6 Burning Questions for the 2025 MLB Season

After a long wait, the new MLB season is here, delighting fans, not least because it heralds the fact that we are truly in the spring and leaving the winter weather far behind. Spring Training gave us a glimpse of what to expect with the teams’ new-look rosters and strategies.

Yet, with the season getting underway, we decided to pose some questions we would like to see answered on the road to the Fall Classic. Nobody knows what will happen, of course, but the answers to some of these questions may become part of the narrative of the 2025 MLB season:

Can the Detroit Tigers Continue Their Rise?

In terms of turnaround seasons, the Tigers weren’t spectacular in 2024. They went from a 78-84 record in 2023 to an 86-76 record, enough to clinch a first postseason berth in almost a decade. As we said, it wasn’t spectacular, but it felt surprising and has galvanized the organization. They aren’t among the favorites for the World Series, and you can tell from looking at MLB lines for betting that there are many teams ahead of them. But this team is on the rise and arguably the organization to watch in 2025.

Can the Red Sox Deliver for a Restless Fanbase?

Talking about turnarounds, a strange thing is happening at Fenway Park. The Red Sox are being tipped by many pundits and fans alike – they top the MLB’s official predictions survey to win the AL East and ALCS – but that isn’t reflected in their odds. Boston has been in a strange place across the 2020s, but the front office has done some excellent business over the winter. The AL East is always brutal, but we are intrigued to see if the Sox can fly.

What Happens with the Cross-Town Move of Juan Soto?

The offseason’s biggest shock was Juan Soto’s move from the Yankees to the Mets. The talk of the town was the most significant contract in sports (not just baseball) history, potentially worth just under $800 million. Soto is one of the best in the modern era, but these blockbuster contracts often don’t work as planned, and Mets fans know that better than most. All eyes will be on Soto in a Mets uniform, and the pressure will be immense.

A Dynasty Building Year for the Dodgers?

While we don’t know who will win the World Series, there is a clear favorite – the reigning champions, the Dodgers. Their odds are much shorter than anyone else’s, and the team has incredible depth, not to mention difference-makers like Shohei Ohtani. The Dodgers have been in four of the last eight World Series, winning two. That’s not precisely an underachievement, but the organization has spent much money over the previous decade. Becoming repeat winners would go a long way toward making that expenditure look like good value.

Will the White Sox Continue to Be the Worst?

With all due respect to the Chicago White Sox, even their most ardent fans will tell you this is a team in a deep funk. They were the worst team in MLB last season (just over 40 wins) by a considerable distance. Nobody expects a miracle turnaround season in 2025, but surely they can’t be as bad again? The best the team can hope for is a more respectable losing season.

A Further Shift to the National League?

We don’t entirely agree with ESPN’s season projections. Yet, it is interesting that the sports media outlet has picked five NL teams – Dodgers, Braves, Phillies, Mets, and Diamondbacks – as likely to finish with the best records. That can be misleading because it is also suggestive that there are weaker teams in the NL. Indeed, we still maintain that the division with the most strength in baseball is the AL East, and those teams will take wins off each other, hurting their overall records. Yet, at the same time, seeing such a vote of confidence in NL teams is pretty remarkable.