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Home Run Leader in 2020: Best Bet
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Considering the severity of the pandemic and the persistent disconnect between Major League Baseball and the MLBPA, the fact that we have a season could be considered a return story in itself.
The entire reason for the delay, of course, is due to health problems. Ironically, the increased focus on health has now given players more time to recover from their own pre-existing injuries, injuries that may have even derailed these players from player award qualification. Now, however, many players expected to start the season on the disabled list (for example, Yoenis Céspedes) will now be ready to rumble on Opening Day 2.0 next week.
The MLB Comeback Player of the Year award has yet to meet definition and objectivity. However, the award is normally given to a player recovering from injury or significant field struggles to put together a subsequent productive season. Josh Donaldson took home last year’s honors after playing in just 52 games in 2018 and clubbing 37 HR with 94 RBIs in 2019.
With a pause of more than three months in the rearview mirror and a 60-game sprint on the deck, this year’s candidates for the return of the player of the year remember a laundry list.
Here are 25 of the top candidates to take home the award (the request doesn’t matter).
 Yankees fans thirst for a revival of the former National League MVP after a knee injury limited him to 18 games last year. |
 Cutch could be the X factor for the Phillies in a brutal division of the Eastern Division of the National League. |
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Díaz was relieved of his closing duties in the middle of last season, but is confident he will resume the position in 2020. |
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The baseball entertainment capital of the world may be in Queens when Cespedes is in the lineup. He missed all of 2019 after an incident with a boar led to a broken ankle. |
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The former two-time Cy Young winner has a lot to prove, especially considering he is fast approaching a one-year contract in 2021. |
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We are all delighted to see Salvy behind the plate after undergoing Tommy John surgery in March 2019. |
 The ever-powerful Rooster could be the favorite to take the award home considering he is more than recovered from his wrist surgery. |
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The last time we saw curveball specialist McCullers on the mound was at the 2018 ALCS against Boston, where he gave up just one run in five bullpen appearances. |
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Since 2014, Garrett Richards has a lower ERA than Stephen Strasburg and Noah Syndergaard (3.23), higher SO / 9 than Zack Greinke and Masahiro Tanaka (8.6) and a lower WHIP than Gerrit Cole and Madison Bumgarner (1,179). You just need to stay healthy. |
 After the infamous 54-game hitting streak with no hits at bat, Baltimore still sees Chris Davis as playing a big role as the Orioles are still on the hook for three years of their $ 161 million contract signed in 2016. |
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If it weren’t for Steve Pearce’s solid streak in the World Series, Eovaldi was probably next in line for the 2019 World Series MVP. Can he stay healthy for 10-12 starts this year? |
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Keep your eyes on Graveman this year. He pitched 3 innings in an intrasquad last Thursday, averaging in the mid-90s on his fastball and playing 97 MPH twice. As a sunken ball pitcher for most of his career, Graveman is now increasing his use of Charlie Morton-style four-seam fastball (higher spin speed). |
 Shoemaker had a hot hand to start the 2019 season before breaking his ACL initially against Oakland last April. |
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Shaw only has a year left to put together more than 30 consecutive home run seasons. |
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Considered by many to be one of the best bullpen arms in baseball, Bettances partially ripped the achilles in his only appearance with the Yankees last season. |
 Andújar might be a bit of a stretch simply because at-bats will be hard to come by because of the depth the Bronx Bombers have in their lineup. You are currently transitioning to the garden. |
 Manager Ron Gardenhire was optimistic describing 2016 Fulmer Rookie of the Year at summer camp, saying he looked “super” and that both his knee and elbow were “feeling good.” |
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Upton is expected to be healthy in Southern California and have plenty of protection around him in a star-studded Angels lineup. |
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Davis’ struggles against the ball he broke last season were troubling. If he can make an adjustment, he’s been shown to have as much power on the right side as anyone in the league. |
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Since receiving an offer from All Star two seasons ago, Aguilar has seen his role diminish. However, he will be considered the Marlins’ first baseman every day in 2020. |
 Polanco recently tested positive for the coronavirus, which could complicate his chances. |
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St. Louis is hungry for a power bat to protect Paul Goldschmidt in his lineup. Carpenter was once the most feared hitter in his lineup just two seasons ago. |
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After a brief stint in Cincinnati, Wood is back among the palm trees in Dodger blue and his career numbers at Dodger Stadium are promising (2.87-run ERA). |
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After finishing in the top four on the Cy Young vote in 2017, there were rumors that Freeland’s trends became too predictable. He will certainly seek to change that narrative with a recovery campaign. |
Cueto has counted just 13 starts in the past two seasons combined after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He pitched two very encouraging games (10 innings, zero runs) and two not-so-promising games (six innings, nine runs won) in his limited comeback last season.
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