With so much uncertainty thanks to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there’s no guarantee that there will even be a 2020 MLB season. In that worst case scenario, there are five Houston Astros players who would reach free agency without playing another game.
MLB and the MLBPA came to an agreement that MLB players would be credited with service time for the 2020 season, regardless of whether there are any games played. This would be particularly bad for teams who made big trades for impending free agents this offseason, such as the Los Angeles Dodgers acquiring outfielder Mookie Betts.