Baseball’s Best, Worst and Most Surprising: The 2025 Season in Review

By Eric Gouldsberry, This Great Game—Posted November 7, 2025

Let’s admit it: The 2025 baseball season was fun. There was a game played at a NASCAR speedway. A woman umpired for the first time. And a home run derby settled the All-Star Game, which was fine so long as Rob Manfred didn’t start having hallucinations about using the gimmick in games that count. 

While payrolls still ranged widely, from the ultra-spending Los Angeles Dodgers ($500 million, including luxury taxes) to the penny-saving Miami Marlins (under $70 million), such disparity wasn’t reflected in the standings. For the first time since 2014, there were no 100-game winners. Only three teams won less than 70. Erase the 83-79 Cincinnati Reds from the playoff bracket—which, actually, the Dodgers did with two quick routs in the best-of-three Wild Card Series—and the difference between the best and worst records from the remaining 11 postseason teams was only 10 wins.   

Three players hit four home runs in a game, an eye-opening fact given there had only been 18 such performances in baseball’s previous 149 seasons of major league play. For the year, four players hit 50 to tie a major league mark; Eugenio Suarez nearly made it five, settling for 49. One record that was broken came under the category of 30-30 (home run-stolen bases) players, with six reaching the milestone. 

An outsider would look at all of the above and conclude that the 2025 season was rich in offense—but no, it wasn’t. Baseball’s overall batting average ticked slightly upward to a still-unimpressive .246—a number likely aided by the surfeit of position players taking the mound with no idea how to pitch professionally. Many top players checked in with standard averages in the .260s and .270s; on August 29, there wasn’t a single National League player batting a true .300. Philadelphia’s Trea Turner eventually managed to top the mark, channeling Carl Yastrzemski (in 1968) as the league’s only player to hit over .300; his final .304 mark was easily the lowest by a batting champ in NL history. Meanwhile, the 181 hits by San Diego’s Luiz Arraez (who batted .292) were the fewest by a NL leader in over 100 years, while the 184 knocked out by Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr. were the fewest by an AL leader since 1972—a year before the advent of the designated hitter. 

So, that same outsider, after being presented with those underwhelming hitting numbers from the previous paragraph, would recalibrate his initial impression and think, “okay then, good year for pitchers,” right? Well, yes and no. Despite many close calls, no pitcher—or group of pitchers­—threw a no-hitter for the first time in 20 years. Starting pitchers continued their slow, agonizing crawl toward obsolescence; only 29 complete games were thrown, nobody won 20 games, and the 207 innings piled up by San Francisco’s Logan Webb were the lowest ever compiled by a league leader in a full season. Webb was joined by only two others who topped 200. 

There were areas of concern throughout this past season. The aforementioned emergency/batting practice pitchers, using position players to give pitching staffs a rest, was once cute and fun back when it happened twice a year—but in 2025, it seemed a day didn’t go by where a manager stuck an infielder on the mound to serve up one hit after another on 35-MPH pitches. The practice has become so prevalent that it has made a mockery of the game. More alarming, the mid-year sidelining of All-Star Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase and his rotation teammate Luis Ortiz—as MLB investigated their possible involvement in fixing the outcome of certain pitches through microbets—raised the ugly specter of illegal gambling within the game. The genie that was unwisely let out of the sports betting bottle by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018—and the subsequent embracement of that growing industry by most pro sports entities including MLB—threatens to veer the game toward a dark moment parallel to the Black Sox Scandal. 

By October, baseball’s good vibes reigned as a thrilling postseason was capped by a brilliant, seven-game World Series between the expected participant (the Dodgers) and the unexpected (the Toronto Blue Jays). Sensational play was the rule, as were nail-biting extra-inning games—reminding us once more how the postseason is so blissfully absent of the regular season folly that is the automatic (gift) runner on second base every extra inning. 

Between the first pitch of the year—an automatic ball charged to the Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto for taking too long—and the last, a broken-bat double-play grounder also thrown by Yamamoto, there were 226 days of memorable baseball with great moments, excellent debuts, unexpected fade-outs and plenty of oddities. They’re all included in our following review of the 2025 season, team by team.

NL East

Philadelphia Phillies
2025 Record: 96-66 (first)

The Scoop: The Phillies danced with the Mets at the top of the NL East standings for much of the year, but most figured they’d prevail because, unlike the Mets, they don’t have an implosion complex. Sure enough, the Mets faltered and Phillies sped away over the final two months. A second straight division title was achieved in spite of a wobbly bullpen, whose issues were compounded by the midseason PED suspension of reliever Jose Alvarado; picking up elite Minnesota closer Jhoan Duran at the trade deadline helped stabilize the pen. The rotation, meanwhile, remained one of baseball’s most sound with Cristopher Sanchez (13-5, 2.50 ERA) emerging as one of the game’s best starters. Then there was the hitting; Trea Turner finished the year as the only National Leaguer to hit over .300, and Kyle Schwarber obliterated opposing pitchers as you’ll read next.

Best of Show: As always, Schwarber provided omnipotent value with a deceivingly low (.240) batting average, as he smoked 56 home runs—33 of those at home, with four in one game (August 28 against Atlanta)—drove in 132 runs, scored 111 and walked 108 times. He also reached base at least once in each of his first 41 games (setting a Phillies mark to start a season), and homered in 15 straight series mid-year. 

Where Did You Come From: Before Duran’s arrival in August, Tanner Banks was a reassuring presence in the bullpen with a 3.07 ERA over 69 games. 

Where Did You Go: Trusted veteran pitcher Aaron Nola suddenly became the ugly duckling in an otherwise strong rotation, dealing much of the year with ankle and rib injuries. In a half-season’s work, Nola finished 5-10 with a grisly 6.01 ERA. 

It’s Interesting to Note: The Phillies were 73-41 against right-handed starting pitchers—but 23-25 against southpaw starters.

New York Mets
2025 Record: 83-79 (second)

The Scoop: Oh, the Mets. They started the season hot and, by mid-June, had the majors’ best record at 45-24. But as most Mets fans by now know, there are three certainties in life—death, taxes, and that the Mets will always screw up their season. A $342 million payroll—the majors’ second highest, behind the Dodgers—provide a powerful, top-heavy lineup that boasted Juan Soto, Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor, but it got no value from a pitching staff which went from a fourth-best ERA (3.56) before the All-Star Break to the sixth-worst (4.74) afterward, precipitating a second-half collapse and a startling absence from the postseason. Grimace wasn’t around to save them this time. 

Best of Show: After a slow start that generated a fair share of booing at Citi Field, Juan Soto kicked into expected gear and emerged with strong numbers in his first year with the Mets under a record-setting $765 million contract. Soto’s .263 batting average was nothing to write home about, but he set a career high with 43 home runs, surprisingly turned on the speed with a NL-high 38 steals (previous high: 12), and set a Mets record with 127 walks. Soto was also at his most dangerous in the late innings, batting .323 from the seventh on—as opposed to a .240 figure in frames one through six. 

Where Did You Come From: Nolan McLean was one of a record 46 pitchers used by the Mets in 2025, and he was clearly the best of several top pitching prospects called up late in the year to help save the season. In eight starts, the 24-year-old furnished a 5-1 record, 2.06 ERA and 57 strikeouts over 48 innings. Some Mets fans view him as the second coming of Tom Seaver. Visions of grandeur, perhaps, but we’ll see. 

Where Did You Go: Hey Siri, what happened to you? That would be Jose Siri, the former Tampa Bay outfielder whose Mets debut was, to say the least, forgettable; he suffered a broken leg two weeks into the season, and otherwise had just two hits in 32 at-bats. 

It’s Interesting to Note: The Mets were the majors’ only team not to win a game when trailing after eight innings.

Miami Marlins
2025 Record: 79-83 (third)

The Scoop: Baseball’s youngest and cheapest roster began the season as also its dullest. But that was before a few rookies and others slightly more experienced began putting some unexpected sparkle into the team’s lifeblood. Among them was emerging star outfielder Kyle Stowers, who batted .288 with 25 homers; second baseman Xavier Edwards, the majors’ only left-handed batter to hit over .300 (at .306); and rookie catcher Agustin Ramirez, who despite some atrocious defense behind the plate (MLB highs among catchers with 10 errors and 19 passed balls—not to mention a poor 8.8% rate throwing out basestealers) became a keeper with 21 homers and 16 steals. All this inspired youth transformed the Marlins from a team that started 30-45 to near the .500 mark at year’s end, buoyed with a team record-tying nine-game win streak and another of 11 straight on the road that shattered another mark. Think about it: This team, with a fifth of the Mets’ payroll, finished just four games behind New York. 

Best of Show: After struggling to find a footing in Baltimore, Kyle Stowers came to Miami and, given the chance to prove himself as an everyday player, made the All-Star team and contributed to the National League’s “swing-off” victory at Atlanta by being one of three sluggers to participate in the first-time, tie-breaking procedure. Right before the All-Star Break, Stowers made news by hitting three homers among five hits, breaking a team record with 14 total bases in an 11-1 win at Baltimore. 

Where Did You Come From: Center fielder Jakob Marsee was just a random minor leaguer thrown in as part of the deal that sent him and three others from San Diego to Miami for Luis Arraez in early 2024, but he came alive in the Marlins’ system—and once called up to the parent team at the beginning of August, he improved even more. In 55 games—essentially, a third of a whole season—he batted .292 with 18 doubles, three triples, five homers, 33 RBIs and 14 steals. 

Where Did You Go: The Marlins brought in starting pitcher Cal Quantrill from Colorado after he posted a 4.98 ERA—not bad, by mile-high standards. With Miami, he performed as if the air was even thinner, registering a 5.50 ERA to go with a 4-10 record before being packaged to Atlanta late in the year. 

It’s Interesting to Note: No position player was used as an emergency/batting practice pitcher more than utility guy Javier Sanoja, who made eight appearances on the mound; the results were predictable, as he posted a 16.39 ERA by allowing 17 runs on 24 hits over 9.1 innings.

Atlanta Braves
2025 Record: 76-86 (fourth)

The Scoop: That Great Atlanta Dynasty of the 2020s isn’t looking all that great, threatening to be emptied into the trash along with that Great Chicago Cubs Post-2016 Dynasty. The Braves lost their first seven games, and numerous players lost a lot of playing time; Jurickson Profar, the team’s big offseason pick-up, was suspended for the first 80 games after a positive PED test; Ronald Acuna Jr., Austin Riley and Sean Murphy all missed significant chunks of the season to injury; and at one point, the entire Opening Day rotation was sharing time on the Injury List. As a result, the Braves were forced to utilize a major league-record 71 different players during the year. A 10-game win streak in the season’s final weeks was too little, too late, as the Braves finished below .500 to end a seven-year run of winning seasons. Manager Brian Snitker, a member of the organization for half a century, decided to retire rather than try and steer this ship back to its dynastic ambitions. 

Best of Show: While almost everyone on the roster got beat up or underperformed, first baseman Matt Olson stayed in the groove with a .272 batting average, 29 home runs, 95 RBIs and a share of the NL lead with 41 doubles. He also once again played every game, running his streak of consecutive contests played to 782—the 12th longest in MLB history, and the longest among active players. 

Where Did You Come From: Catcher Drake Baldwin may have some work to do behind the plate—he gave up a NL-high 88 stolen bases playing just 97 games at the position—but there was certainly nothing wrong with his hitting. A .272 batting average, 19 homers and 80 RBIs over 405 at-bats make him a top candidate for NL Rookie of the Year honors. 

Where Did You Go: A year ago, Reynaldo Lopez made the All-Star roster with an 8-5 record and sterling 1.99 ERA. In 2025, he was little seen; he made one start, underwent shoulder surgery and missed the rest of the season. 

It’s Interesting to Note: Michael Harris II had the majors’ lowest walk rate (0.25%), with just 16 in 641 plate appearances; in one stretch of 187 PAs, he didn’t walk at all—setting a franchise mark for a position player.

Washington Nationals
2025 Record: 66-96 (fifth)

The Scoop: Stagnation continued and patience wore thin in D.C., as the Nationals finished below .500 for a sixth straight season—leading to the mid-year dismissal of both manager Dave Martinez and general manager Mike Rizzo, the latter having served in his position since 2009. Awful pitching was mostly to blame; starter Jake Irvin unfortunately took over for the shellshocked, departed (to Texas) Patrick Corbin, giving up more home runs (38) and earned runs (114) than any other pitcher; the staff plunked an MLB-high 89 batters; and the bullpen checked in with baseball’s worst ERA at 5.59. In one miserable six-game stretch, opponents hit .415 against Washington pitching. The Nationals flirted with the .500 mark into mid-June, then collapsed by winning just 25 of their next 78 games. To paraphrase Colonel Kilgore from Apocalypse Now: “Someday, this losing’s gonna end.” 

Best of Show: James Wood’s first full season, at age 22, confirmed the hype centered around him after his arrival a year earlier; he led the team with 31 homers, 94 RBIs, 38 doubles and 85 walks. The Angels certainly thought enough of him to grant him four intentional walks in one game. There were side effects, such as 221 strikeouts—a mere two shy of Mark Reynolds’ all-time record—but in this day and age, nobody cares. 

Where Did You Come From: Speedy outfielder Daylen Lile debuted with impressive numbers, batting .299 with nine homers and 11 triples—all collected after the All-Star Break—over 91 games. 

Where Did You Go: After a sharp (but injury-shortened) 2024 campaign, pitcher Trevor Williams never got on track, going 3-10 with a 6.21 ERA by July 2 before undergoing season-ending surgery for a partial elbow tear. 

It’s Interesting to Note: No team hit fewer home runs (46) batting right-handed than the Nationals, though that makes sense given that only Cleveland had fewer at-bats within that split.

NL Central

Milwaukee Brewers
2025 Record: 97-65 (first)

The Scoop: The Brewers had about as bad a start as one can remember, losing their first four games by an aggregate score of 47-15 while serving up 17 home runs—the most over any four-game stretch in franchise history. Things gradually got better—slowly at first, as the team struggled to peak above .500 through the end of May—before rocketing to the top of the NL Central with a tenacious, low-budget lineup that gelled together and dominated the summer months. Along the way, the people of Milwaukee—and eventually those beyond—got to know some nameless faces like outfielder Sal Frelick, set-up reliever Abner Uribe, and tall, thin pitcher of 104-MPH fastballs Jacob Misiorowski. With the homeless Tampa Bay Rays struggling to regain postseason strength, the Brewers grabbed the mantle as MLB’s small-market engine that could, finishing with the majors’ best record before completely running out of steam (four losses, four total runs) in the NLCS against the Dodgers. 

Best of Show: Freddy Peralta was the lone constant in the Brewers’ rotation, making the most of his 33 starts—winning a NL-high 17 games against six losses and posting the league’s fourth-best ERA (2.70). He didn’t pitch deep, completing six or more innings 13 times—but they were all quality starts, with 10 resulting in victories. 

Where Did You Come From: With all due respect to tall, future ace Misiorowski, Uribe was a crucial cog in the Milwaukee bullpen, achieving elite relief form in his third season with a 1.67 ERA, seven saves, and an MLB-best 37 holds over 75 appearances. 

Where Did You Go: Former Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes endured a nightmarish debut with the Brewers, facing his former team on Opening Day and surrendering home runs to the first three Yankees, and five through the first two innings. He had a much better (six shutout innings) second start, but as bad luck would have it, he suffered an elbow injury and missed the next three months; by August he was traded to San Diego, where he was no less disappointing. 

It’s Interesting to Note: The Brewers’ $120 million payroll was $43 million lower than the luxury tax paid by the Dodgers.

Chicago Cubs
2025 Record: 92-70 (second)

The Scoop: All was well with the Cubs again after an early-decade period of banality. The team led the NL Central through the All-Star Break—for a brief time in late July, they had the majors’ best record—and stayed competitive to the finish, but couldn’t keep pace with a red-hot Milwaukee side in the second half. Still, the Cubs were content with a wild card spot that put them in the postseason for the first time in five years. Middle infielders Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson laid the foundation, while the muscle was provided by three 30-homer participants in Michael Busch, Seiya Suzuki and Pete Crow-Armstrong—the latter of whom became the Cubs’ second-ever 30-30 player. On the mound, Matthew Boyd finally had the year so long expected of him, with 12 of his 14 wins—and only one of his eight losses—taking place at Wrigley Field, while picking off an MLB-high 11 baserunners. No one on the North Side will be happy that the Cubs failed to topple the rival Brewers—regular season or post—but the overall progress is certainly a positive development. 

Best of Show: Hoerner was simply one tough cookie; though he lacked power (seven homers), he batted .297, with NL tops against left-handers (.369) and with runners in scoring position (.371). He also swiped 29 bases and displayed Gold Glove-level defense at second base. Numerous teammates displayed showier numbers, but no Cub was more valuable. He’s 28 and a free agent after 2026; if the Cubs were smart, they’d give him a nice extension—and quickly. 

Where Did You Come From: Right-hander Cade Horton, the Cubs’ first-round draft pick from 2022, set a team rookie record with 29 consecutive scoreless innings; overall, he was 11-4 with a 2.67 ERA to warrant strong NL Rookie of the Year consideration. Alas, he fractured a rib just a week before the start of the postseason, and thus missed out on the team’s limited run in October. 

Where Did You Go: Justin Steele just can’t seem to get a break. The best pitcher no one heard of back in 2023 was all but forgotten in 2025, undergoing season-ending elbow surgery after just four starts. 

It’s Interesting to Note: No team was more resilient than the Cubs; their 46-24 record and .277 batting average in games after a loss were both tops in the majors. It’s thus not surprising that the Cubs suffered only one losing streak of more than three games.

Cincinnati Reds
2025 Record: 83-79 (third)

The Scoop: On September 16, the Reds were a game below .500 and looking at very low odds to capture the final NL wild card spot. Twelve days later, with eight wins over their final 11 games, they snared the spot—becoming the team with the worst record to make the playoffs since 2005. They then got summarily dismissed in the first round by the Dodgers. But, extending their campaign into October for the first time in a full season since 2013 sparked hope for a team that still likes to think it’s on the rise under experienced manager Terry Francona. Younger players made an impact, expectedly from shortstop Elly De La Cruz (see below) and flamethrowing ace Hunter Greene (7-4, 2.76 ERA over an injury-curtailed log), and unexpectedly from southpaw Andrew Abbott (10-7, 2.87). Amongst the veterans, 34-year-old set-up reliever Emilio Pagan put on the closer’s pants after Alexis Diaz’s early collapse and saved not only 32 games but, arguably, the Reds’ season as well. 

Best of Show: Numerous baseball experts were predicting an MVP-level breakout for 23-year-old shortstop Elly De La Cruz, which makes his final 2025 numbers—a .264 batting average, 22 homers, 86 RBIs and 37 steals—feel somewhat disappointing. Still, no one sparked this team more, even if he did stall in the second half with just four homers over his last 83 games. 

Where Did You Come From: After bouncing back and forth between the Reds and Triple-A the previous four years, reliever Tony Santillan stuck to the majors, appeared in 80 games and registered a 2.44 ERA, 33 holds and seven saves. 

Where Did You Go: In two years, closer Alexis Diaz went from All-Star to crashing out of the majors. Control issues got the best of the right-hander, and the Reds threw their hands up and released him after just six appearances. The Dodgers and Braves both tried to right him, with similarly bad results. Between all three teams, Diaz posted an 8.15 ERA over 18 games. 

It’s Interesting to Note: In six starts against interleague competition, Abbott furnished a superlative 0.96 ERA.

St. Louis Cardinals
2025 Record: 78-84 (fourth)

The Scoop: Every once in a while, there’s an MLB team which, while not awful, quietly exists in spite of itself, with little perceived foresight—and that doesn’t bode well for its future. Such a team right now is the Cardinals. In 2025, it seemed that there was just no there there; the Cardinals had no star power—unless you count Nolan Arenado at half his former potency—no energy, and no vibe whatsoever. This void turned off a normally loyal fan base, which used to fill Busch Stadium with three million spectators every year—but this year cleared out the ballpark as attendance sank to 2.25 million, the team’s lowest in a full, non-COVID season since 1984. Again, the Cardinals weren’t awful; in fact, they were 47-38 at the end of June before falling apart in the season’s second half. Perhaps that late drop-off exposed a roster of supporting players with no stars to support—and a coming malaise. 

Best of Show: Veteran pitcher Sonny Gray didn’t exactly shout “ace” with his 2025 numbers, but a 14-8 record (including a shutout), 4.28 ERA and NL-best 5.29 K/BB ratio gave the Cardinals reliability at the top of the rotation. 

Where Did You Come From: At age 25, DH Ivan Herrera may be the one guy the Cardinals have who might become someone special. In 107 games, he batted .284 with 19 homers—eight in the season’s last month alone—translating to a healthy, team-best .837 OPS. 

Where Did You Go: The aforementioned Arenado was heavily sought to be traded by the Cardinals before the season, and his sagging 2025 numbers suggest why. In 107 games, the 34-year-old third baseman batted .237 with just 12 home runs, all while being dogged by shoulder pains. 

It’s Interesting to Note: The Cardinals did not learn to get even; they got hit 88 times by pitches, but only returned the favor 48 times.

Pittsburgh Pirates
2025 Record: 71-91 (fifth)

The Scoop: When a Los Angeles kid wound up with a highly-coveted, autographed Paul Skenes card and jersey patch, the Pirates offered to take both in exchange for two signed Skenes jerseys, a meet-and-greet with the star pitcher, and season tickets behind home plate for 30 years. Instead, the kid took the money ($1.1 million via auction) and ran. Had he taken the Bucs’ offer and sat behind home plate at PNC Park for 81 games, he would have seen Skenes in only 15 of them. Otherwise, he would have witnessed a last-place team with a moribund offense and a drunken fan falling 24 feet from the bleachers to his near-death in April. The Pirates ranked last in the majors in home runs, slugging and OPS; in one stretch, they went nearly an entire month without scoring more than four runs in a game. That was a shame, because the pitching—even beyond Skenes—posted MLB’s seventh-best team ERA (3.76) and the most shutouts (19). And how was pitching coach Oscar Martin rewarded for presiding over this staff? By getting fired. Meanwhile, hitting coach Matt Hague gets to keep his job for 2026. You didn’t miss much, kiddo. 

Best of Show: Who else? Skenes’ was the first pitcher since Justin Verlander in 2022 to post a sub-2.00 ERA (1.97), and the youngest since Dwight Gooden in 1985; his 216 strikeouts set a team record for right-handers. You have to go back 115 years, to Deadball Era workhorse Ed Walsh, to find a pitcher with a sub-2.00 ERA, 200+ K’s—and no winning record. In one eight-start span, Skenes authored a 1.77 ERA—with no wins. His 10-10 record will likely make him the first starting pitcher to win a Cy Young award without finishing above .500. 

Where Did You Come From: Could Bubba Chandler be the next big pitching thing in Pittsburgh? The 22-year-old right-hander arrived in late August and, outside of one miserable start against Milwaukee, proved confounding to opposing hitters with a 4-1 record, 4.02 ERA, 31 strikeouts and just four walks over 31.1 innings. 

Where Did You Go: Jared Jones, who some in Pittsburgh still envision as Don Drysdale to Skenes’ Sandy Koufax, experienced discomfort in his elbow in spring camp; it led to surgery and a complete absence from the regular season. 

It’s Interesting to Note: Good or bad, there certainly were few dull moments in regards to Oneil Cruz. Besides co-leading the NL with 38 steals and all outfielders with 11 errors, nobody swung at pitches harder; he smoked one home run at 122.9 MPH, the hardest hit ball ever recorded by Statcast, and belted the longest home run in the Home Run Derby, at 518 feet. But Cruz batted only .200—and not a true .200, rounding out from .1995—and hit a ghastly .103 against lefties, by far the majors’ worst such figure.

NL West

Los Angeles Dodgers
2025 Record: 93-69 (first)

The Scoop: Practically everyone pointed to the Dodgers as the shoo-in choice to repeat as champs for the first time since the 1998-2000 Yankees—obviously, for good reason. The Dodgers continued their spare-no-expense ethos before the season, bringing on two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell, hot Japanese pitching prospect Roki Sasaki, and seemingly every top free-agent reliever. They won their first eight games—the best start by a defending champion since the 1933 Yankees—fueling L.A. fans with visions of a 122-40, 132-30 or even 162-0 season. Reality soon, and firmly, set in; the Dodgers went through a midsummer 22-32 funk—briefly falling into second place in the NL West—absorbed their two worst losses in Dodger Stadium history (16-0 to the Cubs, 18-1 to the Astros), and their vaunted bullpen fell apart with closer Tanner Scott leading the majors in blown saves and Blake Treinen getting charged with losses in five straight appearances, an MLB record. After all that misery, the Dodgers rebounded at just the right moment—lifted by a suddenly-healthy rotation featuring Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw (in his final season) and even Shohei Ohtani. Through the clinching of a 13th straight postseason spot and four rounds of playoff baseball—the last three with home field disadvantage—the Dodgers showed their talent and experience in taking their second straight trophy. 

Best of Show: It seems almost strange that we’ve gone this far without digging into another exceptional year for Ohtani, who lacked the statistical bravado of his 50-50 season a year earlier but clearly remained elite enough to win a third straight MVP. His 55 home runs rebroke the Dodgers season record he himself set in 2024, set an MLB mark for homers from the leadoff spot, and scored 146 runs to establish a modern-era franchise record. And, oh yes, he pitched; in his return to the mound after a second Tommy John surgery, Ohtani posted a 2.87 ERA over 47.1 innings. 

Where Did You Come From: After Sasaki, infielder Hyeseong Kim was considered the Dodgers’ second big offseason catch from across the Pacific; butted out of the Opening Day roster, Kim spent over a month at Triple-A before finally debuting in Los Angeles—and proving he belonged with a .280 batting average and 13 steals over 170 plate appearances. 

Where Did You Go: The Dodgers finally lost their patience with injury-riddled Dustin May, who finally got healthy—but also became ineffective, going 6-7 with a 4.85 ERA before getting dealt to Boston at the trading deadline. 

It’s Interesting to Note: Yamamoto was one pitch away from an immaculate inning on June 19—umpire Marvin Hudson inexplicably called the ninth strike, placed right in the heart of the strike zone, a ball—and was an out away from what would have been the majors’ only no-hitter on the year, before Baltimore’s Jackson Holliday ended the bid with a home run.

San Diego Padres
2025 Record: 90-72 (second)

The Scoop: As good as the Padres were—making their second straight postseason appearance and fourth in six years—the Dodgers continued to be their daddy. The Padres wanted Roki Sasaki; the Dodgers got him. The Padres won their first seven games; the Dodgers won their first eight. The Padres drew three million fans; the Dodgers drew four million. The Padres beat the Dodgers four times; the Dodgers beat them nine times. Finishing three games back of Los Angeles, the Padres had to settle for a wild card spot, and were jobbed out of a first-round, winner-take-all third game against the Cubs on an awful strike call in the ninth, a year too early for the ABS to bail them out. While steady hitting and continued roster-building from the front office, before and during the season, buoyed the Padres’ contender status, the bullpen emerged as the team’s true strength. San Diego relievers combined to post MLB bests in saves (49), ERA (3.06) and opposing batting average (.209). But the taunt remains: Who’s your Daddy? 

Best of Show: In a rotation plagued by injury and inconsistency, Nick Pivetta reigned as the one unaffected ace, turning his San Diego debut into, easily, the most stellar campaign of his nine-year career. In 31 starts, Pivetta set personal bests in wins (13) and ERA (2.87); only Paul Skenes had a better WHIP in the NL than Pivetta’s 0.99. 

Where Did You Come From: Adrian Morejon followed up a pretty good 2024 season for the Padres with a much more impressive 2025 performance. His 13 wins (in 73 appearances) were the most by a reliever making no starts since 1986, posted a 2.01 ERA, and hitters batted just .186 against him. 

Where Did You Go: One has to wonder why the Padres committed so much money to Yu Darvish through his age-41 season. This year, at 39, the veteran right-hander was shut down for the first half with serious elbow issues, and upon his return struggled just to get through five innings with almost every start. He finished with a 5-5 record—but a 5.38 ERA. It gets worse; he underwent Tommy John surgery after the season, and will miss all of 2026. 

It’s Interesting to Note: The Padres set a franchise mark with 15 straight home wins going back to the end of the 2024 season.

San Francisco Giants
2025 Record: 81-81 (third)

The Scoop: For a team that finished an even .500, the Giants were very uneven. Whenever they got hot and fans jumped on the bandwagon, they grew ice cold. And just as those fans jumped off, the team got hot again. In the end, it was just another equal collection of wins and losses. While it could be a lot worse—see the Rockies, below—the .500 thing is getting a little old inside and out of the Oracle Park gates. The Giants brought in some power with slugger/shortstop/cheerleader Willy Adames and, in a surprise early-year trade, Rafael Devers—who was beyond disgruntled back in Boston—but in the end they simply lacked the weaponry needed to compete in the NL West. A midsummer, 28-game stretch with seven wins—just one of those notched at home in 16 tries—put a massive dent in the Giants’ playoff aspirations. That likely sealed the fate of Bob Melvin’s short tenure as San Francisco manager. 

Best of Show: Amid all the instability, Logan Webb could be relied upon to be his usual, consistently good self. He tied a career high with 15 wins, posted a 3.22 ERA, struck out a NL-high 224 batters, and led the league in innings (207) for the third straight year; not since 1944 had a pitcher paced the NL in both innings and K’s. 

Where Did You Come From: Did Dominic Smith finally get his groove back? After bouncing around from team to team for years, the first baseman was given a chance by the Giants in June—and responded with his best baseball since his brief (and fleeting) breakout with the 2020 Mets, batting .284 with five homers and 33 RBIs over 63 games. 

Where Did You Go: Smith replaced LaMonte Wade Jr., a fan favorite who collapsed at the plate with a powerless .167 average before being traded to the Angels—where he performed no better. 

It’s Interesting to Note: Adames became the first Giant since Barry Bonds in 2004 to hit 30 home runs.

Arizona Diamondbacks
2025 Record: 80-82 (fourth)

The Scoop: If you like betting the over, the Diamondbacks were your team. Only two other ballclubs—the pitching-challenged Rockies and Nationals—saw more runs scored for and against in 2025. The DBacks certainly had the offense; shortstop Geraldo Perdomo enjoyed a breakout season (more on him below), speedy outfielder Corbin Carroll became the first 30-30 player in franchise history while tying a major league record with four multi-triple games, and Eugenio Suarez belted four homers in an April 26 contest. But the pitching fell apart; veteran Jordan Montgomery was done for the season before it began, free-agent catch Corbin Burnes (six years, $210 million) underwent Tommy John surgery in June, and fellow ace Zac Gallen stumbled to a subpar 4.83 ERA. With the team on the fringe of wild card contention in late July, it had to make a choice; trade pending free agents in Suarez (36 homers for the DBacks), first baseman Josh Naylor, pitcher Merrill Kelly and others for prospects at the deadline, or go for it, keep them all and make a run at the playoffs. The DBacks chose to cash out. 

Best of Show: Perdomo proved the Diamondbacks right in being given a four-year, $45 million extension, evolving into a full-blown star at age 25. He batted .290—including an MLB-best .341 among right-handed hitters—hit 20 homers (previous career high: six), knocked in 100 runs, and drew the most walks (94) by anyone who struck out less (83). 

Where Did You Come From: Shelby Miller, whose 13-year career has had all the elasticity of an out-of-control yo-yo, showed off his better side early in the year for a DBacks staff lacking a closer. He saved 10 games with a 1.98 ERA in 37 appearances, before being traded at the deadline to Milwaukee—where the dark side returned (5.59 ERA in 11 games). 

Where Did You Go: Kevin Ginkel, so sharp in the Arizona pen over the past two years, struggled mightily (1-4, 7.36 ERA) as a bum shoulder caused grief throughout the year and finally ended his season after August 2. 

It’s Interesting to Note: The DBacks lost three games in which they scored 10 or more runs.

Colorado Rockies
2025 Record: 43-119 (fifth)

Warning: The following content may be disturbing for Colorado baseball fans. Physician’s discretion is strongly advised. 

The Scoop: As the Rockies were getting pounded day after day, night after night, pitcher Kyle Freeland uttered the understatement of the year by saying, “This is a very tough time for Colorado Rockies baseball.” From the word go, the mile-high Rockies plummeted to six feet under; any chance to find a silver lining with this team was akin to finding a needle in a haystack the size of Colorado. They gave up 1,021 runs—the most since the 1999 Rockies—scored the fewest runs outside of Pittsburgh, and committed the most errors in the NL. They didn’t win back-to-back games until early May, suffered their 50th loss before winning their 10th, and were on the wrong end of two of 28 shutout losses by 18 or more runs recorded since 1900. But wait, there’s more. The Rockies set modern (post-1900) records for worst run differential (-424), consecutive series lost (22), consecutive games without a shutout victory (220) and worst starting pitcher ERA (6.65). Seriously, we could go on and on, but those are the highlights. The scary part is that the Rockies are not intentionally tanking to build for the future; they just don’t know what the hell they’re doing. In a damning article published by The Athletic at the end of the season, one anonymous exec outside of Colorado said that the Rockies are “literally 20 years behind the rest of the league in terms of analytics, infrastructure, everything”—while another summed it all up more succinctly: “They’re in the Stone Ages.” 

We told you this would be disturbing. 

Best of Show: Young catcher Hunter Goodman put together the kind of numbers (.278 average, 31 home runs, 91 RBIs) that made starved Rockies fans recall the days of the Blake Street Bombers. 

Where Did You Come From: Jimmy Herget looked to be the only Rockies pitcher who truly knew what he was doing, using a sidearm delivery to post a 2.48 ERA over 59 games; it was his lowest season ERA after six years pitching for sea level-based teams. But he was only in Denver on a one-year deal, so look for him elsewhere next season. 

Where Did You Go: The inexplicably longstanding presence of Kyle Freeland, Antonio Senzatela and German Marquez, making up the Rockies’ “big three” starters since 2017, may need to be broken up—not for the sake of opposing hitters, but for the sake of the Rockies themselves. Together, the three combined for a 12-48 record and 6.01 ERA; they racked up the same number of earned runs allowed (290) as strikeouts. 

It’s Interesting to Note: The Rockies were 5-0 when coming into a contest with an eight-game losing streak.

AL East

Toronto Blue Jays
2025 Record: 94-68 (tied for first)

The Scoop: From worst to first. The Blue Jays bounced back from a broken-down 2024 campaign that saddled them with a last-place finish, surprisingly topping the AL East (with the same record as the Yankees, but gaining the advantage with an 8-5 record against New York) and riding home field advantage through to their first pennant in 32 years. Key to the rebound were previously hobbled stars (George Springer, Bo Bichette, Alejandro Kirk) coming back to life, accommodated with new blood in Nathan Lukes and Addison Barger. And of course, there was Vladimir Guerrero Jr., happy again with a long-term extension signed in mid-year. The Jays’ power revival at the plate more than balanced an average pitching staff which ranked 19th out of 30 in team ERA. 

Best of Show: In our 2024 review of the Blue Jays, we labeled Springer as someone whose best years were behind him. Turns out, one of his best years was right in front of him; the 35-year-old outfielder sprung back to life with a career-high .309 average, 32 homers, 106 runs scored and 18 steals. 

Where Did You Come From: After batting .197 as a part-time rookie in 2024, Barger earned an everyday slot in the lineup and surprised with 21 homers and 74 RBIs; he especially made a name for himself in the postseason, batting .367 over 60 at-bats with three bombs. 

Where Did You Go: Anthony Santander was supposed to be the big addition in Toronto after cranking out 44 homers a year earlier with Baltimore, but he struggled with little power and a sub-.200 average through the first two months before virtually missing the rest of the season due to a bum shoulder. 

It’s Interesting to Note: The Blue Jays led the majors with a .265 batting average—but more importantly, batted .292 with runners in scoring position and .386 with the bases loaded.

New York Yankees
2025 Record: 94-68 (tied for first)

The Scoop: Sporting unique torpedo bats that created an early-season buzz, no team was as potent and powerful as the Yankees, who led the majors in home runs (274) and runs scored (849). But they ran hot and cold; they could go through deep hitting droughts—in mid-June, they suffered three straight shutout defeats—and in other games were on the verge of being no-hit before breaking out with big-time rallies. Fortunately, the hot spells outweighed the cold; they hit nine homers in a game twice—matching the total numbers of games by all teams in baseball history—set one major league record by hitting four in an inning three times, and established another with 50 in the first inning. On the mound, the rotation was the salvation for a staff burdened by a 23rd-ranked bullpen, despite the year-long loss of ace Gerrit Cole and half-season absences of Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt; first-year Yankee Max Fried (19-5) and Carlos Rodon (18-9) more than made up by finishing 1-2 in the majors in wins. Up seven games in the East in late May and down 6.5 by late August, the Yankees rebounded to tie Toronto for first in the standings—but had to settle for a wild card via tiebreaker, losing eight of 13 games to the Blue Jays. They lost three of four more to Toronto in the ALDS to end their bid for back-to-back AL pennants. 

Best of Show: Aaron Judge certainly has the numbers to earn a third AL MVP in four years; he flirted with .400 into June before settling for a season-ending .331 that led all major leaguers, smashed over 50 homers (53, to be exact) for the fourth time to match an all-time mark, and broke an AL mark with 36 intentional walks. As Judge went, so went the Yankees; they were 42-25 on June 12 with Judge batting .392 with 26 homers—then won only 14 of their next 37, a stretch where the big slugger hit just .244 with 12 jacks. Even with a late-season elbow injury that limited his throwing, Judge rebounded to thrive down the stretch at the plate. 

Where Did You Come From: Rookie pitcher Cam Schlittler—what a name—had a shaky first few weeks during his debut in July, but the 6’6” right-hander finished out the campaign strong with a 2.96 ERA over 14 starts; his best effort came in the postseason, shutting down the Red Sox for eight shutout innings with 12 strikeouts. 

Where Did You Go: Amid rumors of being the odd man out in the rotation during spring camp, Marcus Stroman defiantly stated, “I’m a starter.” By the start of August, he wasn’t; after nine outings, a 3-2 record, 6.23 ERA and a two-month knee injury, he was placed on the trading block—with no takers. The Yankees released him. 

It’s Interesting to Note: Trent Grisham hit a career-high 34 homers—but just nine doubles. Only Dave Kingman, in 1982, hit more homers with single-digit totals in doubles.

Boston Red Sox
2025 Record: 89-73 (third)

The Scoop: In last year’s review of the Red Sox, we pitied Netflix for picking a blasé team with blasé storylines. Turns out, the streaming giant was a year too early. There was 10 times the drama at Boston this year, with numerous season-ending injuries, confrontation with fans and, most visibly, the saga of veteran slugger Rafael Devers—who initially refused to move from third base after the arrival of free agent Alex Bregman, a defensively superior talent compared to the error-prone Devers. Then, Devers refused to play first base after settling in as a DH. (By June, the team had enough and traded Devers to the Giants.) At that point, the Red Sox were a fourth-place team with a 35-36 record; with Devers gone, they refocused and went 54-37, securing a wild card spot. Highlights included comeback seasons from Trevor Story (25 home runs, 96 RBIs, 31 steals), Lucas Giolito (10-4, 3.41 ERA in 26 starts) and a startling return to elite form from 37-year-old reliever Aroldis Chapman, who saved 32 games, furnished a 1.17 ERA and, at one point, went 17 straight appearances without allowing a hit. Oh, yeah—the following two guys also played a big role. 

Best of Show: The Red Sox sent four players to Chicago and later paid $170 million over six years for Garrett Crochet; after being virtually bubble-wrapped by the White Sox in 2024, Boston let the 26-year-old southpaw loose, and he responded with an 18-5 record, 2.59 ERA and AL highs in 205.1 innings and 255 strikeouts. Also to mention: Crochet had a 2.91 ERA over nine games in which the Red Sox lost, threw more innings (20.1) after the sixth than any other starter, and held opposing hitters to the lowest batter average (.139) after his first 75 pitches. 

Where Did You Come From: Of the many Red Sox rookies with high hopes, none impressed more than outfielder/DH Roman Anthony, who batted .292 over 71 games; just as he was looking ready to take his game to a higher level, an oblique injury at the beginning of September deprived him of activity in the home stretch and the playoffs. The Red Sox liked what they saw and handed him an eight-year, $130 million extension. 

Where Did You Go: After a strong 2024 campaign, Tanner Houck got out to a miserable start (0-3, 8.04 ERA in nine starts); after a spate of disastrous rehab (0-3, 8.44 ERA in four Triple-A appearances), he was told to undergo Tommy John surgery on his pitching forearm. 

It’s Interesting to Note: The Red Sox became the second team in AL history (after the Yankees) to surpass 10,000 all-time wins.

Tampa Bay Rays
2025 Record: 77-85 (fourth)

The Scoop: The Rays were more newsworthy during the winter than the 2025 season that followed. They had to figure out where to play after Tropicana Field’s roof sustained major hurricane damage, while owner Stu Sternberg—who put the kibosh on a planned new St. Petersburg ballpark, stunning local officials—was increasingly pressured by frustrated MLB commissioner Rob Manfred and fellow owners to sell. Once spring came around, the Rays found a loaner home in Tampa’s Steinbrenner Field, the Yankees’ spring facility seating barely 11,000, and were given a unique schedule with 50 home games frontloaded within their first 78 overall to minimize summertime exposure to muggy heat and thunderstorms. The results were predictable; the Rays played their best baseball early on, sniffing first place as late as the end of June—but the intensified travel away from Tampa in the second half drained a young, somewhat inexperienced team. There was plenty to be hopeful about, with impressive debuts for speedy outfielders Chandler Simpson (.295 average, 44 steals) and Jake Magnum (.296, 27)—boosting the team’s total to a franchise record-tying 194 swipes—and breakout campaigns for first baseman Jonathan Aranda (.316 average in 106 games) and especially Junior Caminero (see below). Off the field, rosier days may be ahead with Tropicana Field expected to be reopen in 2026, and a new owner (Patrick Zalupski) buying out Sternberg. 

Best of Show: Junior Caminero had an out-of-nowhere experience, blasting 45 home runs—one short of Carlos Pena’s team record—while knocking in 110 runs. All (or most) of this, before his 22nd birthday; only Eddie Mathews in 1953 had more homers in a season while still 21. 

Where Did You Come From: Simpson came to Tampa as advertised, surging to the top of the stolen base charts. He was also pretty good going from home to first; no one averaged a faster pace between the two bags than his 3.97 seconds. 

Where Did You Go: One of these days, Shane McClanahan is going to pitch again—we think. He managed to make it into a few Spring Training games and made three rehab appearances in the minors, but the Rays’ top pitcher—when healthy—was shut down with a nagging nerve issue in his arm. He hasn’t made a regular season appearance with the parent club since August 2023. 

It’s Interesting to Note: In their 28 seasons of existence, the Rays have just one more win (2,168) than the Arizona Diamondbacks, who also began play in 1998.

Baltimore Orioles
2025 Record: 75-87 (fifth)

The Scoop: No team needed a mulligan more than the Orioles, expected by many soothsayers to win the East before crashing out of the gate with a 16-34 record—resulting in the firing of manager Brandon Hyde. Disappointment was omnipresent. Core players Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, and Ryan Mountcastle all experienced downturns; 2024 Rookie of the Year candidate Colton Cowser hit .196; Tyler O’Neill belted his contractual obligatory Opening Day home run, then vanished; brought-in veteran starters Charlie Morton and Kyle Gibson flunked; and closer Felix Bautista, back after missing 2024 from Tommy John surgery, lasted four months before undergoing shoulder surgery—costing him another year on the shelf. Two of the precious few Orioles who overachieved—All-Star DH Ryan O’Hearn and outfielder Ramon Laureano—were both traded at the end of July. Through all the decline and injuries, the Orioles somehow stabilized and played .500 baseball after its poor start, but it wasn’t enough to salvage the honeymoon phase of David Rubenstein’s ownership. 

Best of Show: Struggling miserably through the past three years and shelved for the first two months with knee issues, southpaw Trevor Rogers became a pitcher reborn once healthy, posting a 9-3 record and 1.81 ERA over 18 starts; he set a franchise mark by allowing two or fewer runs in 15 straight outings. Rogers attributed his newfound success to a program strengthening his lower body, while developing a sweeper. 

Where Did You Come From: Ditto, Mister Rogers above. 

Where Did You Go: Where do we begin? Of all the players that underperformed, the one who just flat-out imploded was Gibson. The 37-year-old pitcher, an offseason signee anticipated to fortify the rotation, made four starts, got shelled to oblivion (16.78 ERA), and was cut from the team in mid-May. 

It’s Interesting to Note: The Orioles suffered through the worst success rate on video review challenges, getting only 13 of 36 calls (36%) overturned.

AL Central

Cleveland Guardians
2025 Record: 88-74 (first)

The Scoop: On August 25, the idea of a second straight divisional crown for the Guardians was a distant notion. They had just suffered their third straight shutout loss, dropping their record to 64-66, were 12.5 games behind first-place Detroit, and manager Stephen Vogt was confronting pitcher Tanner Bibee in the dugout over a toxic rant. Then, out of nowhere, they woke up; they won 24 of their remaining 32 games, overtook the slumping Tigers, and clinched the Central by a game. All of this, despite holding the majors’ second lowest batting average (.226), wielding little power beyond star third baseman Jose Ramirez, and losing All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase and starter Luis Ortiz indefinitely as MLB looked into possible gambling links. The feel-good, bounce-back momentum of September was spoiled quickly in October when the Tigers got their revenge and ousted the Guardians in the first-round Wild Card Series. 

Best of Show: Ramirez remained the team’s top hitting dog, hitting 30 homers—including three in a game for the second time in his career—set career highs with 44 steals and a 21-game hitting streak, and became the all-time franchise leader in extra-base hits. He even batted .318 when down in the count 0-2. 

Where Did You Come From: In his third season, Gavin Williams quickly emerged as the rotation’s best, posting a 12-5 record and 3.06 ERA. It was impressive enough that left-handed batters hit an MLB-low .163 against him—a number even more impressive given that Williams pitches right-handed. 

Where Did You Go: It was lights out for Triston McKenzie, the once-promising pitcher who struggled through the past two years—then was shown the door by the Guardians after four relief appearances posting an 11.12 ERA. 

It’s Interesting to Note: The Guardians were 36-16 against AL Central opponents—but 52-58 against everyone else.

Detroit Tigers
2025 Record: 87-75 (second)

The Scoop: Life was very good for the Tigers in mid-July. They had the majors’ best record (59-34), were 14 games ahead in an AL Central littered with sub-.500 teams, and had four starters (ace Tarik Skubal, second baseman Gleyber Torres, shortstop Javier Baez and outfielder Riley Greene) in the upcoming All-Star Game. Maybe they just felt, at that point, they could just phone in the rest of the season. The Tigers certainly played much of the season’s second half as an absentee team; they suffered through a 1-12 slump in July, and another 1-11 skid in the home stretch—and suddenly, what seemed like a cinch divisional title was lost to the rampaging Guardians. On the season’s final day, manager A.J. Hinch basically acceded the division to Cleveland, resting Skubal in advance of the opening game of the three-game Wild Card series—against the Guardians. The gambit worked; Skubal won the crucial opener at Cleveland and the Tigers advanced in three games—but hopes for an extended October surge stalled in Seattle, where they lost the winner-take-all ALDS Game Five in 15 innings to the Mariners. 

Best of Show: As the reigning AL Cy Young winner, Skubal had a campaign worthy of a second straight honor. He furnished a 13-6 record, AL-leading 2.21 ERA, and MLB-best 0.89 WHIP. He’ll get stiff competition in the Cy vote from Max Fried and Garrett Crochet, but we sense the odds will favor him. 

Where Did You Come From: In his first full year, Dillon Dingler rarely got cheated—he didn’t draw his first walk until his 96th plate appearance—while batting .278 with 13 home runs; as the prime catcher, he displayed expert defense that earned him a Gold Glove. 

Where Did You Go: Jason Foley saved 28 games for Detroit in 2024, but shoulder issues dogged him throughout the spring; he made only five appearances at the Triple-A level before undergoing season-ending surgery. 

It’s Interesting to Note: The Tigers hit .303 on Mondays, the season’s highest batting average by any MLB team on a certain day of the week.

Kansas City Royals
2025 Record: 82-80 (third)

The Scoop: The Royals were a streaky lot in the season’s first half, winning 16 of 18 games about a month in—followed in June by an 11-game home losing skid that tied a franchise record. The parabolic swings ended after the All-Star Break, as the Royals stayed within four games of either side of the .500 mark, causing little concerns from competitors over their postseason ambitions. In terms of individual effort, there was plenty to applaud at Kaufmann Stadium; Bobby Witt Jr. was his usual superior self, Salvador Perez and Vinnie Pasquantino each reached the 30-homer, 100-RBI plateau, and first-year Royal Carlos Estevez saved a major league-high 44 games. If anything handicapped the Royals’ postseason chances, it was starting pitching; strikeout-happy ace Cole Ragans was sidelined for over half the season, while All-Star Kris Bubic (8-7, 2.55 ERA) experienced rotator cuff issues that ended his campaign by the end of July. Late reinforcements to the rotation—including 45-year-old Rich Hill, who came and went after two starts with his record-tying 14th team—were a mixed bag of results. 

Best of Show: Witt continued to be the Royals’ offensive heart and soul, batting .295 with 23 homers, 88 RBIs, 38 steals and MLB highs with 184 hits and 47 doubles. He put together the majors’ longest hit streak of the year (22 games) and became the first player ever to record at least 20 homers and 30 steals in each of his first four seasons. 

Where Did You Come From: Noah Cameron was called up from the minors to replace the injured Cole Ragans, took a no-hitter into the seventh inning during his debut, and rumbled on to a 9-7 record and 2.99 ERA over 24 starts. 

Where Did You Go: Looking to be on the potential verge of a breakout, outfielder MJ Melendez instead broke down—knocking out just five hits in 60 at-bats, while otherwise spending the rest of the season at Triple-A Omaha. 

It’s Interesting to Note: Thanks largely to Estevez, the Royals were the majors’ only team not to lose a game when leading after eight innings.

Minnesota Twins
2025 Record: 70-92 (fourth)

The Scoop: The Twins performed a copy-and-paste of their 2024 season for 2025—but with added exaggeration. They got off to a poor start, revved it up with a winning May—enjoying MLB’s longest win streak (14) on the year—then collapsed. This year’s drop-off was more profound; unsuccessful in finding a new owner—in part because of the half-billion-dollar debt that would need to be assumed—the Twins cleaned house at the trading deadline—as in, almost half the roster with 11 players finding new homes including closer Jhoan Duran (Philadelphia) and shortstop Carlos Correa (back in Houston). Twins fans, tiring of the Pohlad regime, checked out along with the team as attendance sank to 1.768 million—lowest in a non-COVID-impacted season since 2000. Seven-year manager Rocco Baldelli was given his pink slip at year’s end, but he’s not the one to blame for this mess. 

Best of Show: The ever-talented, ever-banged-up Byron Buxton got in 126 games—the second highest total in his injury-wracked 11-year career—and made it count, setting personal bests with 35 home runs and 83 RBIs. He also stole 24 bases without once getting caught, enjoyed a cycle on his own bobblehead day, and became only the second Twins player (after Kirby Puckett in 1986) with a 30-20 season. 

Where Did You Come From: Starting pitcher Bailey Ober, so consistently dependable throughout the 2020s, withered in 2025 with a 6-9 record and 5.10 ERA; he gave up 14 of his 30 home runs in June alone—the third highest number allowed by any major league pitcher in a calendar month. 

Where Did You Go: Amid a season many Twins fans could simply describe as depressing, there was excitement in the form of rookie second baseman Luke Keaschall, who batted .302 with 14 doubles, four homers, 28 RBIs and 14 steals over 59 games. But like so many promising Minnesota prospects of recent times, Keaschall couldn’t escape injury; he lost three months early on to a broken arm, then saw his season end a week early with a thumb injury that will require offseason surgery. 

It’s Interesting to Note: The Twins hit an MLB-low .191 with the bases loaded.

Chicago White Sox
2025 Record: 60-102 (fifth)

The Scoop: The White Sox gained the ultimate apostolic devotee with the anointment of Pope Leo XIV, an avowed fan of the team. Did divine intervention follow? Only the Blue Jays saw better improvement in wins (+20) over the previous season than the White Sox (+19), but the Jays went to the World Series; the White Sox still lost over 100 games. Hope for a better future was a real thing at Rate Field; Colson Montgomery blasted his way onto the scene with 21 homers in just 71 games; catcher Kyle Teel and infielder Chase Meidroth—both acquired in the trade that sent Garrett Crochet to Boston—made their presence known in positive ways; and rookie pitchers Shane Smith and Sean Burke helped contribute to a season-opening streak of 28 straight scoreless innings from the rotation. Will the White Sox be blessed by the new Pope and, like fellow South Siders Joliet Jake and Elwood Blues, embark on a mission from God? Creating the world in seven days was quite impressive, but turning the White Sox back into winners may present a tougher challenge for the Lord Almighty. 

Best of Show: At the plate, second baseman Lenyn Sosa was more solid than spectacular—but within the anemic lineup, the White Sox will take “solid.” Sosa led the team with a .264 average, 22 homers and 75 RBIs. 

Where Did You Come From: White Sox fans are really looking forward to see what Montgomery can do over a full season; his half-season debut seemed convincing enough. All 21 of his homers—most of them cranked well past the fence—were hit after the All-Star Break; only Cal Raleigh and Junior Caminero, both with 22, had more. 

Where Did You Go: Veteran pitcher Martin Perez threw six no-hit innings and picked up the win in his first start of 2025—but went 0-6 in 10 subsequent appearances (nine starts). Truth be told, he wasn’t that bad—posting a 3.54 ERA—but the White Sox gave him less than two runs on average per outing after that first win. Also not helping: an elbow issue that sidelined him nearly four months. 

It’s Interesting to Note: White Sox pinch hitters had the league’s lowest batting average (.134).

AL West

Seattle Mariners
2025 Record: 90-72 (first)

The Scoop: Oh baby, you were so close. The Mariners went into Toronto needing to win one of two to reach their first-ever World Series, and were ahead 3-1 late in Game Seven; they couldn’t do it, thus remaining the only current MLB team without a pennant. Reaching the postseason was a thrill in itself; on the tail of the first-place Astros for the bulk of the season,  the Mariners muscled up by bringing on Eugenio Suarez and Josh Naylor from Arizona, quickly won eight straight in early August—and followed that up with a 14-1 run (including a three-game sweep at Houston) in September that boosted Seattle from 3.5 games back to five up and its first AL West crown since 2001. The unquestioned headline maker in the Mariners’ run to the playoffs was Cal Raleigh, who broke team/AL home run records on a weekly basis, ending up with an astonishing 60. 

Best of Show: Raleigh became the first-ever American Leaguer not playing for the Yankees to chalk of 60 jacks. Additionally, the switch-hitting catcher won the Home Run Derby during the All-Star Break, and added five more round-trippers in 12 postseason games to give him 65 on the year. In retrospect, the six-year, $105 million extension given to Raleigh one the eve of Opening Day must now seem like a bargain to the Mariners. 

Where Did You Come From: In his third year at Seattle, outfielder Dominic Canzone went from being a low-average, all-or-nothing slugger to a more complete player, batting .300 with 11 homers—three of them in an impressive five-hit performance on September 16—over 82 games. 

Where Did You Go: After a superlative 2024 campaign, Bryce Miller saw his ERA nearly double to 5.68, winning just four of 18 starts in a year beset with elbow inflammation. 

It’s Interesting to Note: Imposter alert—the Mariners had two pitchers named Luis Castillo; the more familiar Luis who went 11-8 with a 3.54 ERA in his fourth year at Seattle, the other a former Japanese exile who briefly featured with a 7.71 figure in two starts before being sold off to the Orioles. (The Mariners also sold Julio Rodriguez—a minor league catcher not to be confused with Seattle’s 30-30 outfielder—to the Royals late in July.)

Houston Astros
2025 Record: 87-75 (second)

The Scoop: A year after the Astros caught up and surpassed Seattle late in the season, the Mariners got even—depriving Houston of a playoff spot for the first time in nine years. The Astros had plenty of talent to reach October, but the injury bug hit with a bludgeon. There was the continuing MASH unit known as the Houston rotation (see “Where Did You Go” below); Yordan Alvarez missed all but 48 games, limiting his effect as team masher to just six home runs; and closer Josh Hader, having a magnificent season, was done in mid-August with a strained shoulder—and the Astros went 22-24 without him. Houston finished the year with the same record as AL wild card #3 Detroit—but lost the tiebreaker because the Tigers won the season series (four wins out of six). 

Best of Show: Hunter Brown needed just three-plus years to become the Astros’ ace, finishing the year with the majors’ third-best ERA (2.43)—but his 12-9 record could have easily been better had eight of his 21 quality starts not resulted in Houston losses. 

Where Did You Come From: Bennett Sousa, the guy who three years earlier was ordered by then-White Sox manager Tony La Russa to intentionally walk a batter despite being ahead in the count, 0-2, returned to the mound after missing the 2024 campaign and emerged as one of the Astros’ better relievers—posting a 2.84 ERA over 44 appearances before elbow pain ended his season in mid-August. 

Where Did You Go: The Tommy John epidemic continued unabated in Houston, with Ronel Blanco, Hayden Wesneski and Luis Garcia all going under the knife. For Garcia, it’s his second in two years after making just two appearances in his return from the first. 

It’s Interesting to Note: Alvarez’s absence reduced the total number of home runs hit by left-handed Houston hitters to 26—by far the lowest such number in the majors.

Texas Rangers
2025 Record: 81-81 (third)

The Scoop: They say pitching and defense wins championships. So then, did the Rangers get showered with World Series rings after registering the majors’ best ERA (3.47) and fewest errors (51)? As Dr. Evil once famously replied, “How ‘bout ‘no!’” A rotation fronted by Jacob deGrom (12-8, 2.97 ERA)—finally durable again after three years of injury-fueled, short-sample results—and Nathan Eovaldi (11-3, 1.73) was definitely October-worthy, but the offense carried over their year-long slump from 2024 and continued to tank. Abysmal hitting was exemplified when free-agent signee Joc Pederson went through a franchise-record 0-for-41 slump in April—only to have that nadir topped two months later by Justin Foscue (0-for-44). Shortstop Corey Seager (.860 OPS), the only Texas batter who seemed to know what he was doing, went down with appendicitis at the end of August, joining Eovaldi (rotator cuff strain) and veteran second baseman Marcus Semien (fractured foot) as Rangers missing in action for September. Sure enough, an ill-timed seven-game skid in the final weeks ruined their wild card chances. It was all too much for 70-year-old manager Bruce Bochy, who mutually parted ways with the Rangers at season’s end. 

Best of Show: The 35-year-old Eovaldi easily had his best of three solid seasons with the Rangers, but unfortunately was limited to 22 starts. In a 14-outing stretch lasting from late April through early August, Eovaldi posted a remarkable 0.90 ERA. 

Where Did You Come From: Jack Leiter, a heralded first-round pick from 2021, finally got over the hump and performed at a respectable level, sporting a 10-10 record and 3.86 ERA over 151.2 innings. Now only if his former Vanderbilt co-ace—and current Rangers rotation mate—Kumar Rocker (5.74 ERA) can make that leap. 

Where Did You Go: Playing for his sixth team this decade, Pederson suffered through his worst campaign yet—batting .181 with nine homers in 96 games. He’s a primary reason that Texas designated hitters collectively produced an MLB-low .594 OPS. 

It’s Interesting to Note: The Rangers went through their first 70 games without going extra innings; over their remaining 92 contests, they went past the ninth 17 times. Only four other teams played more extras for the entire season.

Athletics
2025 Record: 76-86 (fourth)

The Scoop: The geographically anonymous Athletics situated themselves in Sacramento—90 miles away from their old home in Oakland—and all but didn’t want to admit it, acknowledging their temporary home only with a patch illustrating the nearby, iconic Tower Bridge. Everyone from visiting players to A’s manager Mark Kotsay to his players including pitcher Luis Severino (whose 6.01 home ERA was double his road figure) criticized Sutter Health Park, a minor league facility with clubhouses located behind the outfield wall. (Interestingly, the A’s were the only AL team with a better record on the road than at home.) The transitional distractions masked the fact that this was a pretty good team, with two outstanding rookies (Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson) covering for a pitching staff with the AL’s second worst ERA (4.70). Still, take away a dreadful early-season 21-game span in which the A’s won just once, and this team is 75-66. 

Best of Show: Kurtz exploded on the scene with 36 homers (only Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco hit more as A’s rookies), a six-hit game featuring four homers and an AL-record 19 total bases at Houston on July 25, and a 493-foot blast that was the longest seen this year. All of this, in just 117 games. He’s your AL Rookie of the Year. 

Where Did You Come From: Kurtz, of course, but a whole lotta love needs to be reserved for shortstop Jacob Wilson—a very different kind of player, but arguably every bit as good. A solid contact hitter who struck out just 39 times over 523 plate appearances, Wilson batted .311—saving his best for the daytime (.367) and NL opponents (.329), both the highest figures in MLB—and earned a start at the All-Star Game. He’s your AL Rookie of the Year runner-up. 

Where Did You Go: Perhaps the year’s strangest decision by the A’s was to deal away hypersonic closer Mason Miller at the trading deadline, even though he’s not due to be a free agent for another five years. The Padres said thank you very much; in 22 games at San Diego, Miller posted a 0.77 ERA, pitched an immaculate inning, and set postseason records during the NLDS with eight consecutive strikeouts and a pitch registering 104.5 MPH. 

It’s Interesting to Note: No team called more video challenges than the A’s 55—with only 23 of them getting overturned.

Los Angeles Angels
2025 Record: 72-90 (fifth)

The Scoop: The Angels’ idea to prop up a last-place team from 2024 was to bring in a barrel full of potential reclamation projects (Kyle Hendricks, Tim Anderson, Yoan Moncada, Jorge Soler), but it all got them was an extension in the basement as neither of those former stars clicked. This was a deeply undisciplined team; there was power to spare with Jo Adell (37 home runs) and Taylor Ward (36) leading a lineup with 226 home runs—the fourth highest total in MLB—but their subpar batting averages (.236 and .228, respectively) were emblematic of an offense that was dead-last in the majors with a .225 mark. It was worse on the mound, where Angels pitchers gave up more homers, more walks, and posted a higher ERA than any other AL team. Things looked brighter back at the midway point with the Angels sitting on a 40-40 record—the exact moment 73-year-old manager Ron Washington was placed on medical leave to undergo triple-bypass surgery. He didn’t come back, and neither did the Angels—who were 32-50 after his departure. (Kurt Suzuki will replace the recovered Washington for 2026.) 

Best of Show: Veteran closer Kenley Jansen was the one Angel who exhibited few flaws; in his first year at Anaheim, the 37-year-old reliever saved 29 games, blew just one opportunity, and posted a 2.59 ERA. 

Where Did You Come From: Southpaw reliever Brock Burke was not an entirely unknown quality in Anaheim, looking fairly competent after a mid-season trade the year before from Texas. In 2025, he became the most reliable rock in the Angels’ bullpen, finishing with a 7-1 record and 3.36 ERA over a team-high 69 appearances. 

Where Did You Go: The AC in the Angels’ weight room was broken down all year, leaving players hot and sweaty. It never got fixed; apparently, all those big contract busts given out by owner Arte Moreno has caught up to the bottom line. 

It’s Interesting to Note: The Angels have not had a winning season since removing “Anaheim” from the official name in 2016.