With the MLB season fast approaching, it’s safe to say that there is no shortage of storylines for the upcoming season. Ryan Smith and Nick Sofield give you one storyline for every MLB team for the upcoming season.
AL:
AL East
Yankees: What Will They Do Without Juan Soto?
The Yankees have added on a lot of off-season players, most notably Cody Bellinger and Devin Williams. But they lost their best player to the other side of town, the New York Mets. Bellinger is most likely taking Soto’s spot in this instance. But will the Yankees be able to move on from a future HOF lock?
Orioles: How Will the Loss of Corbin Burnes Affect the Orioles?
Corbin Burnes, after coming 5th in Cy Young voting last season, has left to go down south to the Arizona Diamondbacks. After the Orioles were bad for so long, they finally started getting good with additions like Cedric Mullins, Adley Rutchsman, and Anthony Santander, who recently left for the Blue Jays. They have made 2 postseason appearances in the last 2 years but have yet to win a game thus far. Hopefully they can continue the streak of doing well. They just need some postseason magic.
Rays: What Have They Done Again?
It seems like after Blake Snell was pulled early from the World Series, the Rays have just been on a streak of irrelevancy. There haven’t been many additions in the offseason, the most notable one being Ha-seong Kim. But I cannot see the Tampa Bay Rays competing in this division whatsoever. If this season doesn’t go to plan (what was even the plan by the way?), they will most likely go into a lengthy rebuild.
Red Sox: Will Their Big Offseason Provide Wins?
The Red Sox made big moves this offseason, adding Garrett Crochet and Alex Bregman to their lineup. Crochet will hopefully not turn into Chris Sale on the Red Sox, and we hope he stays healthy. But a big 3 of Alex Bregman, Rafael Devers, and Jarren Duran is pretty scary to opposing pitchers. Hopefully the Red Sox can make a run this year because they are one of the most electric teams when it comes to the postseason.
Blue Jays: How Will They Compete in One of the Hardest Divisions?
The Blue Jays didn’t do much this offseason either, their main swing and a miss being not signing their star first baseman Vladmir Guerrero Jr to an extension. Which means this is really the last year for the Blue Jays to make any kind of run because once Vlad leaves, I think their postseason window is sealed shut for another five years.
AL Central
Twins: Will a Quiet Offseason Hurt Their Chances Of A Postseason Berth?
The Twins have not done anything to get their team better in any way. With a division with upcoming postseason teams not doing anything in the offseason and expecting the AL Central to be the garbage division it’s been in the last couple years isn’t the smartest decision if you ask me.
Guardians: How’d They Get to the ALCS Again?
I said this a ton last year, and I’ll keep saying it. Last year’s Guardians were like the 2021 Tennessee Titans for me. They got the #1 seed but nobody was really afraid of them. And that was proven when the Yankees destroyed them in the ALCS. They barely beat the Tigers, it went to a game 5. This team has potential to be good, with Jose Ramirez being a superstar as always, but with upcoming teams in this division, they’re going to have their window closed soon.
Royals: How will Bobby Witt Jr Attribute to Their Success?
Bobby Witt Jr is one of the best shortstops in the MLB, in my opinion he is #2, with Lindor being #1. But this Royals team had a hot start last year, and even made a nice run in the playoffs. This year, the AL Central is a very winnable division. Can the Royals make another postseason run this year?
Tigers: Was Last Season a Glimpse of the Future or a Fluke?
The Tigers went on a miracle run last year when they had a 0.2% to make the playoffs. They somehow managed to make it and went to the playoffs where they swept the Astros and should’ve made it to the ALCS if Skubal didn’t blow it. The Tigers went on a miracle run like never before, and that leaves us with a question. Will they repeat the same kind of performance this year like last year?
White Sox: Can’t Get Much Worse Right?
The White Sox put up the worst possible record in MLB history last year. There isn’t much to say about them, but being in a good division lets hope they can somehow not do worse than last year.
AL West
Rangers: Remember When They Won the World Series?
The Rangers won the world series in 2023, if you remembered. They went from WS champs to missing the playoffs, which makes them pretty forgettable. As long as injuries don’t horribly hurt them and their division isn’t as good as last season, they should be better than they were last season.
Mariners: Future 81-81 Team?
When I think of mid, that’s what the Seattle Mariners are at the moment. They have been trying to trade their star pitcher Luis Castillo, but haven’t done that as of yet. We’ll see if this team can beat the mid allegations against them.
Astros: Will They Continue Their Success or Fall Off?
The Astros have been a successful franchise since they won the world series in 2017 (by cheating). But after losing Alex Bregman, will the Astros still reign over the AL as they have been for the last decade, or will they fall like they did last year to upcoming teams like the Tigers?
Angels: Will Mike Trout Finally Play?
The Angels have nothing going for them whatsoever. The only real, good storyline is the story of glass bone man Mike Trout. He’s moving to Right Field next season so hopefully he won’t get injured more. In my opinion, I want to see one more season of non-injured Mike Trout before retirement catches up to him.
Athletics: Live From Sacramento?
The Athletics don’t have much going for them either, but they signed star pitcher Luis Severino after he had a stellar season with the Mets. The Athletics are making like the Raiders, getting away from Oakland. They will be playing in Sacramento next season and let’s see if this new name can create a new team and a new winning atmosphere (it won’t)
NL:
NL East:
Mets: Destiny or Doom?
The Mets were not shy this offseason. The team went and bought Juan Soto for $765 dollars, easily the most expensive contract in the four North American sports. This mixed with the resigning of stars Pete Alonso, Sean Manea, and Ryne Stanek has the Mets looking like contenders in the NL. The issue? The Mets are no stranger to disappointment. It was only two years ago that the team splashed in free agency after coming off an impressive 101 win season and missed the playoffs. Being in the toughest division in baseball certainly doesn’t help either. The talent is in New York, but making it work will remain to be seen.
Braves: Can Stars Stay Healthy?
This is never a fun discussion to have, but injuries essentially derailed Atlanta last season. Devastating injuries to key players Ronal Accuna, Spencer Strider, and Austin Riley knocked the Braves down from World Series contender to Wild Card exit. If stars can stay healthy, Atlanta will certainly be a threat in the NL.
Phillies: Is This Core Good Enough To Make Another Deep Playoff Run?
I know that this is shocking to say, but the Phillies have simply regressed since their 2022 World Series run. A heartbreaking loss to the Diamondbacks in 2023 before an equally harsh exit to the Mets last season has seen two straight years of regression for Philly. This core of players won’t be around forever, and with teams like the Dodgers and Mets growing in talent, the Phillies window might close sooner than we all expected.
Nationals: Is This The Cinderella Team?
In my opinion, the Nationals are one of the most underrated teams in the MLB. The Nats hung around in the playoff race for most of last season before fading in August. The Nats have a young team that showed signs of great growth last season. This team can be dangerous if they get into the playoffs. However, getting into the postseason is much easier said than done as the Nats play in the toughest division, in a league full of contenders.
Marlins: What Will Happen With Sandy Alcantara?
Sandy Alcantara has been one of the few bright spots this decade for the Marlins.
At his best, Alcantara is a Cy Young winning pitcher who can take over games. However, Alcantara has caught the injury bug which sidelined him for last season. Now healthy, many question how well Alcantara will perform. With low expectations and many prospects expected to start, many wonder if the Marlins will trade their star pitcher at the trade deadline.
NL Central:
Brewers: Can They Finally Break Through In The Postseason?
The Brewers are one MLB’s best run organizations. Despite not having a large payroll, the Brewers consistently seem to win the NL Central. Yet in the 2020s, Milwaukee has been unable to win a series in the postseason. In Pat Riley’s first year in charge, the Brew Crew made a huge jump and seemed certain to eliminate the Mets in the Wildcard round before the most gut-wrenching of defeats came at the hands of Pete Alonso. Can they get back? If they can, can they finally break through in the postseason?
Cubs: Can They Meet Expectations in Council’s Second Season?
The Cubs made headlines last offseason by hiring Craig Council as manager. Council is highly regarded as one of the top managers in the MLB. This led to lofty expectations which the Cubs were unable to meet. There were some bright spots like rookie pitcher Shota Imanaga, however the team was greatly disappointed in a winnable division. Cubs fans hope to take the NL Central in year 2 under Craig Council.
Pirates: How Far Can Paul Skenes Take This Team?
Paul Skenes is a star. Despite being in the MLB for less than a full season, he was an All-Star, Rookie of the Year, and one of the faces of MLB. Skenes aside, the Pirates don’t boast much talent. Skenes is one of the favorites to win the Cy Young, but just how far can he carry the Pirates?
Reds: Can Elly De La Cruz Lead The Reds To A Division Title?
Elly De La Cruz is a young star with loads of potential. Just like Skenes, he is already a face of the MLB. Unlike Skenes, De La Cruz’s Reds are a dark horse to win the NL Central. An underrated pitching staff mixed with the star can help the Reds win an unexpected division title.
Cardinals: Where Do They Go From Here?
The Cards’ hopes of contention seem to be dwindling by the day. For a team who seemed to consistently be challenging for the NL Central, they very well may be fighting to avoid coming in last place in the division. Last season, the Cardinals finished with one of their worst records in years. The question is what the team will do with star Nolan Arenado who they tried to trade during the offseason.
NL West:
Dodgers: Will Anybody Come Close To Stopping This Team?
Let’s face it, if the Dodgers don’t win the World Series this year, it will be a huge shock. After winning the Fall Classic last year, the team was not shy spending and signed Blake Snell, Roki Sasaki, and Tanner Scott as well as resigning Kike Hernandez, Clayton Kershaw, and Teoscar Hernandez. All these players get to return to a lineup that features Shohei Othani, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, and Max Muncy. Safe to say, LA is far and away the favorite to repeat as World Series Champions.
Padres: Can This Team Be A Dark Horse in the NL?
The Padres are a great team. They boast stars like Fernando Tatis and Manny Machado as well as Jackson Merrill who had a fantastic rookie season in 2024. If they played in any other division then the one with the mighty Dodgers, they would certainly be one of the favorites. Yet San Diego is still a fun team, and has the potential to have a magical season.
Diamondbacks: Which Season Was The Fluke, 2023 or 2024?
In 2023, the Diamondbacks shocked the baseball world. After barely sneaking into the playoffs, the team went on a fantastic run to the World Series. Expectations were high in 2024, and Arizona seemed to have a Wildcard spot locked up. However, a late season collapse saw the reigning NL champs watch the postseason from their couch. As we enter 2025, we can’t help but ask, is this core of players good enough to return to and win the World Series?
Giants: Can Verlander Return To His Cy Young Form?
After losing star pitcher Blake Snell in free agency, the Giants went out and signed Justin Verlander, a former Cy Young winner. After a disappointing season last year, if the Giants have any hope of turning their declining play around, they are going to need Verlander to return to his prime.
Rockies: Yeah, I got nothing
While all other NL West teams have something to look forward to this season, the same can’t be said for the Rockies. This century, the Rockies have only made the playoffs four times, with their last appearance in 2018. If there is anything to look forward to in 2025, it is Brenton Doyle who had an impressive campaign.
