Opening Day Power Rankings: Each team's most important player

Welcome to theScore's MLB Power Rankings ahead of Opening Day. Here we look at each team's most important player for the 2021 season:

1. Los Angeles Dodgers

Mookie Betts: Adding the superstar outfielder gave the Dodgers that extra boost of confidence needed last season to push them over the edge finally. No other player on the roster brings the sort of athleticism that Mookie possesses. His elite combination of defense, base running, and plate presence are unmatched. His ability to cover multiple outfield positions helps Los Angeles cover the depth it lost in the offseason.

2. San Diego Padres

Fernando Tatis Jr.: The 22-year-old shortstop is the face of the franchise and should be for the next decade and beyond after signing his 14-year extension last month. He's a rare power/speed threat and has already accrued 39 home runs and 27 stolen bases in just 143 career games. The sky is the limit for Tatis, who could help usher in the first championship team in franchise history.

3. Atlanta Braves

Freddie Freeman: The reigning NL MVP is the leader of a World Series contender looking to win its first title since 1995. The four-time All-Star is the complete package, as he can hit for power and average while playing exceptional defense at first base. Atlanta has a lot of talent, but it would have a hard time replacing the 31-year-old if he's out of the lineup.

4. New York Mets

Francisco Lindor: The $341-million man is now the face of the franchise after inking a record-setting extension. As the team's highest-paid player, all the pressure is on him. Lindor's ability to switch hit gives the left-handed club balance, and he's an elite defensive player at arguably the most important position. New York also traded away two shortstops to land Lindor, making his presence in the lineup each day that much more important.

5. New York Yankees

Gerrit Cole: The Yankees will be in some serious trouble if Cole underperforms or misses any time. New York's rotation is already shaky with the three-time All-Star leading the way, as Corey Kluber, Jameson Taillon, and Domingo German combined to throw just one pitch in 2020 due to injuries and suspension. The Yankees' best shot of winning its first World Series since 2009 begins with Cole being a monster on the mound every fifth day.

6. Chicago White Sox

Jose Abreu: The reigning AL MVP and longest-tenured White Sox player is the rock of their lineup. In addition to his award-winning production at the plate, Abreu serves as a clubhouse leader and respected mentor to the team's young players. He's even more important following Eloy Jimenez's injury that will cost him most of 2021. Abreu makes Chicago go, and it's hard to imagine them without him.

7. Toronto Blue Jays

Hyun Jin Ryu: Toronto knows it has a chance to win every time the left-hander takes the mound - something that can't be said for any of its other starters. Ryu finished third in AL Cy Young voting after posting a 2.69 ERA over 12 outings in 2020. On a team with so many questions surrounding its pitching staff, you need that constant in the rotation. Ryu's starts will likely be the difference between the Blue Jays making or missing the postseason.

8. Minnesota Twins

Kenta Maeda: The Twins gave Maeda a fresh start last year by moving him into the rotation full time. In return, he gave Minnesota a fantastic campaign that ended with him finishing second in AL Cy Young voting. A lot will be expected of Maeda now that he's firmly entrenched as the Twins' ace, but there's no reason to think he can't handle it. A lot also rides on his arm, though. Without him, Minnesota's rotation - and chances for postseason success - would take a sizeable hit.

9. Houston Astros

Jose Altuve: The 2017 AL MVP looked lost at the plate last season, accruing a .219/.286/.344 slash line. Altuve picked it up in the playoffs, and the Astros are hoping his 2020 numbers are a result of small sample size in a weird season. Houston needs the star second baseman to be in vintage form to make another postseason run after losing George Springer.

10. Washington Nationals

Juan Soto: An argument could be made for Max Scherzer, but it's Soto who's taking on the mantle as the franchise's most essential player. The 22-year-old phenom showcased an elite ability to get on base in his brief career and led the majors in OPS (1.185) in 47 games last summer. He walked 41 times compared to 28 strikeouts and even stole six bases. Soto is as good and exciting as they come.

11. Tampa Bay Rays

Brandon Lowe: The 2019 All-Star epitomizes the Rays and their pesky nature. Lowe can beat a pitcher in many different ways, and so can Tampa Bay's offense. The 26-year-old is turning into one of the best second basemen in baseball, thanks to a career .855 OPS over three seasons.

12. Philadelphia Phillies

Bryce Harper: Don't overthink it, the Phillies' $330-million man is the guy who'll bear the brunt of the blame if Philly can't return to the postseason. However, through the first two seasons of his contract, it's apparent that he's not the problem as he's crushed 48 home runs with a .903 OPS in 215 games.

13. Los Angeles Angels

Shohei Ohtani: Look, Mike Trout is baseball's best player and can't be replaced. Everyone knows that. But if the Angels lose their two-way phenom in Ohtani, the entire operation falls apart in a different way. Ohtani is finally healthy (outside of a blister late in spring) and showed what he's capable of as a two-way machine during camp. The Angels built their lineup and rotation around making sure he can play both positions, and although that's very risky given his injury history, the reward is incredibly high. Trout's going to do his thing, win or lose. L.A. is going nowhere if Ohtani doesn't produce.

14. Boston Red Sox

Xander Bogaerts: The 28-year-old gets lost in the shuffle when talking about the MLB's best shortstops. Since 2018, only Francisco Lindor has posted more WAR at the position. Not only is Bogaerts one of Boston's offensive leaders, but he also plays a premium position where the Red Sox don't have much cover at. Over the last three years, he's appeared in 87% of the team's defensive innings at shortstop.

15. St. Louis Cardinals

Nolan Arenado: Like the Mets and Lindor, the Cardinals traded for a star in Arenado who gives them a chance to win now. The former Rockies third baseman has been one of baseball's best players since 2013, accruing 32.3 fWAR, and should form a productive pairing with Paul Goldschmidt in the heart of St. Louis' lineup.

16. Oakland Athletics

Matt Chapman: The Athletics reached the ALDS without Chapman last year after he underwent hip surgery. Imagine how far they could have gone if he was healthy. Chapman's been one of the five best third basemen since debuting in 2017. He's the rock in the A's lineup and face of the franchise for however long he remains in East Bay. They had a bit of success without him during a shortened season, but the A's need Chapman at his best if they're going to get over the hump finally.

17. Milwaukee Brewers

Christian Yelich: Yelich's third season in Milwaukee fell well short of his brilliant award-winning campaigns. We'll probably find out quickly if his .786 OPS was caused by the oddball 2020 season. The Brewers have to hope he rediscovers his old form because any chance they have of competing in the NL Central rests on his bat.

18. Cleveland Indians

Jose Ramirez: The Indians need Ramirez more than ever with Lindor gone. The former will be counted on to do a lot of heavy lifting for Cleveland's offense, and he's more than capable of being "the man." The two-time All-Star finished as a finalist for AL MVP voting in three of the last four years, including runner-up in 2020.

19. Cincinnati Reds

Luis Castillo: A legitimate ace. The 28-year-old puts Cincinnati in a position to win whenever he's on the hill. With Sonny Gray injured, Castillo will need to carry the load early. He's shown that he's more than capable, striking out 30.5% of the hitters he faced last season.

20. Kansas City Royals

Whit Merrifield: He's a mainstay on the Royals since his breakout 2017 campaign and remains their most prized player. The two-time league hits leader should get the most lineup support of his career after Kansas City added Carlos Santana and Andrew Benintendi this offseason. His ability to play all around the diamond cements his importance.

21. Miami Marlins

Brian Anderson: Miami's loaded with young pitching, but its offense is lacking. The team ranked 21st in runs scored last season and 23rd in OPS, making Anderson's bat in the middle of the order vital for success. The 27-year-old was the only Marlins player with double-digit home runs in 2020. His defensive versatility also gives the club cover at third base and right field.

22. Chicago Cubs

Kris Bryant: Whether the Cubs extend Bryant, trade him, or let him walk in free agency, he's going to be inextricably tied to where the franchise goes from here, even if he's ultimately not a part of it. Injuries have limited his appeal of late, particularly after a disastrous 2020, but he was an excellent hitter as recently as 2019 (.282/.382/.521), and rumors of his demise may have been greatly exaggerated.

23. San Francisco Giants

Mike Yastrzemski: The 30-year-old owns a career .281/.357/.535 slash line with 31 homers in 161 games over two seasons with the Giants. His ascent to stardom has been meteoric, and San Francisco is banking on him being an offensive catalyst on a team lacking firepower.

24. Seattle Mariners

Kyle Lewis: The reigning AL Rookie of the Year will likely be flanked by future stars Jarred Kelenic and Julio Rodriguez by the end of the season, forming the best young outfield in the majors. Lewis' emergence as a star could expedite the team's rebuild. No player on the current roster owns the tools that Lewis has. Once he's healthy (a bone bruise forced him to start 2021 on the injured list), a strong sophomore season would make the Mariners an intriguing team to watch.

25. Arizona Diamondbacks

Madison Bumgarner: With emerging ace Zac Gallen on the shelf with a hairline fracture in his forearm, eyes will shift to MadBum as he enters the second season of a five-year, $85-million contract. He wasn't good over 41 2/3 innings (6.48 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 7.18 FIP) in his first year in the desert, so it's vital that he rights the ship.

26. Detroit Tigers

Jeimer Candelario: While much of the focus on Detroit will be directed to the Tigers' bright young arms, Candelario is now the team's most important offensive piece. With Miguel Cabrera in the home stretch of his career and a shadow of his former self, Candelario has become the anchor of this lineup. The former top prospect finally broke out last summer and is poised to continue his growth atop the Tigers' lineup. Candelario is a switch-hitter and only 27 years old, so he could very easily be a part of Detroit's next contending clubs.

27. Colorado Rockies

Trevor Story: As long as he remains in a Rockies uniform, Story is their engine. He's arguably the best all-around shortstop in baseball. It's sad to see him languishing on a bad team, especially after his infield partner was traded. Story's likely to follow him out the door, either via a midseason trade or through free agency next winter.

28. Texas Rangers

Joey Gallo: Not only is Gallo the most impactful player on the rebuilding Rangers, but he's shown he can be one of the league's most dangerous hitters. The "three true outcomes" wizard ranked seventh in homers and eighth in slugging percentage among AL players between 2017-19.

29. Baltimore Orioles

Ryan Mountcastle: The Orioles are finally starting to see some of their can't-miss prospects make some noise in the big leagues. Mountcastle, 24, put up a solid rookie campaign in 2020, accruing a .878 OPS over 35 games. Baltimore will still be bad for some time, but it feels like the organization is starting to turn a corner.

30. Pittsburgh Pirates

Ke'Bryan Hayes: Hayes, the Pirates' top prospect and starting third baseman, burst onto the scene last September and followed that performance up with a monster spring. He finished sixth in Rookie of the Year voting last season and could already be the front-runner for this year's NL honor (he's still considered a rookie due to the shortened 2020 season). It's going to be a miserable season in Pittsburgh, but the 24-year-old provides a small glimmer of hope to long-suffering fans at PNC Park this summer. Heck, he's basically the only reason to tune into a Bucs game.