By Joe Browne

* In depth analysis on each and every team can be found in our 2025 Team Predictions

2025 World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers defeat Boston Red Sox

Sure, they are on the odds on favorite and all but it is hard to envision a world in which this Dodger team does not repeat. They somehow got better this offseason and as of the writing of this article are already out to a 5-0 start. It is certainly early but they seem to always find a way to win and are never out of any game. The Dodgers biggest strength is their depth all throughout their roster. Personally, I have never seen a roster that contains this absurd amount of depth. Even if there are injuries, which there will be, the Dodgers are going to be just alright. The strength of this ball club stretches far beyond the star power it contains. On the other hand, I like the Red Sox to meet them in the Fall Classic this year. The acquisition of Crochet to be the ace of this already impressive rotation is huge. While they overpaid for Bregman I believe it is going to be worth it in the long run. He fits right into a lineup that should be one of the best if not the very best in the American League. Also, the difference in strength between the American and National league is massive. The National League is a juggernaut containing six or seven potential heavyweight World Series contenders. The American League is the significantly weaker league of the two. The American League does not pose even one single clear major contender. In all likelihood, the winner of this year’s NLCS is going to be the World Series champions. In this case, it is going to be the Los Angeles Dodgers again and in turn a dynasty is born.

NL MVP: Juan Soto, New York Mets

*DISCLAIMER: While it would be very easy to just pick Shohei Ohtani for MVP I am opting not to do so (even though he will probably win)

Picking a player to take home an MVP award in their first season with a new team is aggressive. In fact, of the fifty MVP awards handed out across baseball since 2000 only four of them have been won by a player in his debut season with a new team. Soto and his record breaking contract was the biggest headline in baseball this past winter. Expectations for him in Queens are sky high and rightfully so. Soto was just about as good as we have ever seen in with the Yankees last season. Blasting a career best 41 long balls and posting a sparking 178 OPS+. On top of that, his peripherals were ridiculously good: 100th percentile BB% (18.1%), 100th percentile xwOBA (.462) and 100th percentile Batting Run Value (73). Believe it or not, the Mets are one of the few teams that have never had a player win MVP in their franchise history. Soto could get them off that list rather quickly if things go according to plan. Soto has been on four teams in four years now and produced at an elite level in every spot. The most encouraging sign is the fact that he did not show a difficultly adjusting to his new club. This is true with both the Padres and Yankees. What is to say all of the sudden that will happen with the Mets. Due to the ever lurking presence of Shohei Ohtani, this is going to be an uphill battle for Soto. However, a player of his caliber is more than capable of getting the best of Ohtani in the MVP race this season.

Long shot: Matt Chapman, San Francisco Giants

NL Cy Young: Zack Wheeler, Philadelphia Phillies

It is hard to find a player that is as due for an award as Zack Wheeler is with this one. Wheeler has completely transformed himself since signing with Philly following the 2019 season. He has become arguably the best pitcher in the game during this time and yet has no hardware to shoe for it. Wheeler finished as the runner-up for this award back in 2021 and just last year. Punching out 224 hitters across a 200 inning workload to the tune of 2.57 ERA in 2024. On top of that, the expected numbers backed up these numbers with elite peripherals. Wheeler’s biggest one-up on his competition may very well be his availability. Failing to miss start in both 2023 and 2024, Wheeler is the definition of a workhorse. The best rotation in the National League resides in Philly partly because of the dominance Wheeler will display as the ace.  Wheeler taking this award home in November is long overdue and 2025 is the perfect time for him to do so. 

Long shot: MacKenzie Gore, Washington Nationals

NL ROTY: Dylan Crews, Washington Nationals

The field for this year’s National League’s top rookie is not very deep. Crews is the safest pick because of his pedigree as a prospect. At LSU he blossomed into one of the most complete ballplayers we have seen at the collegiate level in a long time. After a cup of coffee in Washington last season, he is primed to take a big leap forward in his first full season in the bigs. Albeit, that cup of coffee in the big leagues did not bring a ton of success last year, the sky’s the limit for Crews. He has the potential to be a true five tool player at the games highest level and lead the charge for an up and coming Nats team. Crews does not have a scouting grade lower than 55 in his five tools. Also, posting solid numbers across all levels in the minors. If Crews can improve upon his power numbers I see no reason why he should not take home this award following the season. 

Long shot: Griffin Conine, Miami Marlins

Sources:

Baseball Reference

Baseball Savant

FanGraphs

MLB Pipeline