Beakon MLB preview: Yankees, Dodgers on collision course again

by | Mar 21, 2025 | Beakon | 0 comments

American League

By RYAN REESE
Beakon Sports Writer
The American League is stacked with powerhouse teams, rising young stars, and intense division battles. From the Yankees’ championship aspirations to the Mariners’ quest to end a decades-long division title drought, the AL is set to deliver another thrilling season. With MVP races heating up and fresh faces making their mark, here’s how the 2025 season could unfold.

East
The New York Yankees are poised to win the AL East in 2025. With one of the best lineups and bullpens in baseball, they have a legitimate shot at making another championship run. Last season, the Yankees made a deep playoff push before falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. However, they will be without ace Gerrit Cole this season and will need pitchers such as Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, and Luis Gil to step up.

The AL East is one of the most competitive divisions in baseball, with all five teams having a chance to make the playoffs. The Baltimore Orioles are projected to finish second and secure a playoff spot, likely winning more than 90 games. The Boston Red Sox, after an impressive offseason with key additions, are a young team on the rise and should finish third. The Tampa Bay Rays slot in at fourth, with the Toronto Blue Jays rounding out the division in fifth place.

Central
The Cleveland Guardians are the favorites to win the AL Central in 2025. This division is shaping up to be one of the best in baseball, and Cleveland has the roster to make another deep playoff run. Key players such as José Ramírez and Emmanuel Clase will be crucial to the Guardians’ success.

The AL Central is so strong that three teams could make the playoffs. The Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers, both featuring young and talented rosters, are expected to secure wild-card spots. The Minnesota Twins, having made few changes this offseason, are likely to finish fourth. The Chicago White Sox, who had the worst record in baseball last season and lost their best player in free agency, are projected to finish last.

West
The Seattle Mariners are primed to win the AL West for the first time since 2001. With the Houston Astros losing key players and their grip on the division loosening, the Mariners have an opportunity to take control. They boast one of the best starting rotations in the league, featuring Luis Castillo, Logan Gilbert, and George Kirby. Their lineup will rely on young star Julio Rodríguez and last year’s Home Run Derby champion, Teoscar Hernández.

The Texas Rangers are expected to finish second, followed by the Astros in third. The bottom two spots in the division are up for grabs between the Oakland Athletics and Los Angeles Angels, both of whom are in rebuilding phases and among the weakest teams in the American League.

MVP
Aaron Judge is the clear favorite to win the AL Most Valuable Player award in 2025. The Yankees slugger has won two of the last three MVP awards, with his only loss coming to Shohei Ohtani, who is now in the National League with the Dodgers. Last season, Judge posted his best numbers yet, hitting .322 with 58 home runs, 144 RBIs, and 180 hits.

Another MVP contender to watch is Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., who hit .332 with 211 hits, 109 RBIs, and 32 home runs last season.

Rookie of the Year
Jack Leiter, a right-handed pitcher for the Texas Rangers, is my pick for AL Rookie of the Year. Though not the odds-on favorite, Leiter has been dominant this spring and is poised to make a big impact. The frontrunner for the award is Yankees outfielder Jasson Domínguez, but I believe Leiter’s performance will set him apart.

Cy Young
Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers is my pick to win the AL Cy Young Award. Skubal, a left-hander, is looking to repeat after a stellar 2024 season in which he posted an 18-4 record with a 2.39 ERA. Another pitcher to watch is Garrett Crochet, the new left-handed addition to the Red Sox. Crochet had a solid season last year for one of the worst teams in baseball and now has an opportunity to shine on a more competitive roster.

Wild-Card Teams

Detroit Tigers: The Tigers have a promising young lineup and strong pitching rotation. Key contributors include newly acquired Gleyber Torres and rising stars Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson. They look poised to make the playoffs for the second straight season.

Kansas City Royals: After losing to the Yankees in last year’s AL Division Series, the Royals aim to bounce back and make another deep postseason run. Led by MVP candidate Bobby Witt Jr., along with Jonathan India and Salvador Pérez, they have the talent to be a serious contender.

Baltimore Orioles: The Orioles are set to win 90+ games again, with young star Gunnar Henderson leading the way. At just 23 years old, Henderson is already one of the best shortstops in the league and could be in the MVP conversation.

Championship Series
The ALCS is likely to feature the New York Yankees and the Seattle Mariners. The Yankees have the best roster in the American League, while the Mariners boast the best starting rotation. With their superior depth and firepower, I predict the Yankees will come out on top and advance to the World Series.

Baseball fans, buckle up—it’s going to be an exciting season!

National League

By BEN ODDIS
Beakon Sports Writer
The National League is shaping up to be a gauntlet of elite talent, breakout contenders, and heated rivalries. With the Dodgers eyeing back-to-back championships, the Braves continuing their dominance, and upstart teams looking to shake things up, the NL race will be one to watch. Let’s dive into the teams, stars, and storylines set to define the 2025 season.

Arguably the best division in baseball, the NL West features the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers alongside the Padres, Giants, Diamondbacks and Rockies. On paper, the Dodgers have a firm grip on the division thanks to another blockbuster offseason.

5. Colorado Rockies
The Rockies remain committed to developing their farm system, prioritizing young talent over immediate contention. Veterans Kris Bryant and Nolan Jones provide pop in the lineup, while shortstop Ezequiel Tovar continues to develop. However, Colorado’s rotation remains one of the weakest in baseball, led by Germán Márquez. While the Rockies have a promising future, 2025 will likely be another tough season in Denver.

4. San Diego Padres
After finishing second in the division last season, the Padres had a relatively quiet offseason, making minimal roster changes while losing key players such as Jurickson Profar and Ha-Seong Kim. San Diego’s rotation, led by Dylan Cease, Michael King and Yu Darvish, remains a strength, with a deep bullpen providing support. Young talent like Jackson Merrill complements superstar Fernando Tatis Jr., but despite their potential, the Padres are primed for a step back and could miss the postseason.

3. San Francisco Giants
The Giants were aggressive in free agency but fell short of landing top targets Juan Soto and Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki. They did, however, add former Brewers shortstop Willy Adames and replaced Blake Snell in the rotation with Justin Verlander. San Francisco boasts a strong pitching staff featuring Logan Webb, Verlander, former Cy Young winner Robbie Ray and Jordan Hicks. The Giants should improve but will likely fall short of a playoff berth.

2. Arizona Diamondbacks
After reaching the World Series in 2023, Arizona missed the playoffs last season. The D-backs made a splash in free agency, signing ace Corbin Burnes to bolster a rotation already featuring Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly. Corbin Carroll and Ketel Marte headline a strong lineup capable of competing with the league’s best. Arizona will bounce back in 2025, finishing second in the West and securing a wild-card berth.

1. Los Angeles Dodgers
The defending champions once again strengthened their roster, adding Sasaki, two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell and star closer Tanner Scott. Los Angeles now boasts one of the deepest rotations in history, with Sasaki, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw and Snell, plus additional depth in Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin and Bobby Miller. Their bullpen, led by Brusdar Graterol, Michael Kopech, Evan Phillips and Scott, is equally formidable. With a lineup featuring Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts, the Dodgers are primed to dominate the division and secure the National League’s top seed.

Projected NL West Standings:

1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. Arizona Diamondbacks (WC)
3. San Francisco Giants
4. San Diego Padres
5. Colorado Rockies

Central: A Youth Movement with the Cubs Leading the Way
Often considered one of the weaker divisions, the NL Central is packed with young talent. No Central team has reached the NL Championship Series since 2019, but 2025 could be the year that changes.

5. St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis made few moves this offseason, losing Paul Goldschmidt and Kyle Gibson. The team has put its faith in shortstop Masyn Winn and outfielder Jordan Walker as franchise cornerstones. However, with a bottom-10 farm system and an underwhelming rotation, the Cardinals could find themselves at the bottom of the NL standings for the foreseeable future.

4. Cincinnati Reds
The Reds remained relatively quiet in free agency, adding Brady Singer and Taylor Rogers to support ace Hunter Greene. Cincinnati is building around superstar Elly De La Cruz, whose combination of power and speed makes him one of baseball’s most electrifying young players. Though the Reds have exciting pieces, they are still a few years away from serious contention.

3. Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee enters 2025 as a bit of a mystery. The team suffered key losses, including Adames, Devin Williams and Frankie Montas, but added Nestor Cortes while welcoming back Brandon Woodruff from Tommy John surgery. The Brewers are filled with young talent, but some regression is expected. They may flirt with a wild-card spot, but the future looks brighter than the present.

2. Pittsburgh Pirates
PNC Park hasn’t hosted a postseason game in nearly a decade, but that could change soon. The Pirates have quietly built an impressive young rotation led by Paul Skenes, Jared Jones and Mitch Keller, with closer David Bednar anchoring the bullpen. Ke’Bryan Hayes needs to live up to his contract, but if Pittsburgh plays to its potential, October baseball could return to the Steel City.

1. Chicago Cubs
The Cubs made a statement by acquiring star outfielder Kyle Tucker to replace Cody Bellinger. Their balanced lineup features elite defenders such as Tucker, Ian Happ and Nico Hoerner. The pitching staff, led by Shota Imanaga and Justin Steele, remains strong, and the addition of Ryan Pressly bolsters the bullpen. Chicago should comfortably take the Central and return to the postseason.

Projected NL Central Standings:

1. Chicago Cubs
2. Pittsburgh Pirates
3. Milwaukee Brewers
4. Cincinnati Reds
5. St. Louis Cardinals

NL East: The Mets Make a Statement
The NL East remains one of baseball’s most competitive divisions, featuring the Mets, Braves and Phillies—three legitimate World Series contenders.

Projected NL East Standings:

1. New York Mets
2. Atlanta Braves (WC)
3. Philadelphia Phillies (WC)
4. Washington Nationals
5. Miami Marlins

NL Postseason Predictions

  • Wild Card Round: Arizona defeats Chicago 2-1; Philadelphia sweeps Atlanta 2-0.

  • NLDS: Los Angeles defeats Arizona 3-1; Philadelphia stuns New York 3-2.

  • NLCS: The Dodgers outlast the Phillies 4-2 to win the pennant.

Awards Predictions

  • NL MVP: Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers) wins his fifth straight MVP award, making history.

  • NL Cy Young: Ohtani also claims the Cy Young, dominating as both a pitcher and hitter.

  • NL Rookie of the Year: Roki Sasaki (Dodgers) emerges as one of the league’s best pitchers.

With a loaded roster, the Dodgers are poised for a historic season, dominating the National League and setting their sights on another World Series title.

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