A handful of details on MLB The Show 21 have been revealed already, including this year's cover athlete and the various special editions of the game that will be available. The one thing that hasn't been touched on, however, is where each team will rank among the rest.
It's become a yearly tradition to make predictions on which team will be the best and which will be the worst, and after a shortened 2020 season and an offseason that shifted rosters up quite a bit, there's sure to be a change in the ratings from MLB The Show 20. Taking last year's version of the game and these roster changes into consideration, here are some predictions on each team's ratings for MLB The Show 21.
Arizona Diamondbacks - 74 Overall
As far as their rating in the previous installment of The Show is concerned, the Diamondbacks don't have the same level of talent as the Yankees or the Padres. That being said, they still have some stars in the form of Ketel Marte, Zac Gallen, and veteran pitcher Madison Bumgarner to keep their overall rating up.
Atlanta Braves - 80 Overall
The Braves are a team that show a commendable level of consistency, and it would only be appropriate that their overall rating reflects that. With 2020 NL MVP Freddie Freeman on their team, as well as names like Ronald Acuna Jr. and Max Fried, it only makes sense that they'd rank among the highest teams in this year's game.
Baltimore Orioles - 73 Overall
The Orioles didn't have the best 2020 season, and they haven't made many offseason moves in their favor, so their rating in MLB The Show 21 is likely to reflect that.
Boston Red Sox - 77 Overall
Boston has made some pretty exciting acquisitions over the postseason, most notably Kike Hernandez and Adam Ottavino. Those pickups alone are sure to bolster their lineup and their position in The Show's ratings. As long as the team stays true to their ban on Fortnite in the clubhouse, they should be in good shape.
Chicago White Sox - 78 Overall
The White Sox have been proving to be one of many teams to watch as of late, and with guys like Tim Anderson and the recently signed Liam Hendricks on the team, it's no wonder why.
Chicago Cubs - 77 Overall
Perhaps one of the most surprising developments from this offseason was when longtime Dodger's outfielder Joc Pederson signed with the Cubs on a one year deal. Although this was a great pickup, the team did lose all-star pitchers Yu Darvish and Jon Lester, so their ratings might not be bolstered too much.
Cincinatti Reds - 77 Overall
Although the Reds did lose Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer in free agency, they have some talent where it counts. They'll likely be another one of those teams that falls in the middle of the road when it come to the game's ratings.
Cleveland Indians - 78 Overall
Cleveland suffered some loses in free agency by losing Brad Hand and Carlos Carrasco, but they still have one of the best pitchers in the league in Shane Bieber. There's still enough talent on the team that should ensure their rating stays one or two points above the rest.
Colorado Rockies - 74 Overall
The Rockies lost arguably their best player when third-baseman Nolan Arenado signed with the St. Louis Cardinals. Although they still have Charlie Blackmon and Trevor Story, their rating in The Show is likely to take a big hit as a result.
Detroit Tigers - 72 Overall
The Detroit Tigers don't have a whole lot going on for them right now, and their rating in MLB The Show 20 reflected as much. They'll probably stay around the same rating for this year's installment of the game, unless something dramatic changes leading up to the release.
Houston Astros - 80 Overall
Still mired in the controversy of the sign-stealing scandal that broke last year, the Astros don't have the same image that they used to. That being said, the team still has a lot of talent with Justin Verlander and Zack Greinke in the rotation, and Alex Bregman and Carlos Correa in the infield.
Kansas City Royals - 74 Overall
Faltering a little bit last season, the Kansas City Royals have a lot of good pieces that in most cases would make up a good team. They're likely to stay in the middle of the pack for The Show's ratings this year as a result.
Los Angeles Angels - 77 Overall
The Los Angeles Angels have perhaps one of the biggest stars in baseball in the form of centerfielder Mike Trout, but the one place that the team underperforms in the most is pitching. This shortcoming keeps the team from ranking in the upper echelons of the league, but they are still an impressive team nonetheless.
Los Angeles Dodgers - 83 Overall
The reigning World Series champions have a lot of talent behind their name, and they've only gotten more impressive over the offseason. The team recently picked all-star pitcher Trevor Bauer, and with Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler already in the rotation, the Dodger's will most likely be a force to be reckoned with in The Show 21. Outfielder Cody Bellinger also appeared in Assassin's Creed Valhalla, so that has to count for something right?
Miami Marlins - 76 Overall
Before the 2020 season, the Miami Marlins weren't much to look at in the baseball world or the virtual one for that matter. After making it to the playoffs last season however, their rating in the upcoming game is sure to be a bit higher than previous installments.
Milwaukee Brewers - 77 Overall
The Brewers have some serious star power in the form of outfielder Christian Yelich, and they've recently added more depth to their roster with the signing of Kolten Wong. Although this isn't enough to bring their rating to the same caliber as other teams, it should still put them a cut above the rest.
Minnesota Twins - 79 Overall
The Twins are one of many teams that have a lot of good players going for them, but not enough to bring their rating into the 80s. That being said, with Kenta Maeda in the rotation and Nelson Cruz recently resigning, they'll likely stay pretty high on the rating list.
New York Yankees - 83 Overall
The New York Yankees have been a highly rated team for quite some time now, much to the chagrin of Red Sox fans everywhere. They really do have the talent to back it up though, and with pitcher Corey Kluber recently joining the team, it would further justify a high overall rating.
New York Mets - 80 Overall
Mets fans have been given a lot to be excited about this offseason. They recently signed the talented Fransisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco, so their MLB The Show 21 rating should be a bit higher than previous years.
Oakland Athletics - 76 Overall
The Athletics have lost a lot of pivotal pieces to their roster this offseason, most notably Liam Hendricks and Marcus Semien. These losses are sure to effect their overall rating for this year's game, but the fact that they still have good bats like Matt Chapman and Matt Olson should keep them from dropping too much.
Philadelphia Phillies - 78 Overall
The Phillies have been making strides to ensure they don't lose any of their most important players, specifically JT Realmuto and Didi Gregorius. The team has also been making efforts to build up their lackluster bullpen, and that's likely to be recognized with a respectable rating in the game.
Pittsburgh Pirates - 72 Overall
Unfortunately for the Pirates, they had one of the worst records of the 2020 season. They also lost one of their best players, Josh Bell, so their rating in The Show 21 is likely going to be one of the lowest overall.
San Diego Padres - 82 Overall
The San Diego Padres bursted on to the scene last season as one of the most exciting teams to watch. With MLB The Show 21 cover athlete Fernando Tatis Jr. having a stellar 2020 season, and the team's signing of all-star pitchers Blake Snell and Yu Darvish, the team's rating will probably rank among one of the highest.
San Fransisco Giants - 75 Overall
The Giants haven't done much in the way of making improvements over the offseason, but they still have a respectable lineup that should net them an equally respectable rating when MLB The Show 21 releases.
Seattle Mariners - 73 Overall
Seattle has some good young talent that's sure to lift the team up somewhat in future years, specifically in Kyle Lewis and Kyle Seager. Like many of the other teams listed here however, it takes a lot of pieces to make an impressive overall team.
St. Louis Cardinals - 78 Overall
The Cardinals made one of the most dramatic signings of the offseason when they picked up Gold Glove infielder, and one of the highest rated players in The Show, Nolan Arenado from free agency. He's sure to be a welcome addition to the team, and will likely be enough to bolster their rating at least a little bit.
Tampa Bay Rays - 79 Overall
The Rays may have lost in the World Series last year, but they still had the talent to be considered the best team in the American League. Their overall rating will likely fall on the higher end of things when The Show 21 releases, highlighting their talent from the previous season.
Texas Rangers - 72 Overall
The Rangers are looking like they're going to be in a rough spot in this year's edition of The Show considering they lost two of their best pitchers, Lance Lynn and Corey Kluber, to free agency. They still have The Show fan Joey Gallo to depend on though, so that's one thing that will keep their overall rating from dropping too low.
Toronto Blue Jays - 79 Overall
When it comes to offseason moves, the Toronto Blue Jays are looking like a completely different team from what they had last season. The signings of George Springer, Kirby Yates, and Marcus Semien have been some of the team's most notable moves, and it would make sense for the team to be rated much higher than previous years as a result.
Washington Nationals - 79 Overall
The 2019 World Series champions struggled a bit with the shortened season last year, but the amount of talent that's still on the team from that year should be enough to keep their overall rating rather high.
San Diego Studio has been historically meticulous when it comes to rating every individual player and team in MLB The Show, and with The Show 21 being brought to next-gen and Xbox systems for the first time this year, MLB The Show 21 seems like it will be the most detailed installment in the franchise. Players might have to wait a little bit longer than usual to get their hands on it, but it's shaping up to be worth the wait.
MLB The Show 21 is releasing on April 20th for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.