As Major League Baseball’s 2025 season gets underway, the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers are the overwhelming favorites according to oddsmakers, but there’s a reason no team has repeat since the New York Yankees from 1998-2000.
The best club in baseball got markedly better in the offseason, adding two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell and Japanese phenom Rōki Sasaki to a rotation that is also expected to welcome Shohei Ohtani back to the mound at some point.
While half of USA TODAY Sports’ MLB insiders and editors predicted the Dodgers to be the last team standing, the Texas Rangers also received multiple votes to win their second World Series title in three years.
Here’s our full predictions and award picks for the 2025 season:
Bob Nightengale
- AL East: Yankees
- AL Central: Tigers
- AL West: Rangers
- AL wild cards: Royals, Orioles, Red Sox
- NL East: Phillies
- NL Central: Reds
- NL West: Dodgers
- NL wild cards: Diamondbacks, Cubs, Atlanta
- AL champion: Rangers
- NL champion: Phillies
- World Series winner: Rangers
Gabe Lacques
- AL East: Orioles
- AL Central: Tigers
- AL West: Rangers
- AL wild cards: Yankees, Royals, Blue Jays
- NL East: Phillies
- NL Central: Cubs
- NL West: Dodgers
- NL wild cards: Diamondbacks, Padres, Mets
- AL champion: Rangers
- NL champion: Dodgers
- World Series winner: Rangers
Scott Boeck
- AL East: Red Sox
- AL Central: Tigers
- AL West: Rangers
- AL wild cards: Yankees, Orioles, Mariners
- NL East: Braves
- NL Central: Cubs
- NL West: Dodgers
- NL wild cards: Padres, Phillies, Diamondbacks
- AL champion: Rangers
- NL champion: Padres
- World Series winner:Padres
Steve Gardner
- AL East: Yankees
- AL Central: Royals
- AL West: Astros
- AL wild cards: Orioles, Red Sox, Rangers
- NL East: Phillies
- NL Central: Cubs
- NL West: Dodgers
- NL wild cards: Braves, Mets, Diamondbacks
- AL champion: Royals
- NL champion: Dodgers
- World Series winner: Dodgers
Jesse Yomtov
- AL East: Yankees
- AL Central: Guardians
- AL West: Astros
- AL wild cards: Orioles, Rangers, Red Sox
- NL East: Phillies
- NL Central: Brewers
- NL West: Dodgers
- NL wild cards: Braves, Padres, Mets
- AL champion: Yankees
- NL champion: Dodgers
- World Series winner: Yankees
Steve Borelli
- AL East: Yankees
- AL Central: Tigers
- AL West: Rangers
- AL wild cards: Blue Jays, Red Sox, Royals
- NL East: Phillies
- NL Central: Brewers
- NL West: Dodgers
- NL wild cards: Padres, Diamondbacks, Reds
- AL champion: Yankees
- NL champion: Dodgers
- World Series winner: Dodgers
American League MVP predictions
- Bob Nightengale: Bobby Witt Jr., Royals
- Gabe Lacques: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays
- Scott Boeck: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays
- Steve Gardner: Bobby Witt Jr., Royals
- Jesse Yomtov: José Ramirez, Guardians
- Steve Borelli: Aaron Judge, Yankees
National League MVP
- Nightengale: Fernando Tatis Jr., Padres
- Lacques: Juan Soto, Mets
- Boeck: Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers
- Gardner: Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers
- Yomtov: Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers
- Borelli: Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers
AL Cy Young
- Nightengale: Jacob deGrom, Rangers
- Lacques: Cole Ragans, Royals
- Boeck: Cole Ragans, Royals
- Gardner: Logan Gilbert, Mariners
- Yomtov: Max Fried, Yankees
- Borelli: Tarik Skubal, Tigers
NL Cy Young
- Nightengale: Zac Gallen, Diamondbacks
- Lacques: Paul Skenes, Pirates
- Boeck: Paul Skenes, Pirates
- Gardner: Zack Wheeler, Phillies
- Yomtov: Corbin Burnes, Diamondbacks
- Borelli: Blake Snell, Dodgers
AL Rookie of the Year
- Nightengale: Jackson Jobe, Tigers
- Lacques: Jacob Wilson, Athletics
- Boeck: Jackson Jobe, Tigers
- Gardner: Jackson Jobe, Tigers
- Yomtov: Jasson Domínguez, Yankees
- Borelli: Kumar Rocker, Rangers
NL Rookie of the Year
- Nightengale: Dylan Crews, Nationals
- Lacques: Bubba Chandler, Pirates
- Boeck: Dylan Crews, Nationals
- Gardner: Dylan Crews, Nationals
- Yomtov: Matt Shaw, Cubs
- Borelli: Matt Shaw, Cubs
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