The first week of the Major League Baseball season has come and gone and all 30 fan bases are eager to see how their teams fare for the 2025 season. It’s early enough where every team has a chance, some greater than others, to achieve the ultimate goal: a World Series title. The Scout sports staff make their picks on who will be crowned MLB’s champion this season.
Atlanta Braves
By Mark Wagner
This may seem like a hot take, considering the Braves are currently 0-7, but the Braves are missing key starters and have battled the Padres and Dodgers, two other prominent contenders for the National League pennant.
Atlanta’s pitchers had to face Fernando Tatis Jr., Shohei Ohtani, Manny Machado and Mookie Betts, not to mention their sluggers having to face guys like Dylan Cease, Nick Pivetta, Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell. That’s about as difficult a start as they’re going to get. As it’s only the start of the season and there are still 155 games to go, Atlanta can definitely turn this season around.
With Acuña Jr. and Strider likely returning in the coming months, the rest of MLB needs to watch their backs. It may seem unlikely, especially since the NL East is more wide open than it’s ever been, but if their all-star caliber players can get back on track and Acuña Jr. and Strider come back strong from injury, Atlanta may see itself in a World Series six months from now.
San Diego Padres
By Jacob Hypke
The Padres have started strong with an undefeated record in their first seven games. Their scoring has come through either rising star Jackson Merrill, veteran Manny Machado or the face of the franchise Fernando Tatis Jr. San Diego has a supporting cast of Jake Cronenworth, Xander Bogarts and recent acquisition Gavin Sheets who are more than capable of shouldering the load if need be.
The Padres’ pitching rotation is deep, headlined by Dylan Cease, Yu Darvish and Michael King. The starters have struggled in their first outings but have yet to lose a game. This is thanks to the bullpen, which hasn’t given up a run since March 27 in the fourth inning, but the same can’t be said for any team facing the Padres past the fifth or sixth inning. These factors combined make San Diego a serious threat to win the World Series.
New York Yankees
By Cristina Solano
Kicking off their season in second place in the American League East, the Yankees have proven they are not to be taken lightly. From the debut of the torpedo bat and the team’s loaded roster for the new season, the Yankees have been predicted to perform as a top team.
They may have thrown away their chance at another World Series title in 2024, but they are definitely returning with vengeance this season. On top of that, they have veteran coach Aaron Boone, who has a wide span of experience in the postseason and knows how to drive the team forward with what is going well for them and what needs improvement. A key starter like right-hander Clarke Schmidt is expected to return to the loop within mid-April.
Philadelphia Phillies
By Owen Dimpfl
The Phillies have consistently been one of Major League Baseball’s premier teams over the past three seasons. Philadelphia won the NL pennant in 2022 but hasn’t been back to the World Series despite having successful seasons with 90 or more wins in back-to-back years. The offensive lineup is loaded with different styles of hitters, which makes them hard to beat. Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber provide the power while Trea Turner, Nick Castellanos and J.T. Realmuto brings multi-dimensional hitting to all field parts.
Philadelphia brought back Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola to keep the pitching rotation strong. This team is experienced and has played on the biggest stages. The Phillies have won 19 postseason games over the past two seasons, which is more than any other team in baseball. 2025 will be the year the Phillies get over the hump to win their first World Series since 2008.
Los Angeles Dodgers
By Steffen White
It’s low-hanging fruit, but the Dodgers should be seen as the clear favorites to repeat and win the World Series this year. Los Angeles has one of the best lineups assembled, headlined by Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Shohei Ohtani, Will Smith, Max Muncy and others. In terms of pitching, they are just as loaded.
The culture of winning is strong under Dave Roberts, who could be considered the best manager in baseball. There is not a single flaw with this team. They have shown they are willing to spend whatever it takes to win, and there is a reason this team is entering the season with aspirations of breaking the all-time wins record.
Boston Red Sox
By Ethan Diamond
The Red Sox are a team with one of the highest ceilings in baseball this year. They made multiple key offseason moves to bolster their pitching staff, acquiring Garrett Crochet from the White Sox and signing Walker Buehler and Aroldis Chapman in free agency to further boost the rotation and bullpen.
Their hitting core is loaded with all-stars such as Rafael Devers, top 10 MVP finisher Jarren Duran and new signing Alex Bregman. Triston Casas and Wilyer Abreu are primed for breakout years, and the team boasts a loaded prospect system, including three top 12 prospects (per MLB Pipeline) in Roman Anthony (number two overall), Kristian Campbell (number seven overall) and Marcelo Mayer (number 12 overall).
Campbell made the team’s opening day roster, while Anthony and Mayer are in Triple-A and should impact the big league roster this season. Boston will further be strengthened when key pitchers Lucas Giolito, Brayan Bello, Liam Hendriks and Kutter Crawford return from injury. They have winning experience on this roster, and they’re poised to return to the postseason for the first time since 2021 and make a deep run towards their 10th World Series title.
