Major League Baseball's ongoing coronavirus hiatus is bad news for everyone involved. The effects of an abbreviated or lost 2020 season will be felt for years to come, as some of baseball's modern icons could see their career numbers curtailed significantly.
There are too many milestones at stake to list them all, so here are a few of the most notable players who could fall short of some key numbers if the 2020 campaign is shortened or lost.
Albert Pujols
Pujols is under contract with the Los Angeles Angels for two more years. Given his decline over the past eight seasons, it's likely that 2021 - his age-41 campaign - will be his last. Numbers-wise, he probably stands to be the biggest loser of all. Here are some potential milestones now in jeopardy:
- 700 home runs: Catching Willie Mays (660) for fifth on the home run list shouldn't be a problem, as he's just four shy. But he'll have less time to chase the two additional 20-homer seasons he needs for 700. A long shot may have grown longer. Pujols: 656 HR
- 700 doubles: He needs to average about 20 doubles a year to join Tris Speaker, Pete Rose, Stan Musial, and Ty Cobb in this exclusive club. Pujols stood a better shot at reaching 700 doubles than home runs, but neither are likely if the schedule is cut. Any chance of him inaugurating baseball's 700-homer, 700-double club is also all but gone. A more realistic goal now is the eight doubles he needs to pass Craig Biggio for the most two-base hits by a right-handed hitter. Pujols: 661 2B
- 6,000 total bases: Hank Aaron, Musial, and Mays are the only players with 6,000 career total bases. Pujols is 137 away, and despite his decline, he's averaged 226 over the last four seasons. He can do this by simply matching his barely average 2019 campaign - assuming the long layoff doesn't sap what's left of his swing. Pujols: 5,863 TB
Additionally, Pujols is 371 plate appearances shy of passing Derek Jeter for 10th all time. While reachable, the length of this layoff could play into whether he gets there.
Robinson Cano
Cano's odds of reaching 3,000 hits took a tumble over the last two years thanks to injuries and a performance-enhancing drug suspension. Now, he's facing a shortened or lost age-37 season while sitting at 2,570 hits. This layoff isn't going to do him any favors while trying to regain ground. Other numbers now in question for Cano include 600 doubles and 400 home runs.
Yadier Molina
Molina is very close to several milestones that could boost his Hall of Fame case significantly, including 400 doubles - achieved by only six other backstops - and 2,000 games caught. But time waits for no one: Molina is a 37-year-old catcher and pending free agent. He's made it clear that he'll retire if he and the St. Louis Cardinals can't reach an extension. Molina will have a shot at these marks in a shortened season (he's just 18 games shy of 2,000), but if 2020 is wiped out entirely, there's no guarantee he'll be back. He's got a lot riding on this campaign. Molina: 379 2B
Joey Votto
The 36-year-old on-base machine is coming off the worst season of his career, and it marked a drastic decline in all-around production. Votto's clock is ticking and so are his chances of reaching 2,000 hits and 300 home runs. Like Molina, his Hall of Fame chances could hinge on reaching those marks, so his legacy is partially at stake here. Votto: 1,866 H, 284 HR
Zack Greinke and Justin Verlander
These two veteran teammates are more than likely going to need some help in order to reach some significant milestones.
Verlander, one of the premier workhorses of his era, has made no bones about wanting to pitch into his 40s while making a run at the prestigious 300-win club. He was already fighting an uphill battle before COVID-19 shut down baseball; losing 2020 would all but end his hopes of winning 300. Verlander: 225 W
Greinke has quietly piled up the strikeouts, and 3,000 seemed attainable before the hiatus. Also within reach was 250 wins, a milestone that would be easily obtainable on the powerhouse Houston Astros. He needs another two-to-three solid seasons in order to really close in on both marks, which was a reasonable expectation. A lost season, however, would mean resuming his quest as a 37-year-old in 2021, the final year of his contract. Greinke: 205 W, 2,622 K
