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The top teams in MLB are already beginning to separate themselves from the pack. That gave MLB on FOX analyst Dontrelle Willis the chance to stack the National League’s elite squads, ranking the top five teams in the NL.
Willis didn’t put the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers at the top of the list. So who did he have in the top spot?
San Diego Padres
“They have a healthy Xander Bogaerts, that’s always exciting, and really Fernando Tatis has not checked in. Only a game back of the Dodgers in the division. If they continue to get healthy, and get going; keep (Randy) Vasquez and (Michael) King healthy as well at the top of the rotation, they’re going to definitely keep pace.”
Cincinnati Reds
“Terry Francona has been absolutely outstanding in one-run games. Sal Stewart, rookie of the month. He’s going to provide lineup protection. Also, Elly De La Cruz, that leads them in basically every category. They are going to be able to start scoring runs. You have Burns as a starter, that young starter in the front line of that rotation. They’re going to be able to win some close games. But I think they’re going to beat their pace.”
Chicago Cubs
“I love this team. Defensively, they are supremely athletic. They have gold glovers all over the infield as well as the outfield, and they can get on base. They lead baseball in on-base percentage and fourth in home runs. So when that ball starts to fly out of Wrigley, everybody up and down the lineup will be confident swinging the bat.”
Los Angeles Dodgers
“They’ve struggled the last couple of days, but they do have that bad man, Shohei Ohtani, and he has not got off to the starts he wants to, offensively. But you still have Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts will be back in the lineup, Max Muncy looks good. But that rotation is going to get deeper, it’s going to get stronger; and they have Blake Snell on the horizon.”
Atlanta Braves
“Offensively, they are finally healthy. They are very deep. Drake Bladwin, they better pay him his money quickly because he’s one of the best two-way catchers in all of baseball. You know what (Ozzie) Albies is going to do — finally healthy, so is (Matt) Olson. This is a very experienced lineup, and I think they’ve taken it personal what happened to them last year, trying to overcome those injuries. And they’re getting Spencer Strider back in the fold. Watch out man, it might be Dodgers or Braves in the World Series.”
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