2025 MLB Previews Part I: The Wild and Mild Wests
In the first installment of the 2025 division previews, we’ll take a check-in out in the wild wild west, where in one league, it’s an arms race, and in the other, there’s been a shift in the identities and the balance of power.
We’ll predict the standings and go over the outlook for the year after a chaotic offseason with a flurry (and non-flurry) of moves, as well as the players that could easily fluctuate how they view the year.
(Yes, there are more reasons to watch than just being maligned to the inevitable Dodgers, we promise.)
NL West
- Los Angeles Dodgers
- Arizona Diamondbacks
- San Francisco Giants
- San Diego Padres
- Colorado Rockies
AL West
- Texas Rangers
- Houston Astros
- Sacramento/Las Vegas/THE Athletics
- Seattle Mariners
- Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles Dodgers
- 2024 Record: 98-64
- Notable Additions: Blake Snell, Roki Sasaki, Tanner Scott, Hyeseong Kim, Kirby Yates, Michael Conforto
- Notable Subtractions: Walker Buehler, Jack Flaherty, Gavin Lux
- Relative Expectations: Repeat. Again. And Again. And Again.
- Wild Card Player to Watch: Hyeseong Kim
Imagine having an offseason after a World Series victory so monumental that fans of the sport begin to question whether or not rules and restrictions should be in place.
PHOTO: Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Imagn Images
Look, the Los Angeles Dodgers and what they’re bringing to the table this year after a World Series title which they came, saw, and conquered after signing Ohtani will be held to an entirely different standard than the rest of the league. They not only went out and signed marquee-free agents who took a discount just to be able to play in LA (and they should be praised for that!), but they also are only going to get healthier. Even IN the World Series, they were without Ohtani’s pitching, Clayton Kershaw, Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May, and Tyler Glasnow in what could be a 6-man rotation this year with them coming back. They even strengthened their bullpen with Yates and Scott as headliners, got 2x Cy Young-winner Blake Snell from a division rival, and Roki Sasaki as the big fish of the International market.
The insanity and unpredictability of playoff baseball make nothing a sure thing, but after a ring and the offseason in which it felt like they simply went out and got everyone they wanted, they’ll be every team’s World Series throughout the season. The reason that their players have had the capability of trying new positions, taking time off for health, or why they didn’t win over 100 last year was because the Dodgers know how to spend blockbuster money, develop talent from the ground up, and win trades on the margins.
Hyeseong Kim was simply signed as an afterthought, someone with a name that is already going to be mixed up with the now Tampa Bay Ray, and he’s just going to be starting at 2nd base for the World Series champs out of the KBO and has four Gold Gloves there. Providing that stability up the middle to take the heat off Mookie and let him focus on hitting could be major.
The Dodgers are in a different league.
Arizona Diamondbacks
- 2024 Record: 89-73
- Notable Additions: Corbin Burnes, Josh Naylor
- Notable Subtractions: Christian Walker, Joc Pederson, Josh Bell, Paul Sewald, Slade Cecconi
- Relative Expectations: Throw punches at the Dodgers and make the postseason
- Wild Card Player to Watch: Gabriel Moreno
The Arizona Diamondbacks easily had the most heartbreaking regular seasons last year, having the best offense in baseball only to miss the postseason on the final day due to a Mets-Braves doubleheader split on the last day of the season. However, they may have emerged as one of the biggest winners of the offseason, even though they were in the same division as the Dodgers and lost Christian Walker. They went out and not only addressed the need for pitching to pair with that best offense, but Corbin Burnes, the prized ace on the market, WANTED to be in Arizona and reached out to THEM. The Snakes’ front office even said they see the benefits in winning financially and expect to do more of the same. It’s such a refreshing contrast in a league where owners can sit on their hands to let the money roll in if they want.
Burnes joins a rotation with Zac Gallen, an ace already, Merrill Kelly, AKA Captain America, and have the possibility of unloading Jordan Montgomery in a deal after his signing last year and the owner already admitting it was a mistake. The offense is not only going to rake but have a great time doing so- Corbin Carroll didn’t officially get healthy until the second half of the year and will look to bounce back, Josh Naylor is going to hit bombs, and Ketel Marte will continue to look to be the “most underrated player in baseball” as the third NL MVP candidate.
Gabriel Moreno can take this pitching staff over the top if he can remain healthy in 2025 as a young catcher who plays the position in the most picture-perfect way, winning a Gold Glove and hitting for average seamlessly, and could enter the realm of our golden age of catchers.
It feels like the snakes are unafraid.
San Francisco Giants
- 2024 Record: 80-82
- Notable Additions: Willy Adames, Justin Verlander
- Notable Subtractions: Blake Snell, Michael Conforto, Taylor Rogers, Mark Canha
- Relative Expectations: Try to be the 2nd best NL West team and build something as a free-agency destination
- Wild Card Player to Watch: Patrick Bailey (offensively)
They finally did it! The Giants have either been at or below .500, aside from the miraculous 2021 season since 2016. Farhan Zaidi is out of the front office, and franchise legend Buster Posey comes in only to do what they’ve always come up with, which is just short of each offseason: landing a top free agent. While losing Blake Snell is going to burn, getting Willy Adames, a good vibes power-hitting shortstop on a 7-year deal, could at least get the ball rolling to building something towards the future.
The Giants also have that rich recent history of defense and starting pitching, and having that middle infield of Matt Chapman at third, Adames at shortstop, defensive savant Patrick Bailey as the backstop, and Justin Verlander and Robbie Ray to hopefully take the heat off of workhorse starting pitcher and Jesse Plemmons doppelganger Logan Webb.
The lineup will still be top-heavy, and they’ll be counting largely on Patrick Bailey to step it up offensively as one of the best defenders and worst second-half hitters. Still, the Giants are finally setting things in motion to build a destination that can revive the “BEAT LA” rivalry.
San Diego Padres
- 2024 Record: 93-69
- Notable Additions: Nick Pivetta, Connor Joe, Jason Heyward
- Notable Subtractions: Tanner Scott, Jurickson Profar, Ha-Seong Kim, Martin Perez, Donovan Solano
- Relative Expectations: Try to get back as an NL Wild Card team despite a bad offseason
- Wild Card Player to Watch: Michael King
Just months ago, the San Diego Padres were seen as the Dodgers’ “World Series” in the NLDS as the team that was oh so close to slaying Goliath and had good vibes doing it before the Dodgers stormed back from down 2-1 in the series.
Has there been anyone with a more massive switch in aura?
Following the tragic passing of Peter Seidler, who did everything he could to spend, go all-in, and bring high-level baseball to San Diego, the dispute over ownership within the family just brought toxicity and inactivity that caused them to not only lose the names that made the team go, but also be inactive until finally bringing in Nick Pivetta to the rotation, and even STILL Dylan Cease is being floated in trade rumors if the window is closing.
The gap between the Padres and the rest of the NL West is widening, with the Diamondbacks and Giants also trending upward, but we said the exact same thing about the team last season with the loss of Juan Soto. They literally just told this guy named Jackson Merrill, “Please play outfield, which you’ve never done before,” and he went out and was the focal point of their offense at just 21; they continue to surprise us. Maybe they get a full season of Tatis at MVP level, Xander Bogaerts finally looks worth the money, and Michael King, who had absolutely electric command in the postseason in the absence of Joe Musgrove, can help them surprise the rest of us if they decide to keep the window open and hold onto Cease.
The Padres being fun is good for baseball, and we need the on-field action to become the focal point.
Colorado Rockies
- 2024 Record: 61-101
- Notable Additions: Kyle Farmer, Thairo Estrada
- Notable Subtractions: Daniel Bard, Brendan Rodgers, Cal Quantrill, Charlie Blackmon
- Relative Expectations: Sell a lot of concessions again!
- Wild Card Player to Watch: Brenton Doyle
Another year of Rockies baseball, another year of doing nothing in the offseason because the meteoric (and beautiful!) ballpark makes it impossible to create a competent pitching staff, and the fans will still show up and spend money. Cal Quantrill may be a superhuman for looking sort of competent as a pitcher last year, and he’s gone. Charlie Blackmon, the face and beard of the franchise, has retired, and the rest of the division is in an arms race.
The Rockies are just a team operating in the Twilight Zone that pat themselves on the back for giving Kris Bryant a ton of money to be on a billboard and not play games to the point where the fans who care have even turned on him. They’re just not trying anything different and bold to work around their ballpark situation- they’re going to remain a team that refuses to spend money and have the worst ERA in baseball unless something changes.
Brenton Doyle is due for an extension as a Gold Glove-winning defensive master, and even Ezekial Tovar is a ton of fun on defense at shortstop; their defense is lost in the shuffle with pitching that is too much to overcome and an offense that needs to take a step up. Doyle’s power has taken a leap, and he’s fun on the basepaths, so with his defense at 26, it’ll be interesting if they decide he can be a cornerstone in the future.
Aside from holding out hope that maybe Chase Dolander will get called up and be the miracle pitcher who can navigate Coors, the Rockies are going to sell a lot of beer and be a punching bag for the NL West.
Texas Rangers
- 2024 Record: 78-84
- Notable Additions: Joc Pederson, Jake Burger, Kyle Higashioka, Jacob Webb, Chris Martin, Robert Garcia
- Notable Subtractions: Nathaniel Lowe, Max Scherzer. Kirby Yates, Jose Leclerc, David Robertson
- Relative Expectations: Put last year in the rearview mirror and win the division
- Wild Card Player to Watch: Jacob deGrom
Well, after winning their first-ever World Series and Evan Carter claiming that the job wasn’t finished, the Rangers had a massively disappointing follow-up with a record below .500 and missing the postseason entirely. The bats could never stay healthy or take off, and the pitching staff remained inconsistent.
If there was ever a time to believe in the “Bruce Bochy is good every other year” theory, it’s now.
As the rest of the division is a muddled mess, the Rangers sent a message: last year needs to be seen as an outlier, and changes need to be made to bring the team back to the top of the AL West.
On the pitching staff, it’s not exactly a bold take to say that Jacob deGrom is a guy to look out for this year, but he historically has been one of the greatest pitchers you’ve ever seen when he’s rarely on the field, and they went out and won a World Series WITHOUT him! Eovaldi returning is going to be the stabilizing force with a lot of high ceilings and low floors, with deGrom and Mahle returning and Kumar Rocker being the college stud getting a chance despite the health concerns. Still, Cody Bradford showed signs of being good enough to where they could move someone to strengthen their Achilles’ heel bullpen.
The lineup from 1-9 might be the deepest when healthy in an American League up for grabs. Adding the ultimate vibes guy in Joc Pederson to replace Nate Lowe, rescuing Jake Burger, the home run leader post-All-Star Break from the Marlins, getting All-Stars Josh Jung and Corey Seager healthy, and a potential second-year breakout from Wyatt Langford gives you no breaks. If they change the approach to also being able to get on base and steal bases to control the game, the pure power they have will put them in the top tier of the AL West and put the World Series hangover woes in the rearview mirror.
Houston Astros
- 2024 Record: 88-73
- Notable Additions: Christian Walker, Isaac Paredes, Hayden Wesneski
- Notable Subtractions: Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman, Yusei Kikuchi, Justin Verlander, Ryan Pressly, Jason Heyward, Jose Urquidy, Hector Neris, Kendall Graveman
- Relative Expectations: Win the division with a new-look team and not fall off
- Wild Card Player to Watch: Cam Smith
The titanium force of the American League that made the ALCS for 7 straight years was slain in the Wild Card and has had to go through an offseason of what they claim is retooling rather than rebuilding. Alex Bregman left for a payday in Boston. They dealt with Kyle Tucker and Ryan Pressly after looking at the price tags. Altuve feels like the only piece connected to that 2017 World Series team that we’ve come to define this era of Astros baseball.
That being said, you trust organizations like the Astros. Isaac Paredes, filling in for Bregman, is going to PULL homers to the short crawford boxes; Christian Walker is a veteran first baseman whose defense will elevate what is a trusted pitching factory (and likely won’t be a Jose Abreu, ‘Stros fans), and choosing to deal Kyle Tucker before paying him and tinkering with moving around their infield pieces shows the faith in prospect Cam Smith who could be big league ready.
While we feel like the identity issues are gone with a far lower ceiling, the American League and the division still feel in play- they’ll just be looking to win with a roster trying to get younger and cheaper around Altuve and Yordan. The Astros are still the Astros in the division until they’re not.
Sacramento/Las Vegas/THE Athletics
- 2024 Record: 69-93
- Notable Additions: Luis Severino, Jeffrey Springs, Gio Urshela, Jose Leclerc
- Notable Subtractions: None
- Relative Expectations: Be a fun, over-achieving team in a temporary minor league park
- Wild Card Player to Watch: Lawrence Butler
Welcome to the DEBUT season of the Las Vegas Athletics that play in a minor league field in Sacramento that still will be going by THE Athletics! For a team that was so intent on losing games last season before unfairly ripping the franchise from dedicated fans’ and a community’s hearts, they’re actually a contender to be one of the most fun teams in the American League that plays in an unpredictable ballpark that could rally the team? That also may have to do with them being required to spend money as a contending team in order to comply with a CBA agreement to avoid penalties, but they were even plucky WITH one of the worst payrolls in baseball last year!
Luis Severino is now the ace of staff and the highest-paid A free agent in history; they extended Brent Rooker for 5 years after he blossomed into an All-Star and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting, and Jeffrey Springs coming in from the Rays to get some consistent starts gives them some idamididst of a new era.
Lawrence Butler also operates as the heart and soul of the team, providing all of the energy. In the second half, he absolutely exploded for double-digit homers (while bat-flipping probably all of them) and an absurd 1.210 OPS. He has the perfect aura to rally the team in unforeseen circumstances and help them over-achieve in the AL West as a thorn in the rest of the league’s side. The A’s always rally and are galvanized in chaos as an organization.
Oh, yeah, and Mason Miller may be the best closer in baseball with routine 101 fastballs.
Seattle Mariners
- 2024 Record: 85-77
- Notable Additions: Donovan Solano
- Notable Subtractions: Justin Turner, Yimi Garcia
- Relative Expectations: Be what we thought you could be last year as a team contending for the division
- Wild Card Player to Watch: Randy Arozarena
If you ask anyone around the league who has the best 1-5 starting rotation, the answer will likely be Seattle with Castillo-Gilbert-Kirby-Miller-Woo staring at you. So, what did they do to combat an inept offense and a ballpark historically difficult to hit in? They added Donovan Solano and sat on their hands. Julio’s breakout season to lead them as THE man whom they immediately extended just hasn’t been enough after they broke the postseason drought, and it’s objectively hilarious that defensive-based Victor Robles only found out how to hit when joining the Mariners on a flier deal.
The Mariners have just been content with being a “half team” for the past several seasons, and this offseason did nothing to ensure what could easily bring the best pitching staff to the postseason again. Cal Raleigh, at least, is going to have some real estate as possibly the best offensive catcher in the American League, but we’re going to need Randy Arozarena to become the Randy Arozarena from October for the full year if we’re going to be getting tricked into the Mariners being serious again at the plate. The rotation wasn’t enough last year, and suddenly, there’s apathy like you wouldn’t believe for a fan base that went over two decades without a playoff appearance.
Los Angeles Angels
- 2024 Record: 63-99
- Notable Additions: Yusei Kikuchi, Jorge Soler, Kenley Jansen, Travis d’Arnaud, Kyle Hendricks, Yoan Moncada
- Notable Subtractions: Patrick Sandoval, Griffin Canning
- Relative Expectations: Just appreciate a healthy Mike Trout season and not be an embarrassment
- Wild Card Player to Watch: Ben Joyce
“Don’t confuse activity for productivity” is the old saying that could apply to the Angels’ offseason and outlook going forward here. Mike Trout’s career has not only been a Mickey Mantle-esque talent hampered by injuries but also one abused by a front office that will make a plethora of incompetent moves to build around his generational talent. Unfortunately, he’s a bigger man than superstars in other sports who could request a trade or display dissatisfaction, but it’s been to his own detriment.
You can pick which Anthony Rendon games played stats you want since he signed his megadeal, as he needs another surgery (my favorite is that Ted Williams played more games when he was fighting in World War II). Still, the roster around a now Right Field-ing Trout to preserve his health feels like putting duct tape on a rusty wooden ship with holes in it. Jorge Soler will have plenty of Soler Power homers out in LA, and Logan O’Hoppe could be the next best offensive young catcher, but there’s a rotation that doesn’t know who it’s starting from the bottom down on a joyless franchise banking on unknowns.
What we DO know, however, is that flamethrower Ben Joyce will make his 105 MPH fastballs to must-see TV and get to learn from Kenley Jansen in the process.
Everyone says a prayer for Mike Trout’s health immediately.
PHOTO: Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Imagn Images
Discover more from Wegryn Enterprises
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.