The start of the 2025 MLB season will be here in the proverbial blink of an eye.
In Tokyo, the season will kick off March 18th — where the Chicago Cubs will square off versus the Los Angeles Dodgers. All eyes will be on the grouping of Japanese players set to perform in this game. This would include Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers, Seiya Suzuki, and Shota Imanaga of the Cubs.
Before we get to that point, however, it would be prudent to reflect on the offseason — analyzing which moves were made by contenders to fortify their respective standings as World Series contenders.
In a two-part series, we’ll break down the top 10 teams currently in baseball. This particular installment will focus on the No. 1-5 teams.
5. San Diego Padres
By the end of last year, San Diego truly looked like the second-best team in baseball. Some could make the case they were the best team ahead of the Dodgers.
The team has an undeniable blend of pitching depth along with some real pop in the lineup. Michael King took the next step toward being a legitimate ace-level starter. Dylan Cease has great stuff, Yu Darvish can still spin the baseball exceptionally well, and the bullpen is loaded with high-level arms.
This has been a very quiet offseason for the Padres. The most noteworthy storyline has centered on the wife of late owner Peter Seidler involved in a lawsuit against Seidler’s brothers. Will this have an impact on the team’s pursuit of Roki Sasaki? If the Padres can ink Sasaki to a deal, it could vault them even closer to the Dodgers. Just based on a lack of activity in the offseason (along with Tanner Scott, Jurickson Profar, Ha-Seong Kim, and Kyle Higashioka leaving in free agency), they sit at No. 5 on this list.
4. Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona is not messing around.
The Diamondbacks had a poor 2024 season after making the World Series the year prior. One could make a real argument that this year’s iteration is better than the team that made it to the Fall Classic. Signing the jewel of the free agent pitching class in Corbin Burnes was a master stroke of genius. Few saw Arizona as a viable destination for him.
Now with Burnes, Arizona fields a very strong starting rotation which also includes Brandon Pfaadt, Merrill Kelly, Zac Gallen, Jordan Montgomery, and Eduardo Rodriguez. Throw in Gabriel Moreno, Ketel Marte, Corbin Carroll, and newly acquired Josh Naylor, and this team is loaded.
3. Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia hasn’t changed much from last season. The team is already deep from top-to-bottom — particularly within its starting lineup.
Max Kepler was added as a probable starter in the outfield. The statuses of relievers Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez are still unknown. The most noteworthy transaction included the Phillies trading for flamethrowing lefty Jesus Luzardo. While inconsistent and somewhat injury-prone, the stuff is undeniable. As a No. 4 or No. 5 starter, he makes Philadelphia’s rotation that much deeper. Signing Jordan Romano could help to make up for the expected losses of the aforementioned relievers.
As the season progresses, keep an eye on how the Phillies opt to use prized pitching prospect Andrew Painter. He could end up becoming a massive difference-maker.
2. New York Yankees
After being thoroughly dominated in the World Series by the team coming in at No. 1 on this list, the Yankees needed to retool considerably.
Juan Soto opted to sign across town with the Mets in a move that could be a good thing long-term for the Bronx Bombers. All of that $765 million geared toward Soto has instead been repurposed elsewhere. Max Fried was brought in to fortify an already strong rotation which should be the best in the American League.
Devin Williams — arguably the best relief pitcher in baseball — was acquired via trade to give the Yankees a dynamic one-two punch alongside Luke Weaver in the bullpen. The team let Gleyber Torres, Alex Verdugo, and Anthony Rizzo walk. Paul Goldschmidt should be a minor improvement over Rizzo at first base. The franchise’s top prospect Jasson Dominguez figures to finally get a chance to play every day. Cody Bellinger’s defensive versatility and overall pedigree is also an upgrade over what the team had with Verdugo.
The Yankees have an elite starting rotation, and still boast one of the game’s best players in Aaron Judge. They should be the favorites to win the American League once again.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
This team is utterly ridiculous.
We know the games aren’t played on paper, but the projected starting rotation is something out of a video game:
- Blake Snell
- Shohei Ohtani
- Tyler Glasnow
- Clayton Kershaw
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto
We aren’t even including the likes of Bobby Miller, Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, Emmet Sheehan, Ben Casparius, Justin Wrobleski, or perhaps Roki Sasaki in this group. Adding Snell was a brilliant move to help the depth of the staff. While health is a major caveat with this group, the depth outlined above should more than mitigate those issues (and the Dodgers care about these guys being healthy in October rather than April anyway).
The team managed to re-sign Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman, sign an underrated OF in Michael Conforto, ink Korean defensive wizard/speedster Hyeseong Kim to play all over the diamond, AND there’s still a realistic chance the team could add both Sasaki and Tanner Scott before the year begins. Oh yeah — and that guy Ohtani is going to be fully healthy this year in the batter’s box and on the mound despite winning MVP Award in 2024 with a surgically-repaired/recovering elbow ligament.
In a word, wow.
