It’s been a while, hasn’t it?
Football season is over, and while that means Elms’ Essentials has been shelved until August, it’s now March! No, I’m not talking about March Madness, although that is happening this month and all of America will be glued to their televisions, myself included, to watch the action.
But that’s another story for another day. It’s time to get into some baseball!
The Hoosier Network’s official two-part 2025 MLB preview is here, and it’s courtesy of yours truly. First, we’ll be taking a look at the American League, and while the defending World Series champion did not hail from this league as it did in 2023, this will still be a wildly fascinating league to discuss for 2025.
There are 15 teams in the American League, each vying to take the AL pennant this season. And enough of me talking. Let’s get into them all.
American League East
Boston Red Sox
Things are trending up in Beantown.
The marquee signing this past offseason was that of third baseman Alex Bregman, who came over from Houston and adds an excellent combination of hitting and fielding to the middle of the Red Sox’s lineup. Bregman adds to a core that already featured the likes of Rafael Devers, Trevor Story, and Jarren Duran. Triston Casas, Connor Wong, David Hamilton, and others should make solid impacts throughout a Boston order that looks loaded. The pressure is on the pitching staff, however. One of the reasons that Boston couldn’t do any better than their 81-81 finish in 2024 was due to the fact that there were times when their rotation left something to be desired. However, the rotation should, by all accounts, take a leap this season. Garrett Crochet looks to be the ace at the top of the rotation. Tanner Houck and Walker Buehler round out a staff that looks better than it did a year ago. Injuries are already starting to creep in during spring training, but regardless, the Red Sox should improve vastly in 2024 and might even go as far as to challenge for the AL East crown.
Prediction: 89-73
Baltimore Orioles
Speaking of loaded lineups, the Orioles are stacked practically top to bottom with strong hitters with massive potential. Just take a look at Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, Colton Cowser, Jackson Holliday, Cedric Mullins, new outfielder Tyler O’Neil coming over from division rival Boston, I could go on for a while. This batting order should be one of the best in the American League and one of the best in Major League Baseball. The injury to Gunnar Henderson is a downer, I will admit, and there is some uncertainty as to whether or not he’ll be ready for Opening Day. The pitching staff is headlined by Zach Eflin and Charlie Morton, although losing Corbin Burnes to Arizona after all of one season hurts. The sting is eased a tad bit thanks to right-hander Cade Povich’s strong performance during spring training. But Burnes leaves a void that Eflin, Morton and company will be hard-pressed to fill. Regardless of that, though, this team should leave their late-season struggles in 2024 behind them and be one of the favorites for the AL East title once again.
Prediction: 94-67
Toronto Blue Jays
Is this going to be the year it all finally clicks into place?
Much was made of Toronto’s bitterly disappointing result in 2024. They went 74-88 and looked, in most respects, like a shell of the team they had been hyped up to be a few seasons prior, one that had gobs of potential and looked to be a perennial World Series contender for the next decade. This squad still has loads of talent, and the lineup is no exception. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is still one of the best players in baseball when he’s healthy and on his A-game. Bo Bichette is one of the best leadoff hitters in the AL. George Springer, Anthony Santander, Alejandro Kirk, Daulton Varsho and others round out the lineup. Varsho is currently dealing with a shoulder injury and it’s still up in the air on whether or not he’ll be good to go for Opening Day. But Santander was a monster signing for the Jays. The former Oriole hit 44 home runs and collected 102 RBI last season, and the expectation is that he puts up similar production for a Blue Jays team that is looking to finally break through and make a deep October run. Combine that with the fact that Toronto has one of the best pitching rotations in the AL, and the potential is seemingly limitless with this group. But if everything will go right is a completely different question altogether.
Prediction: 84-78
New York Yankees
Looking around the MLB landscape, I feel as if I’m one of the few who is confused about the Yankees’ offseason. Never mind the injuries (more on that in a second), it feels as if so many people are feeling that they got better coming off an AL pennant, and some have even gone as far as to crown them de facto AL East champions. Their biggest need this winter was bringing back Juan Soto, whatever the numbers meant. And they failed. And to make matters worse, Gerrit Cole will be out for the entire 2025 season due to Tommy John surgery. This lineup is still quite strong, don’t get me wrong. The signing of Cody Bellinger away from the Cubs and Paul Goldschmidt from the Cardinals were excellent signings. But neither of those guys are better than Juan Soto. I’m struggling to see how New York got better, and the pitching rotation being thrashed by injuries is only making things worse. There will have to be big leaps from the likes of Anthony Volpe, Jasson Dominguez, and Oswaldo Cabrera and continued production from Goldschmidt, Bellinger, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and of course, Aaron Judge. But in a wildly competitive AL East, the Bronx Bombers will be hard-pressed to repeat the success they had last year.
Prediction: 88-74
Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays got a glimpse of what could, unfortunately, be their new normal for the foreseeable future. Tampa Bay, after season upon season of sustained success, regressed back to the mean as they finished just 80-82 in 2024 and failed to qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2017. I’m also questioning, similar to the Yankees, whether or not this team got better in the offseason. Their marquee free-agent signing, Ha-Seong Kim, is set to start 2025 on the injured list. The lineup looks strikingly similar to the lineup they finished last season with. It’s similar to the previous two sections in that it looks as if the Rays are simply not good enough to keep up with the big boys in an insanely competitive division. Does that mean Tampa Bay will completely suck? No. But as of right now, with the way this lineup and pitching rotation are currently constructed, I do not foresee a playoff berth in 2025.
Prediction: 79-83
American League Central
Cleveland Guardians
The Guardians had one heck of a season in 2024, as they racked up 92 wins and advanced all the way to the ALCS before falling to the Yankees. It’s fair to think that this team simply overachieved and got hot at the right time, but there is also a lot to like about this group heading into 2025. Cleveland is looking to build off that surprising and sustained success, and the lineup appears to be solid. Jose Ramirez, provided he stays healthy, should be doing his usual thing. Steven Kwan is one of the more underrated leadoff hitters in the league. Production from the likes of Kyle Manzardo, Bo Naylor, Lane Thomas, Carlos Santana, and others should go a long way towards Cleveland staying in the thick of the division race and returning to the postseason. The pitching rotation also looks solid, as Tanner Bibee, Luis Ortiz, and Gavin Williams are the headliners, and Triston McKenzie looks to return to his old form after a bitterly disappointing showing from a statistical perspective in 2024. I’m unsure if the Guardians will do as well as they did last season, but given how small the gap is between each team in the division (unless you’re the White Sox, but more on them later), it’s not out of the question that Cleveland can compete for the division crown once again in 2025.
Prediction: 85-77
Kansas City Royals
Speaking of teams that overachieved, the Royals’ “rebuild” seems to be producing results much faster than expected, don’t you think?The Royals pretty much blew their expectations right out of the water in 2024, as they picked up 86 wins and secured one of the Wild Card spots in the AL. Yes, they ultimately bowed out to the eventual league champion Yankees, just as the Guardians did, but this group has the makings of a young team on the rise and hungry for more. Superstar third baseman Bobby Witt Jr. is the unquestioned face of the franchise. Vinnie Pasquantino, Salvador Perez, MJ Melendez, Hunter Renfroe and others round out the batting order. And Kansas City made a rather large splash in free agency with the signing of former Cincinnati Red Jonathan India, who slides into the leadoff role while also providing a reliable glove at second base. The Royals boast a generally solid rotation as well, as Cole Ragans and Seth Lugo are the aces at the top and Michael Lorenzen gives the team an interesting spark coming over from Texas. Kansas City is viewed by some as a tough team to gauge, especially in a tight division, but all the pieces are in place for another strong season in 2025.
Prediction: 88-74
Minnesota Twins
We go from overachieving teams to underachieving teams!
Make no mistake, the Twins disappointed in 2024. They had won the AL Central a couple of years back and even broke the playoff series curse that had been in effect, if you will, since 2004. There was legitimate hope that Minnesota could build on that and become a true World Series contender.
Well, look how that turned out.
Minny crashed back down to the latter half of the division standings in 2024 and only finished two games under .500, as they concluded last season with an 82-80 record. However, don’t get anything confused: this is still a solid team that can make some noise if everything goes right. The batting lineup is, all things considered, still pretty strong. Byron Buxton is one of the best players in Major League baseball when he manages to stay healthy. Carlos Correa is still a Twin and he doesn’t look like he’s lost much of a step. Trevor Larnach, Jose Miranda, Willi Castro, and Ty France are solid options as well. The pitching rotation is also pretty darn talented and boasts strong depth, as Pablo Lopez is the ace atop the staff and Bailey Ober, Joe Ryan, and Chris Paddack round out this group. The injury to Royce Lewis is irritating, but like I said, if everything can go right in the Twin Cities for once, this team can bounce back from a disappointing 2024 and be in line for a postseason spot once again.
Prediction: 83-79
Detroit Tigers
You know, that run at the end of last season didn’t seem like a fluke. Detroit seemed as if they were selling at the trade deadline with some of their moves last season, but then they ended the year as perhaps the hottest team in baseball and even took down the Astros in the playoffs as the lowest seed in the AL. This team is still pretty young, but they’re looking to make some legitimate noise and they feel like they’re ready for the big stage. Their batting order might be the best in the division, with Parker Meadows, Gleyber Torres, Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter, Jace Jung, and Jake Rogers all expected to make an impact with their bats. And Javier Baez is also there. The pitching rotation is a tad bit top-heavy, as reigning AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal is hands down one of the best aces in baseball, and Jack Flaherty should complement him nicely. The pressure will be on for Reese Olson, Jackson Jobe, and the now-injured Alex Cobb, who pitched a 2.70 ERA last year. This team will have to do really well within their division since, as I said, the gap between the top four is so tight. But 2025 might be the year for this club to break through and not just make the postseason, but potentially make a deep run there.
Prediction: 89-73
Chicago White Sox
Ah, good. The White Sox.
Last season was bad. I mean, really bad. Really, really bad. Like, historically bad. Don’t believe me? The White Sox lost 121 games in 2024, which is the most in MLB history. They broke a record that had stood for 62 years, when the 1962 New York Mets lost 120 games. I mean, come on.
The White Sox will more than likely not be a good team this year. They probably won’t lose 121 games again, and they should take baby steps towards being a bit more competitive. Luis Robert Jr. is somehow still here, but he should give the batting order the exact kind of production they’re used to seeing in the middle of the lineup. Josh Rojas and Andrew Vaughn are solid options elsewhere in the lineup. And Michael A. Taylor is in an interesting spot at the bottom of the order, as he arrives from Pittsburgh following a rather dreadful 2024 where he hit just .193 and was DFA’d and released right before the regular season ended. All told, Chicago will not be a good team in 2025, but again, baby steps. It can’t get any worse than last year…
…can it?
Prediction: 60-102
American League West
Texas Rangers
Oh, how dare you, Joe, starting with your hometown team first!
Well, part of the reasoning for that is my belief on this Rangers squad heading into the 2025 season. Texas, who won the World Series just a couple of years ago, is looking to bounce back from a bitterly disappointing 2024. The Rangers went just 78-84, a far cry from their ascension to the top of the metaphorical baseball mountain a season prior. But now, they’re looking to put all that in the rearview mirror and turn the page to 2025, and the moves they made this offseason, while fewer than other teams, signaled a desired return to the top of the division. Out was former first baseman Nathaniel Lowe and in is former Arizona Diamondback Joc Pederson, who will add some much needed pop to the middle of the batting order. The pitching staff, headlined by Jacob DeGrom, actually looks to be healthy for once, and the onus will be on DeGrom to maintain a clean bill of health and turn in another stellar season. If Texas’ ace can stay healthy, there’s a good bet for that elite production to happen. But the Rangers made the changes they felt they needed to make, and with the division up for grabs and Houston looking weaker than they’ve looked in years, all the pieces are there for Texas to run the divisional show just like in 2023.
Prediction: 94-68
Athletics
Man, I feel for A’s fans. The 2024 season was the franchise’s last in Oakland before they moved to West Sacramento, which in itself is merely a stepping stone for the franchise’s ultimate destination of Las Vegas in a few years. But the Athletics are no longer the Oakland Athletics, and for the 2025 season they will simply be referred to as the Athletics. No location attached. That wasn’t weird writing in the section heading at all. Nope, none of that!
It was a struggle for the A’s last season, and the threat of relocation hanging over the players’ heads had to be a factor in their 69-93 finish in 2024, which was good for last in the AL West. However, while this season might not be a gigantic step forward, they’ve made some decent improvements. In comes reliever Jose Leclerc, formerly a key piece on the Rangers’ 2023 World Series roster. T.J. McFarland and Luis Severino will be counted on to bolster the pitching rotation. The trade with Tampa Bay in which the A’s acquired Jeffrey Springs and Jacob Lopez adds further depth to the pitching core. If everything goes right, this could quietly be one of the better rotations in the AL. Brent Rooker is still here for now and should have another strong season following his performance last year. Estery Ruiz set the AL record for stolen bases in a season in 2023 but struggled with injuries and inconsistent play in 2024. However, the hitting core will need contributions from the likes of Luis Urias, Gio Urshela, Jacob Wilson, Miguel Andujar, and former top draft pick JJ Bleday if this team has even a chance to be competitive. Buckle up, A’s fans. This could get weird.
Prediction: 71-91
Houston Astros
This is going to be a critical year for the Astros. Why do I say this? I briefly mentioned this in the preceding section but the roster in Houston might be the weakest it’s been in about half a decade. George Springer has long since moved on. Alex Bregman is now a member of the Detroit Tigers. Kyle Tucker is now a member of the Chicago Cubs. Jose Altuve is being moved to left field, possibly permanently, which has had some extremely mixed results so far in the spring. Yordan Alvarez, Jeremy Pena, and Chas McCormick are all still here, which is good. Add in Isaac Paredes at third base via a trade with the Rays, and the Astros will once again have themselves a pretty darn good batting lineup. However, the pitching rotation is where this team will need guys to step up big time. At the top, it’s a great combination. Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown are perhaps the best one-two pitching punch in the AL. But with relatively unproven Hayden Wesneski, who arrives from Chicago via the Tucker trade, it is reasonable to conclude that there will be some depth concerns for the Astros. Houston should still be in line for the AL West crown, but like some other teams earlier in this piece, I am struggling to see how the Astros got better this offseason.
Prediction: 88-74
Seattle Mariners
Much like my preview last season, this is a somewhat difficult team to get a read on heading into 2025. On paper, it looks as if this club is the second best team in the division, maybe even considered the best by some. Cal Raleigh, J.P. Crawford, the recently re-signed Jorge Solanco, and the recently acquired Austin Shenton should give this team contributions in the catching and infield departments. Perennial AL MVP contender Julio Rodriguez, Victor Robles, and Mitch Garver should be doing their usual thing as well. The pitching rotation should also still be quite productive, even as George Kirby will more than likely open the year on the IL due to right shoulder inflammation. However, Luis Castillo should now be the ace at the top of the rotation. Bryce Miller, Bryan Woo, and Emerson Handcock now have some added responsibility to round out the pitching core. The key for this team in 2025 is consistency. If the offense can establish some of that and the pitching rotation can continue to be one of the most underrated in the AL, this team has the potential to keep up with Texas and Houston for the AL West title.
Prediction: 90-72
Los Angeles Angels
Once again…Mike Trout stands alone.
There are some reasons to be excited about this squad if you’re an Angels fan, but it’s a pretty short list. The Angels went a dismal 63-99 in 2024, and things don’t seem like they’re going to get much better in 2025. Trout should be doing his usual thing in the middle of the order. I will admit, the acquisition of Jorge Soler was not bad, although Soler is now 33 years old and had a bit of a down year by his standards with the San Francisco Giants in 2024. Taylor Ward is a solid option in left field and at the top of the order who had a very nice season last year, as he hit 25 home runs and brought in 75 RBIs. The former exiled member of the Chicago White Sox, Tim Anderson, is also here on a minor league deal. The fall of Anderson is honestly shocking to witness, as he went from an All-Star and potential face of the franchise for Chicago to being DFA’d and released by the Marlins in July. And similar to the White Sox, there will likely be some baby steps towards being more competitive this year in Anaheim, but don’t get your hopes up, Angels fans. This could be another long year for you.
Prediction: 67-94
