The World Series is over, the Hot Stove is warming up and there are pumpkins and turkeys everywhere you look. Every team’s roster is in a bit of flux, but we still have an idea of what they might look like, what they might be trying to add, and what their goals for 2025 will be.
In other words, it’s time to turn the page and look forward, toward next year. It’s time for some Power Rankings — the first Power Rankings of the upcoming season. At this point, how does everybody project to stack up in 2025? Here’s our guess.
These rankings, as always, are compiled from MLB.com contributors whose names you can find at the bottom of this (and every) piece, but the words are mine. If you dislike the rankings, yell at all of us. But if you dislike the words, feel free to yell at me.
1. Dodgers
The defending World Series champs are right where you’d expect them, and how could they not be? They’ve got three MVP Award winners, they’re getting sized for rings and they’ve got more money to spend on any holes that might pop up. Oh, and don’t forget: Shohei Ohtani gets to pitch next year, too. They’re just getting started.
2. Phillies
The postseason, for the second straight year, ended in disappointing fashion, but the Phillies are as much a lock as anyone in baseball (outside of the Dodgers) to be back there again in 2025. They’ve got a veteran roster and every desire to win right now. They may bring in even more veterans to make another run at the title.
3. Braves
Just about everything that could have gone wrong for them in 2024 did — other than likely NL Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale. But 2025 has to be healthier, right? Even with the news that Ronald Acuña Jr. and Spencer Strider probably won’t be ready for Opening Day, this team is stacked. They wanted to hit the reset button on 2024 all year. Now they get to.
4. Padres
They were this close to taking out the eventual champs in the NLDS, after chasing them all season in the NL West. Can they challenge the Dodgers again? It will be fascinating to see what sort of moves the Padres make around the margins this offseason. General manager A.J. Preller figures to be aggressive, as usual.
5. Yankees
There may be no team in the top 10 with more questions than the Yankees, who have a big flashing “SIGN JUAN SOTO” light above all their to-do lists. Their crosstown rivals may not make it so easy for them. The Yankees did make the World Series this year. But that just raises the bar. That won’t…
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