The ranking of candidates for next year is far too early

The World Series 2024 is in the books, which means it’s time to start thinking about 2025.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are among the favorites in 2024 after signing Shohei Ohtani to a $700 million deal Eighth title in franchise history with a Five-game win over the New York Yankeesanother top contender heading into the season.

But who could have predicted the New York Mets’ entry into the NLCS in May, let alone 12 months ago? How about the Kansas City Royals’ first postseason appearance in nine years?

With that, a look at each team’s position in the hierarchy for 2025, starting with the Dodgers:

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The obvious favorite

Los Angeles Dodgers: The World Series champions shouldn’t look much different in 2025 and will welcome a starting pitcher named Shohei Ohtani to their rotation. Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman will play more games than they did this season, and $325 million man Yoshinobu Yamamoto – who was hampered by injuries in the regular season – showed how good he can be in the postseason

The usual suspects

Atlanta Braves: Almost everyone was injured as the team’s six-year reign atop the NL East came to an end. Ace Spencer Strider was sidelined for the season in April and MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. suffered another torn ACL in May, but both are expected to be big contributors next year. Unless the Phillies do something big, the Braves will likely be the division favorites again – but will they bring back free agent Max Fried?

Philadelphia Phillies: They were eliminated from the playoffs after winning their first NL East title in 11 years, a year after a crushing exit in the NLCS. All the stars are still there and the Zack Wheeler-Aaron Nola-Ranger Suarez trio should easily carry this team to the postseason.

San Diego Padres: They had the Dodgers in a bind in the NLDS until they lost back-to-back games, but this squad could be back with a vengeance in 2025, especially if Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove can contribute more than their combined 35 starts this year.

New York Yankees: They will be in playoff contention, but World Series expectations for 2025 depend on whether they can bring back Juan Soto, who had a magical season as a rental player in the Bronx. Gleyber Torres and Anthony Rizzo are free agents, meaning the infield could potentially be dramatically different on Opening Day and they should probably bolster the bullpen — but they have Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole, assuming their top starter doesn’t opt out.

Baltimore Orioles: This new golden age in Baltimore has begun with back-to-back postseason victories, a tough pill to swallow for this young team that has been one of baseball’s best regular-season performers in recent years. While star Corbin Burnes will test the free agent market, keep an eye on whether the club’s new owners open their checkbooks this winter.

Houston Astros: After failing to make the ALCS for the first time since 2016, Houston has some important decisions to make this winter, particularly regarding free agent Alex Bregman. The Astros received big contributions from young starters Hunter Brown and Spencer Arrighetti in 2024 behind star Framber Valdez, and they hope to build on that next season. They play a total of 26 times against the bottom-placed Angels and Athletics.

Probably playoff caliber again

Cleveland Guardians: The AL Central isn’t great and the Guardians have Jose Ramirez. Pitching will be an issue, however, and Cleveland might be wise to bring back former Cy Young winner Shane Bieber on a short-term contract after his Tommy John surgery.

Milwaukee Brewers: As always, you will find a way. phenomenon Jackson Chourio will only get better.

Playoff caliber again, second division

New York Mets: Their unexpected rise to the NLCS likely masked some roster construction issues, but with plenty of money coming off the books, Steve Cohen’s club is expected to be one of the top contenders in the Soto sweepstakes. Free agent Pete Alonso is the big question before the offseason, but they will have a full year with Kodai Senga and should look to repeat their 2024 success by signing high-profile veterans to short-term deals.

Kansas City Royals: Bobby Witt Jr. may be the best non-Ohtani player in baseball, but it’s important to remember that this AL Wild Card team (and everyone else in the AL Central!) had a semi-superb record of 13 games (12-1). against the hapless White Sox.

Maybe they’ll sign Juan Soto

Chicago Cubs: The Cubs have a strong foundation and there is no reason why they shouldn’t be among the favorites to sign Soto. Pete Alonso would be another top signing the Cubs would consider. Lefty Shota Imanaga has had a spectacular first season in America and young talents Kevin Alcántara and Owen Caissie are waiting in the starting blocks.

Toronto Blue Jays: As one of the runners-up in the Ohtani sweepstakes, the Blue Jays are expected to go after Soto hard. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is a free agent after 2025 and it could be difficult to sell Soto long-term without his star first baseman under contract.

San Francisco Giants: The Giants, always a bet on elite free agents, doubted Ohtani and Yamamoto last winter but were able to sign four higher-level players in Jung-hoo Lee, Blake Snell, Matt Chapman and Jorge Soler before Opening Day. However, two of them were heavily reduced at the start of spring training (Snell and Chapman) and one of them (Soler) was traded after just 93 games. If they keep offering a lot of money, maybe someone they really want will take it up.

Hit or miss

Detroit Tigers: Their run to the ALDS was very cool and Tarik Skubal will win the Cy Young this year, but they will need their young talent to be far more consistent if they want to return to the postseason in 2025.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Arizona was knocked out of a wild-card spot after playing a full 162 and is expected to be back in contention next season. You have to think that Corbin Carroll will have a better season and a full spring training will be of great benefit to left guard Jordan Montgomery (if he exercises his $22.5 million option).

Seattle Mariners: Seattle finished one game short of the postseason but desperately needs to add some offense this winter – to help superstar Julio Rodriguez get back to where he was a year ago.

Texas Rangers: The 2023 champion has gone 78-84 this year, but there is some upside here with a dangerous lineup and the possibility that Jacob deGrom offers more than the nine total starts he made in his first two seasons with Texas.

St Louis Cardinals: Quietly finishing with 83 wins, it’s hard to believe Nolan Arenado won’t bounce back from the worst season of his career. Shortstop Masyn Winn, 22, is here to stay — but there are glaring holes in the lineup.

Boston Red Sox: Nobody knows exactly what the Red Sox’s plan is, and they have stars like Rafael Devers and Jarren Duran as well as top player Tanner Houck, who made a big jump in 2024. Could be upgraded almost anywhere on the diamond.

Tampa Bay Rays: It’s been something of a transition year for the Rays and they’ll get star player Shane McClanahan back, but the high minors aren’t as brimming with talent as they have been in past seasons.

Minnesota Twins: They blew their chance at a postseason berth in 2024 and return a strong rotation led by Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober. Carlos Correa, Royce Lewis and Byron Buxton are major running injury concerns and they can’t afford to fall even further behind in 2025 while the Royals continue to advance.

Cincinnati Reds: New manager Terry Francona takes over a group with a lot of talent. Ace Hunter Greene (2.75 ERA in 26 starts) had an All-Star campaign in 2024, but the Reds will need more than 150 innings from him if they want to compete.

Ahead of schedule?

Washington Nationals: CJ Abrams is an All-Star, James Wood is a beast and a top contender. Dylan Crews showed flashes in his cup of coffee (while maintaining his rookie status). If they add a few useful veterans and potentially get some positive input from pitching prospects Cade Cavalli, This is a team that could likely be in the wild card hunt well into late summer.

Pittsburgh Pirates: You’ll be playing a full year with the phenomenal Paul Skenes, a formidable one-two punch at the top of the rotation with Mitch Keller. The back end of the bullpen is strong with closer David Bednar and they have guys Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz in the lineup. Given a weak NL headquarters, is that enough to hold out in the wild card race?

NO.

athletics: They weren’t quite as bad as everyone expected with 93 losses, but there won’t be much for fans in Sacramento to be happy about.

Los Angeles Angels: Is Mike Trout tradeable? If owner Arte Moreno doesn’t eat up most of the $220 million-plus he’s owed over the next six seasons, it might be too late to release him from Anaheim.

Chicago White Sox: In theory, they can’t do worse than their record-breaking 121 losses in 2024. That means they’ll probably trade Garrett Crochet and maybe Luis Robert.

Colorado Rockies: There isn’t a lot of talent on this roster, but maybe we’ll see Charlie Condon, the third-ranked player of the year in 2024, sometime in 2025.

Miami Marlins: They’re just 13 months away from a postseason berth and awaiting the return of Cy Young winner Sandy Alcántara from surgery, but the prospects gained from their summer sellout won’t be ready any time soon .

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