#2020 MLB predictions: Dodgers will take NL West crown

O/U wins: 38

Key Player: Mookie Betts. This was not the season the Dodgers expected when they pulled off the huge trade that brought Betts and David Price from Boston. Price has already opted out of the season and Betts has less time to make an impact before a presumed postseason berth following five-plus outstanding seasons with the Red Sox. The 2018 AL MVP should fit right in.

Player who’ll need to step up: Julio Urias. Without Price in the rotation, Los Angeles’ starting pitching isn’t as deep. Clayton Kershaw delivered another stellar season last year and Walker Buehler emerged as a top-of-the-rotation starter, but Urias, 23, will need to build on what he did last season. The lefty has battled shoulder injuries and is set to be a full-time starter in the majors for the first time this year.

Name you’ll get to know: Gavin Lux. If you don’t know the name already following Lux’s tremendous 2019, when he dominated in Double-A and Triple-A before making his MLB debut as a September call-up. The 22-year-old showed promise with Los Angeles, but was surprisingly optioned to the minors Tuesday after missing some of spring training 2.0 for unspecified reasons.

Biggest question mark: They already had lost Hyun-Jin Ryu, Kenta Maeda and Rich Hill from last year’s rotation before Price decided to sit out. Do they have enough depth to overcome that?

How it’ll go down: Despite the bad luck of an abbreviated season after acquiring Betts, the Dodgers still have a fearsome lineup that includes defending NL MVP Cody Bellinger, Max Muncy, Corey Seager and Justin Turner. Betts should thrive in his new setting. Closer Kenley Jansen, who missed the early part of spring training 2.0 with coronavirus, has seen his performance slip each of the last three seasons, but is still effective. In this weird year, Los Angeles still has a ton of talent that should be enough to get it another division title.

2. Diamondbacks

O/U wins: 31

Key Player: Ketel Marte. The infielder/outfielder had a career year in 2019 and made the All-Star team. Arizona is looking for Marte, 26, to be a key part of a lineup that has been boosted with the addition of Starling Marte — no relation — from the Pirates.

Player who’ll need to step up: Madison Bumgarner. One of the most clutch pitchers of his generation, Bumgarner is coming off a solid, but not spectacular final season with the Giants. Perhaps a change of scenery — and the potential of pitching for a contender again — will rejuvenate Bumgarner, who finished with the highest ERA (3.90) of his career a year ago. He’ll turn 31 in August, but has championship pedigree.

Name you’ll get to know: Kevin Ginkel. The right-hander allowed just four earned runs in 24 ¹/₃ innings as a rookie and should get plenty of opportunities this season setting up Archie Bradley.

Biggest question mark: The Diamondbacks have solid starters in Bumgarner and Robbie Ray, but the bullpen has been shaky. Can the additions of Junior Guerra and Hector Rondon help?

How it’ll go down: Arizona traded Paul Goldschmidt to St. Louis prior to last season and then shipped Zack Greinke to Houston last July, yet have been able to remain competitive. Though the Dodgers are the clear favorite in the division, the addition of Bumgarner to the rotation and Starling Marte and Kole Calhoun to the outfield makes Arizona a threat to get to the playoffs. And that’s especially true if Ketel Marte and Eduardo Escobar (35 homers) build on what they did a year ago.

3. Padres

O/U wins: 31

Key Player: Fernando Tatis Jr. Tatis lived up to expectations in his rookie season, developing into one of the top shortstops in the league. The next step for the 21-year-old will be staying on the field for an entire season. His 2019 season ended in August with a back injury.

Player who’ll need to step up: Manny Machado. He was a disappointment in his first season in San Diego after signing his 10-year, $300 million deal, and at 28, this would have been a huge year for him. He still needs to make a bigger impact in a shortened 2020 season.

Name you’ll get to know: Lefty MacKenzie Gore is 21 and was arguably the top minor league pitcher a year ago. He finished with a 1.69 ERA between two levels, and while he hasn’t pitched above Double-A, he is in the Padres’ 60-player pool.

Biggest question mark: If Machado’s first season with the Padres was a concern, Eric Hosmer’s start to his career in San Diego has been an even bigger headache. Still just 29, Hosmer finished with the highest strikeout rate of his career a year ago and was set to make $21 million this season before MLB shut down.

How it’ll go down: Though the Padres didn’t make any huge free-agent splashes in the offseason, they did trade for two outfielders, Tampa Bay’s Tommy Pham and Trent Grisham from Milwaukee, who arrived in the deal that also brought right-hander Zach Davies. Drew Pomeranz and Emilio Pagan were brought in to bolster an already strong bullpen. They have a new manager in Jayce Tingler, and all of that surrounds one of the game’s brightest young stars in Tatis.

4. Rockies

O/U wins: 27

Key Player: Nolan Arenado. The 29-year-old has hit at least 37 homers in each of the past five seasons and signed an eight-year, $260 million deal prior to last season to keep him from free agency. Whether he remains in Colorado for the duration of the contract remains in doubt, however.

Player who’ll need to step up: Left-hander Kyle Freeland will have to bounce back from an ugly 2019 (3-11, 6.73) to stabilize a rotation that also features German Marquez and Jon Gray.

Name you’ll get to know: Ryan Rolison. The 23-year-old right-hander isn’t necessarily in Colorado’s plans for this season, but the pitching-starved organization has high expectations for its 2018 first-round pick.

Biggest question mark: Colorado’s offseason got interesting when its best player, Arenado, expressed displeasure with the front office. The third baseman is still around — for now.

How it’ll go down: The Rockies have some big bats surrounding Arenado, including Trevor Story, Charlie Blackmon and Daniel Murphy. But Blackmon battled COVID-19 before joining spring training 2.0 late and Murphy’s production has fallen off sharply the last two seasons following his pair of monster years with Washington. Ian Desmond opted out of the season due to coronavirus concerns and veteran outfielder Matt Kemp was brought in on a minor league deal. It’s doubtful the Rockies have enough pitching to get to the playoffs, especially if closer Wade Davis doesn’t vastly improve on his horrendous season of a year ago, when he had an 8.65 ERA in 50 appearances.

5. Giants

O/U wins: 24

Key Player: Mauricio Dubon. Since the Giants appear to be in reboot mode following the loss of Madison Bumgarner and closer Will Smith, they’ll be looking for contributions — and the development — of young players like Dubon, 25. The versatile Dubon was acquired last July in a deal that sent Drew Pomeranz to Milwaukee.

Player who’ll need to step up: Veteran right-hander Johnny Cueto started just 13 games the previous two seasons as a result of Tommy John surgery.

Name you’ll get to know: Catcher Joey Bart is considered the team’s top prospect and he figures to be in the spotlight more in the wake of former NL MVP Buster Posey’s decision to sit out the season due to coronavirus concerns.

Biggest question mark: How does new manager Gabe Kapler adjust after being let go by the Phillies and being hired to replace three-time World Series champion Bruce Bochy?

How it’ll go down: The Giants avoided a teardown a year ago, the first season under team president Farhan Zaidi, thanks to a 20-6 run leading up to the trade deadline. They got to two games over .500 and then stalled. They were already set for a down season before Posey decided not to play, which figures to make Kapler’s job that much harder. Two of San Francisco’s aging veterans, Brandon Belt and Evan Longoria, will start the season on the IL, perhaps opening up spots for other veterans like Pablo Sandoval and Wilmer Flores. The high-priced Cueto and Jeff Samardzija will lead the rotation. While it seems the organization is focused on the future, the front office insists it intends to compete this season.