25 things we learned from the 2025 MLB season

After making a big splash with Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto last offseason, the Dodgers continued their seemingly unlimited spending before 2025 with the additions of Blake Snell, Tanner Scott, Teoscar Hernandez, and more. Yet, the team was still fighting for the AL West went into September and failed to win 100 games due in large part to injuries.

We saw a nearly unprecedented number of impressive rookie catchers in 2025. Drake Baldwin and Agustin Ramirez are NL Rookie of the Year candidates, but this season also saw the arrivals of Carlos Narvaez, Kyle Teel, Edgar Quero, Moises Ballesteros, Samuel Basallo, Carter Jansen, Dalton Rushing, and other young catchers with promising MLB futures.

Toronto's young core, led by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, saw the clock ticking coming into 2025 as pending free agents, with very limited success. After winning only 74 games last season, the Jays are headed back to the playoffs in 2025 and a possible run at a World Series. Guerrero was also extended, while Bichette had a strong walk year.

Raleigh was a reliable staple on the Mariners' roster before this season, averaging 30 home runs over the last three years. However, he took his game to the next level in 2025, leading the AL in home runs and RBI for much of the year as he competes with Aaron Judge for the AL MVP.

It's hard to imagine a better walk year than Schwarber's in 2025. The Phillies DH could finish with the NL lead in home runs and RBI, putting up a massive career year and his third All-Star appearance. He's set for a massive contract this offseason, even as he heads into his age-33 season.

The Athletics' move to Sacramento hasn't been without controversy, but hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park has also shone a light on the franchise's impressive lineup. Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson have a chance to finish 1-2 in the AL Rookie of the Year voting, while Shea Langeliers, Tyler Soderstrom, and Lawrence Butler also had strong seasons. The team has also extended veteran DH Brent Rooker.

Any remaining skeptics regarding Skenes' ability were quieted in his sophomore performance this season. After winning NL Rookie of the Year and finishing third in Cy Young voting last season, Skenes is likely to win the Cy Young this year after posting a sub-2.00 ERA with more than 200 strikeouts.

The Dodgers slow-played Ohtani's return to the mound, but it was worth the wait. Returning from elbow surgery, he made his pitching debut in June and was dominant again, albeit in limited innings. He's also set to lead the league in OPS for the third straight year and win his fourth MVP.

Southpaw pitchers have always seemingly had an advantage, but never more than this season. The league-wide ERA for left-handed pitchers is nearly a half-run lower than that of their right-handed counterparts.

Judge's quest for a third MVP might be halted by Cal Raleigh, but his 2025 season was no less spectacular. He could finish the 2025 season in batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage, and his fourth straight year with an OPS above 1.000. Not since Barry Bonds has baseball seen a player with such a dominant stretch.

There was fear that the Astros' run would finally end in 2025 with the losses of Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman in the offseason. Houston also lost Yordan Alvarez to injury for much of 2025, yet they're back in the playoffs. The lineup had enough with big contributions from Jeremy Pena and Jose Altuve, while Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown pitched like aces.

After making the playoffs in back-to-back seasons in 2023 and 2024, Baltimore hit a wall this season. Pitching injuries were part of the problem, but they also saw disappointing years from key hitters like Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, and Colton Cowser. They have an interesting offseason ahead.

Atlanta's run of seven straight playoff appearances ended in 2025, and their year couldn't have been more disappointing. The team failed to get a major boost from the returns of Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuna Jr., and Austin Riley, Chris Sale, and Spencer Schwellenbach missed significant time due to injury. The Braves also saw disappointing seasons from foundational players Michael Harris Jr. and Ozzie Albies. It remains to be seen if manager Brian Snitker will be back in 2026, but the team is sure to make some changes this offseason.

Chapman was arguably the best closer early in his career, from 2012 to 2019, but has been inconsistent over the last several seasons, becoming a journeyman. That changed when he signed with Boston during the offseason, showing improved control and keeping an ERA near 1.00 through September. Boston rewarded Chapman with an extension heading into 2026.

Colorado had its third straight 100-loss season as the franchise continues its nosedive. The team has never been less exciting, with an anemic lineup, despite Coors Field, and their big contracts, such as Kris Bryant's, making almost no contributions. It remains to be seen where the Rockies go from here after firing manager Bud Black during the regular season.

The Brewers are set to win their fourth NL Central division title in five years with a team that continues to surprise. Christian Yelich, Jackson Chourio, and Freddy Peralta are the big names, but Milwaukee's depth from top to bottom is what has made them so difficult to stop during their run. The 2025 season saw out-of-nowhere contributions from players like Isaac Collins, Andrew Vaughn, and Quinn Priester, among others.

Francona couldn't stay out of the dugout, joining Cincinnati this season after a one-year hiatus from the game. While they might come up short on a playoff spot, the Reds were a surprise team this season who exceeded expectations and could have a very bright future ahead after making the playoffs only once since 2014.

Detroit was a surprise playoff team in 2024, and have continued to build on that success. They've dominated the AL Central for the entire year, and have a loaded farm system that will continue to supplement the team over the next few years. Now with franchise players like Tarik Skubal and Riley Greene, the Tigers could start to make runs in October.

Seattle has been a consistent winner over the last five seasons, mainly due to their strong pitching. The 2025 squad could be their best team over that stretch, but it's the lineup that has kept them afloat. In addition to Cal Raleigh's spectacular season, Julio Rodriguez, Randy Arozarena, Josh Naylor, Jorge Polanco, and Eugenio Suarez have helped build a very deep and productive lineup.

Texas lost most of its key relievers from the 2024 roster, led by closer Kirby Yates. Their lack of splashes this offseason created concern, but the team will likely finish top 10 in bullpen ERA this season. Manager Bruce Bochy has long been renowned for his handling of bullpens, and that's continued this season with strong seasons from the entire group led by Robert Garcia and Shawn Armstrong.

Washington has been in a free fall since winning the World Series in 2019, finishing last in five of six seasons. Their poor performance faced consequences this season, as the team fired GM Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez. The attempt at a rebuild has failed, and it remains to be seen where the Nats go from here.

Miami lost 100 games last season, but made steady progress in 2025. While they were far from a playoff push, the team saw breakout seasons from Kyle Stowers, Agustin Ramirez, and Jakob Marsee, while the pitching depth has improved. The Marlins could be competing for the playoffs again sooner than many thought.

The Mets and owner Steve Cohen signed Soto to a 15-year, $765 million contract in the offseason, and the returns were strong in his first season. Soto reached 30/30 status for the first time and posted an OPS above .900 for the third straight season. His ceiling remains very high as he enters his prime years.

The first half of the season was full of controversy after Rafael Devers appeared unhappy being pushed off third base due to the addition of Alex Bregman. The team found a taker for his contract on June 15, trading Devers to San Francisco. Boston was only one game above .500 on that date, but it started to play much better baseball and work its way into playoff contention since the trade. Improved pitching was a significant reason, but improved team chemistry may have also played a role.

Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller is known for being one of the most active traders in the league, and his reputation continued to strengthen this season. San Diego went wild at the trade deadline, acquiring Mason Miller, Ryan O'Hearn, Ramon Laureano, Freddy Fermin, and Will Wagner as Preller continued to shock the baseball world. It remains to be seen if the wheeling and dealing will finally pay off in October.