That’s right, we’ve got a whole other league to cover! Part two of The Hoosier Network’s exclusive 2025 Major League Baseball preview is once again coming courtesy of yours truly, and I honestly don’t have a lot to say in this intro because all you readers already know how this works by now. The Los Angeles Dodgers are the reigning World Series champions, and they will look to defend not only their World Series trophy, but their NL pennant from 14 other teams who are hungry and looking to dethrone baseball’s new-age superteam from their perch atop baseball’s proverbial mountain.
Alright, no more yapping in the intro, let’s take a look at the state of affairs in the National League.
National League East
New York Mets
Thanks to the power of friendship and Grimace, the New York Mets had a magical season last year, as they went all the way to the NLCS before bowing out to the eventual World Series champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
In the winter, New York went out and officially secured the services of Juan Soto, perhaps the best player in baseball and easily the most sought after free agent on the market. Soto agreed to head to Queens on a 15-year, $765 million contract, which, for the record, is just an absolutely unbelievable number. There were not a lot of people who expected the Mets to catch lightning in a bottle during last year’s postseason and ride that newfound wave of momentum all the way to the NLCS, but because of that deep run and the signing of Soto, this team has legitimate expectations. The lineup should still be one of the best in the NL, as Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso, Jesse Winker, Brandon Nimmo, and Mark Vientos flank Soto in the batting order. An interesting situation to monitor is the play of young second baseman Brett Baty, the former No. 12 overall pick who now has a bigger role in said lineup now that injuries have hit the back half of the order. The pitching staff has also been hit by injuries, as Sean Manea and Frankie Montas will, by all accounts, be on the sidelines to start the year.
Regardless, it should still be a solid season for the Mets, but a couple of things have to be monitored for the 2025 iteration of this team: 1) they have legitimate expectations now, and 2) the rest of their division didn’t exactly get any worse. More on that in just a second.
Prediction: 89-73
Atlanta Braves
Ever heard of Murphy’s Law? Well, if you haven’t, the law basically states that in a given situation, whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. That essentially was the name of the game for the Atlanta Braves last season, as they were destroyed by injuries, most notably losing superstar outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. to a torn ACL early in the year. A vital piece to note is that Acuna is still recovering from the surgery to repair his torn ACL, but the arrival of Jurickson Profar, who is coming off a career year with the San Diego Padres, should help the missing presence of Acuna sting a little bit less. But aside from that, everyone is back and healthy for the most part, as Austin Riley, Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies, Michael Harris II, and the rest of the gang are back in the lineup for Atlanta. With their order at full strength, it’s a bonafide nightmare for pitching rotations. Speaking of pitching rotations, the Braves’ remains solid, as Spencer Strider should be back in action sooner rather than later, and the staff still boasts Chris Sale, Reynaldo Lopez, and Spencer Schwellenbach in the meantime.
Yeah, I’ve got a feeling everything will be okay in the A.
Prediction: 95-67
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies had yet another solid regular season last year, and they hit the 95-win mark and had aspirations of a deep playoff run yet again, but then it all came crashing down in the NLDS against (guess who?) the New York Mets. The power of Grimace was apparently too much to overcome for Philadelphia, and the fanbase was livid, looking to manager Rob Thomson and GM David Dombrowski to make changes.
Unfortunately for the Philly fanbase, they didn’t exactly get their wish, because when I look at this squad I’m struggling a bit to see how they got any better than 2024. The lineup should still be this team’s calling card, as perennial MVP candidate Bryce Harper headlines a lineup that has a pretty darn good supporting cast too, featuring the likes of Trea Turner, Nick Castellanos, Kyle Schwarber, Alec Bohm, J.T. Realmuto, and others. The pitching rotation should also maintain similar production from last season, as Zack Wheeler was named the Opening Day starter (to the surprise of absolutely no one), and Jesus Luzardo, Aaron Nola, and Cristopher Sanchez make up a solid rotation. However, this comes with the caveat that Ranger Suarez will begin the year on the injured list, and Philadelphia’s own public enemy number one, Taijaun Walker, will take his place until he’s healthy. So, that’s also happening.
Regardless of all that, the Phillies’ success in the regular season seems, at this point, almost like a sure thing. It’s the postseason where the pressure is magnified, and I’m not certain that this roster got better in the offseason. And when so many other teams did (or, in a certain other team in the division’s case, got healthier), the Phils could be a bit more hard-pressed to make a deep run in October.
Prediction: 92-70
Miami Marlins
This team is…oh boy.
Make no mistake, the Miami Marlins will not be a contender in 2025 and will most likely be one of the worst teams in baseball this year. I know that sounds quite harsh, but at the same time, is there another alternative that could realistically happen? It seems like the only constant remaining on this entire roster is Sandy Alcantara, who is somehow still a Marlin and will be one of the most sought after players on the trade market when the trade deadline rolls around. The hitting lineup definitely leaves something to be desired. Shortstop Xavier Edwards is a solid player and will lead off in this lineup, but other than that, there’s a ton of uncertainty. Connor Norby might begin the year on the sidelines. Cal Quantrill is a solid player and the man behind Alcantara in the pitching rotation, but the fact of the matter is this team just doesn’t have that much, whether it be hitting or pitching. Miami lost 100 games last year, and things could very well get worse in 2025. Buckle up, Marlins fans, it’ll probably be another long year for you guys.
Prediction: 60-102
Washington Nationals
For the first time in what seems like quite a while, the Washington Nationals look interesting again.
Yes, I understand that they were not a good team last season and ended up going 71-91 in 2024. But there are some things to like about this team heading into 2025. Shortstop CJ Abrams hit 20 home runs, brought in 65 RBIs, and made the NL All-Star team last year. He looks as if he could be a potential face of the franchise with a couple more productive seasons like the one he just had. Nathaniel Lowe arrives from Texas with championship experience that should prove beneficial to this young Washington team. Other solid hitters, such as home run threat Josh Bell, Dylan Crews, Paul DeJong, James Wood, and Luis Garcia Jr. are present throughout the lineup and could very well give the Nats some balance in their hitting core, something that they’ve needed for a while. This team hit the fewest homers in the NL last year, and Bell and Lowe should do a lot to fix that issue. And the young guns in Crews and Wood are absolutely worth watching as well. The pitching rotation is pretty deep as well, as MacKenzie Gore headlines the group while Jake Irvin, Michael Soroka, and Mitchell Parker serve as depth for the starting unit.
This group should be a much more fun watch than last season for Nationals fans, and they could be sneaky interesting if all their cards are played right. I don’t expect a playoff push this season, but there is no denying that progress is being made.
Prediction: 76-86
National League Central
Milwaukee Brewers
The Brew Crew had quite a regular season last year, going 93-69 and winning the division after some pundits predicted they might take a step back. This comes with the disclaimer that Milwaukee also proceeded to lose to the Mets in heartbreaking fashion in the NLDS but that’s besides the point I’m trying to make here. If there’s anything that we know about the Brewers it’s that no matter what happens, it seems like they always produce in the regular season regardless of what record they’re predicted to have. And looking at this group heading into 2025, it’s tough not to have that same feeling. The hitting lineup should once again be solid, as Jackson Chourio, William Contreras, Christian Yelich, and Rhys Hoskins could very well be one of the more underrated batting cores in the NL. The pitching rotation should be solid as well once everyone gets healthy, but they are unbelievably thin right now, as there are only three starters that will be ready for Opening Day. I honestly can’t even believe I just typed that sentence out. We’ve got Freddy Peralta, Nestor Cortes, and Aaron Civale. That’s it. Like, literally it. Those guys are more than capable of some elite production, Peralta especially, but the lack of depth right now is incredibly worrisome. Once everyone gets healthy, I can see a return to form for Milwaukee, like the form they displayed last year. But don’t be surprised if this team starts slow out of the gates.
Prediction: 85-77
Chicago Cubs
This has to be the year. Right?
It was a brutally disappointing year for the North Siders in 2024, as they came into the year with playoff aspirations, and things were looking that way at first, before everything came to a screeching halt and eventually bottomed out over the second half of the season. The Cubs ended up going 83-79, which seems okay at first before realizing that they were tied with the Cardinals for second in the NL Central and ended up several games out of the final NL Wild Card spot. That goes to show just how good the NL was last season. However, the Cubs saw that and proceeded to make some moves of their own. In is former Houston Astros star Kyle Tucker, a massive boost for the outfield and hitting core. There’s a lot to like about the rest of this lineup, as Ian Happ, Dansby Swanson, Seiya Suzuki, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Nico Hoerner, and others round out a strong batting order alongside Tucker. In terms of pitching, the rotation is solid, as Justin Steele is coming off a strong season and last year’s rookie sensation Shota Imanaga is looking to make even more noise in year two. There’s a solid foundation in place here, and they’re helmed by an excellent manager in Craig Counsell. But the pressure is on for the Cubbies. If 2024 wasn’t the year everything clicked into place, then 2025 absolutely has to be.
Prediction: 88-74
St. Louis Cardinals
Don’t worry Cardinals fans, I didn’t forget you this time! If you know, you know.
As I alluded to earlier, the Cardinals were in a similar boat as the Cubs were in 2024, as the two teams finished with the exact same record and they both missed out on that final NL Wild Card spot. But unlike the Cubs, I’m looking at the makeup of this roster and I’m struggling to see how St. Louis got better this offseason. The batting order more or less looks the same, as Lars Nootbar, Willson Contreras, Nolan Arenado, Alec Burleson, and others should give the Cards some solid production like they are accustomed to seeing. That is, until Arenado is eventually traded. The pitching rotation will have a bit of pressure on them to perform, as while the main starters in Sonny Gray and Andre Pallante are in a good place, the onus will be on the back-half starters in Steven Matz and Miles Mikolas to rebound after both of them had tough years in 2024. But it rounds back to what I said to open this section: I really have a hard time seeing how this team got better over the winter. And taking into account that a couple of other teams did get better and were more active in the free agent and trade markets, I am relatively uncertain that St. Louis will be able to stay in contention for a playoff spot, or even post a record above .500.
Prediction: 80-82
Pittsburgh Pirates
Paul Skenes. Paul Skenes. And Paul Skenes again.
Oh, and did I mention Paul Skenes? Jokes aside, there are some elements of this Pirates roster aside from their young superstar pitcher that are interesting and could further set this team up for success in the future. Last year, Pittsburgh got off to that white-hot start before fading as the season ramped up, and they ended up finishing 76-86 and last in the division. Not a playoff-caliber team obviously, but far from the walking joke that they had been over the last few seasons. And going into 2025, more improvement is expected from this core. Andrew McCutchen is back, and he’s still a good player but I have a sneaking suspicion that he is here largely for “the vibes” and to be a strong veteran locker room presence for this very young team. But then again, the guy can still play, and he’s not the worst designated hitter you can ever trot out there. Continued production from Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz will certainly help. There are other points of interest in this batting order, such as Ke’Bryan Hayes, Tommy Pham, and the exiled former New York Yankee Isiah Kiner-Falefa. The pitching rotation, outside of Skenes, is also legitimately really good. Mitch Keller, Andrew Heaney, and Bailey Falter headline the strong supporting cast of starters behind the young wunderkind. This team showed many flashes of greatness last season, and the expectation is that that will continue this season.
Prediction: 81-81
Cincinnati Reds
This Reds team might have been the most frustrating team in baseball last season, as there were flashes of brilliance and playing up to this club’s full potential followed by stretches of some of the ugliest and most inconsistent baseball one has ever seen. They were consistently inconsistent, and that was a big reason why they finished 77-85 in 2024, which was good for fourth in the division.
Well, the Reds are looking to put last year behind them and establish some more semblances of consistency in 2025. The batting order is similar to last year but with some minor tweaks, as this team didn’t spend as much as the big boys in free agency. Austin Hays was a nice pickup from Philadelphia and he should slot into the middle of the order. The pitching rotation is anchored by Hunter Greene, who looked to be one of the best pitchers in baseball before an elbow injury took him out of the lineup last year, but he’s now fully healthy and ready to go for Opening Day. The big question for this team will be with superstar shortstop Elly De La Cruz, who is looking to take the next step in his aforementioned superstardom. He is capable of some jaw-dropping feats, and he’s an absolute blast to watch when he’s fully on his game. But when he strikes out, he strikes out a lot. Like, a lot. He’ll need to get that under control, and not only that, but the Reds are going to need a lot to break their way in order to have a chance to make a deep run in October. It can happen, but like some of the other teams here, I’m struggling somewhat to see how Cincinnati got better this offseason. Only time will tell, though.
Prediction: 79-83
National League West
Los Angeles Dodgers
Why would I start with anyone else?
The reigning World Series champions only got better this past offseason, and that wasn’t even mentioning that they won 98 games and more or less rolled through the playoffs en route to the aforementioned World Series victory. The hitting core will be every bit as undeniably lethal as last season. Los Angeles still boasts the likes of perennial MVP candidate and two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and so many others. And this may be a hot take, but the pitching staff just might be better than that. Add in that Ohtani should be ready to pitch after not throwing last season due to a torn UCL. And as for the rest of the staff, take your pick. Want to be shut down by Blake Snell? How about Clayton Kershaw? Or what about Yoshinobu Yamamoto? Oh, and the rotation now features the likely frontrunner for NL Rookie of the Year in rookie sensation Roki Sasaki. There isn’t really a whole lot else to go over for this team, other than they are a legitimate threat to break the all-time wins record in a single regular season, which currently stands at 116. Only two teams have ever hit that mark in the history of the game: the 1996 Cubs and the 2001 Mariners. It’s no longer out of the question that the 2025 Los Angeles Dodgers could be the third team to crack that mark.
Prediction: 110-52
San Diego Padres
The Padres had yet another solid regular season in 2024, as they won 93 games and gave the eventual World Series champions all they could handle in the NLDS, as they went up two games to one before squandering the lead and losing the series.
Despite the disappointment, San Diego will have pressure on them to repeat the success they had last year and make a deeper run in October. And I can’t help but feel that this iteration of the Padres will be more hard-pressed than normal to accomplish this, because this team lost a lot of talent. Gone are Tanner Scott, Jurickson Profar (who was coming off a career year) and Kyle Higashioka. Joe Musgrove is injured and could be off the field for the majority of this upcoming season. But regardless of that, the lineup this team boasts will give them a fighting chance. Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado are still here. Center fielder Jackson Merrill is coming off a sensational rookie season and looks to be a future star in San Diego. Oh, and not to mention those guys are flanked by Jake Cronenworth, Xander Bogaerts, and batting average king Luis Arraez. The pitching rotation should also be one of the best in the NL, as Michael King and Dylan Cease are perhaps the best one-two starting pitching punch in baseball. And Yu Darvish will add even more depth when he eventually returns from injury. If everyone can stay healthy, this team will absolutely have a chance to contend. But a lot of talent is now out the window, and their division (and league) will be a monster to try and conquer.
Prediction: 87-75
San Francisco Giants
The biggest news in the Giants’ offseason might not even have to do with the roster–it could be the transition from Farhan Zaidi to former franchise legend Buster Posey as new president of baseball operations. That move is going to be…interesting, to say the least. But regardless of the moves with the higher-ups, the way this Giants team meshes together will be rather fascinating to witness. Logan Webb should maintain his production as the team’s premier starter, as he posted a 3.47 ERA and logged 172 strikeouts in 2024. Justin Verlander joined the team in the offseason and still has some gas left in the tank. Robbie Ray is also still in the Bay and looks to bounce back this year from injuries, including a Tommy John surgery, that have largely derailed his past two seasons. He only played in seven games for San Francisco last year. I guess I’m going in reverse order in this section, because as for the batting order, the marquee signing for the Giants was former Brewer Willy Adames, who is coming off a 2024 where he hit 32 home runs and brought in 112 RBIs. Mike Yastrzemski, Matt Chapman, Jung Hoo Lee, and LaMonte Wade Jr. will be counted on to provide production in order to round out this lineup. I like what the Giants have in place, but I’m simply not sure that they will have enough, especially in the hitting core, to keep up with the rest of their division and their league.
Prediction: 79-83
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks are coming off a brutally disappointing 2024 where they had aspirations to break through and make another deep run into October after surprisingly advancing all the way to the World Series in 2023. Instead, Arizona finished 89-73, a solid mark, but they missed out on the final NL Wild Card spot and came up empty in the postseason race. Now, they are looking to put last year in the rearview and refocus on contention once again. The hitting core is loaded with talent just like it has been over the past two seasons, as Corbin Carroll looks to be a potential face of the franchise. Ketel Marte, Jake McCarthy, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Pavin Smith, and Eugenio Suarez are other formidable options in the D-Backs’ lineup. First baseman Josh Naylor also arrives from Cleveland coming off a 2024 where he hit 31 homers and racked up 108 RBIs. He should serve as yet another boost to the lineup and a solid replacement for the departed Joc Pederson. The pitching rotation was one of the reasons last year resulted in such disappointment. The signing of Corbin Burnes to be their primary ace should help to fill that dire need.
This Arizona team is still young, but they are gaining experience with every passing game and they look to be a contender for the foreseeable future. They should be in the thick of both the divisional and Wild Card race throughout the year.
Prediction: 91-71
Colorado Rockies
The Rockies being bad seems just like a bet that you can make every year. I’m not a betting man personally, but you know those bets you make that you just know will cash out and earn you some money? The Rockies being bad seem like one of those bets. It really doesn’t help that they play in one of the best divisions in baseball, but it will most likely be another long season in Colorado. Kris Bryant and his awful contract are still here, and he’s coming off a season where he only played 37 games, hit two home runs, and brought in 15 RBIs. The only bright spot on this team seems to be third baseman Ryan McMahon, who hit 20 home runs and tacked on 65 RBIs in 2024 and looks to build on that in 2025. But he’s also 30 years old, which brings me to my next point: one of the biggest problems with this team is that they seem to have no future. And another massive problem with this team is that they have no direction. If they want to tear it all down and rebuild, then why are Bryant and McMahon still here? I understand Bryant’s contract is horrific and they will be hard-pressed to find a team that would be willing to take it, but time should be running out on Bryant and McMahon’s tenures as Rockies. One of the only players that sticks out to me as a potential building block is 26-year-old right fielder Brenton Doyle, who hit 20 home runs and 72 RBIs last season. The pitching rotation also leaves something to be desired, as Kyle Freeland posted a 5.24 ERA last year, the worst of his career. German Marquez wasn’t much better, and Austin Gomber is hurt. There are a couple of players worth monitoring on this roster, but it likely won’t translate into team success. This team lost 101 games last year, and it looks to be more of the same in the mountains in 2025.
Prediction: 60-102
