Disclaimer: This article was written prior to the end of the MLB offseason and thus may not cover some key trades and signings made after mid-February.
The MLB season is set to start March 18 with a two-game series in Japan, and the regular season begins March 27. MLB
In this article I plan to preview the upcoming 2025 season of Major League Baseball (MLB), while additionally providing my predictions for what is sure to be an astonishing season of action! I hope that whether you’re a diehard baseball fan, or a newbie to the great sport, you enjoy my analysis on the subject and it pumps you up for the 2025 season. Although I’m admittedly a Yankees fan, I made sure to not let bias get in the way of forming accurate predictions. This article is divided into four sections which together form insight into the most important aspects of the 2025 season. Without further ado, enjoy!
MAJOR MOVES
Many important free-agent signings and trades occurred during the offseason, including one deal which broke a sporting record! The reigning Los Angeles Dodgers re-signed slugger Teoscar Hernandez. They added to an already stacked bullpen and starting rotation with the free-agent signing of two time Cy Young winner Blake Snell and international signing Roki Sasaki, an ace from Japan who is highly hyped by scouts around the globe. The biggest signing of the offseason was undoubtedly the New York Mets’ signing of superstar slugger Juan Soto. Soto signed a massive fifteen year, 765 million dollar contract, setting the record for the largest contract in MLB history! The Mets also re-signed Pete Alonso, and upgraded their starting rotation and bullpen. The
Chicago Cubs swung a shocking trade when they acquired All-Star outfielder and five-tool talent Kyle Tucker from the Astros. The Arizona Diamondbacks rattled their division when they added former Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes. The San Francisco Giants signed shortstop Willy Adames, who is fresh off a thirty-two-homer season. The Boston Red Sox made moves for two former All-Star starting pitchers in Garrett Crochet and Walker Buehler, and landed one of free agency’s top bats in third baseman Alex Bregman. The Toronto Blue Jays signed slugger Anthony Santander, who mashed forty-four taters last season, and their divisional rivals the New York Yankees made several big moves after losing Soto to the Mets. Among a flurry of moves, the New York Yankees signed perennial All-Star starting pitcher Max Fried, and traded for former MVP Cody Bellinger, as well as Devin Williams, regarded as one of the top closers in the game.
TOP TEAMS
AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST
The Yankees were in the midst of a magical 2024 season, leading up to the World Series, when they completely and utterly fell apart against the Dodgers. The one silver lining in the atrocious loss for the Yankees was that it forced them to make some major moves, including necessary adds to their rotation (in Fried) and lineup (Bellinger), amplified because of their loss of Soto. The Bronx Bombers still seem projected to be one of the top teams in the American League, but as evidenced by last season, anything can happen come playoff time. Meanwhile, the Baltimore Orioles have made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons, and possess a young firecracker in third baseman Gunnar Henderson, who has quickly evolved into a superstar. However, Baltimore lost a key piece to free agency in former Cy Young winner Burnes, and their starting rotation looks too weak to seriously compete in the postseason. Up north, the Toronto Blue Jays are coming off of an 88-loss season and have an aging squad led by star slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who is set to be the top free agent next offseason. The Boston Red Sox made some major moves in the offseason, including two significant starting pitcher acquisitions in former All-Stars Walker Buehler and Garret Crochet, as well as postseason hero Alex Bregman. Boston looks to compete for a wild card spot, and their young lineup, led by stupendous slugger Rafael Devers, appears promising. Currently, the Tampa Bay Rays seem primed to stink up the bottom of the standings, but they never cease to amaze by crawling into the playoffs mainly on the merits of their pitching.
AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL
The Cleveland Guardians look to repeat as first-place in the central division, which has been a highly-contested spot the past few seasons. Cleveland is led by arguably the best third baseman in baseball, Jose Ramirez, and may find worthy competitors in three squads. First, the Kansas City Royals are led by superstar shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., who led the MLB with a .332 batting average in 2024. Second, the Detroit Tigers are a feisty young squad led by reigning Cy Young and pitching triple crown winner Tarik Skubal, who finished 2024 with an 18-4 record. Lastly, the Minnesota Twins feature a little-known squad that is stacked with talent, including the controversial Carlos Correa. The Chicago White Sox, fresh off a record-breaking 121-loss season, seem prepared to win nothing more than sports tabloid headlines.
The Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. led MLB with a .332 batting average in 2024. Imagn Images
AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST
For several years dating back to the offseason of 2019, The Houston Astros were mired in controversy with the sign-stealing scandal that reached the ears of many non-baseball fans. However, Houston put the controversy in the past and has finished first in the AL West the last four seasons, winning a title in 2022. The Astros seemed to self-implode this offseason, trading away homegrown star Kyle Tucker, and with an aging squad, appear to be finished being, or resembling, a dynasty. The Texas Rangers had a disappointing losing season in 2024, a year removed from their first-ever World Series title. Texas hopes to return to the playoffs with a qualified squad led by two-time World Series MVP Corey Seager. Meanwhile, the Seattle Mariners look to gain an advantage if the two Texan clubs falter, and possess one of the best starting rotations in baseball, as well as young superstar Julio Rodriguez, who is coming off of a disappointing season, but looks to regain his MVP-contender form at the plate. There’s no way to sugarcoat it: the Angels stink, and so do the Athletics, who will spend 2025 playing at home in Sacramento after leaving Oakland, to the ire of their fanbase.
NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST
Three well-equipped squads look to capture first place in what is sure to be a highly contested division. First, the reigning divisional champs, the Philadelphia Phillies, look to rebound after losing the rival New York Mets in last year’s playoffs, with the strength of a strong rotation and powerful sluggers including Bryce Harper. With perhaps higher expectations coming into 2025 than the Phillies, the Mets look to avenge 2024’s NLCS loss to the Dodgers with the help of new addition Juan Soto, who joins Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor to form an imposing top of the batting order. However, the Mets’s starting rotation seems too weak at the moment to compete with clubs like the Dodgers, and New York needs to spin some deals for top-tier starters before the trading deadline if they want to succeed late into the postseason. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Braves hope to return to their seemingly normal spot in the playoffs, after narrowly missing in 2024. They are led by superstar Ronald Acuña Jr., who, in 2023, became the first player in MLB history to post forty home runs and seventy stolen bases in the same season. The Miami Marlins and Washington Nationals are both weak squads, but both feature talented youngsters, including the Nationals’ Rookie of the Year favorite, outfielder Dylan Crews.
NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL
The Milwaukee Brewers look to repeat as first-place finishers in what is, admittedly, not the strongest of divisions. The Brew Crew hope for former MVP Christian Yelich to excel once healthy, and youngster Jackson Chourio to blossom into a superstar. It will be exciting to see a budding rivalry against the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds. Chicago had a surprisingly above-average offseason, which was capped with the addition of perennial All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker, who should help the Cubbies challenge for a spot in the postseason. Cincinnati is led by speedster Elly De La Cruz, who led the MLB in steals with sixty-seven last year, in his first full season in the bigs. Meanwhile, the St. Louis Cardinals are in the midst of a rebuild, and the Pittsburgh Pirates look to add pieces to a squad led by 2024 NL Rookie of The Year Paul Skenes, who became the first rookie pitcher to start an MLB All-Star Game since Hideo Nomo in 1995!
The Reds’ Elly De La Cruz led MLB in stolen bases last season with 67. Getty Images
NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST
The reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers look nearly invincible at the moment, as they feature an immaculate top of the order with Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and the one-of-a-kind Shohei Ohtani, who looks to return to pitching in addition to his impressive batting exploits. Los Angeles also features a strong
rotation including new additions Roki Sasaki and Blake Snell, adding depth to a highly touted, albeit injury-prone starting rotation. If anything stops the Dodgers from repeating as champs, it will most likely be injuries. Meanwhile, the San Diego Padres look to dethrone the Dodgers in the West, on account of a well built starting rotation and a formidable lineup led by Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, and last year’s NL Rookie Of The Year runner-up Jackson Merrill, who may turn full superstar this season. The Arizona Diamondbacks are only two seasons removed from a World Series appearance, and look to return to the postseason with the help of speedster Corbin Carroll, and a rotation that includes former Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes. The San Francisco Giants appear a .500 team at best, while the Colorado Rockies look to contend for the worst record in baseball.
MARQUEE MATCHUPS
The Dodgers and Cubs will open the 2025 season in a special two-game series scheduled for March 18 and 19 in Tokyo, Japan, where Roki Sasaki may make his MLB debut and Shohei Ohtani is expected to play his first MLB game in his home country. The Yankees and Dodgers will meet again in a three-game series from May 30 to June 1, where New York will try to avenge their World Series loss. The Mets will face Los Angeles seven times in 2025, from May 23 to 25 and June 2 to 5, in the same matchup of the 2024 NLCS. The two empire state squads will face off six times against each other in the upcoming season, from May 16 to 18 and July 4 to 6. In the May series, Juan Soto will return to Yankee Stadium, where he should be treated to an earful from the crowd. Finally, on August 2, two of MLB’s fastest players, Ronald Acuña Jr. and Elly De La Cruz, will lead their squads as the Braves and Reds face off in the sport’s first-ever Speedway Classic, which will appropriately be held at a race track!
PECULIAR PREDICTIONS
In the American League, Bobby Witt Jr. will win his first MVP award in a close race with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Aaron Judge. Judge will lead the league in home runs and runs batted in, while Witt Jr. will top the American League in batting average and stolen bases. The Red Sox’s new addition, Garret Crochet will win his first Cy Young award, while the Rookie of The Year award will go to Tigers righty Jackson Jobe. The American League Championship Series matchup will be between the Yankees and the Royals, with New York coming out on top in a six-game series. In the National League, Shohei Ohtani will become the second player in MLB history (after Barry Bonds) to win more than three MVP awards, securing his fourth with a magnificent two-way season. Ohtani will top the league in home runs, while his teammate Freddie Freeman will lead in runs batted in and batting average. Elly De La Cruz will finish as MVP runner-up after leading the league in stolen bases. Paul Skenes will win his first Cy Young award, while Dodgers fireballer Roki Sasaki will secure Rookie of The Year while showcasing his skills on the mound. In the National League Championship Series, the Dodgers and Mets will visit each other again, and Mookie Betts will hit a walk-off home run in a pivotal winner-take-all game seven to set up a Yankees-Dodgers rematch. In the fall classic, the series will be stretched to a final, seventh game. Yankees fans will watch in dismay as Los Angeles wins in blowout fashion, with the help of World Series MVP Mookie Betts, and Aaron Judge fails to live up to high expectations under the spotlight once again.
The 2025 World Series could be a rematch of 2024’s fall classic. EPA/GETTY IMAGES
I hope you enjoyed reading my preview and predictions for the upcoming season of Major League Baseball. Many unexpected and shocking moves and games will unfold over the course of the season, and all of my aforementioned predictions could wind up being wrong. However, I am without a doubt certain that one of my predictions for the 2025 MLB season will be correct; it will be thrilling!
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