MLB Power Rankings: Welcome to Opening Day

We've arrived at Opening Day. Here we look at one reason to be optimistic for each team in this edition of theScore's MLB Power Rankings for the 2025 season. Projected records courtesy PECOTA and FanGraphs. Odds courtesy theScore Bet.

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1. Los Angeles Dodgers

The defending champions added two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell and Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki to a roster that's already loaded with superstars and future Hall of Famers. The real question becomes: Is there a non-injury reason to be pessimistic about the Dodgers?

2. Atlanta Braves

The Braves are getting healthy again. Atlanta will be back to full strength once Spencer Strider, Sean Murphy, and Ronald Acuña Jr. return in the first part of the season, which means the on-field product should look a lot more like the club that won a combined 205 games in 2022-23.

3. Philadelphia Phillies

Jordan Romano could be one of the steals of the winter. The former All-Star closer landed in Philadelphia after the Blue Jays somewhat surprisingly non-tendered him. Romano looked great in spring, throwing 8 2/3 shutout innings, and could anchor the back end of a strong bullpen.

4. New York Mets

Adding Juan Soto, arguably the best hitter in the world, to a team that made it to the NLCS last season should provide a ton of optimism for Mets fans, whose team hasn't won the World Series since 1986. Francisco Lindor, Soto, Pete Alonso, and Mark Vientos give New York an incredibly imposing top of the order.

5. Arizona Diamondbacks

Corbin Carroll's third full season could be the best yet. The 2023 NL Rookie of the Year finished 2024 with a big second half after busting out of a sophomore slump. The 24-year-old could be the next MLB star to record a 30-60 campaign.

6. Texas Rangers

Jacob deGrom enters the season fully recovered from Tommy John surgery and looked great during a pair of spring performances. Twenty or more starts from deGrom could help propel Texas back to the top of the AL West.

7. Baltimore Orioles

Jackson Holliday's highly anticipated rookie campaign didn't quite go according to plan, but now he's got a year of experience and is still only 21. This is the season for Holliday to break out and finally lift this bright young Orioles team to the next level.

8. New York Yankees

Losing Juan Soto stings, but the Yankees still have Aaron Judge, and it feels like he's somewhat underappreciated at times. The reigning AL MVP has been the most dominant hitter in the majors over the last three seasons, and he's one of nine players in baseball history with an OPS over 1.000 (minimum 4,000 PAs).

9. Houston Astros

Trading Kyle Tucker was a tough pill to swallow, but getting Cam Smith in return might make it easier to digest. Although the 22-year-old top prospect only played five games in Double-A last year, he looks like the real deal after an incredible spring that earned him an Opening Day roster spot.

10. Boston Red Sox

Boston enters the campaign with legitimate postseason aspirations for the first time in years. Star offseason addition Garrett Crochet gives the club a legitimate ace, while Alex Bregman solidifies the infield defensively. Rookie Kristian Campbell cracked the Opening Day roster, adding another young and athletic player to a deep, versatile lineup.

11. Chicago Cubs

PECOTA is much higher on Chicago than we are, but the Cubs have built a solid rotation led by Justin Steele and Shota Imanaga and a balanced lineup anchored by Kyle Tucker in right field. For the first time in quite a while, they head into the season as the NL Central favorites.

12. San Diego Padres

Jackson Merrill set the baseball world ablaze last season as he finished second for NL Rookie of the Year, appeared in the All-Star Game, and received downballot MVP votes. A repeat of his rookie campaign would provide the Padres with plenty of hope in potentially dethroning the Dodgers for the NL West crown.

13. Seattle Mariners

A fast start at the plate for Julio Rodríguez could go a long way in propelling the Mariners to a successful season. Rodríguez has been a historically slow starter with a .642 OPS in March/April. After missing the playoffs by a single game in each of the last two years, a strong start for J-Rod could be the difference.

14. Detroit Tigers

Reigning AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal is poised to be even better in 2025, and that could make all the difference for a Tigers team that's ready to build off a shocking postseason appearance. Between the solid one-two punch of Skubal and Jack Flaherty and the benefits of a very winnable division, the pieces are in place for Detroit to get back to the playoffs.

15. Kansas City Royals

Bobby Witt Jr. is the obvious reason for optimism, but Cole Ragans is just as important. It's not hard to imagine the duo winning AL MVP and AL Cy Young after coming close in 2024, which would be good news for the Royals' chances of returning to the postseason.

16. Minnesota Twins

Minnesota could boast one of the top rotations in the AL if its arms pitch to their potential. Pablo López, Bailey Ober, Joe Ryan, and Chris Paddack all have elite strikeout stuff, while Simeon Woods Richardson will hopefully take the next step in his development. The Twins just need better luck with health on the position-player side - although Royce Lewis is already injured.

17. Cleveland Guardians

We could be on the verge of the next great Guardians starting staff. Tanner Bibee is coming off an excellent sophomore season and is now locked up long term. Gavin Williams, coming off a strong spring, possesses the tools to join him atop the rotation. And don't forget that Shane Bieber's slated to return midseason.

18. Milwaukee Brewers

Jackson Chourio had a .915 OPS with 12 home runs in 63 games after the All-Star break as a 20-year-old last season. Opponents should be terrified by the prospect that Chourio is just scratching the surface of his immense offensive talent.

19. Tampa Bay Rays

A full season of Junior Caminero and a healthier starting rotation could be the recipe for success after a down year when seemingly every Tampa pitcher was injured. It'll be interesting to see whether Steinbrenner Field offers the same home-field advantage as the Trop, but at least the catwalks won't be an issue.

20. Toronto Blue Jays

If the rotation can stay healthy, it should be one of baseball's best. Any one of Kevin Gausman, José Berríos, Chris Bassitt, or Max Scherzer can dice up the best lineups in MLB, while the emerging Bowden Francis came up just short in two no-hitter bids last season. The offense seems to have a middle-of-the-pack ceiling, so the Jays will once again need their pitching to carry them.

21. San Francisco Giants

San Francisco can make a claim to MLB's best defensive left side of an infield with Matt Chapman at third base and now Willy Adames at shortstop. The two combined for 9.3 fWAR in 2024, and another strong campaign would go a long way toward helping San Francisco climb back into postseason contention.

22. Cincinnati Reds

Elly De La Cruz led the majors in steals last year with 67, flirted with a 30-60 season, and became a more well-rounded hitter by upping his walk rate and slightly cutting his strikeout rate. It feels like he's ready to author an even bigger breakout performance in 2025.

23. St. Louis Cardinals

Moving from catcher to first base should do wonders for the health of Willson Contreras, who appeared in only 84 games last year after suffering an arm fracture on a foul tip. He might set career highs across the board now that he's not getting battered behind the dish.

24. Athletics

The Athletics are turning a corner thanks to their young core, and No. 1 prospect Jacob Wilson will get an extended run in the majors. The 22-year-old slashed .308/.321/.558 with four homers and 13 RBIs this spring after posting an otherworldly 1.142 OPS over three minor-league levels in 2024.

25. Pittsburgh Pirates

Paul Skenes starts are appointment viewing, and the right-hander looks primed for a dominant second season. This Pirates club has potential to shake up the NL Central but may not have added enough impact pieces this offseason to beat out one of the Cubs, Reds, or Brewers for the division crown.

26. Los Angeles Angels

Mike Trout looked like Mike Trout in spring training (.982 OPS in 15 games). Baseball is better when Trout is healthy and productive. Here's hoping that's more of a reality than a fantasy in 2025.

27. Washington Nationals

2023 second overall pick Dylan Crews has arrived in D.C. and should get into the Rookie of the Year conversation. Although it might not be the Nationals' time just yet, Crews (and the rest of the team's talented young core) should at least keep this team competitive and make them fun to watch as they grow.

28. Colorado Rockies

Ezequiel Tovar hit a NL-leading 45 doubles in 2024 to go along with 26 home runs and four triples. The 23-year-old is an exciting extra-base machine who will get even better if he can cut down his strikeouts.

29. Chicago White Sox

Losing Garrett Crochet stinks, but the prized piece in the return for the left-hander was Kyle Teel, who made quite an impression in spring training. Although Teel begins the year in the minors, his eventual arrival should give White Sox fans optimism for the franchise's future.

30. Miami Marlins

Sandy Alcantara looks like he hasn't missed a beat after spending the entire 2024 campaign recovering from Tommy John surgery. The 2022 NL Cy Young winner didn't allow an earned run while recording 10 strikeouts over 12 1/3 innings during Grapefruit League play this spring.