With the last few top free agents coming off the market in recent weeks, most of the dust has settled on the peculiar 2020-21 Major League Baseball hot stove season. It's time to take stock.
The last time we did this was just before the virtual winter meetings took place in nowhere-land back in December. The intent then was to set a baseline for where each team stood before its offseason plan fully kicked in. Now that clubs have reported to spring training and exhibition season is about to begin, it's the perfect time to review how things have evolved.
Team rosters and season simulations are based on the assumptions that the following things remain true once we get into the regular season:
1. Only AL teams will have a full-time designated hitter.
2. Five teams from each league will make the playoffs.
3. The season will be 162 games long.
Let's see how all 30 MLB clubs stack up as we set out on the long road of the 2021 baseball season: