MLB 2025 Predictions

MLB Predictions 2025 : Are the Dodgers the Greatest Team Ever Assembled?

By David A. Avila

In a year with all eyes focused on the Los Angeles Dodgers possibly winning the 2024 World Series championship, they did exactly as many predicted.

This year 2025 the Dodgers could be even better.

With the World Champion Dodgers adding a young Japanese phenom plus a proven left-handed ace to this Los Angeles squad, it could be the greatest team ever assembled.

A close inspection of this team that includes Shohei Ohtani, perhaps the greatest baseball player ever seen, along with future Hall of Fame candidates Clayton Kershaw, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and maybe Brett Snell, this 2025 Dodgers version could be chasing other powerhouse teams like the 1998 New York Yankees, the 1975 Cincinnati Reds, and the 1927 Yankees as the greatest team ever.

Or, they could just be a paper tiger.

Many a loaded team fell to the curb after supposedly stacking their teams with all star talent.

One of the main factors in repeating for the Dodgers is the health of its key players Ohtani, Betts and Freeman. Already two of those players were unable to play in the first two games that took place in Japan.

Yes, the Dodgers won due to their depth, but the baseball season is long and winning without their stars is possible but not easy.

Once again, the Los Angeles Dodgers are the choice to go all the way and win another World Series. It’s one of the toughest tasks in all team sports but how can anyone pick against this loaded team.

Here is a look at all the divisions in Major League Baseball and the order they are predicted to finish.

AL West

The Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners should be locked in step until the end of the season. Both had off years in 2024 but could rebound behind their pitching and defense.

Texas – Just two years since winning the World Series, this team regains its ace Jacob DeGrom for the entire season. It is always important to have an ace to anchor the team during a grueling season. They still have great hitters like Corey Seager, Adolis Garcia and Marcus Semien and an excellent defense. This team needs its pitching to stay healthy.

Seattle – Every year is supposed to be their year, but they always seem to fall short. The Mariners are loaded with pitching. It’s their hitting that needs to turn around. Last year they were one of the most feeble scoring teams in the MLB. Julio Rodriguez, Rowdy Tellez and Randy Arozarena are expected to spearhead the offense.    

Los Angeles – Injuries to their best players Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon hurt the team badly in 2024. This year they already lose Rendon before the first pitch of the season. No matter. The team has an excellent young shortstop in Zach Neto and surefire Hall of Fame candidate in Trout. They also picked up ace reliever Kenley Jansen and starter Kyle Hendricks. They have improved.

Houston – Every year since 2017 the Astros have fielded a playoff contender. This year, despite a solid rotation the team will struggle with two of their stars leaving for other teams. Losing Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker at the same time would devastate any team. Both represent a lot of runs offensively and defensively. Can their pitching overcome these losses? Is Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez enough?

Oakland – You never know with Oakland how the year will turn out. They always seem to have hidden talent in their farm system. Last year Brent Rooker ripped the ball with 39 homers and 112 runs batted in. It was a tremendous season and another example of their talent. They also have young talented pitchers. This will not be their year but they could be on the verge of turning it around just in time for the move to Las Vegas.

AL Central

It’s a rugged division with four of the five teams capable of coming on top. The Guardians boast the best pitching but that can change this year with Detroit closing in on the talent gap. And don’t overlook Kansas or Minnesota.

Cleveland – Aside from Jose Ramirez its difficult to name another star on the Guardians roster. They just know how to win with their scratch and claw attack. Their pitching staff remains the strength of their success and it doesn’t seem to matter if you can’t name all their starters. They simply know how to pitch and then turn the ball over to their ace closer Emmanuel Clase. Game over man.

Detroit – Last year we predicted the Tigers would be in the running and they proved us right. Behind ace pitcher Tarik Skubal who won a whopping 18 games in an age of pitchers going only five innings, the pitching staff is strong. They also got back Jack Flaherty who guided the Dodgers through the playoffs and World Series wins. They also have young talent on the field that now has the confidence of being in the playoffs.

Minnesota – Their pitching staff can’t be overlooked and should help the Twins compete in a very competitive division. Health is the main concern regarding their two big stars Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton. If they can stay on the field the team is capable of beating anyone in their division. They boast a solid pitching staff with no big names but solid credentials. They also have the best hitting of anyone in the division.

Kansas City - Their pitching was expertly selected with a blend of veterans and youngsters and guided by their great catcher Salvador Perez. He is proof of the importance of a catcher. They also have a young super star in Bobby Witt Jr. who exploded on the scene in 2024 with 211 hits, 32 homers, 109 RBIs, and 31 stolen bases. And he played splendidly at shortstop to lead the team to the playoffs.

Chicago WS – The once mighty White Sox have holes everywhere. They need to reload in every facet of the game. First, their pitching staff needs to be replenished. One thing about the White Sox organization is their ability to find and develop pitching. It has always been one of their strong points. They also picked up former Dodger prospect Miguel Vargas who could develop with more playing time into the hitting gem many predicted.

AL East

The New York Yankees made it to the World Series for the first time since 2009. But they just couldn’t match the Dodger talent. This year the Yanks look even stronger on paper. But health is always a concern for the team from the Bronx. Their rivals Baltimore and Tampa Bay have also reloaded. Expect the Yanks to repeat if Aaron Judge remains healthy.

New York Yanks – They lost Juan Soto, but they gained Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt. They also lost Gerrit Cole for a few months again. But they gained ace pitcher Max Fried a southpaw who knows how to win in the playoffs. They also got ace closer Devin Williams and his almost unhittable change up. Add perennial MVP candidate Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton and it’s another powerhouse team.   

Baltimore – Pitching is one of their strengths plus a youthful and talented hitting squad. But they play in the same division as the mighty Yankees so there is no time off. Led by the explosive Gunnar Henderson the Orioles will be neck and neck with New York and any other contenders. One key this year will be the play of catcher Adley Rutschman whose offense struggled in 2024.

Tampa Bay – Every year the Tampa Bay Rays surprise everyone and compete for the division. But not last year. One reason the Rays reboot so quickly is their depth at pitching and developing young pitchers. They know how to groom their hurlers. Offensively the team lost its footing. They scored a mere 604 runs in 2024 and that’s compared to 815 by the Yankees. That’s too much of a spread to overcome.

Boston – Last year the Red Sox scored a lot of runs but allowed a lot too. Pitching was their downfall so this year they added some talent such as former Dodger ace Walker Buehler, former White Sox ace Garret Crochet and long ago hot shot reliever Arnoldis Chapman. Will that be enough? Buehler is a clutch pitcher and could be the key. Offensively, they have firepower in Rafael Devers, Triston Casas and new pickup Alex Bregman from the Astros. Watch out.

Toronto – The Blue Jays just can’t seem to put it together. One year they lack pitching and another year their hitting falters. It’s going to be a dry year for the Jays who don’t have the pitching depth of the other teams unless someone from their farm system steps up. Even Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is not enough to carry the team that scored only 671 runs last year. 140 runs less than New York. They did add powerful Anthony Santander and his 40 homers to the squad. He might make the difference.

NL East

The New York Mets turned on the jets when they needed it the most. Still, this division is very competitive with Philadelphia still in the mix and Atlanta always at the top of the heap. Its going to be another dog fight between these three teams.

NY Mets – The addition of Juan Soto to the team is a great boost, but keeping Pete Alonzo is even more important. He, along with Francisco Lindor are the heart of the team that almost made the World Series. They have balance and experience and that goes a long way. Pitching is the key to the Mets success. They are loaded with young talent. Can they keep their cool in the heat of the race again,

Atlanta – Pitching is always their strength but losing Max Fried to free agency has got to hurt. Yes, they still have Chris Sale and Spencer Strider coming back but any time you lose an all-star pitcher it’s going to hurt. Offensively the return of a healthy Ronald Acuna could make a massive difference. He is a superstar. Last year they were 80 runs behind the division leading Phillies.

Philadelphia – The Phillies are an offensive powerhouse and have strong starting pitching with Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola leading the way. It wasn’t enough during the playoffs. During the regular season they led the division in scoring with 784 runs. They just couldn’t match the Mets during the post season. Can they regain their footing as the top dog in the division? They still have Bryce Harper leading the offensive charge.

Miami – Last year they lost their ace Sandy Alcantara to injury. This year he is back but will he be the Cy Young Award worthy pitcher like before? The Marlins are loaded with pitching, as always, but still lack an offense to keep up with the big dogs. They only scored 637 runs last year. Jesus Sanchez and Xavier Edwards are not enough. They need help.

Washington – The Nationals showed a lot of spunk last year but this year they will not surprise anyone. They lack the pitching depth of the others in this division and it will hurt their chances. They did add Michael Soroka the former Atlanta pitcher who is recovering from injuries. Washington always has good pitching prospects and could surprise.

NL Central

Pitching is the name of the game and Milwaukee Brewers could give lessons on developing good pitching. They also have enough offense to stave off the competition but could find themselves battling until the end with the Chicago Cubs.

Milwaukee – They are deep in starting pitching and they also added Yankee starter Nestor Cortes. Only the Dodgers have a deeper pitching staff and not by much. Offense is what the team lacks despite Christian Yelich returning to form the last two years, he and talented catcher William Contreras need help to generate more runs.

Chicago Cubs – Last year the Cubs collapsed in the final month of the season. They barely missed the playoffs. This year the team added offensive star Kyle Tucker to an already potent offense that scored 736 runs to lead the division. They also picked up former Dodger Justin Turner who knows a thing or two about hitting. Ace pitcher Shota Imanaga led the team in wins with 15 in his first season in the MLB. 

Cincinnati – The team is loaded with young talent in both hitting and pitching. Can they get over the hump this year? The Reds added Dodger stud Gavin Lux to the team and he could be the ignitor the team lacks. They also have an ace starting pitcher in Hunter Greene who gets better every year. He is only 25 years old and dominates now when he pitches. The team is coming together.

St. Louis – Pitching has always been a strength of the Cardinals but the other teams in the division have passed them. Still, Sonny Gray knows a thing or two about leading a rotation and if he is healthy he is very dependable. The Cards departed with Paul Goldschmidt but still have potent hitting from Willson Contreras. They also still have Nolan Arenado but his hitting prowess has decreased.

Pittsburgh – The Pirates have one of the best young pitchers in the business with fireballer Paul Skenes. When he took the mound he dominated with 11 wins and a 1.96 ERA. Now if the Pirates can come up with a few more like him they would dominate the National League. Offensively the team could use some batting firepower. They usually have a very good farm system.

NL West

The NL West is the best division in baseball with three teams loaded with pitching and hitting. The Los Angeles Dodgers are this year’s pick to win again but many called the San Diego Padres the second best team in baseball. Ironically, the Arizona Diamondbacks led all of baseball in scoring runs last year and missed the playoffs.

L.A. Dodgers – The Dodgers won the World Series with a loaded team last year. They added even more depth. Consider that Shohei Ohtani will be able to pitch this year. Also, they signed Japan ace Roki Sasaki and Cy Young winner Blake Snell. Other pitchers returning from injury are Clayton Kershaw, Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin. The team needs to stay healthy. In their first two wins this season they already had Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts on the injury list. Is that an omen?

San Diego – If the Padres were in another division they would easily dominate. After nearly toppling the Dodgers last year the Padres are rebooting and ready to challenge again. They lost Tanner Scott to the Dodgers but still maintain a very good pitching staff with Yu Darvish and Dylan Cease. They also have offensive firepower with Fernando Tatis, Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill.

Arizona Diamondbacks – The D-Backs scored 886 runs and that led all of baseball. Yet, they barely missed the playoffs due to a collapse of their pitching. This year they added Corbin Burnes the former ace of the Baltimore Orioles and Milwaukee Brewers. Along with Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly it could be a formidable pitching staff. Hitting is not a problem for the team with Ketel Marte, Josh Naylor and Corbin Carroll leading the charge. They also have great defense on the field.

San Francisco – The once mighty Giants who won three World Series in five years are gone. The man who led those teams Buster Posey is the brains behind the front office and hopefully can give their ace pitcher Logan Webb some help. The redhead from Rocklin, California has been a bedrock for the team. Their pitching and hitting or not bad, but its not enough in this killer division. They scored 160 runs less than the Dodgers and 204 less than Arizona.    

Colorado – The Rockies have one of the best managers in Bud Black but guiding a team in Denver is not an easy trick. Playing in the high altitude is a different animal for every phase of the game. Their hitting is led by Ryan McMahon, Michael Toglia, Ezekiel Tovar, and Brenton Doyle. It’s a young talented squad. If they can get some pitching they could do damage.