The MLB season is officially in the books. Just like always, baseball didn’t disappoint as the season was filled with so many storylines. In case you haven’t read me (Ryan Smith) and Nick Sofield asked one question of each team. Nick did the AL while I wrote about the NL. Some of these predictions hit the mark while some weren’t even close. Here are our reactions to our predictions (we acknowledge that we don’t know what we are talking about, please don’t bully us).
AL:
AL East
Yankees: What Will They Do Without Juan Soto?
Reaction: What they did without Juan Soto was win. Cody Bellinger took over Juan Soto’s spot and had a great season posting a .272 batting average, 29 homers and 98 RBIs with above average defense. Now, I’m not saying that Cody B is better than Soto, considering Soto finished 3rd in the MVP voting even on a losing team, but Cody B definitely helped the Yankees go to the ALDS.
Orioles: How Will the Loss of Corbin Burnes Affect the Orioles?
Reaction: Turns out it did affect them a good amount. The Orioles went 91-71 in 2024, they had big expectations and fell very very short, going 75-87 this season. At the trade deadline, they went and sold Cedric Mullins, Gregory Soto, Ryan O’Hearn, Ramon Laureano, and Seranthony Dominguez
Rays: What Have They Done Again?
Reaction: Exactly. The Rays went 77-85 and were one of the most forgetful teams, considering they weren’t even playing in Tampa for their entire season. Their one bright spot this year was Junior Caminero though, as he slashed a .264 average with 110 rbis. This team will not be competitive for many years in my opinion, and they are just going to need to build their team around Caminero to have any sort of future.
Red Sox: Will Their Big Offseason Provide Wins?
Reaction: Yes. Yes it did. The Red Sox made a big splash last year in free agency adding Crochet, and Bregman. Crochet was amazing and came 2nd in the Cy Young voting, and Bregman had a .273 average with good defense as well. The Red Sox had an 89 win season, and that got them into the playoffs, which they would end up losing to the Yankees, but it’s impressive they got that far after having 81 wins last year,
Blue Jays: How Will They Compete in One of the Hardest Divisions?
Reaction: They did compete very well. The Blue Jays won the AL East over the Yankees by a tiebreaker, and beat the Yankees in the ALDS. Vladimir Guerrero Jr cemented himself as one of the top first basemen in the league. The Blue Jays also went on to the world series, after beating the Mariners in the ALCS. They would take the world series to game 7, and were half an inning away from beating the Dodgers in the world series. The Blue Jays have one of the brightest futures ahead.
AL Central
Twins: Will a Quiet Offseason Hurt Their Chances Of A Postseason Berth?
Reaction: It definitely did. The Twins were one of the worst teams this season, only putting up 70 wins. If they did more in the offseason, they could’ve won more in an easier division. The Twins need to build around Byron Buxton if they want to be better in the future, it all takes time.
Guardians: How’d They Get to the ALCS Again?
Reaction: Exactly. In an easy division, they beat out the Tigers by 1 game, and were eliminated by them in 3 games in the wild card round. With Jose Ramirez, they will always be in contention for something. But they are going to need to build their roster up more if they want to compete with the AL super teams like the Blue Jays, Mariners, and (depending on the offseason) the Yankees.
Royals: How will Bobby Witt Jr Attribute to Their Success?
Reaction: He tried his best, but the Royals weren’t the same as they were last year. Bobby Witt Jr had the most hits in the league last year, with 184. Yet he only scored 99 runs in total this season. The Royals couldn’t get it done, and it’s hard to tell how they’re gonna improve next year with the older guys on their team like Salvador Perez, Seth Lugo, and Michael Wacha.
Tigers: Was Last Season a Glimpse of the Future or a Fluke?
Reaction: It’s hard to tell, but I think it was a glimpse of the future, but that future is in jeopardy right now with trade rumors flying about with Tarik Skubal. If Skubal is dealt, their next best chance of winning is in 5 years with prospects. The Tigers won 87 games this year and lost in 5 games against the Mariners. All that matters now is what happens with Skubal, but if he stays, then the Tigers will compete in seasons to come.
White Sox: Can’t Get Much Worse Right?
Reaction: It didn’t. But there still isn’t much to say either. 60 win season, they’re trending in the right direction, and that’s all there is to
AL West
Rangers: Remember When They Won the World Series?
Reaction: Not many people do, you would think the Rangers would still be a relevant team especially after winning the world series 2 years ago, but they put up the most mid record you can physically have, 81-81. There isn’t much to say except they aren’t meeting expectations, and with the Mariners being great, they need to step it up quickly.
Mariners: Future 81-81 Team?
Reaction: The biggest swing and miss of the previews. I can admit I was wrong, and calling the Mariners “mid” and they definitely did beat those allegations. Cal Raleigh single handedly took the Mariners to 90 wins, and almost the promised land, but they fell short against the Blue Jays. The legacy of this team will not be forgotten, as they had made it farther than any other Mariners team in franchise history.
Astros: Will They Continue Their Success or Fall Off?
Reaction: Both. They had 87 wins this season, but just like another orange team, they fell off at the deadline, and barely missed the playoffs. They added Carlos Correa back onto the team, and he didn’t do much. There isn’t much more to say about the Astros, and they are probably just gonna be mid for a few years.
Angels: Will Mike Trout Finally Play?
Reaction: He did. He played 130 games. But it’s sad that one of the best players in the last decade and a half is starting to fade, because he only had 60 rbis and a .230 average. We just hope he plays better next season.
Athletics: Live From Sacramento?
Reaction: No. They were irrelevant outside of star 1B Nick Kurtz. He won rookie of the year too. They signed Luis Severino to the largest contract in franchise history, and then he requested a trade because he “couldn’t pitch at a minor league stadium.” He had a 4.54 ERA. There is nothing more to say other than the A’s are just gonna build their team around Kurtz.
NL:
NL East:
Mets: Destiny or Doom?
Reaction: Definitely the second one. Destiny seemed to be in the cards for the first two months of the season, but things then went downhill very fast. Completing one of the worst collapses in MLB history is never fun, and the Mets will need to have an active offseason. After having only four sources of offense and pitching that was worse than words can even begin to describe, there will be plenty of questions in Queens this Winter.
Braves: Can Stars Stay Healthy?
Reaction: Absolutely not. If you can name a player on Atlanta, odds are that they couldn’t stay healthy. And as you can imagine their season was absolutely derailed as a result. Atlanta posted one of their worst records in years and missed the playoffs. Atlanta did show signs of their talent towards the end of the season, as a fully healthy team ended the year playing their best baseball. A talented, team, however health will always be the biggest question.
Phillies: Is This Core Good Enough To Make Another Deep Playoff Run?
Reaction: Doesn’t look that way. The Phillies stuck. Year after year, they have incredible rosters and put up fantastic regular seasons. They look poised for a deep playoff run, and then something bizarre happens that derails the whole thing. Two years ago, they made the NLCS and entered as enormous favorites against Arizona. They came home with a 3-2 series lead, needing just one win on the field where they had been so dominant to go back to the World Series. The win never came and Arizona stunned the world. Last year, they faced the Mets, once again as enormous favorites. After a game 1 bullpen meltdown, they won a great game 2. One win in Queens meant they would be guaranteed a winner-take-all game 5, with Zach Wheeler on the mound. The win never came as the Mets wild ride continued. Then this season, they faced the mighty Dodgers. Many saw the two as equal, and believed the winner would eventually win the World Series. After dropping the first two at home, another brutal elimination looked inevitable. But something seemed different, as Philly won game 3 and only allowed two runs in 11 innings of game 4. The catch, the second run came on an error in the bottom of the 11th, season done, the dominant offense only putting up one run with the season on the line. Where do they go from here? Probably to the postseason again where their fans will tell you it is “World Series or Bust.”
Nationals: Is This The Cinderella Team?
Reaction: They weren’t even close. Huge swing and a miss on my part. As bad as this take may seem in hindsight, many people were hoping on the Nats bandwagon before the season. With an underrated rotation in what turned out to be a wide open NL Wildcard, Washington had the potential to be frisky. But then they showed why they haven’t made the postseason since their World Series victory over half a decade ago. A disappointing season, Washington enters the offseason with many questions, and very few answers.
Marlins: What Will Happen With Sandy Alcantara?
Reaction: I think I mixed up Washington and Miami. With low expectations, the Marlins started countless prospects, and surprisingly, did pretty good. After a tough first half of the season, Miami came on in the second half and even made a push for the playoffs, being eliminated from contention in the final week of the season. Now back to Alcantara. He struggled early coming off of Tommy John surgery, however he seemed to return to vintage form towards the latter stages of the season. In his final 12 starts, he posted a good 3.13 ERA, and now he sees many trade talks. Teams will be bidding for the Cy Young Winner, but will the Marlins agree, or try to do the impossible and challenge for a playoff spot next season?
NL Central:
Brewers: Can They Finally Break Through In The Postseason?
Reaction: Kind of. The Brewers were the surprise of the regular season. Many expected the NL Central to be one of the weakest divisions in baseball, but it turned out to be one of the strongest. A 97 win season was the best in baseball, and earned manager Pat Murphy a second straight Manager Of The Year Award. They faced the rivaled Cubs in the NLDS and won an instant classic. Pretty good right? Well they then faced the Dodgers in the NLCS and had maybe one of the worst series I have ever seen, scoring a whooping 3 runs in 4 games. Milwaukee keeps winning and runs the central, but many still question their ability to compete with the NL’s best.
Cubs: Can They Meet Expectations In Council’s Second Season?
Reaction: I think so. Craig Council made headlines two years ago when he left Milwaukee to go and manage Chicago. After a disappointing first season, Chicago greatly improved, notching 92 wins, and knocking out San Diego in the National League Wild Card. An improvement for sure, Chicago will certainly have their eyes set on the Central next season.
Pirates: How Far Can Paul Skenes Take This Team?
Reaction: Someone send help. Remember that meme with the expensive car next to the tiny house? That is the perfect way to describe the current situation of Skenes. Paul Skenes is a face of the league winning Rookie of The Year and then one upping himself with a fantastic sophomore season, which earned the Cy Young Award. Sounds like it would be fun to watch him in the postseason, right? Well that won’t happen with him as a Pirate. Pittsburgh went 71-91 this season and continues to be a bottom feeder of the league. Teams will be desperate to trade for the ace, but will the Pirates agree, or continue to let a top talent sit in Pittsburgh.
Reds: Can Elly De La Cruz Lead The Reds To A Division Title?
Reaction: No, but this was an incredible season. I’ll be honest; I thought that the only way for an NL Central team to make the postseason would be a division title. I could have never expected to see 3 teams in the postseason, but that is exactly what happened. In the first year being managed by Terry Francona, Cincy saw an incredible improvement, and made their first postseason in 12 years. Next season will be time see if the culture is really changing in Cincinnati and if they can build on this great season.
Cardinals: Where Do They Go From Here?
Reaction: Rebuilding mode baby! The Cardinals have been in steady decline over the past 5 seasons. Once, always a postseason lock, the Cards will be lucky to sniff .500 baseball soon. This season, a climax was reached when so many key players were sold off at the deadline. Time to rebuild and try to get back to the Cardinals of old.
NL West:
Dodgers: Will Anybody Come Close To Stopping This Team?
Reaction: Close, but no cigar. The Dodgers certainly lived on the edge this year. An injury-filled regular season was good enough for a division title, but only the 3 seed in the NL Postseason. The Dodgers rolled Cincinnati in the Wild Card, won a wild 11 inning Game 4 to top Philly in the NLDS and they did things so terrible to Milwaukee in the NLCS that they best not be repeated (3 earned runs in 4 games). Then came the World Series, and in a 7 game series that I could spend hours writing about, the Dodgers won the greatest game I have ever seen to be the first back to back champs in two decades.
Padres: Can This Team Be A Dark Horse In The NL?
Reaction: Not really. After another good season that saw them make the postseason, the same story continued, they just can’t seem to get the job done when it matters the most. A back and forth 3 game series with Chicago ended their season, and now it is going to be time to answer some difficult questions about the team’s future.
Diamondbacks: Which Season Was The Fluke, 2023 or 2024?
Reaction: I’m starting to think the first one. After a Cinderella 2023 where Arizona came out of nowhere and rode a magic carpet to the World Series, many thought we had a new challenger in the NL. Then in 2024, the team fumbled a Wild Card spot (although still not as bad as the Mets collapse this season), and missed the postseason. This was a prove-it season for the D-Backs who hung around the playoff discussion, but ultimately came up short of postseason play again. Like many teams in the NL, there are plenty of questions about the direction of the team.
Rockies: Yeah, I Got Nothing
Reaction: I still don’t have anything. They are not very good. Except that one game against the Pirates was pretty fun.
Giants: Can Justin Verlander Return To His Cy Young Form?
Reaction: Swing and a miss on my part. Choosing to focus on Verlander’s season for the Giants was about as big of a mistake as it was to sign him. Verlander struggled, but that didn’t mean the Giants did, who had a wild year. After making a huge splash and trading for Raphael Devers, the team looked destined for the playoffs. But then, it only took until the trade deadline for them to become sellers and ship away many key pieces. After the deadline though, in the wild NL Wildcard race, they somehow hung around, before fading down the stretch. Now with high expectations, many in San Francisco expect to have a good offseason, and fully hope to be playing Postseason baseball next year.
