In the midst of many challengers, one titan stands unique – The Los Angeles Dodgers. They’ve amplified their victorious World Series performance with a formidable off-season regime. The resultant powerhouse includes a formidable nine-rotation pitching lineup, ensuring a team that seems ripe and ready for a back-to-back conquest. The panel of six experts anticipates that the Dodgers will single-handedly cross the 100-games win threshold whilst the rest jostle amidst themselves; three division victors forecasted to merely bag 86 wins, versus five American League squads vying for only three wild card seats with a within-four-games showdown.
Coming to AL East, the New York Yankees (94-68) may have lost a star player, but sufficient reloading ensures they’re most likely to sprint past competitors, clinching their third division title in four seasons. It seems the Baltimore Orioles’ (87-75) winning streak may reduce from 99 to 91 to 87, yet a playoff slot – and possibly the first postseason win since 2014 – might still be within reach. Pursuing high ambitions, the Toronto Blue Jays (83-79) have their work cut out – retaining Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and securing a playoff berth post numerous failed free-agent endeavors.
Next, in AL Central, the previous year was a wake-up call for the rather stagnant division. The Detroit Tigers (86-76), who triumphed in 2024, seem well-positioned for a repeat, but they’ll have a tight fight with Kansas City Royals (84-78). The Royals have beefed up their bullpen with Carlos Este?vez and added Jonathan India to the lineup, hence a return of Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo, and Michael Wacha to the rotation shouldn’t be ruled out.
Over at AL West, armed with the re-contracted Nathan Eovaldi, the Texas Rangers (86-76) pose a substantial threat if Jacob deGrom is at full capacity and Kumar Rocker advances further in his growth.
Switching our gaze to the NL East, despite the Philadelphia Phillies’ (91-71) disappointing performance in the NLDS against an in-house rival that splashed nearly a billion dollars on a single player, they still remain the team to beat in this domain. A significant measure of this depends on the ability of Jesús Luzardo to stay at peak health, forming a critical component of the rotation.
In the NL Central, it appears the Chicago Cubs (86-76) may have drawn their competitors closer. The silver lining could be the temporary acquisition of power-hitter Kyle Tucker. Additionally, it’s worth closely monitoring the Cincinnati Reds (81-81) who are potentially a transformed team with a rehabilitated Matt McLain and TJ Friedl after their injury-ridden seasons.
Finally, over in NL West, an intriguing contest is expected at Los Angeles Dodgers’ (102-60) training camp for the coveted ninth starter role, facilitated by their rock-solid pitching lineup smoothing out R?ki Sasaki’s transition into the majors. A sense of urgency hangs around the Arizona Diamondbacks (87-75) with this potentially being the sole season that Corbin Burnes, Zac Gallen, and Merrill Kelly all take turns in the rotation. They might prove to be a thorn in the Dodgers’ side.