While various Gregorian calendars and no less an organ than the Farmer's Almanac would likely disagree, it says here that we're almost halfway through the current decade – i.e., the 2020s. As such, this notable juncture provides us with the rationale needed to check in on how the MLB All-Decade Team is shaping up at the midpoint.
The leading consideration is a pretty simple one: Which player at each position/role has provided the most on-field value from the 2020 season up through this past season of 2024? How players figure to perform over the back half of the current decade doesn't matter at all for these purposes. This is all about who's been the best over the last five seasons. Determining the best is of course a subjective matter, and the writer welcomes your objections to the choices ahead so long as he never hears of them.
Now let us proceed and examine the "halftime score" when it comes to what the eventual Team of the Decade will one day look like, assuming the miserable, fetid human species persists long enough for such a thing to be realized.
(Note: For hitters to be considered eligible at a position, they must have played at least 51% of their total games at that position since the start of the 2020 season.)
The All-2020s Team (so far)
Catcher: J.T. Realmuto, Phillies
There have been better offensive catchers than Realmuto over the last five seasons, but none matches his defensive body of work. As well, he's also a productive hitter by the standards of the position. Since the start of the 2020 season, he boasts an OPS+ of 115, and twice during that span he's topped 1,100 innings caught in a season.
Runner(s)-up: Willson Contreras, Salvador Perez, Will Smith
First base: Freddie Freeman, Braves and Dodgers
Freeman for the decade thus far has a slash line of .313/.403/.526 with 116 home runs and 189 doubles to his credit. Freeman won the NL MVP Award for the abbreviated 2020 season, and he's topped 25 WAR for the decade so far.
Runner(s)-up: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Paul Goldschmidt, Matt Olson
Second base: Marcus Semien, A's, Blue Jays and Rangers
Tough call at the keystone, but Semien gets the nod for his best-in-class defense at the crucial position in tandem with his high-level of plate production and plus baserunning. For the 2020s, he has an OPS+ of 114, and over that span he's averaged 26 home runs and 13 stolen bases per 162 games played. Semien is exceptionally durable, and he's never hit into more than nine double plays in a season during the 2020s. His glove, though, truly gives him an edge over his peers.
Runner(s)-up: Jose Altuve, Andrés Giménez, Ketel Marte
Third base: José Ramírez, Guardians
From tough call to easy call, as the ruthlessly consistent and ruthlessly excellent Ramírez is the obvious choice at the hot corner. Across 681 games (recall that the 2020 season was abbreviated to 60 games because of COVID), J-Ram this decade has a slash line of .278/.353/.523 with 29 homers and 25 steals per 162 games played. That plus his strong furling at third give Ramírez a WAR of more than 27 for the 2020s.
Runner(s)-up: Nolan Arenado, Matt Chapman, Manny Machado, Austin Riley
Shortstop: Francisco Lindor, Guardians and Mets
This one was a difficult decision. In the end, however, Lindor's fielding, base-running, broad-based overall value, and durability won out over Corey Seager's superior hitting. For the current decade, Lindor has a 120 OPS+, 118 homers, 92 steals, and plus glove-work at the most premium of positions.
Runner(s)-up: Corey Seager, Trea Turner
Outfield: Aaron Judge, Yankees
Judge is the preeminent slugger in baseball and has been for several years. Over the last five years, Judge has a slash line of .298/.414/.635 with 205 homers. He's won a pair of MVPs across that span, and he set the AL single-season home run record in 2022. As for the best overall player of the 2020s thus far, it's between Judge and a DH about to be named soon.
Outfield: Mookie Betts, Dodgers
The decade began with Betts helping the Dodgers win the World Series, and that's how the first half ended, too. Along the way, Betts from his age-27 through age-31 seasons had a 145 OPS+ with power. He's a brilliant defender in right field, and he's also spent significant time over the last five years at three up-the-middle positions. To boot, he's been the decade's best base-runner.
Outfield: Juan Soto, Nationals, Padres, and Yankees
The 26-year-old Soto is fresh off signing a $765 million contract for a reason, and that reason is he's one of the best pure hitters in living memory. For the decade, he has an OPS+ of 168; strong power numbers; and, incredibly for a contemporary home run hitter, 582 walks versus 465 strikeouts.
Runners-up: Ronald Acuña Jr., Kyle Tucker, Bryce Harper
Designated hitter: Shohei Ohtani, Angels and Dodgers
Would Ohtani have this spot if he weren't also an ace-quality starting pitcher when healthy? It's not necessary to answer that question, since Ohtani is an ace-quality starting pitcher when healthy, which greatly increases his overall value. As a DH during this decade, Ohtani has batted .280/.377/.587 with 185 home runs and 123 stolen bases. Along the way, he's won three MVPs in the last four seasons and authored the first 50-50 season in MLB history. He's the clear choice, and that's before you even account for his pitching.
Runner-up: Yordan Alvarez
Starting pitcher: Zack Wheeler, Phillies
Wheeler has been the dominant pitcher of the 2020s to date, and it's not really that close. For the decade, he has an ERA of 2.92 (142 ERA+) and an FIP of 2.96, and across those five seasons he's struck out 27.1% of opposing hitters. Wheeler's 829 ⅓ innings for the decade is second only to teammate Aaron Nola's 850.
Starting pitcher: Corbin Burnes, Brewers and Orioles
It's tough to pick between Burnes and Gerrit Cole, but Burnes' innings advantage – 816 ⅔ to Cole's 759 – helps tilt the scales. That's also the case for Burnes' edge in ERA+ over Cole by a margin of 142 to 134. Overall, Burnes this decade has an ERA of 2.88 and an FIP of 3.01. As well, he won the Cy Young in 2021, and he finished in the top 10 of the balloting in every other season of the 2020s.
Runners-up: Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Logan Webb
Closer: Emmanuel Clase, Guardians
What dominance the Cleveland closer has enjoyed over the last five seasons. Since the start of the 2020 campaign, Clase has registered an ERA of 1.62 and an FIP of 2.31 with 281 strikeouts against just 44 unintentional walks in 289 ⅓ combined innings. Over those five seasons, just four pitchers have made more appearances than Clase's 297.
Runner-up: Devin Williams
