At the moment, it’s not a sure thing there will be an MLB season in 2022.
In the meantime, we can analyze, predict, and discuss many topics regarding the league.
One of the most exciting topics, for fans, is budding MLB rivalries.
There is more than just the New York Yankees – Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers – San Francisco Giants out there to captivate fans.
These three matchups are becoming more and more interesting with each passing year.
3. New York Mets – Atlanta Braves
The New York Mets led the NL East for more than half of the 2021 campaign.
After losing Jacob deGrom and Francisco Lindor to injury (not to mention some issues between players and fans, and some instability at the front office level) in July, the Mets started to collapse.
Not only did they fall off from the divisional race, but they also couldn’t compete for a Wild Card spot.
The Atlanta Braves swooped in and took the division: they ended up winning it all.
Now, the Mets added some star-power in Max Scherzer, Starling Marte, Eduardo Escobar, and Mark Canha, and an experienced manager in Buck Showalter.
The Braves have enviable rotation depth and an incredible offensive core that includes Ronald Acuna Jr., Ozzie Albies, Dansby Swanson, Austin Riley, and Marcell Ozuna, among others.
This rivalry has every ingredient to be one of the spiciest ones from 2022 on, remembering some of the good old days of the 1990s and the 2000s.
2. New York Yankees – Tampa Bay Rays
The Yankees are historically used to winning, but they haven’t been doing much of it since 2009.
The Tampa Bay Rays have a unique approach of doing things and have put together more competitive roster than the Yankees in the last couple of seasons.
The two teams have even been behind some heated battles in recent times.
Yankees and Rays benches clear after Chapman threw at Mike Brosseau's head 😳
(via @FoxSportsFL)pic.twitter.com/JyRdG4duT3
— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) September 2, 2020
The Rays have had more recent success, knocking the Yankees out of the playoffs in 2020 and taking the division in 2020 and 2021.
Both organizations are built to be contenders for years to come, and we are only getting started with this particular rivalry.
It’s evident that there is some bad blood between these two clubs, and they will be contenders again in what is shaping up to be a really tough AL East division, along with the Toronto Blue Jays and the Red Sox.
This one is definitely one of MLB’s most exciting rising rivalries.
1. San Diego Padres – Los Angeles Dodgers
Yes, the San Diego Padres disappointed in 2021 with a 79-83 record, but they were competitive in the first half and made the 2020 playoffs.
That 2020 postseason gave us a division series matchup between the two NL West teams, after each club overcame their respective rivals in the Wild Card round.
The Dodgers swept 3-0, but it won’t be the last time we see these two heavyweights clashing in October.
As long as the Padres have Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, Jake Cronenworth, Mike Clevinger, Yu Darvish, and company, they will be competitive.
The Dodgers are one of MLB’s premier organizations and have a talented roster in place to take on the Padres and anyone else that gets in their way.
Cody Bellinger robs the go-ahead homer from Fernando Tatis Jr. plus replays. pic.twitter.com/VHaO0uTA4r
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) October 8, 2020
There is definitely some animosity between these two foes, and that is good for MLB.
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