As the 2025 Major League Baseball season dawns upon us, experts and enthusiasts alike are buzzing with predictions and analyses.
One such expert, with over three decades of experience in the field, has shared his unique take on the upcoming season. Rather than merely listing the top hitters, pitchers, or potential award winners, this seasoned analyst offers a pithy and insightful breakdown of each team’s strengths and weaknesses.
Let’s dive into his comprehensive predictions and see what the 2025 season might hold for all 30 MLB teams.
National League East: Braves Lead the Pack
The Atlanta Braves are poised for another stellar season, with their hitting described as speedy, pitching as always, and defense as excellent. The return of Ronald Acuña Jr. adds a significant intangible boost to the team.
The Philadelphia Phillies, predicted as a wild card, boast heavy hitters but lack defensive prowess. However, their extensive postseason experience could be a game-changer.
New York Mets and Washington Nationals: Wild Cards and Sleepers
The New York Mets, with Juan Soto leading their hitting, are expected to secure a wild card spot. Their defense is very good, and their pitching is deemed good enough.
The Washington Nationals are tagged as a sleeper team, with young hitters and excellent defense. Their pitching is returning, making them a team to watch.
Miami Marlins: The Underdogs
The Miami Marlins remain an enigma, with questions surrounding their hitting, pitching, and defense. The analyst humorously questions whether their games count if no one is there to see them, highlighting the team’s struggle for attention and support.
National League Central: Cubs in Win-Now Mode
The Chicago Cubs lead the NL Central predictions, with improved hitting, very good defense, and pitching that could leverage the Wrigley winds. They seem to be in win-now mode, which could make them formidable contenders.
The Cincinnati Reds follow closely, with new hitters and a deep pitching roster. Their defense is good, and they have a spiffy new manager.
Brewers, Cardinals, and Pirates: Mixed Fortunes
The Milwaukee Brewers have lost key players like Adames and Williams, impacting their hitting and pitching. Their defense is acceptable, but their intangibles remain a mystery.
The St. Louis Cardinals have mostly the same roster, with very good defense and returning pitching. They seem to be waiting for Yadi to become manager.
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The Pittsburgh Pirates, with questionable hitting and decent defense, boast one of the league’s best pitching staffs but leave fans wondering about their overall strategy.
National League West: Dodgers’ Expensive Roster
The Los Angeles Dodgers, with their expensive hitting, pitching, and defense, are expected to dominate the NL West.
The Arizona Diamondbacks, predicted as a wild card, have improved pitching and good defense, aiming to return to the World Series for the second time in three years.
Padres, Giants, and Rockies: Challenges Ahead
The San Diego Padres have a patched-together lineup with uncertain pitching and fair defense.
The San Francisco Giants, with an interesting mix of hitters and old pitchers, have good enough defense and are entering Buster Posey’s first year as an executive.
The Colorado Rockies face significant challenges with questionable hitting, pitching, and defense, compounded by what is described as the weirdest ownership/management in MLB.
American League East: Yankees Under Pressure
The New York Yankees, with solid hitting but injured pitching and questionable defense, face intense pressure to win.
The Baltimore Orioles, a wild card contender, return with good hitting and defense but did almost nothing this offseason.
The Tampa Bay Rays remain an anonymous team with unknown hitting, pitching, and defense, raising questions about their performance playing at a Spring Training park.
Red Sox and Blue Jays: Moves and Misses
The Boston Red Sox have made expensive moves to improve their hitting and pitching, with interesting defense.
The Toronto Blue Jays, with a spiffy new Santander and Max Scherzer, have okay defense but missed out on almost every big-name free agent.
American League Central: Tigers and Royals Lead
The Detroit Tigers, with hitting described as a wing and a prayer, have much better pitching than expected and average defense. Their ability to sustain their great finish to the 2024 season is in question.
The Kansas City Royals, a wild card contender, boast the best player in baseball no one’s heard of, surprisingly good pitching, and very good defense, anchored by the league’s best shortstop.
Guardians, Twins, and White Sox: Varied Expectations
The Cleveland Guardians return with good hitting, some pitching, and excellent defense, often exceeding expectations.
The Minnesota Twins made no significant moves this offseason, leaving them behind three better teams in their division.
The Chicago White Sox, with questionable hitting, pitching, and defense, leave fans wondering about their overall strategy.
American League West: Rangers on Top
The Texas Rangers, with powerful hitting, questionable pitching, and good defense, could finish first or last.
The Seattle Mariners, a wild card contender, have mostly the same roster with good enough defense and some interesting new additions.
Astros, Angels, and Athletics: Uncertainty Reigns
The Houston Astros face numerous question marks with patched-together hitting, uncertain pitching, and okay defense.
The Los Angeles Angels, despite numerous signings, face doubts about their impact, with Anthony Rendon already out for the year.
The Sacramento Athletics, playing at a Minor League park, are described as having the worst ownership in baseball, raising concerns about their overall performance.
Postseason Predictions: Braves and Yankees to Clash
The expert predicts first-round byes for the Dodgers, Braves, Yankees, and Rangers.
In the wild-card series, the Cubs are expected to defeat the Diamondbacks, the Phillies to defeat the Mets, the Tigers to defeat the Orioles, and the Royals to defeat the Mariners.
The division series predictions see the Dodgers defeating the Cubs, the Braves defeating the Phillies, the Yankees defeating the Royals, and the Rangers defeating the Tigers.
Championship Series and World Series
In the championship series, the Braves are expected to defeat the Dodgers. The Yankees are expected to defeat the Rangers.
The World Series prediction sees the Braves triumphing over the Yankees. 113 out of 465 votes support this outcome.
For a detailed breakdown of these predictions and more, visit the full article on Bleed Cubbie Blue.
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