Chicago White Sox and the 7 MLB Teams Best Positioned to Win 2020 Offseason

These clubs were chosen based on potential activity on the free-agent market as well as the ability and willingness to trade for impact players.The White Sox have every incentive to think big.Chicago made the playoffs last season for the first time since 2008, as young players such as Tim Anderson, Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert excelled while veteran first baseman Jose Abreu captured the American League MVP Award.The South Siders also feature promising arms in the rotation, with Dallas Keuchel following ace Lucas Giolito and youngsters such as Michael Kopech—returning from Tommy John surgery—and Dylan Cease hoping to make a bigger impact.Additionally, the White Sox struck the biggest deal of the proceedings on Monday by acquiring Lance Lynn from the Texas Rangers, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.Lynn gives Chicago a legitimate anchor. He also said it would be a disappointment if the team did not win a World Series within three to five years and that the Mets would act like a big-market club, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.Needless to say, the baseball world expects New York to be active.The Mets began the process of improving the club by signing reliever Trevor May to a two-year deal. Toronto signed Robbie Ray to a one-year, $8 million deal early on, and general manager Ross Atkins has talked about having an "opportunity" to strike gold, per Kaitlyn McGrath of The Athletic.There's also the fact that Cleveland could partner with Toronto on a deal for Francisco Lindor.Terry Pluto of the Plain Dealer reported the Indians have interest in building a trade around Blue Jays left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr., who hit .308 with 11 homers and an .882 OPS in 2020. Yet even if that means Friedman resorts to signing internal free agents such as Justin Turner, the team will still be the best in baseball until another club proves otherwise.Los Angeles will have to add more bullpen arms in addition to Knebel. Regardless, it is likely Preller will use free agency to shore up the bullpen.The Padres can also continue to pluck from their system to improve the club, though San Diego might choose to exhibit some caution after having traded multiple young assets at the deadline.The Minnesota Twins traditionally have not acted like a big-market club, but the signing of Josh Donaldson to a four-year, $92 million deal last offseason might have changed that.Minnesota has plenty of financial flexibility, with an estimated 2021 payroll of $92 million.This is not to guarantee the Twins will spend more. But the Twins also have payroll to work with and a host of farm assets they could explore moving for an impact arm.The Atlanta Braves have already made quite a statement in free agency.General manager Alex Anthopoulos has shown in past years he is hardly afraid to dole out one-year contracts with big money attached, and he did so once again by signing Drew Smyly and Charlie Morton for a combined $26 million.They gave Atlanta much-needed rotation depth, with Morton in particular looming large. Atlanta's estimated 2021 payroll is $120 million, which is $38 million below last year's mark.Anthopoulos has been hesitant to part ways with prospect talent, but the Braves also have premium outfielders in Cristian Pache and Drew Waters as well as backstop William Contreras and any number of arms they could move from the farm system Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter ranked fifth overall.Atlanta has already been active and will hope to round out the club in an effort to get over the hump in 2021.The Los Angeles Angels might not seem to belong with the rest of the teams on this list.But there is something to be said for a club that has signed multiple top free agents (Shohei Ohtani and Anthony Rendon) in recent years and needs to make a playoff push.