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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