MLB The Show Players Tournament Predictions
- Jeremy
- Apr 12, 2020
- 3 min read
The Major League Baseball season has been put on pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving us fans in a dark period with little to no baseball content. The MLB has done its best to keep engagement up with the community, but personally, I'm getting bored of watching reruns and debating which player I prefer in an angry Twitter comment section. Lucky for me (and hopefully many others), San Diego Studios and the MLB are beginning an MLB The Show season with each team being represented by a current player. While I'm not 100% sure on how the league will be formatted and run under the rule of commissioner Trevor May (RHP for the Twins), why not throw out some prediction picks?
Reds LHP Amir Garrett, Rays LHP Blake Snell, Giants OF Hunter Pence, and the aforementioned Trevor May participated in a mini MLB The Show tournament last week, so I know they are all capable of winning the crown. However, I believe the majority of participants either stream or know their way around The Show pretty well, so I don't expect the former four to run away with the league. Enough overthinking this, here are my picks - with the full list of players at the bottom!
Elite 8 (I believe the top 8 overall records make the playoff)
First Four Out
#9 Blake Snell-Rays
#10 Brett Phillips-Royals
#11 Hunter Pence-Giants
#12 Tommy Kahnle-Yankees
Final 4
World Series
World Series Champion
#8 Joey Gallo-Rangers
How could I not pick the MLB The Show glitch himself?!? For those who are unfamiliar with MLB The Show, Joey Gallo is a legend within the community due to his massively open stance and crazy power. I have no idea of his actual playing skills, but he has the privilege of using himself and the Rangers have a decent roster behind him. With a guaranteed HR from #13 every at-bat, Gallo can upset favorite Amir Garrett and coast on to a title. I am 100% a homer for having Fernando Tatis Jr. upsetting Trevor May and going to the World Series with the Padres, but hey! It would be very fitting for the Padres to succeed in something that ultimately doesn't matter. The other four of the elite 8 were picked primarily because I believe all have gamer backgrounds. Rodriguez has a solid team for MLB The Show (although I contradict that in my MLB 2020 Power Rankings), Hader has two superstars (including himself) that can take him incredibly far, and then both McCullers and Lux have the benefit of inheriting two of the best rosters in baseball. Looking at the teams that missed the playoffs, I have a personal vendetta against Blake Snell for referring to former Padres (and now Rays) INF prospect Xavier Edwards as a "slap-dick prospect" when hearing of the departure of OF Tommy Pham while streaming on Twitch. Not cool Blake! Phillips is apparently a well-known gamer, but I don't know if he has a good enough squad to make a legit push. Similarly, Pence's Giants aren't too great and he had a very poor showing in the initial four man tournament. On the complete opposite side of the spectrum, Kahnle is blessed with an incredible team, but might not have the skill to make it.
These are my picks for the inaugural MLB The Show Players Tournament, am I probably gonna be entirely wrong? Yes! So let me hear your picks in the comments and follow along with me!
AL East
Bo Bichette (Blue Jays)
Dwight Smith Jr. (Orioles)
Blake Snell (Rays)
Eduardo Rodriguez (Red Sox)
Tommy Kahnle (Yankees)
AL Central
Carlos Santana (Indians)
Brett Phillips (Royals)
Niko Goodrum (Tigers)
Trevor May (Twins)
Lucas Giolito (White Sox)
AL West
Ty Buttrey (Angels)
Lance McCullers Jr. (Astros)
Jesús Luzardo (Athletics)
Carl Edwards Jr. (Mariners)
Joey Gallo (Rangers)
NL East
Luke Jackson (Braves)
Ryne Stanek (Marlins)
Jeff McNeil (Mets)
Juan Soto (Nationals)
Rhys Hoskins (Phillies)
NL Central
Josh Hader (Brewers)
Matt Carpenter (Cardinals)
Ian Happ (Cubs)
Cole Tucker (Pirates)
Amir Garrett (Reds)
NL West
Jon Duplantier (D-Backs)
Gavin Lux (Dodgers)
Hunter Pence (Giants)
Fernando Tatis Jr. (Padres)
David Dahl (Rockies)
Cover Photo Credit - The Dallas Morning News (Smiley N. Pool/The Dallas Morning News)
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