The Dodgers look like the cream of the crop but there are several teams that could challenge for their crown.
Every Major League Baseball team begins a brand new baseball season with hope.
In the spring of 1993, as a fresh-faced 16-year-old Phillies fan living in suburban bliss, I had no right to believe that summer was going to be anything special.
From 1987-1992, the Phils finished in last place three times, including the ‘92 season when they went 70-92 and ended a whopping 26 games out of first place. Only the most deluded Phillies fan picked them to do anything in 1993, but somewhere in recesses of my brain, I just knew they were going to finish in first that year.
To be honest, there were signs. The offense, despite winning just 70 games, was one of the better units in the league. Darren Daulton and Dave Hollins emerged as really good players, John Kruk was a .300 hitter and Lenny Dykstra always played well when he wasn’t hurt. The pitching staff had some really good arms in Terry Mulholland and Tommy Greene, both of whom had thrown no hitters in recent seasons but everyone got hurt.
They didn’t add any major pieces in the off-season, but I believed. That belief was rewarded with a magical 97-win season, a historic six-game victory over the Braves in the NLCS, and a crushing loss at the hands of the Blue Jays and Joe Carter.
Every season begins with teams we expect to contend, teams that are on the upswing, teams a few years away with some hope, and teams that seemingly have no hope whatsoever.
No matter what tier you find your team on, it’s understandable, albeit perhaps delusional, to believe they have at least a shot. Which tier is your team on?
Tier 1 – The new Evil Empire
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
No one questions which team has the most talented roster. Shohei Ohtani. Mookie Betts. Freddie Freeman. Blake Snell. Roki Sasaki. Yoshinobu Yamamoto. A dominant bullpen. The Dodgers could very well break the all-time wins record of 116, set by the 1906 Cubs and 2001 Mariners. And yet…
No team has repeated as World Series champion since the Yankees three-peated from 1998-2000. Teams now must win at least three postseason rounds in order to host a parade and, in the case of all but the top two seeds in each league, four. Even if you’ve got the best roster in the sport, anything can happen in the postseason. In 2023, the Dodgers, Orioles and Braves all won more than 100 games. None even made it to the World Series. In ‘22, 106-win Astros won it all, but the 111-win Dodgers got bounced in the opening round, as did the 101-win Braves and Mets. Since 2000, 36 teams have won 100 or more games. Five have won the World Series, and only five others even got there. And one ominous item to begin the season, a mystery illness to Mookie Betts that has sidelined him this spring and caused him to lose 15-20 pounds, now down to 150 pounds. The Dodgers are the oldest team in baseball, with every member of their starting lineup age 30 or older.
Not saying the Dodgers shouldn’t be the favorites to win it all. They should. They’re going to be excellent. But as great as they are, nothing is guaranteed.
Tier 2: Dodger huntin’
2. Philadelphia Phillies
The four best teams outside of Los Angeles all reside in the National League, three of them in the NL East. The defending division champion Phillies are still smarting from a first-round playoff ouster to the Mets last October. New York now has future Hall of Famer Juan Soto anchoring the middle of a lineup that should be one of the most potent in baseball. Atlanta is coming off an injury-riddled season that still saw them somehow make the playoffs.
For the Phils, they’re another year older and, hopefully for them, another year wiser. The 30+ core of Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto, Trea Turner and Nick Castellanos all appear to still be in their primes, but the window for this particular group is closing. They boast perhaps the best pitching staff in baseball, but this team could win 100 games this year and no one in Philadelphia is going to believe any of it’s for real unless it results in a World Series title. The team, and fanbase, are on a mission. Is this the year it finally happens?
3. Atlanta Braves
I understand why some would put Atlanta ahead of the Phillies in any set of rankings, and honestly, the teams are extremely close. The Phils get the nod from me because they have beaten Atlanta head-to-head in the 2022 and ‘23 postseasons and then won six more games than them a season ago. But even with the loss of Max Fried in free agency, the Braves’ roster is loaded. Spencer Strider looked great this spring returning from Tommy John surgery, and he’ll join a rotation of Cy Young winner Chris Sale, emerging star Spencer Schwellenbach and veteran Reynaldo Lopez. Ronald Acuna, Jr. hopes to return in April, and the rest of the lineup can’t possibly be as injured as they were a season ago, when they still managed to make the postseason.
4. New York Mets
Was the Mets’ magical ride to the NLCS last season simply that? Magic? Or was it the beginning of something sustainable? Their starting rotation to begin the season looks a tad suspect for a team in this tier. Clay Holmes, a converted reliever who has looked good in the spring, gets the Opening Day nod, followed by Tylor Megill, Griffin Canning, David Peterson and Kodai Senga. Iffy, to say the least. But the offense will mash the ball, led of course by Soto, but ably assisted by Pete Alonso and emerging young star Mark Vientos. With Edwin Diaz closing games, they’re going to be a tough team to beat.
5. Arizona Diamondbacks
Don’t sleep on Arizona, looking to return to the Fall Classic after shocking Philadelphia in 2023. Corbin Carroll is a sleeper MVP candidate, Josh Naylor, Ketel Marte, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. make a potent middle of the lineup, and a rotation that added Corbin Burnes to top-of-the-rotation arms Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly could make them a real threat to L.A. in the West.
Any one of these four teams could take down the Dodgers in a short series and win it all.
Tier 3: The AL enters the chat
6. New York Yankees
I’ll bet if you asked a group of baseball analysts and front office personnel which team in the American League was the best, you’d get four or five different answers. But the Yankees are undoubtedly near the top of any of those lists.
After a busy off-season in which they lost their best player (Soto), the Yankees went out and added a bunch of talent to help replace him. They signed Fried to a massive contract, traded for outfielder Cody Bellinger and closer Devin Williams, and signed Paul Goldschmidt to a free agent contract. Unfortunately, they’ve also been deluged by significant injuries this spring. Giancarlo Stanton and DJ LeMahieu will start the season on the IL, and both could be out a long while. Gerrit Cole is lost for the season to TJ surgery, and Luis Gil is gone for a couple months, too. They are still regarded as the favorites to repeat as AL champs, but it’ll be more challenging than expected.
7. Baltimore Orioles
Like the NL East, the American League version should also be a three-team race, with the Orioles and Red Sox breathing down their necks. Just two years ago, Baltimore was the talk of baseball following a 101-win season, but a 91-win campaign and quick exit in the AL Wild Card round wasn’t what fans had in mind. They lost their ace, Corbin Burnes, to Arizona this off-season and signed Charlie Morton as his replacement. That’s a downgrade, folks. The offense should still be solid, led by young stars Colton Cowser, Adley Rutschman, Jordan Westburg, Ryan Mountcastle and Jackson Holliday, and the addition of Tyler O’Neill gives them a high on-base, power bat in the middle of the lineup.
8. Texas Rangers
The Rangers won it all just two years ago and look ready to reload with an explosive lineup. Corey Seager is one of the 5-10 best players in the game, Marcus Semien continues playing at a high level at age 34, and 2023 first round pick Wyatt Langford looks to build on an outstanding rookie season a year ago. The lynchpin to the season is perhaps Jacob deGrom, the best pitcher in baseball when he’s healthy. But nearing his 37th birthday, can he stay on the mound and dominant for a full season? If he does, the Rangers may just be the best team in the AL.
9. Boston Red Sox
Boston was one of the winners of the off-season, inking one of the biggest free agents on the market in third baseman Alex Bregman. Trevor Story is hoping for a comeback year, and their young trio of Jarren Duran, Rafael Devers and Triston Casas means the Red Sox are going to score runs. The biggest move was trading for former White Sox ace Garrett Crochet, one of the three best pitchers in baseball right now. He gives Boston a legitimate top of the rotation with Tanner Houck and Walker Buehler. Aroldis Chapman in the closer’s role is a choice, but at 37, he still throws pretty hard, and will share the duties with Liam Hendricks.
Tier 4: Always in the mix
10. San Diego Padres
San Diego made it all the way to the NLCS back in 2022, but haven’t been able to replicate that success despite a number of investments in the starting lineup. Those bills, however, are coming due, and if the Padres are going to mount one last challenge, this is the year it needs to happen. There are few batting orders better than what the Padres can run out every day, and they have a strong top-two in the rotation in Dylan Cease and Michael King. In a short series, the Padres could be very dangerous, but they need to manage their 162-game season well to get there.
11. Kansas City Royals
The Royals were my AL pick to surprise a season ago and, while they didn’t win the division, they came through with a magical season. Bobby Witt, Jr. is the best player in the American League. It’s that simple. Vinnie Pasquantino has emerged as a star, Sal Perez remains ageless, and the addition of Jonathan India gives them a solid leadoff hitter. They also feature a top-two in the rotation in Cole Ragans and Seth Lugo that are Cy Young contenders, and their bullpen, led by new closer Carlos Estevez, is solid as well. They’re the best team in the AL Central, although the separation between the top four teams is minimal.
12. Houston Astros
Gone are the halcyon days of Bregman, Kyle Tucker, and Justin Verlander leading the always dominant Astros back to yet another ALCS and/or World Series. This isn’t your slightly older brother’s Astros anymore, so it’s reasonable to believe the “Homer Simpson fading backwards into the hedges” portion of their timeline has begun. But this is still a team with enough talent to take home a wild card. Yordan Alvaraez remains one of the AL’s feared sluggers, Jose Altuve can still bring it, and Jeremy Pena is still a young shortstop with tons of upside. The rotation has a strong 1-2 but not much after Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown. There are good pieces here, but not a complete team like we’re used to seeing.
13. Seattle Mariners
I do believe Houston is better than the Mariners who, simply put, can’t hit. But boy, can they pitch. Outside of the Dodgers and Phillies, the M’s own baseball’s best rotation, with three of the top-35 starters in Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, and Luis Castillo. Bryan Woo is a more than capable No. 4. However, outside of MVP candidate Julio Rodriguez, it’s a struggle to see where the run production is coming from. Maybe Randy Arozarena can use a solid second half of 2024 to propel him to a full season of productive play, and catcher Cal Raleigh is a potential All Star. Other than that, it’s looking like Seattle is going to win or lose a bunch of 3-2 games.
14. Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto’s offense should be one of the best in the league. As long as they’re in the wild card race, Vlad Guerrero, Jr. will be in the middle of everything, and they hope Bo Bichette will have a better season. Anthony Santander, Andres Gimenez, Alejandro Kirk and George Springer are a solid top-six. The big wild card is Max Scherzer. Can he provide some upside with a solid but unspectacular rotation of Jose Berrios, Kevin Gausman and Chris Bassitt? Is Jeff Hoffman the answer at closer? Lots of question marks in a do-or-die season north of the border.
15. Tampa Bay Rays
Quick, name four Rays players. Any four. It’s a mostly nondescript group of ballplayers facing a difficult situation this year, with a tattered Tropicana Field unplayable and the team playing its games George M. Steinbrenner field, the Yankees’ spring training home. Yandy Diaz, Josh Lowe, Brandon Lowe and Junio Caminero are not the scariest top of a batting order, but the rotation has a lot of names that, if healthy, can propel them into the AL wild card picture. Shane McLanahan’s recovery from Tommy John surgery will be closely watched, with Drew Rasmussen, Shane Baz, Taj Bradley and Ryan Pepiot giving the Rays a rotation that can match those of the Dodgers, Phils and Mariners. If they can stay healthy.
Tier 5: Central Casting
16. Chicago Cubs
Outside of the Royals, I’m not convinced all the contending teams in the central divisions of both the NL and AL aren’t just clones of one another. The Cubs traded for the most impactful bat on the market, rental outfielder Kyle Tucker. Seiya Suzuki slides to the DH spot. It’s a solid group, with Ian Happ, Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner giving them the best lineup in the NL Central. Can Shota Imanaga follow up his outstanding rookie season with an encore?
17. Cleveland Guardians
Last year’s AL Central champs still feature All Star third baseman Jose Ramirez but enter without their best power hitter, Josh Naylor, who was traded to Arizona over the winter. They’ll miss his 31 HRs and 108 RBIs, and Carlos Santana is not an apples-to-apples replacement. Kyle Manzardo’s emergence as the team’s DH will be key to this offense taking flight. Tanner Bibee assumes the role of ace until Shane Bieber returns from Tommy John surgery.
18. Detroit Tigers
Their magical late-season run to the postseason and wild card round victory were an absolute shock. Can they build on that in 2025? Tarik Skubal and Jack Flaherty give them a great shot at it, and they play in a wide open division. The bats feel a bit hollow after Riley Greene and Gleyber Torres, and they’ll sorely miss center fielder Parker Meadows, placed on the 60-day IL with a shoulder injury.
19. Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers have won the NL Central four times in the last seven seasons and won a wild card in another. And yet, the closest they’ve gotten to a World Series was a seven-game loss to the Dodgers in the 2018 NLCS. The player to watch is Jackson Chourio, a 21-year-old super phenom who put together a 20/20 season as a rookie last year, hitting .455 with two home runs in their wild card series loss to the Mets. Catcher William Contreras, just 27, provides Milwaukee with a wildly fun duo to watch play every day.
20. Minnesota Twins
If the Twins get back to the playoffs, it’ll be on the backs of its rotation, headed by Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober. Carlos Correa is still around and, when he can stay on the field, Byron Buxton remains one of the game’s most exciting players, even at 31 years old. The lineup is going to look different every day, and there don’t appear to be any other potential All Stars among this group, limiting their upside.
21. St. Louis Cardinals
The big question surrounding the Cardinals this year is how long Nolan Arenado will be there. If St. Louis surprises, it’s likely he isn’t dealt at the trade deadline. There are some interesting pieces here – Lars Nootbaar, Willson Contreras, and Brendan Donovan are potentially solid-to-good. But the rotation after Sonny Gray lacks upside, and this just feels like a very “meh” squad on its way to a full rebuild. My bet is, Arenado is on a true contender come August.
Tier 6: Could surprise
22. Cincinnati Reds
This next tier of teams appears to have less of a chance of making the playoffs, but there is a bunch of upside that makes them a lot of fun to get behind, as I wrote about recently for this very site. Terry Francona elevates the floor of this group, with an MVP candidate in Elly De La Cruz ready to officially take MLB by storm. Hunter Greene, Brady Singer, Nick Lodolo and Nick Martinez form a solid rotation, too. Don’t be surprised if they end up winning this division.
23. San Francisco Giants
Shortstop Willy Adames is the big off-season addition, providing a solid glove and run-producing bat in the middle of the lineup. Matt Chapman joins him at third and catcher Patrick Bailey may end up starting the All Star Game at catcher in 2025. Logan Webb is one of the NL’s best starters, and the success of this group will depend largely on Justin Verlander giving them one last hurrah at age 42, and Robbie Ray’s ability to stay healthy and effective. Jordan Hicks is another question mark.
24. Sacramento Athletics
They went 32-32 after the All Star break last year. Brent Rooker and Lawrence Butler are a dynamic power duo, and JJ Bleday is an emerging star in center. They hit 196 home runs a season ago, 8th-most in baseball. The rotation isn’t great, so if you’re into shootouts and a lot of 11-8 games, the A’s are the squad for you. Could they sneak up on everyone and win a wild card? Yes, I absolutely believe they could.
25. Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates have the pre-season favorite to win the NL Cy Young Award in sophomore super starter Paul Skenes, but he’s not alone. Mitch Keller and Jared Jones form a dynamic pairing behind him, although Jones will miss six weeks due to an elbow injury. Fortunately for Pittsburgh, he will not require surgery. Prospects Braxton Ashcraft and Bubba Chandler are ready to contribute to the rotation as well. Offensively, Oneil Cruz has Elly De La Cruz potential, but hasn’t quite put it all together yet. Perhaps moving to center field will allow him to do that.
26. Washington Nationals
Had the Nats been a bit more aggressive this season, I would have at least considered the possibility they could have challenged for a wild card. But Washington is still in young asset acquisition mode, which is why Josh Bell was the biggest free agent acquisition. Still, there is a lot of young talent to dream on here. CJ Abrams had a rough finish to the ‘24 season, but is super talented. Dylan Crews, James Wood and Luis Garcia, Jr. could be one of the best young cores in baseball and the Nats hope Keibert Ruiz will eventually become one of the NL’s best catchers. There’s just not much pitching here outside of MacKenzie Gore.
Tier 7: Lie to yourselves
27. Los Angeles Angels
Mike Trout is back! For how long is always the question. They have some interesting names in the lineup, specifically catcher Logan O’Hoppe, second baseman Luis Rengifo and center fielder Jo Adell. Look for veterans like Taylor Ward, Jorge Soler, Travis d’Arnaud and Yoan Moncada to be dealt at the trade deadline. They appear to think they have a chance to compete in the AL West, given the Yusei Kikuchi, Kyle Hendricks and Kenley Jansen signings. What a weird team.
28. Colorado Rockies
For a team that has historically played in a stadium that bled runs, this Rockies team may finish with the second-fewest runs in the National League this season. Brenton Doyle, Ryan McMahon and Ezequiel Tovar are solid, but that’s it. Kris Bryant still plays here, but he’s essentially become a ghost. I don’t know what there is to get excited about in Colorado. It’s a full-on rebuild, and they only have two top-100 prospects according to MLB Pipeline. At least there’s lots of skiing.
29. Miami Marlins
Enjoy Sandy Alcantara while you can, Marlins fans. He won’t be there long. Miami will certainly deal him to a contender in July, turning a team that is already the worst in the NL potentially the worst in baseball. There’s nothing on the shelves. Nothing. This is a 100-loss team, and that may be the best case scenario.
30. Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox lost more games (121) last season than any team in baseball history. As a fan of a team with more losses than any other in baseball history (Phillies), that’s quite an accomplishment. While Chicago almost has to be better in ‘25, the sports books have set their regular season win total at 54.5, one of the worst starting points of any team in 35 years. They no longer have Garrett Crochet, seemingly weakening them even further. Can Luis Robert, Jr. play well enough to at least allow them to trade him and get them more pieces back? That’s the only thing to watch on the South Side in 2025.
