MLB Power Rankings: Full Breakdown of the 2020 MLB Postseason Final 4 Rosters
The fast-moving 2020 MLB postseason train has arrived at its penultimate stop, with the American League Championship Series and National League Championship Series unfolding this week.
The Tampa Bay Rays survived Game 5 against the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series to advance to the ALCS for just the second time in franchise history. They won Game 1 on Sunday against the Houston Astros, who went 29-31 during the regular season but have upended the Minnesota Twins and Oakland Athletics so far.
On the National League side, the Los Angeles Dodgers are in the NLCS for the fourth time in five years but are still searching for their first World Series title since 1988. The Atlanta Braves stand in their way, and with the pieces falling into place in the starting rotation, the NL East champs are dangerous.
As we look ahead to another exciting week of postseason baseball, this week's Monday morning power rankings will take a deeper dive into those four teams by ranking their respective bullpens, starting pitching rotations and offenses.
Two best-of-seven series with zero off days promise to provide plenty of drama as the final four teams look to punch their tickets to the World Series.
No. 4 Bullpen: Houston Astros
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Bullpen: RHP Chase De Jong, RHP Luis Garcia, RHP Josh James, RHP Cristian Javier, RHP Enoli Paredes, RHP Ryan Pressly, LHP Brooks Raley, RHP Andre Scrubb, RHP Cy Sneed, LHP Blake Taylor
The Houston bullpen has a 2.45 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in 25.2 innings this postseason, and the work of its unheralded collection of relievers has played a significant role in the Astros' surprise ALCS run.
Will Harris and Hector Rondon departed during the offseason, Joe Smith opted out, Roberto Osuna is injured and Chris Devenski and Brad Peacock were sent down, leaving an unproven group of young arms to bridge the gap to closer Ryan Pressly.
Enoli Paredes and Blake Taylor emerged as the team's go-to setup relievers as the season progressed, and they have combined for 6.2 scoreless innings this postseason.
Rookie Cristian Javier has also filled a prominent role in the playoff bullpen after pitching out of the rotation during the regular season. He's allowed just three hits in 6.1 shutout innings, and he will continue to be an X-factor.
The Houston bullpen is rock-solid; it just happens to be standing alongside three of the best bullpens in all of baseball.
No. 3 Bullpen: Los Angeles Dodgers
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Bullpen: RHP Pedro Baez, RHP Dylan Floro, RHP Tony Gonsolin, LHP Victor Gonzalez, RHP Brusdar Graterol, RHP Kenley Jansen, RHP Joe Kelly, LHP Adam Kolarek, LHP Jake McGee, RHP Blake Treinen, LHP Alex Wood
For the past several years, the one hole in the stacked Dodgers roster was the bullpen and its inability to protect a lead between the excellent starting rotation and standout closer Kenley Jansen.
The offseason additions of Blake Treinen, Brusdar Graterol and Jake McGee, along with the unexpected emergence of Victor Gonzalez, helped propel the Los Angeles bullpen to an NL-best 2.74 ERA in the regular season, and manager Dave Roberts has a deeper unit of dependable options than he has at any point in his five years with the team.
However, L.A. converted just 15 of 25 save chances, and Jansen is no longer the untouchable force he was a few years ago. He allowed three hits and two earned runs in Game 2 of the NLDS, which Joe Kelly closed.
The uncertainty surrounding Jansen in the closer's role was enough to slot the Dodgers in the No. 3 spot.
No. 2 Bullpen: Tampa Bay Rays
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Bullpen: LHP Jose Alvarado, RHP Nick Anderson, RHP Diego Castillo, RHP John Curtiss, RHP Pete Fairbanks, LHP Josh Fleming, LHP Aaron Loup, LHP Shane McClanahan, RHP Aaron Slegers, RHP Ryan Thompson
The Rays once again leaned heavily on their relief corps during the regular season, finishing third in the majors with 269.2 innings.
As a unit, they ranked among the MLB leaders in saves (23, first), ERA (3.37, third) and WHIP (1.19, fourth), and they have a good mix of right-handers and left-handers as well as power pitchers and finesse artists.
Nick Anderson and Diego Castillo will continue to be counted on in high-leverage situations, but the team has generally shied away from naming a closer. Flame-thrower Pete Fairbanks has two saves in two chances with seven strikeouts in four October innings, but it was Castillo who slammed the door on Sunday with 1.2 scoreless innings to close things out.
Josh Fleming was added to the ALCS roster, and he can give the team some length or perhaps even start Game 5 after starting five games during the regular season. A healthy Jose Alvarado also joined the bullpen, returning to action after being sidelined since August with a shoulder injury.
The Rays use their bullpen as well as any team in baseball, and it will undoubtedly be a factor as they look to advance to the World Series for the first time since 2008.
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No. 1 Bullpen: Atlanta Braves
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Bullpen: LHP Grant Dayton, RHP Shane Greene, RHP Chris Martin, LHP Tyler Matzek, RHP Mark Melancon, LHP A.J. Minter, RHP Darren O'Day, LHP Will Smith, RHP Josh Tomlin, RHP Jacob Webb, RHP Huascar Ynoa
The Atlanta bullpen has simply been on another level this postseason.
In 20.1 innings, the relief corps has allowed just 10 hits and one earned run for a 0.44 ERA and 0.69 WHIP, holding batters to a .139 average and recording two wins and one save.
A trio of trades to acquire Mark Melancon, Shane Greene and Chris Martin at the deadline last year reshaped the unit, and the offseason addition of left-hander Will Smith on a three-year, $40 million contract added another quality late-inning arm to the mix.
Left-hander Tyler Matzek, who had not thrown a pitch in the majors since 2015 prior to this year, has been one of the biggest surprises of 2020, and he has logged 3.1 scoreless innings with a hold this October.
Rookie starters Ian Anderson and Kyle Wright have pitched extremely well behind ace Max Fried, which has taken some pressure off the bullpen, but expect the relievers to play a pivotal role in the NLCS.
No. 4 Starting Rotation: Houston Astros
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Rotation: LHP Framber Valdez, RHP Lance McCullers Jr., RHP Zack Greinke, RHP Jose Urquidy
After Gerrit Cole's departure in free agency and Justin Verlander's elbow injury, the Astros rotation has a decidedly different look this postseason.
The emergence of Framber Valdez and a solid return to action for Lance McCullers Jr., who missed 2019 because of Tommy John surgery, helped shore up the staff during the regular season, but the starters have been more bad than good in October.
Zack Greinke has allowed seven hits and five earned runs in 8.2 innings in his two starts, and it's hard to imagine this team will make a title push if he doesn't pitch like an ace. He has a sore arm and won't start until Game 3 of the ALCS at the earliest.
The Astros have gotten just enough from their starting pitchers to reach this round, but the group will need to be better if their playoff run is to continue.
No. 3 Starting Rotation: Atlanta Braves
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Rotation: LHP Max Fried, RHP Ian Anderson, RHP Kyle Wright, RHP Bryse Wilson
Amid a rash of injuries and ineffectiveness, left-hander Max Fried was the only sure thing in the Atlanta rotation for a good chunk of the season until top prospect Ian Anderson joined the MLB roster.
Still, the question remained whether the Braves could make a postseason run with a young, unproven No. 2 starter and a series of question marks behind him in the rotation.
Anderson, 22, has pitched like a seasoned veteran with 11.2 scoreless innings in his two October starts, allowing just five hits and three walks while racking up 17 strikeouts.
Behind him, the 25-year-old Kyle Wright twirled six shutout innings in his postseason debut in the decisive Game 3 of the NLDS.
Things could not have gone better to this point for the Braves, but questions remain after Fried had a shaky outing in Game 1 of the NLDS, Wright had an up-and-down year and there is no clear-cut answer for who will start Game 4 of the NLCS.
No. 2 Starting Rotation: Los Angeles Dodgers
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Rotation: RHP Walker Buehler, LHP Clayton Kershaw, LHP Julio Urias, RHP Dustin May
The Dodgers leaned heavily on young starters Julio Urias, Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin during the regular season, and they face some interesting decisions on how to line up their NLCS rotation behind Walker Buehler and Clayton Kershaw.
Kershaw returned to Cy Young Award-caliber form with a 2.16 ERA and 0.84 WHIP in 10 starts during the regular season, and he's allowed three earned runs in 14 innings while striking out 19 in two postseason starts.
Walker Buehler will get the Game 1 start once again in the NLCS, but questions remain about his ability to pitch deep into games after he dealt with blister problems in September. He has gone four innings in both of his playoff outings.
Behind that duo, May started Game 3 of the NLDS in an opener role, pitching just one inning before Urias later filled a bulk role with five innings of one-hit ball. Each of them could earn a start in the NLCS.
Gonsolin, 26, has yet to pitch this postseason, but he had a 2.31 ERA and 0.84 WHIP in 46.2 innings during the regular season.
There is no question the Dodgers have excellent starting pitching options, but the uncertainty surrounding Buehler's ability to pitch deep into games was enough to keep them out of the top spot.
No. 1 Starting Rotation: Tampa Bay Rays
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Rotation: LHP Blake Snell, RHP Charlie Morton, RHP Tyler Glasnow, LHP Ryan Yarbrough
The Rays have a bit more balance on their roster this season with a lineup that's capable of doing some damage, but they remain a pitching-centric team anchored by a strong starting rotation.
Blake Snell, Charlie Morton and Tyler Glasnow are all capable of ace-level production when things are clicking, and they have thrown the ball well this postseason.
The depth of the bullpen allows manager Kevin Cash to remove his starters whenever necessary, and that in turn allows Tampa Bay to maximize its staff.
The Rays opted for an opener in Game 4 of the ALDS, with Ryan Thompson recording the first five outs before turning things over to Ryan Yarbrough for five innings of six-hit, two-run ball.
A similar approach is not out of the question in the ALCS, but Yarbrough is the No. 4 starter for all intents and purposes. He too is capable of shutting down an opposing lineup, having logged a 3.56 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 55.2 regular-season innings.
No. 4 Offense: Tampa Bay Rays
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Position Players: C Mike Zunino, C Michael Perez, 1B Ji-Man Choi, 2B Brandon Lowe, SS Willy Adames, 3B Joey Wendle, 1B/3B Yandy Diaz, IF Mike Brosseau, LF Randy Arozarena, CF Kevin Kiermaier, RF Manuel Margot, OF Austin Meadows, OF Hunter Renfroe, OF Yoshi Tsutsugo
The Rays averaged 4.8 runs per game during the regular season, ranking 12th, and the offense went from 21st to 14th in home runs.
On the flip side, they also led the majors in strikeouts (608), and regular-season standout Brandon Loweโwho led the team in home runs (14) and RBI (37) by wide marginsโhas slumped badly in October (.133/.220/.222 with one homer and two RBI in 50 plate appearances).
Breakout star Randy Arozarena has picked up some of the slack in the middle of the order, and he is swinging it as well as anyone right now, but this is not a team that is going to slug its way to the World Series.
The Rays scored more than five runs in just 15 of their 60 games, a total that stands a distant fourth relative to the Dodgers (32), Braves (27) and Astros (22).
Crooked numbers are not part of Tampa Bay's recipe for success.
No. 3 Offense: Houston Astros
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Position Players: C Martin Maldonado, C Dustin Garneau, 1B Yuli Gurriel, 2B Jose Altuve, SS Carlos Correa, 3B Alex Bregman, IF Abraham Toro, IF/OF Aledmys Diaz, UT Garrett Stubbs, LF Kyle Tucker, CF George Springer, RF Josh Reddick, OF Myles Straw, DH Michael Brantley
The Astros did not have the same high-powered offense in 2020 that they've had during their recent run of success:
- 2017: .823 OPS, 1.5 HR per game, 5.5 runs per game
- 2018: .754 OPS, 1.3 HR per game, 4.9 runs per game
- 2019: .848 OPS, 1.8 HR per game, 5.7 runs per game
- 2020: .720 OPS, 1.2 HR per game, 4.7 runs per game
Aside from George Springer, Michael Brantley and Kyle Tucker, most of the lineup produced below expectations during the regular season. Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve have started to swing their bats better in the postseason, though, and it has made a huge difference.
Can they keep it up?
The Astros feature a lot of familiar faces who have succeeded in the past, but there is no ignoring the stark offensive downturn they showed during the regular season.
No. 2 Offense: Los Angeles Dodgers
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Position Players: C Will Smith, C Austin Barnes, 1B Max Muncy, 2B Chris Taylor, SS Corey Seager, 3B Justin Turner, IF Edwin Rios, IF/OF Enrique Hernandez, IF/OF Matt Beaty, LF AJ Pollock, CF Cody Bellinger, RF Mookie Betts, DH Joc Pederson
The Dodgers led the majors with 349 runs, plating one more run than the Braves.
A disappointing season by reigning NL MVP Cody Bellinger was largely offset by strong campaigns from AJ Pollock and Corey Seager along with the blockbuster offseason addition of Mookie Betts.
With so many high-profile players in the lineup, it might come as a surprise to learn that young catcher Will Smith led the team with a 164 OPS+, hitting .289/.401/.579 with eight home runs and 25 RBI in 137 plate appearances.
Manager Dave Roberts has not platooned quite as aggressively this season as he has in years past, but the versatility Enrique Hernandez and Chris Taylor provide still give him plenty of options when it comes to filling out his lineup card.
The Dodgers have an excellent pitching staff, but the offense deserves equal credit for the staggering plus-136 run differential the team put together during the regular season.
No. 1 Offense: Atlanta Braves
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Position Players: C Travis d'Arnaud, C Tyler Flowers, 1B Freddie Freeman, 2B Ozzie Albies, SS Dansby Swanson, 3B Austin Riley, IF Pablo Sandoval, IF/OF Charlie Culberson, LF Adam Duvall, CF Ronald Acuna Jr., RF Nick Markakis, OF Cristian Pache, DH Marcell Ozuna
The one-two punch of Freddie Freeman and Marcell Ozuna in the middle of the Atlanta lineup this season was reminiscent of Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz at their peak with the Boston Red Sox.
However, they were far from a two-man wrecking crew.
Adam Duvall (.833 OPS, 16 HR, 33 RBI) logged terrific power numbers, Travis d'Arnaud (.919 OPS, 9 HR, 34 RBI) hit his way into the cleanup spot in a stacked lineup, Ozzie Albies rebounded nicely after a slow start and injury absence, and Dansby Swanson quietly put together a career year.
With that being said, Ronald Acuna Jr. might still be the X-factor. It all starts with him out of the leadoff spot, and when he's causing problems for opposing pitchers ahead of all the middle-of-the-order sluggers, the Braves can pile up runs.
A team doesn't score 29 in a game by accident.
All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and MLB.com unless otherwise noted.
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