*Photo from the Boston Herald*
Baseball is back, even though it will be a short 60 game season. Regardless, the NL is going to look different this year, with the universal DH being implemented for this season. This means the NL will have an extra spot in the lineup for players who might have trouble finding consistent playing time. Here are the NL teams that I think stand to benefit the most from a universal DH.
*Photo from Dodger Blue*
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers have lots and lots of skill. Not only do they feature star power like Cody Bellinger, Max Muncy, and Mookie Betts, but they have lots of very solid starters and depth players as well, such as Gavin Lux, AJ Pollock, Chris Taylor, Corey Seager when he's healthy, Enrique Hernandez, and Matt Beaty. The Dodgers are loaded with talent and depth, so this will be a DH by committee season for the Dodgers. One more explosive hitter added to an already scary lineup will make the Dodgers a force to be reckoned with.
*Photo from Yahoo! Sports*
2. Cincinnati Reds
The Reds have quite a lot of outfield depth. The outfielders who will be fighting for playing time include Nicholas Castellanos, Shogo Akiyama, Aristedes Aquino, Phillip Ervin, Nick Senzel, and Jesse Winker. A regular DH spot would help manager David Bell shuffle playing time a little bit more. It would also help Joey Votto get a rest from playing defense occasionally. The Reds will certainly get a boost from a regular DH.
*Photo from AP News*
3. Washington Nationals
The defending champs loaded up on depth this winter after losing Anthony Rendon. They signed Starlin Castro and Eric Thames, and brought back Asdrubal Cabrera, Howie Kendrick, Yan Gomes, and Ryan Zimmerman. That, combined with the likelihood of top prospect Carter Kieboom making it to the majors this year, gives Washington some solid depth, and some guys to put at DH when they don't play in the field. The obvious choices are Zimmerman and Kendrick, who are on the older side of the team and have lost some defensive ability. The Nats do have time to figure it all out, but those two seem to be the front runners.
*Photo from northjersey.com*
4. New York Mets
Poor Dominic Smith. After losing his first base job to the red hot Pete Alonso, he got next to no playing time. That will change now. The universal DH impacts the Mets in this way, because Smith is a good first baseman, he just can't match the level of Alonso. Now, they can both be in the lineup with their power. Another DH candidate is Yoenis Cespedes, whenever he is able to return from his leg injury that has kept him out since 2018. If Cespedes is activated, the Mets can avoid the injury risk of putting him in left field by sticking him at DH. That would be the best case scenario for the Mets.
*Photo from Talking Chop*
5. Atlanta Braves
The Braves are another beneficiary of the universal DH. They signed Marcell Ozuna this offseason, who is below average defensively. With the everyday DH, Atlanta can have his power in the lineup without his defensive issues in the field. The DH also allows more playing time for Adam Duvall, who found himself at the short end of the playing time stick last season. The likely 3rd base platoon of Austin Riley and Johan Camargo can also see at bats at DH when they aren't playing 3rd.
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