Top five National League players who will play more with the DH

Howie Kendrick (Google Images)

Due to the shortened Major League Baseball season, some of the rules have been changed. The most significant is the fact that National League teams will be using the designated hitter in all games they play, including all of their home games against American League teams, and when they play each other. Here are the top five players in the National League who will see more playing time in 2019 because of changes made to the designated hitter rule.

5) Justin Smoak–Milwaukee Brewers–The 33-year-old from Goose Creek, South Carolina, is expected to play first base every day, so Ryan Braun can make the transition to designated hitter. Even though Smoak lacks average, he has had some power with the Toronto Blue Jays the last three seasons. In 2019, he batted .208 with 22 home runs and 61 runs batted in. Smoak signed a one-year deal worth $5 million from the Milwaukee Brewers on December 19. Milwaukee will be hoping Smoak returns to his 2017 form, where he was an All-Star, and batted .270, with 38 home runs and 90 runs batted in.

4) Jay Bruce–Philadelphia Phillies–The 33-year-old from Beaumont, Texas, is expected to be the everyday designated hitter in Philly this season. Last year he was traded from Seattle on June 2, and finished the season with a .216 batting average with 26 home runs and 59 runs batted in. The three-time All-Star with the Cincinnati Reds has reached the 30+  home run mark five times and the 100+ RBI mark twice.

3) A.J. Pollock–Los Angeles Dodgers–Due to the fact that the Dodgers have a wealth of outfielders, (also Joc Pederson, Cody Bellinger, and the newly acquired Mookie Betts), A.J. Pollock of Marlborough, Connecticut was not guaranteed to play regularly in 2020. He is now, with the DH being used. Last season, Pollock batted .266 with 15 home runs and 47 runs batted in during his first season in Los Angeles after seven seasons in Arizona. While with the Diamondbacks in 2015, Pollock was an All-Star as he batted .315 with 20 home runs and 76 runs batted in.

2) Hunter Pence–San Francisco Giants–The four-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion from Fort Worth, Texas is expected to be the every day designated hitter with the Giants in 2020. At 37 years of age, Pence is not slowing down. Last season with the Texas Rangers, Pence was an All-Star and batted 18 home runs and 59 runs batted in with a solid batting average of .297. Pence has done his biggest damage in the postseason. He has a World Series batting average of .390 in 11 games.

1)Howie Kendrick–Washington Nationals–In acquiring first baseman Eric Thames from the Milwaukee Brewers and second baseman Starlin Castro from the Miami Marlins in the offseason, the Nationals can still play Howie Kendrick of Jacksonville, Florida regularly at designated hitter, and at the same time develop rookie third baseman Carter Kieboom. Playing time for Kendrick in Washington should not be a problem in 2020 as well due to the fact that corner infielder Ryan Zimmerman has decided not to play due to coronavirus concerns. Kendrick batted for an outstanding average of .344, with 17 home runs and 62 runs batted in with Washington in 2019. Who could forget that Kendrick was the National League Championship Series most valuable player in 2019, as the Nationals won their first World Series in franchise history?