Sometimes when you combine two things, something beautiful is formed. In this case, it’s something of beauty, but the combination could turn dangerous for those who have to face them.
Each MLB team has a few standout players that when at the top of their game could be the deciding factor to send their team to the playoffs and beyond.
From a young tandem in the Windy City to a couple veterans in Cleveland, here are 10 dangerous combos on teams that should make their opponents worried.
Clayton Kershaw/Corey Seager
We don’t have enough time to discuss Clayton Kershaw’s resume, but the six-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young Award winner has an impressive one, we promise. He’s one of the most-feared pitchers in baseball year after year and a career 2.37 ERA and 1.007 WHIP in nine seasons is just the half of it.
You combine that with Corey Seager who was just named the National League Rookie of the Year in 2016, and you’re going to turn some heads.
Seager finished the 2016 season with an All-Star spot as well. A .308/.365/.512 line with 26 home runs will do that. These two stars of Hollywood should lead their team to the playoffs once again in 2017.
Kris Bryant/Anthony Rizzo
The Chicago Cubs are the World Series Champions until October. And when it comes to picking the “1-2 punch” scenario with this team, it was a struggle. The Cubbies are full of talent that should be recognized, but Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo are certainly favorites when it comes to the Cubs.
Last season Kris Bryant came off of a National League Rookie of the Year and All-Star year just to take another All-Star roster spot and was named the National League MVP. He was also first in WAR in the league with a .292/.385/.554 line, and did we mention he helped a team win a World Series for the first time in a very long time?
Anthony Rizzo struggled a bit towards the beginning of the postseason during the National League Division Series against the Giants, batting just a .067/.176/.067 line which was uncharacteristic for a guy who was hitting a .292 career high batting average with 109 RBI’s and 32 bombs that year.
The rest of the season more than evened out the first baseman, and I think we can all agree the results worked out in their favor.
Expect another sensational year for the both of them.
Andrew Benintendi/Mookie Betts
Chris Sale could have been listed here, but we don’t really know what type of impact the pitcher will have on the Red Sox this season. My crystal ball is broken.
Last season, Boston hosted the No. 1 prospect Andrew Benintendi, according to MLB.com, and another young guy named Mookie Betts made his way as a standout for the team.
Betts had an All-Star season with a few defensive awards as well last year. His .318/.363/.534 line is a perfect reflection of that.
When it comes to Benintendi, the worry surrounds his hype. This is normal, but you’re not called a top prospect without anything to back it up.
Across two minor league teams last season, the 22-year-old still hit a .312 and when he was promoted to the Sox he barely digressed with a .295/.359/.476 line and a couple bombs for good measure. He and Betts will make the Red Sox’ outfield dangerous.
Christian Yelich/Giancarlo Stanton
One of our favorite underrated players across the league is outfielder for the Miami Marlins, Christian Yelich.
The 25-year-old finished last season with a .298/.376/.483 line with 21 home runs (more than his first three seasons combined) and 98 RBI. For those of you worried this could be one of those runs of the mill power surges, that’s not the case.
Miami recently signed him to a seven-year, $49.47 million contract in 2015 so you know the team loves him. He also isn’t doing anything too crazy to change during the offseason. And to add to it, he had Barry Bonds assisting him as a hitting coach last year.
Giancarlo Stanton shares a spot with him in the outfield and is powerful. And I mean very powerful. So much so he hit the hardest-hit ball ever recorded by Statcast last year that had an exit velocity of 123.9 mph. This was him beating his own recorded he held just months earlier.
The three-time All-Star regressed a bit last season finishing off 2016 with a .240 batting average and 27 home runs (which isn’t a lot if you’re Giancarlo) and he missed some games due to injury. But it’s still Stanton, and the guy can rake.
Josh Donaldson/Marcus Stroman
It would have been easy to list Jose Bautista next to Josh Donaldson’s name, but Marcus Stroman has a strong season ahead of him. Calling it now for those of you who like to snag a sleeper-ish type pitcher in your fantasy leagues.
Stroman’s second half last season was the perfect segway into being a strong and feared pitcher option this time around.
The first half for the 25-year-old was rough. Though once the All-Star Break happened, Stroman was strong. He ended up with a 3.68 ERA during the second half, but matched his strikeout count from the first half with 83 Ks but in fewer innings. His WHIP dropped to a 1.239 and he increased his strikeout-per-nine-innings ratio as well. He also has a sinker that has some of the “most sink” in qualified starters according to Joshua Howsam of Baseball Prospectus. The pressure is off of him now and that will only benefit him this season.
Josh Donaldson or “Dong”-aldson as the daily fantasy sports community calls him because of his tendency to hit bombs, is making a name for himself in Toronto. And he’s doing it well.
Since being acquired by the Blue Jays from the A’s a couple years back, Donaldson has two All-Star roster sports with the team and was named American League MVP in 2015, along with Major League Player of the Year in the same season. This doesn’t take away his stellar career in Oakland, but there are no signs the 31-year-old will slow down anytime soon. He heads into the season with a career .278/.365/.503 line.
Edwin Encarnacion/Corey Kluber
Edwin Encarnacion is making his home with the Cleveland Indians after that kind of-sort of trade that included Kendrys Morales (it wasn’t really a trade, it was just weird timing) it is looking really good for the slugger. Even though his projections may prove otherwise.
Encarnacion’s Steamer projections on FanGraphs say he could hit a .254/.349/.485 line, but the reason for the regression could be the ballpark factor leaving a hitter’s park like Rogers Centre to now Cleveland and we all know when an athlete blows out 30-plus candles on his birthday cake he’s automatically considered old. But he’s still looking in his prime as he heads into the season, sliding beautifully into the Indians lineup.
When it comes to Corey Kluber, and the rest of the Indians as a matter of fact, he was a wonderful surprise and was able to rebound from a not so great 2015 season. The former Cy Young Award winner went 18-9 with a 3.14 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 9.5 K/9 over 215 innings and was even in AL Cy Young Award talks last year.
The city of Cleveland was over the moon happy for the team that made its way to the World Series, the addition of Encarnacion only continues the hype.
Mark Trumbo/Manny Machado
Many teams bit, but they couldn’t quite grab on to two-time All-Star Mark Trumbo who ultimately went back to the Orioles.
The Silver Slugger lead the league with 47 home runs last season, which helped the team land in the postseason and finish second in the American League East.
A .256/.316/.533 line as the season came to a close in 2016 with those home runs and a stellar lineup could make the O’s live up to their hype.
Manny Machado has to be mentioned when discussing the Orioles. That’s without question. He’s arguably a top-three player in all of baseball at the moment and that’s what lands you three All-Star roster spots.
The third baseman has a career .284/.333/.477 line with a bright future. That last part isn’t a stat, but it’s pretty cool.
Stephen Strasburg/Bryce Harper
This was difficult to choose simply because I wasn’t sure who to pair with Bryce Harper. Originally, it was Trea Turner, but this season we are all hopeful for Stephen Strasburg to remain healthy, so for those purposes let’s pray he does.
When it goes to Strasburg, like previously mentioned, the 28-year-old is recovering from a partial tear of the pronator tendon in his right elbow but is expected to return to the starting rotation during the opening series against the Marlins according to Baseball-Reference. He’s been throwing and seems to be on schedule without any restrictions so far.
So that’s good news.
He hasn’t thrown many pitches over the last couple of seasons, but there is continual talk he will be 100% and still remains one of the top pitchers in strikeout ratings.
Stras has a career 3.60 ERA with 1,084 strikeouts in seven seasons with the Nationals.
Have you heard of Bryce Harper? Yes, you have. Even if you don’t like baseball, you’ve heard of Harper.
The 24-year-old outfielder already has an impressive resume. In five seasons, he’s been on four All-Star rosters, been named National League Rookie of the Year and MVP. In 2015 he led the league in multiple categories including home runs, OBP, and slugging average.
There is no slowing him down either. He’s been written in multiple articles being called a future Hall of Famer, and rightfully so. Harper has tremendous upside and he becomes a free agent after this season.
That should be interesting…
Carlos Correa/Jose Altuve
It’s admirable the work these two mid-infielders put in and how well they work together.
Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve are impressive both offensively and with their gloves.
Correa was the 2015 American League Rookie of the Year after a .279/.345/.512 line with 22 home runs and 68 RBI’s. It’s looking like it could be another strong situation for the 22-year-old heading into 2017 if his projections hold true. FanGraphs Steamer has him at a .278/.359/.470 line which is an increase in all categories besides his on-base percentage.
Jose Altuve needs no introduction.
The second baseman was one of several bringing the power surge to the position last season. But Altuve still managed to stick out.
The four-time All-Star was third in votes for American League MVP last season but was ultimately named 2016 Major League Player of the Year. Not a bad scenario.
Altuve finished the season with a league-leading .338 batting average and 216 hits.
Do I need to tell you anymore how awesome he is? Expect another phenomenal season from him.
Nolan Arenado/Charlie Blackmon
The National League West has a ton of talent this season. I’m even including the San Diego Padres and the Arizona Diamondbacks in that scenario, but in this case, the Colorado Rockies are towards the top and need to be talked about.
Nolan Arenado hit a league-leading 41 home runs and 133 RBI’s last season and before you say he had the Coors Field factor working for him, on the road he still managed to put up solid numbers. A two-time All-Star, Arenado will continue at the hot corner and do it beautifully heading into the 2017 season.
I can’t mention the Rockies without mentioning CarGo, or outfielder Charlie Blackmon.
Blackmon will remain in centerfield according to manager Bud Black and the primary reason for that is because it’s a big space and Blackmon knows his way around that area.
He had a stellar 2016 season with career highs: batting average (.324), runs (111), doubles (35), home runs (29), RBIs (82) and OPS (.933) which earned him a Silver Slugger Award.
The two of those bats along with others on that roster at Coors Field will be deathly for opposing teams.