World Series last season.

What does seem clear is that the old circuit has more complete and talented teams and, therefore, has more candidates on the list of possible champions.

So they are one by one

The Dodgers seem poised to establish a dynasty in MLB, and why? Well, they have a solid rotation with three Cy Young candidates, like Trevor Bauer, Clayton Kershaw and the return of David Price .

The bullpen is not far behind with Garret Cleavinger, Corey Knebel (arrived from Brewers) and Tommy Kahnle, in addition to the renewals of Blake Treinen and Scott Alexander .

We close with the lineup, which looks very versatile. Mookie Betts will debut its 12-year extension contract with Los Angeles. He is accompanied by Cody Bellinger, and players like Corey Seager, Max Muncy and Chris Taylor . To make matters better, they renewed third baseman Justin Turner for two more years. A true shield.

New York Yankees

Although its starting rotation does not instill the same fear as others, it must be said that this year it looks stronger than in 2020. The last time the Yankees won a World Series was in 2009 and being a winning franchise there is already a lot of pressure.

From the mount they have names like Corey Kluber and Jameson Taillon , in addition to the return of Luiz Vizcaíno and the presence of Gerrit Cole .

Of his offensive power there is no doubt, with names like Aron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Venezuelan Gleyber Torres and Colombian Giovanni Urshela .

San Diego Padres

It is not certain that they can bring down the hegemony in the NL West that the Dodgers have, but what does seem like a fact is that they will win more than 100 games in the regular round and advance to the postseason because they have a solid team backed by the seasoned bats of Manny Machado and Fernando Tatís Jr. plus the arrival of Blake Snell and Yu Darvish in the rotation .

New York Mets

In the other New York team, the Mets, there are reasons to be excited: because they have a new owner willing to invest and, in fact, he already showed it with the renewal of Jacob deGrom and the acquisition of Dominican starter Francisco Lindor to boost the offense and stabilize the defense.

The only thing missing is that the Venezuelan Carlos Carrasco behaves up to his expectations and that Noah Syndergaard , who missed the entire previous season, can join sooner rather than later.

Also read: How is the 2021 MLB season viewed with an audience in the stadiums?

Atlanta Braves

Atlanta has several seasons threatening to reach the World Series, but falls short in the postseason against theoretically inferior opponents. Freddie Freeman and Marcell Ozuna are key for that reality to change.

In 2020, the Venezuelan star Ronald Acuña Jr. could not produce what was expected , but it was precisely Freeman and Ozuna to carry the weight of the attack. Therefore, if Acuña Jr. returns to be the one of 2019, Bravos will undoubtedly be a candidate. On the pitching side, their rotation is young and talented with names like Mike Soroka and Ian Anderson .

All roads go to Los Angeles

The LA Dodgers is, for the North American analysts of ESPN, the great favorite to repeat the crown with an important base of players such as the aforementioned Betts, Buehler and Bellinger at the peak of their careers, the stellar Price.

Other NL teams that could perfectly be among the favorites are the San Diego Padres after strengthening their starting rotation with Snell and Darvish. The Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets are also mentioned.

In the AL, the fight for the title seems to focus on two teams from the East, the New York Yankees and the current runners-up of the circuit, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays , who, for this year, will have Tyler Glasnow his perfect rotation leader, plus the experience of Rich Hill and Chris Archer and proven bats like Randy Arozarena and Ji-Man Choi .

This year, New York appears to have the upper hand by recovering pitcher Luis Vizcaino, who missed the short 2020 season with injury.

The rest of divisions

There are favorite teams to win their divisions but they are not candidates for the league title and much less of the entire MLB, in that sense we must mention the Chicago White Sox and Houston Astros through the center and west of the American and the Cardinals from San Luis through the center of the National.