MLB: Division predictions
By: Will Aimette
(Photo Credit: Wallpapers.com)
This new year comes with many surprises, and some not-so surprises, including star RF Aaron Judge in his hot opening. However, he needs to do the most he can to carry the Yankees to a pennant in a tough AL East division.
NL East:
Phillies
Mets
Braves
Nationals
Marlins
Explanation: The NL East could very well be the best division in baseball. There are three World Series-caliber teams in this pennant race. The other two (Nationals and Marlins), I can’t quite say the same about. So, that leaves me with the Braves, the Phillies, and the Mets. So why exactly did I order them like this? Well, we’ve already established these teams are some of the best offensively in the MLB. I mean, let me name some names. Acuña, Lindor, Soto, Albies, Harper. Five MVP candidates already, give or take Albies. But man, did we start strong. So the main difference between these teams is the starting pitching. While the Mets have two or three solid pitchers, the Phillies have five. FIVE quality starters that can be relied on to win games! As for the Braves, its a matter of how injured they really are. With Acuña and Strider out, they have a long way to go until their team is pieced together. Also, can we talk about how slow the Braves have started?! Never in my life have I seen such a good team start this slow. 0-7 is just horrendous. Now, that doesn’t mean to count the Braves out, because we certainly shouldn’t. Once they do get their starting lineup back, watch out. This is one of the most dangerous teams in baseball we are talking about. So, yeah. The NL East is a powerhouse this year, as it will be fun to watch these teams fight for the pennant as the year progresses.
NL central:
Brewers
Cubs
Reds
pirates
Cardinals
Explanation: This division is probably the most underrated division in baseball. Both the Cubs and Brewers possess the talent necessary to make a run deep into the playoffs, while the Pirates and Reds are fun underdogs that have the ability to place towards the top of the division. After acquiring Kyle Tucker, the Cubs tried to solidify themselves as the best teams in the division. I believe it will be way more competitive than they think. Yes, the Cubs were a strong team even before Tucker, but they still do have some missing pieces. Their talent is sparse towards the back of the lineup and they don’t have great pitching. I mean, Justin Steele is only going to carry you so far. As far as the Brewers, I think they’re going to narrowly outperform the Cubs in the NL Central. They have the most talent out of any team in this division, especially young talent. Jackson Chourio is developing very nicely, and fits perfectly in the order between C William Contreras and LF Christian Yelich. Their pitching staff is very even too, and even more so when SP Brandon Woodruff comes back from his injury. However not enough credit is given to the Pirates and Reds. These two teams actually have a ton of talent too. If the Pirates could get some runs behind Paul Skenes and some offense around Oneil Cruz, this team would be a lot more competitive. Not to mention SP Jared Jones is out for the season, as that’s a major setback for both the developing star and the rotation. Although I like Mitch Keller, it’s almost a disgrace for him to be pitching the day after Skenes. Transitioning over to the Reds, who are in a similar situation for this season. Stars Elly De La Cruz and Matt McLain lead the way for this young team. The only problem? There’s really no one to lead. After trading away leadoff hitter Jonathan India, the Reds have been relying on not-so-reliable players. I know I just gave many reasons to be down on the Reds, but don't be too down on them, as overreacting is my job and yes, they do still have some talent. Lastly the Cardinals. This team is as bad as I’ve seen them in years. Thought this team was bad on paper? Try watching their games. The most interesting part I saw all game while watching was when Catcher Willson Contreras ate his batting tape. The sad part is, I’m not even joking.
NL West:
Dodgers
Padres
diamondbacks
Giants
Rockies
Explanation: The NL West isn’t the hardest division to predict by any means. There’s a clear favorite, and each team seems to separate themselves from the next by a decently large margin. We all know Dodgers aren’t just the best team in the division, because we also know they’re the best team in the entire MLB. They have the best rotation in baseball, the best lineup in baseball, and the best bullpen in baseball. I could go on and on, but let’s just leave it at that. As for the Padres, they are also a solid team from top to bottom. Tatis Jr, Merrill, and Machado are all elite players. They have just as good of the top of the lineup as anyone in the MLB (except the Dodgers of course). Plus, it helps to have a top five pitching staff in the MLB. Between King, Cease, and a soon-to-return Darvish, a three game series against these guys is tough. The thing that separates the Padres and Dodgers is the talent in the back of both the rotation and lineup. After the six-hole, their lineup isn’t even comparable to the Dodgers. Then, the Diamondbacks. You honestly never know what you’re going to get with this team. One year, they go under .500, the next, they go to the World Series. (That seriously happened in 2022 and 2023). I think this year they will be somewhere in between, just a little more to the .480 side. I honestly can’t see this team winning more than 80 games. Especially after losing Corbin Burnes, this pitching staff looks shaky. They do have a talented team between Ketel Marte and Zac Gallen, two all-stars that got off to a slower start this season, but will certainly pick up the pace and lead the way. That is exactly what separates the D-Backs from the Giants, who aren’t necessarily the most talented team in baseball. Just saying, their best player is Willy Adames, who bats .240 on a good year. Outside of that, their pitching staff is looking worse and worse every year. Robbie Ray and Justin Verlander as your number two and three starters? I don’t think this team is pulling off the magic 107-win stunt again. Lastly, the Rockies. Now, I very well could be sleeping on this team. They are the definition of upside talent. Brenton Doyle, Ezequiel Tovar, Michael Toglia, and Nolan Jones all are very good players. The question remains; how good exactly? None of them have been all-stars, but they are young and progressing rapidly. (They do play in Colorado, so maybe their stats are a little inflated). So, I must have a reason to have them in last, right? And the big answer to that question is very simple. They have the worst pitching in MLB by far. Kyle Freeland, Antonio Senzatela, Ryan Feltner, German Marquez, and Bradley Black. I’m a huge baseball fan, and even I only know about two of those names. That says a lot.
Al East:
Orioles
Yankees
Red Sox
Blue Jays
Rays
Explanation: Remember what I said about the NL East? Scratch that, because the AL East might well be the best division in baseball. Unlike the NL West, this is one of the hardest divisions to predict in baseball. I put the Orioles in first place simply because of how they are playing. They are not the most talented roster, they don’t have a great pitching staff, and they aren’t the greatest lineup in the AL East. But there is one thing they have that other teams don’t. They are playing with a fire that other teams aren't. Through five games, yes, they are only 3-2, but have took the series to tough teams in their division (Blue Jays and Red Sox). But don’t get me wrong, this team is very much dangerous. Led by Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, and prospering rookie Jackson Holiday, they look to get their revenge by winning the pennant after blowing it late last year to the Yankees. Speaking of the Yankees, so far most would put them in first in the division. Assuming the torpedo-bat madness ends, and they won’t hit 15 home runs every three game series, then I don’t think they will win their division. Their pitching in just mediocre, especially with their best two pitchers hurt (Gerrit Cole, Luis Gil). And sure, their lineup is good, but there is a ton of strikeout in their game between Jazz Chisholm Jr, Paul Goldschmidt, and Cody Bellinger. Just wait until Stanton comes back. No wonder Zac Gallen had 13 strikeouts in 6.2 innings against this team. And relying heavily on rookie Jason Dominguez might not work as well as relying on Soto like they were last year. All I’m saying in one sentence is basically; don’t fall for the hype. And now, we have the Red Sox, who have higher expectations than they’ve seen in a while. After a huge offseason where they acquired Garrett Crochet, Walker Buehler, and Alex Bregman, the hopes are high for Red Sox fans. However, they have had a extremely disappointing start, going 1-4 through five games. With Devers striking out a record breaking 15 out of 19 at bats, and going 0-for-19 to start the season, it’s looking rough for this team. (Although they picked up the pace recently and Devers FINALLY got his first hit). The upside? With this much talent, they will not be on this path for long, and there’s only one way to go from here. Up. Combined with their elite trio of prospects, including breakout star Kristan Campbell, this team has a bright future, regardless of their current record. Then, onto the Blue Jays. Again, another big offseason spender that made their mark going into the 2025 season. The difference? The Blue Jays have started stronger than the Red Sox, and have looked better. But still I have the Red Sox finishing above them. The difference between them is only a slight margin, but the Blue Jays don’t have a deep enough lineup to place higher the Red Sox. Lastly, the Rays. I truly believe the Rays are a good team. I really do. Just in this division they appear the weakest team. Outside of Caminero, I honestly can’t name two other players that even come close to his skill. And Caminero himself? While I do believe he will be a star, he is still young and unreliable, and isn’t yet capable of leading a team past any of these tough AL East teams.
AL Central:
Guardians
Tigers
Royals
Twins
White Sox
The AL Central is one of the weaker divisions in baseball. Don’t get me wrong, the Guardians are a well-balanced team. Solid pitching, good home run hitters like Josh Naylor, and a good on base percentage with Steven Kwan and Jose Ramirez. They just are the best team in this division top to bottom. As for the Tigers, they certainly come close. Like the Guardians, they are also a well balanced team. They have a great pitching core between Jackson Jobe and reigning Cy-Young Award Winner Tarik Skubal. Furthermore, they have a decent offense to backup their pitching. The only problem is that they lack the talent and pure offense that the Guardians have. I don’t think I can bear to witness another Javier Baez strikeout. The rest of the division, I can’t see getting more than 80 wins. Yes, the Royals may come close, but they will have to put up a better pitching performance than last year, even with a worse staff. Seth Lugo’s 2025 campaign will certainly be worse than last year’s, and while Cole Ragans will only get better, the rest of the staff is much worse. They haven’t done much to improve besides signing Jonathan India, and while they have great talent with Bobby Witt and Salvador Perez, they just can’t make the step to the next level. Honestly, I’m not going to bore you with much talk of the White Sox and Twins. They are just purely mediocre, even with the White Sox prospects progressing in the minors. As for the Twins, they are just a boring franchise. Buxton can never stay healthy, and they haven’t had a star outside of Correa in a while. If you even count Correa as a star, because I don’t. On top of this their pitching is less than OK, as these two teams are some of the worst in the MLB.
AL West:
Rangers
Astros
Mariners
Athletics
Angels
I feel that the AL West is a strange division in which any team any given year could win the pennant, now that the Astros empire is finally over. I honestly could see all of these teams winning except the Angels (and MAYBE A’s?). But I had to choose somebody to win. So, I chose a popular choice in the Rangers. They are an all-around great team, a combination of stars like Corey Seager and upside players including Wyatt Langford and Jake Burger. The one reason they aren’t necessarily an obvious choice is their pitching staff. They are heavily relying on Degrom to be ace-like and healthy this year, which is extremely risky business. It seems almost every year the poor guy starts a couple games, dominates, then is out for the season. So if they want to win this division, I feel one of their youngster pitchers will need to step up into a solid spot in the rotation, whether that’s Jack Leiter or Kumar Rocker. Speaking of winning this division, let’s transition to the best team to do so; as the Astros have won seven of the last nine years. But I do have them in second for a reason. Without Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman, many people have counted the Astros out. Yes, they probably won’t be as good, but I certainly wouldn’t. Even though they lost key pieces in their lineup, they gained some solid, way cheaper options in third baseman Isaac Parades and 3B/RF Cam Smith. I feel the Kyle Tucker trade was actually even for both teams. Yes, the Cubs gained a superstar, but the Astros traded for young talent that has already started making a difference in their lineup, and he’ll only get better. And losing Bregman? He didn’t have a great offensive year last year, and while he still is considered a star, he’s fading, and it’s becoming more apparent every year. So, did the Astros really lose that much for what they got back? Not really. And it’s not like without Tucker and Bregman they now don’t have any other talent in their lineup. They still have Yordan Alvarez, one of the best players in the MLB, and combined with Altuve and recent offseason acquisition Christian Walker, believe me, this team is definitely talented. Plus, their bullpen remains one of the best in the MLB and their staff is on the top side in the league. Sounds to me like that makes a pretty good ball club. Going over to the Mariners, who are in a bit of a different situation. They have a great staff. From Logan Gilbert to Luis Castillo to Bryce Miller, this staff is definitely top five in baseball. That is the definition of an even staff. Their fourth starter is pretty much even with their ace. As for the lineup, it plainly looks mediocre. Yeah, Julio Rodriguez is great, and their unexpected stars have blossomed, including Cal Raleigh and Victor Robles, two players that have broken out in recent seasons. But I just don’t think this enough to finish towards the top of the division. So yeah, with with this great staff, I really do believe this is a middle of the pack team. Now, towards the bottom of the division. And what better way to start by a team that’s been accustomed to the bottom of the division for the past six years. The A’s. This year though, I feel hopeful for the A’s. After Brent Rooker and Lawrence Butler established themselves as all-star level, all this team needs is pitching and some infield help. (I will say, it will be hard for pitchers on the A’s this year, as they are playing in a minor league stadium, which means the fences are short). But I can guarantee you this team has everything else. Lastly, the Angels. I almost, ALMOST feel sorry for Mike Trout. Seven more years with the Angels is gonna be rough, but he signed it himself. But seriously, this team is mediocre at best. They just are asking for a 60-70 win season. And sorry Angels fans, but at this point we should just accept that Anthony Rendon is just never going to come back. It seems he’s been on and off injured for five years now. Their infield is just awful without him, their starting pitching is just horrendous. They go neck-and-neck with the Rockies. But I’ll leave on a positive note; the Angels outfield is excellent. Soler, Ward, Trout. Those are the three best players on the whole team! However, in this division the Angels have a dark future.
(This article was one of my most favorite ones to write. Thanks so much for reading and the support!)
