The Biggest MLB Storyline Of 2020 Will Be? — College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects

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This is one of 10 burning questions in our 2020 MLB season preview. To see all of our bold predictions, click here. All answers to the question are from Baseball America’s editorial team.

Ben Badler: Integrity of the game issues.

Carlos Collazo: 104. That’s the number of hit by pitches needed to break the single-season team record in the integration era. The Astros might have a shot to break the record considering the amount revulsion that most of baseball has for the team at this point.

JJ Cooper: The combination of a contentious collective bargaining agreement negotiation between MLB owners and the MLB Players Association combined with the contentious negotiations between MLB and MiLB on a new professional baseball agreement.

Matt Eddy: How the new rules implemented for 2020—the three-batter rule, 26-man rosters, much smaller September rosters—affect in-game strategy and ingrained managerial tendencies.

Kyle Glaser: The Astros. Are their hitters really that elite, or were they just benefitting from sign-stealing? Will the loss of Gerrit Cole going to be too much to bear? How will Dusty Baker navigate a new clubhouse under the circumstances? Can Lance McCullers Jr. stay healthy in his return? Is Forrest Whitley still the future ace hoped for? So many questions, so much still to be answered in Houston. All eyes—fans, media, opponents—will be watching, and scrutinizing, every move.

Joe Healy: The Astros. Will all the drama of the offseason galvanize the team, will things start to crumble under the weight of all that scrutiny, or will it be business as usual?

Josh Norris: A combination of sign-stealing and the continued move by MLB to contract dozens of minor league teams.

Chris Trenkle: The Dodgers finally capturing that elusive World Series title. They are going to win 105 games (at least) and breeze through the playoffs to capture their first championship since 1988.