Spring is still technically a few days away, but with MLB’s Tokyo Series kicking off the 2025 season and the release of MLB The Show 25, things are heating up around the diamond.

In what has become something of an unofficial start-of-season tradition, Yahoo Sports simulated the entire 2025 MLB year in Sony Interactive Entertainment’s annual baseball video game — one of the biggest and most prestigious sports gaming releases on the calendar.

The parameters for the simulated season were fairly simple: In The Show’s in-depth franchise mode, we used current (live) rosters, kept default settings intact and turned off any user input for game management, roster management or the other bells and whistles behind the scenes (sponsorships, budget, etc.). Computer trading was left on — spoiler alert: this was equal parts bizarre and exciting — and in-season events such as the MLB Draft and All-Star week were automatically handled.

So … checks pitch clock … let’s jump right in to the inaugural MLB The Show x Yahoo Sports simulation, curveballs and all.

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Trades, trades, trades

I’m not going to bury the lede here — there were some bonafide blockbusters between computer-controlled teams. One of the nice things about MLB The Show is that it will interrupt your simulation to show you these major, league-altering deals. When the first one popped up — Seiya Suzuki going from the Cubs to the Astros for Isaac Paredes and Brice Matthews — I figured, “OK, that’s conceivable.” 

Then things went off the rails. The Dodgers, no strangers to wild transactions, managed to acquire two former AL All-Stars in Brent Rooker and Jordan Westburg. The Rooker deal was far more believable, considering Los Angeles coughed up a trio of young players/prospects in Bobby Miller, Josue De Paula and Yeiner Fernandez. This is your relatively standard A’s fire-sale type of deal.

Los Angeles also happened to trade with the Orioles for Westburg. For him, the Dodgers gave up Landon Knack, Blake Treinen and none other than reigning World Series MVP Freddie Freeman. File that under “unlikely to happen, now or ever.”

This wasn’t the last we heard from the A’s and Orioles during the simulation, as the American League squads made a deal of their own later in the season that was almost equally surprising. The A’s sent rising star Lawrence Butler to Baltimore for Jackson Holliday, Alex Pham and Jordyn Adams. Even if you ignore the fact that Butler just signed a $65.5 million extension with the A’s, the presence of Jacob Wilson in West Sacramento makes acquiring Holliday more than a little outlandish.

But wait, there’s more! The A’s also decided to send their star closer, Mason Miller, in the division to Seattle for Cole Young, Lazaro Montes and Troy Taylor. Of the three deals involving the A’s, this was probably the most realistic.

Elsewhere around the league, the only major standout trades came from the Yankees, who sent offseason acquisitions Cody Bellinger and Devin Williams to the Mets and Pirates, respectively. In return, the Bronx Bombers reunited with Clay Holmes from the Mets and added Jeff McNeil, Adam Frazier, David Bednar and Dennis Santana (another reunion) from Pittsburgh.

Year Juan at Citi Field

After he signed a record-setting, $765M contract and switched New York City boroughs this offseason, it’s safe to say there will be a spotlight on Juan Soto this year.

When it came to MLB The Show 25, Soto had a bit of a down year by his lofty standards. 

Not only did the Mets miss the postseason, but Soto also saw declines nearly across the board in offensive statistics, finishing with 94 runs scored, 37 home runs, 92 RBI and a .279 batting average. Soto’s famed plate discipline was also impacted as he finished with 99 walks and 109 strikeouts, marking his first season since 2019 in which he had more Ks than BBs.

Elite company

Meanwhile, back in the Bronx, it was business as usual for Aaron Judge. In our simulation, the Yankees’ captain finished with 113 runs, 118 RBI, a .315 batting average and an MLB-best 46 home runs en route to his second consecutive — and third overall — AL MVP award.

If this were to come to pass, Judge would join Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra and Joe DiMaggio as the only Yankees to win the award three times while playing for New York. Overall, he’d be the 13th player in MLB history to accomplish the feat. 

Let’s put a pin(stripe) in the Yankees’ season for now.

The Sho’ must go on

Depending on who you ask, Judge vs. Shohei Ohtani is one of MLB’s great generational sports debates. Ohtani — a three-time MVP winner himself — did not manage to capture NL honors in the simulation, finishing second for the second time in his career. Ohtani’s hitting numbers were there, as he finished with 37 home runs, 117 RBI, 32 steals and a .279 batting average, but it was his return to the mound that seemed to hurt his chances.

Ohtani started 33 games for Los Angeles in the simulation, racking up an MLB-best 228 strikeouts. Other than that, however, the Japanese superstar looked human on the bump, pitching to an 11-12 record with a 4.24 ERA in 180 1/3 innings. The losses and ERA both represent career worsts in full seasons for Ohtani.

That said, the Dodgers did manage to finish with 101 wins and another NL West crown due in part to …

Roki for ROY

Prized rookie Roki Sasaki!

Sasaki managed to capture the NL Rookie of the Year award in the simulation, beating the Marlins pair of Griffin Conine and Agustin Ramirez.

In his debut season, Sasaki finished with a solid 11-6 record, a 3.86 ERA and 175 strikeouts. As impressive as those numbers seem for the 23-year-old, they’re also relatively unlikely, as he has never pitched more than 129 1/3 innings in a season thus far.

Other awards and leaders

We touched on the AL MVP and NL ROY already. Here’s who else took home individual hardware at season’s end.

NL MVP: Ketel Marte, ARI — Marte finished with an MLB-best 132 RBI to go with 39 HRs and a .308 batting average, helping the Diamondbacks clinch an NL wild-card berth.

AL Cy Young: Tarik Skubal, DET — The Tigers’ ace went back-to-back, leading the AL in ERA (2.54) and strikeouts (198).

NL Cy Young: Aaron Nola, PHI — The Phillies won an MLB-best 102 games, with Nola compiling a 21-7 record along the way. Nola also had a strong ERA (2.61) and decent enough strikeouts (166) to win the award.

AL Rookie of the Year: Coby Mayo, BAL — Mayo edged Cleveland’s Travis Bazzana and Chicago’s Kyle Teel to become the second Orioles player to win the award in the past three years (Gunnar Henderson, 2023).

Hank Aaron Award (AL): Corey Seager, TEX — Seager finished just behind Judge with 45 HRs and 115 RBI. His .330 batting average was second in the AL to Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who hit .340.

Hank Aaron Award (NL): Bryce Harper, PHI — Harper topped 100 RBI for the first time since 2019 and tied his career-best with a .330 batting average, which won him the NL batting title.

Mariano Rivera Award: Mason Miller, A’s/SEA — Miller had a career-high 40 saves to go with a 1.08 ERA.

Trevor Hoffman Award: Matt Strahm, PHI — Strahm’s ERA was an absurd 0.34 to go with 54 saves.

Division winners and wild cards

Here’s what the simulated playoff picture looked like heading into October:

AL East: Yankees (99-63)

AL Central: Twins (90-72)

AL West: Rangers (92-70)

AL wild cards: Mariners (89-73), Tigers (85-77), Astros (85-77)

NL East: Phillies (102-60)

NL Central: Brewers (90-72)

NL West: Dodgers (101-61)

NL wild card: Diamondbacks (87-75), Pirates (84-78), Giants (81-81)

World Series matchup and winner

On both the AL and NL sides, two teams steamrollered their way into the Fall Classic, as the Yankees and Brewers each won their first nine contests of the playoffs. For Milwaukee, that meant sweeping the Giants, Dodgers and Phillies — the latter two both won 100-plus games — to make the World Series for just the second time in franchise history.

The 99-win Yankees had the benefit of not having to play the wild-card round in the AL, instead sweeping the Mariners and Twins (even in a video game, the Twins can’t catch a break vs. New York), and going up 2-0 on Milwaukee in the World Series.

The Yankees and Brewers then traded Games 3 and 4 before Milwaukee rattled off three straight wins to rally from down 3-1 and win the franchise’s first Commissioner’s Trophy. Joey Ortiz took home World Series MVP honors, hitting .423 with a home run and six RBI.

Retirements and Hall of Fame calls

There were scores of retirements once the season ended, but the biggest one by far was Justin Verlander. Verlander, who is entering his age-42 season, had a relatively solid first — and only — season with the Giants. He finished 8-6 with a 3.98 ERA in just 13 starts, which appeared to move him into a bullpen role. Regardless of when he decides to call it quits in real life, Verlander will get the call to Cooperstown.

Speaking of which, MLB The Show seems to think we’re going to have a quiet summer in 2026, as it predicted there would be no Hall of Famers elected next year. Despite a relatively pedestrian class of first-timers going on the ballot, Carlos Beltran (70.3%) and Andruw Jones (66.2%) were within striking distance in 2025, and so both could hear their names called.

The MLB offseason is nearly over. Meaningful baseball games return to our lives beginning March 18, with the Cubs and Dodgers facing off in Tokyo.

But first, let’s continue our division-by-division season previews. It’s time to turn our attention to the teams in the American League. We begin with the AL East.

More division previews: National League East | National League Central | National League West

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New York Yankees

Projected record (per FanGraphs, as of March 17): 86-76, 63.0% odds to make the playoffs, 31.1% odds to win the division

What happened last year? Juan Soto, baseball mercenary, delivered.

Behind Soto’s patience, Aaron Judge’s power and a sturdy pitching staff, the Yanks won 94 ballgames, the division crown and the AL pennant. And then … Nestor Cortes Jr. threw Freddie Freeman a meatball, Aaron Judge dropped a pop-up, Gerrit Cole forgot to cover first base, and the Yankees spent winter getting clowned on by the victorious Dodgers. Soto’s crosstown flight and Gerrit Cole’s season-ending Tommy John surgery have only intensified the consternation in YankeeLand as the game’s most notorious franchise continues its quest for title No. 28.

Best-case scenario: New York’s core competency of run prevention — they own the fourth-lowest ERA in MLB since the start of 2022 — is enough to overcome a year without Cole. Big-money free-agent addition Max Fried pitches like the ace he was paid to be. So does Carlos Rodón, who has his first All-Star-level season in pinstripes. Anthony Volpe makes The Leap™ in his age-24 season, going from glove-first shortstop to all-around superstar. Jasson Dominguez goes 30/30 and wins AL Rookie of the Year. Judge cranks out another 60 homers. The Yankees — all rocking playoff beards — storm through October and win the first World Series of the Judge Era. Owner Hal Steinbrenner looks like ZZ Top when he accepts the trophy.

Worst-case scenario: It turns out that replacing Juan Soto and Gerrit Cole is extremely difficult. Judge desperately misses Soto’s presence in the lineup, as recent additions such as Cody Bellinger, Paul Goldschmidt and Jazz Chisholm fail to step up. Giancarlo Stanton, sidelined by two ailing elbows, doesn’t play a single game. The gaping hole at third base proves to be an anchor. Dominguez’s bat doesn’t blossom, and he remains a blindfolded toddler in left field. The catchers behind youngster Austin Wells are bad enough that Wells has to play six days a week, and he’s an exhausted husk by late summer. Judge cranks out only 40 homers. The Yankees finish under .500 for the first time since George H.W. Bush was president, and Steinbrenner is so embarrassed that he reinstates the facial hair policy for 2026.

Make-or-break player: Jazz Chisholm Jr. Since making the All-Star team in 2022, the Bahamian typhoon of effortless swagger has effectively been a league-average hitter. He showcased his immense talent during a 46-game stint in New York after being dealt at the deadline (11 homers and a.825 OPS). If he can sustain that over a full season and be The Second-Best Yankees Hitter, it would change the complexion of this lineup while turning Jazz into the fully actualized, immensely famous baseball force he has always wanted to be.

Season prediction: The Yankees miss Soto much more than they miss Cole, but Judge does enough to carry the supporting cast to 90 wins and a wild-card berth. Volpe emerges, and Chisholm is solid, but the rest of the lineup underwhelms. It’s a decent, ultimately disappointing Yankees season that pushes the franchise one year closer to ending the Judge Era without a ring.

Baltimore Orioles

Projected record: 83-79, 47.7% odds to make the playoffs, 18.3% odds to win the division

What happened last year? A potent, young offense that stampeded through spring lost steam down the stretch as the O’s settled for a wild card. Come October, the lineup was a no-show during an embarrassing wild-card loss at home to Kansas City that stretched Baltimore’s postseason losing streak to 10 games.

Best-case scenario: Grayson Rodriguez returns more quickly than expected from his scary triceps injury and blossoms into a legit ace atop Baltimore’s starting staff. Soft-tossing 35-year-old Tomoyuki Sugano, an MVP last year in Japan, makes an effective transition to stateside ball. Charlie Morton, who turns 42 in November, keeps raging against time. Southpaw Cade Povich becomes a rotation stalwart. A heroic return from flamethrowing closer Felix Bautista, who missed all of 2024 due to an elbow injury, shortens games and changes the complexion of the whole club. The offense bops like it’s supposed to, with Jackson Holliday putting a rocky rookie year behind him to join Gunnar Henderson, Jordan Westburg, Adley Rutschman and Colton Cowser as homegrown stars.

Worst-case scenario: Rodriguez misses a significant stretch, and this undermanned rotation can’t keep games close enough to give the lineup a shot. Rutschman’s disappointing 2024 proves to be the start of a trend and not a blip. Holliday continues to struggle, raising doubts about the former top prospect’s future. Offseason acquisitions Morton, Sugano and outfielder Tyler O’Neill fall flat. The O’s finish dead last in the division, and the front office regrets not being more aggressive in adding pitching over the winter.

Make-or-break player: Adley Rutschman. The O’s franchise catcher was horrendous in the second half, with disgusting offensive numbers whenever he started behind the dish. Once hailed as the savior of this fallen franchise, Rutschman is still only 27 years old, but he needs a bounceback campaign to prove he’s still a needle-moving force. His framing numbers, which were awesome in ‘23 and awful in ‘24, simply need to bounce back.

Season prediction: The O’s, under new owner David Rubenstein, spent money during the offseason. It was, in fact, the largest year-over-year percentage payroll increase in baseball. Still, it’s hard to say this team got better, with its best pitcher (Corbin Burnes) and its home run leader (Anthony Santander) departing in free agency. People around the game were confused about the way Baltimore opted to spend money and are concerned that this front office isn’t making the most of an impressive homegrown offensive core. I tend to agree, particularly when it comes to the rotation. Baltimore will be in the wild-card mix, and the lineup is still really good, but I’m skeptical about the pitching — to the point that I think they’ll miss out on the postseason.

Boston Red Sox

Projected record: 85-77, 56.5% odds to make the playoffs, 24.1% odds to win the division

What happened last year? The Red Sox had a Netflix documentary crew following them around for what turned out to be a forgettable, lackluster season of .500 baseball. A lot went right — outfielder Jarren Duran raked, starter Tanner Houck carved, the farm system took a massive leap forward — but enough went wrong for Boston to aggressively upgrade its roster in the offseason. The additions of southpaw starter Garrett Crochet via trade and All-Star infielder Alex Bregman via free agency have the Sox primed to contend for a division title in ‘25.

Best-case scenario: The positional drama — longtime third baseman Rafael Devers has expressed hesitation about moving off the hot corner for Bregman — is resolved by Opening Day. A more energized Devers takes to the DH role and rips 40 homers while Bregman, rejuvenated by his new surroundings, rediscovers his power stroke. The trio of highly touted position-player prospects — Kristian Campbell, Roman Anthony and Marcelo Meyer, all of whom homered during the Spring Breakout game — carve out roles by midseason and prove to be difference-making pieces. An already ailing middle of the rotation — Lucas Giolito has a hamstring issue, Kutter Crawford’s dealing with a knee problem, Brayan Bello’s shoulder is barking — gets healthy to back up Grochet and Houck, both of whom contend for the Cy Young. The Yankees roll into Boston for the ALCS and get absolutely embarrassed. Aaron Judge hums “Dirty Water” to himself the whole drive home.

Worst-case scenario: Injuries and infighting derail the good vibes. Boston has so many startable position players that somebody will certainly be spending more time on the bench than they’d like. We’ve seen clubs such as the Dodgers ride that strategy to success, but having too many cooks in the kitchen can always go sideways. The Devers/Bregman positional situation seems to be mostly resolved, but if there’s genuine resentment beneath the surface, that could have an impact if it lingers. Boston is also relatively weak up the middle, at catcher and shortstop, where Connor Wong projects as a bad defender and Trevor Story represents something of an unknown after three injury-marred seasons.

Make-or-break player: Garrett Crochet. The Sox sent quite a haul to the Other Sox for Crochet, who emerged as one of MLB’s best left-handed starters in 2024. But as impressive as his strikeout rate and peripheral numbers were, Crochet has yet to prove that he can handle the bulk of being a frontline arm on a good team. His 146 innings last year were a career high, and while he’s built, physically and mentally, to lead a staff, we won’t know he can until we see it. I’m betting on Crochet being the real deal, but the Red Sox really need this guy to perform like an ace.

Season prediction: How and when Sox leadership opts to call upon their vaunted prospect trio should be fascinating. It has been difficult to figure out how skipper Alex Cora is going to make all these pieces fit together, but guess what? That’s a first-world problem. Having a lot of talented ballplayers is a good thing. Somebody (or somebodies) will get hurt and create an opening (or openings). But if this team stays healthy, I think it wins the AL East.

Tampa Bay Rays

Projected record: 82-80, 36.6% odds to make the playoffs, 11.8% odds to win the division

What happened last year? The offense flat-out stunk, and the Rays finished out of the top three in the AL East for the first time since 2016. Then, in November, a hurricane blew the roof off their stadium, forcing them to relocate to the Yankees’ spring training complex for the foreseeable future.

Best-case scenario: This is the best pitching staff in baseball, and four Rays starters make the All-Star team. Flamethrowing lefty Shane McClanahan, finally back from Tommy John surgery, wins the Cy Young. The position-player group, as it does whenever the Rays inexplicably win 93 games, plays great defense and hits just enough. Yandy Díaz and his person-sized biceps bounce back from a lackluster 2024. Junior Caminero becomes a super-duper star. The bizarre stadium situation becomes a legitimately galvanizing force in the clubhouse, and the Rays host World Series games at a minor-league park.

Worst-case scenario: The lineup stinks again. Trading away Isaac Paredes and Randy Arozarena at last year’s deadline creates too big a void to fill internally, at least in the short term. Caminero’s swing-happy, inexperienced approach limits his impact. No other hitter performs at an All-Star level. The sweltering heat and unyielding rains of the Florida summer are too much to overcome, and the exhausted Rays, used to an air-conditioned dome, deliver another forgettable season.

Make-or-break player: Junior Caminero. He’s the only dude on this roster capable of a top-five MVP finish. How he develops this year and beyond will be a pivotal storyline for this organization.

Season prediction: The move to the short-fenced Steinbrenner Field helps Tampa’s offense, leading to a noticeable uptick in power production. That doesn’t impact the rotation, which misses enough bats to keep the ball in the yard. Tampa and its interchangeable carousel of randos sneak into a wild-card spot yet again, and we do indeed get playoff games in a minor-league park.

Toronto Blue Jays

Projected record: 82-80, 41.3% odds to make the playoffs, 14.4% odds to win the division

What happened last year? Besides a big season from Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto’s offense was frustratingly average. The same was true of its rotation. That double-sided mediocrity, plus the second-worst bullpen in baseball, meant the 2024 Jays never really got out of first gear and slogged to a fifth-place division finish.

Best-case scenario: Long-term? The Jays and Guerrero find middle ground on an extension at some point during the season, which, given the reporting, seems extremely unlikely. As far as 2025, the Jays still have a playoff ceiling. To reach that ceiling, they’ll need their older pitching staff to stay healthy and effective. The bottom of the lineup — some combination of Andrés Giménez, Ernie Clement, Will Wagner and Joey Loperfido — needs to outperform expectations. Bo Bichette rediscovering his best self is also a must, as is free-agent closer Jeff Hoffman reviving a brutally bad relief group. Anthony Santander, who joined the Jays over the winter on a big contract, needs to hit at least 35 bombs again. If all that happens, Toronto could sneak into October.

Worst-case scenario: The rotation turns out to be weathered and worn instead of experienced and wily. Gausman (34), Bassit (36) and Scherzer (40) all show signs of decline and/or spend time on the IL. Injuries and age-related decline also limit 35-year-old outfielder George Springer, who hasn’t performed at an All-Star level since 2022. Even with Hoffman, the bullpen doesn’t take significant steps forward. Toronto is close enough to a wild-card spot at the deadline that they don’t trade away impending free agents — which immediately looks foolish as they endure a late summer slide. Guerrero rakes through it all, driving his price beyond the Jays’ means, and he departs next winter. This era of Jays baseball fades into history as a “what coulda been.”

Make-or-break player: Bo Bichette. From 2020 through 2023, Bichette compiled the sixth-most fWAR amongst shortstops, receiving downballot MVP consideration in ‘21, ‘22 and ‘23. But last season, things went very wrong for the long-haired Floridian. A nagging calf issue kept him sidelined for much of the summer, and Bichette didn’t hit whenever he was available. Still just 27 years old and set to hit free agency this winter, Bichette needs a bounceback to (1) make himself some money and (2) give the Jays’ offense a real second option behind Guerrero.

Season prediction: The rotation and the lineup are both better than they were in 2024, but neither is better enough for this team to make a playoff push. Guerrero and Bichette leave after the season, and this organization faces a doomy and gloomy future.

Fantasy baseball analyst Dalton Del Don circles the bases to identify which infielders drafters should avoid at their lofty prices this season. Click here for even more fades.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Ketel Marte, 2B

Marte now carries a top-30 ADP after coming off a career-best season, so proceed with caution. He hasn’t reached double-digit stolen bases since 2019 (when he had 10), and he’s missed an average of 34 games over the last four seasons. Marte was legitimately awesome in 2024, posting a 151 wRC+ that ranked top 10 in baseball. But he owns a career 118 wRC+, and OOPSY projects Marte to come back down to 25 home runs in 2025 (over an optimistic 147 games played).

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Chicago White Sox: Andrew Vaughn, 1B

A depleted White Sox roster gives few options here, and it also hurts Vaughn’s counting stats. He managed just 55 runs scored and 70 RBI over 619 plate appearances last season. Vaughn is a fine floor pick if you need to fill first base, but he’s never reached 70 runs scored or surpassed 80 RBI or 21 homers during his career. Vaughn has three career stolen bases. Chicago’s lineup could become even uglier if/when Luis Robert Jr. gets traded. The White Sox are projected to once again score the fewest runs in baseball in 2025.

Houston Astros: José Altuve, 2B

Altuve is a rock-solid fantasy player, but a fourth-round pick is too early. Altuve reached his most plate appearances (682) last year since 2016, yet it still resulted in relatively modest counting stats. The compiling helped his fantasy line, but Altuve showed signs of decline at the plate, which is more concerning entering his age-35 season. Altuve will also be learning a new position with his move to left field. THE BAT X projects Altuve to go .258-79-17-67-15, which would be a reach as a top 45 pick in Yahoo drafts.

Los Angeles Angels: Logan O’Hoppe, C

O’Hoppe hit just .196/.266/.312 with a 64 wRC+ after the All-Star break last season, when his K% also skyrocketed to 38.2%. Injuries may have contributed, but O’Hoppe is now in danger of losing at-bats after the Angels signed Travis d’Arnaud during the offseason. D’Arnaud’s 105 wRC+ ranks 11th among all qualified catchers since 2022. O’Hoppe’s .244 BA came with a .318 BABIP that was 68 points higher than his 2023 hit rate. O’Hoppe is at risk of platooning far more in 2025, yet he’s being drafted next to J.T. Realmuto.

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Los Angeles Dodgers: Freddie Freeman, 1B

Freeman absolutely could be a nice bounce-back candidate after a down 2024, but there’s also risk while remaining a top 20 pick in Yahoo leagues. The Dodgers will reportedly manage his ankle over the first half of the season after Freeman underwent offseason surgery. It could also lead to fewer stolen base attempts, especially considering his already notable declining speed. Freeman’s Bat Speed was in the 20th percentile last year, and he’ll turn 36 years old this season. Freeman has a nice floor as a BA help and hitting in the middle of a loaded lineup, but he hasn’t reached 30 homers since joining Los Angeles, and his SBs are at risk. Fade Freeman as a top 20 pick.

Milwaukee Brewers: Brice Turang, 2B

Turang was one of fantasy’s biggest breakouts last year, but he offers little power and should regress in steals. Turang hit just .220/.277/.287 with a 58 wRC+ after the All-Star break last season. His Bat Speed and Barrel% both finished in the bottom 3% of MLB. Turang owns a career 76 wRC+ (that would’ve ranked third worst among 129 qualified hitters last year), so he’s destined to hit toward the bottom of Milwaukee’s lineup.

Turang’s projections are nearly identical to Victor Robles, who goes nearly 100 picks later in Yahoo drafts.

Minnesota Twins: Royce Lewis, 3B

Lewis clearly has upside after posting a 154 wRC+ just one season ago, but the piling up of injuries have become hard to ignore, and he’s expected to start the season on the IL with a hamstring strain. Lewis has missed an average of 92 games over the last two seasons thanks to a litany of health issues, and he also hit just .207 with a .620 OPS over his final 56 games last year. Lewis didn’t attempt a single stolen base in 2024. He’s plenty capable of bouncing back at the plate, but there are too many durability questions for Lewis to be worth a pick just outside the top 100 in Yahoo leagues.

New York Mets: Mark Vientos, 3B

Vientos was a real nice power surprise last season, when he popped 27 homers over just 413 at-bats. But his K% jumped all the way to 33.7% in the second half after pitchers saw him more, and that K% would have ranked behind only Zack Gelof (who hit .211) over the full season. Vientos had the 12th-biggest negative difference in wOBA and xwOBA, and he hits in one of baseball’s most extreme pitcher’s parks. THE BAT X projects Vientos to hit .232 this season, yet he’s somehow being drafted right next to Junior Caminero in Yahoo leagues.

San Francisco Giants: Willy Adames, SS

Adames set career highs in homers (32), runs scored (93), RBI (112) and stolen bases (21) during his contract year last season. Hitting mostly cleanup helped Adames’ run production, but his RBI total came thanks to historic opportunity. Adames saw the most plate appearances (224) with runners in scoring position last season since 2012. He tied Ken Griffey Jr. with the most three-run homers in a season in MLB history (and later added a grand slam). Moreover, Adames posted a 1.073 OPS with runners in scoring position but just a .694 OPS with the bases empty.

Adames also will be hitting in a different lineup and in a much more favorable pitcher’s park after signing in San Francisco during the offseason. Milwaukee has increased HR for RHB by 11% over the last three seasons, whereas San Francisco has decreased them by 21%. Graphics may show all of Adames’ 150 career home runs theoretically leaving Oracle Park, but the main issue in San Francisco is air density, not park dimensions. Those fly balls simply won’t travel as far in the Bay Area. The Giants haven’t had a 30-homer hitter since 2004 for a reason; every other team has at least one since 2019.

Adames also never had more than eight steals in a season before his contract year, and he now joins a San Francisco organization that was the least likely to attempt a stolen base last season (50 SBA+).

Texas Rangers: Marcus Semien, 2B

Semien remains a fine compiler, but it took 718 plate appearances for him to record 23 homers and eight steals last season. Semien deserves credit for surpassing 700 PAs six straight seasons (not counting the shortened 2020), but his Bat Speed fell to the 10th percentile as a 33-year-old, and his 99 wRC+ ranked outside the top 100 qualified hitters. Semien will likely continue to run less now that he’s 34 years old, and manager Bruce Bochy plans on resting him more in 2025, yet he remains a top 75 pick in Yahoo leagues.

Washington Nationals: CJ Abrams, SS

Abrams is just 24 years old and could improve, but he hit .203 with an ugly 64 wRC+ after the All-Star break last season, contributing to a brief trip to Triple-A. Counting stats will remain an issue on the Nationals, and Abrams sports a cold Statcast page (and a career 94 wRC+). The steals are nice, but more are available later in drafts than ever. Abrams is being drafted around Oneil Cruz, Jacob deGrom and Wyatt Langford and ahead of James Wood in Yahoo leagues, all of whom are preferred picks.

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Joey Gallo was released Sunday by the Chicago White Sox, and if the 31-year-old signs on with another team, it appears he’ll be making a position switch.

After playing outfield, third base and first base throughout his 10-year MLB career, Gallo intends to give pitching a try.

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“He had expressed interest through his agent if it didn’t work out on the major league team, that he was going to explore the pitching side,” White Sox assistant general manager Josh Barfield told MLB.com. “I know it’s something he’s been dabbling around with in between some of the reps here. But he asked for his release today. So we accommodated that.”

Following his release, Gallo posted, “It’s been fun outfield” on X with a highlight video of plays he made. 

That message was followed by him clarifying that he is not retiring.

“Just to be clear, I will be pitching,” he wrote.

Gallo, who has played for the Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins and Washington Nationals, is a two-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner.

“Just talking to Joey and talking to him this morning, just came to a mutual agreement that that was the best thing,” White Sox manager Will Venable said. “Wish him luck as he starts a new chapter as a pitcher.”

Pitching isn’t foreign to Gallo. He was a presence on the mound at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, though he earned Nevada Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year and High School All-American honors for his talents at the plate. As a pitcher, Gallo made 21 varsity appearances and even threw a no-hitter.

The White Sox’s organizational pitching depth meant there was no room for Gallo to try his hand on the mound and work his way up through their farm system.

“Where we are right now, it’s tough to give him that opportunity,” Barfield said. “Yeah, it’s not unheard of, right? You see it with [Rick] Ankiel going the other way and [Tyler] Naquin, who was here a couple of years ago, he just signed as a pitcher too.”

Fellow MLB players Brett Phillips and Tyler Naquin have ventured down the path Gallo now wants to travel. All three also last played for the White Sox before deciding to attempt to become full-time pitchers.

Phillips played for seven teams before joining the Yankees last summer with the intention to transition into a pitcher. He was roughed up in his only outing with the Single-A Tampa Tarpons before electing free agency in November.

After last playing in 2023, Naquin spent the 2024 season helping Texas A&M baseball’s coaching staff and then signed with the Cleveland Guardians in March with hopes of becoming a pitcher. He spent the first five years of his MLB career with the Guardians.

Last year, the Padres and Dodgers got the MLB regular season started early with two games in South Korea. This year, it’s the Cubs and Dodgers kicking things off the week before league-wide Opening Day.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, with the first pitch of each game scheduled for 6:10 a.m. ET, the 2025 season begins at the Tokyo Dome. This matchup features a boatload of Japanese stars and is sure to deliver an electric atmosphere. 

Here’s everything you need to know about the Tokyo Series.

[Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Baseball league for the 2025 MLB season]

Why is MLB doing this?

It’s no secret that Major League Baseball wants to have a global reach, which is understandable considering the many countries represented in the league. After playing regular-season MLB series in Puerto Rico, Mexico, England, the Dominican Republic and South Korea, the next and biggest frontier in baseball was Japan.

There’s as much Japanese star power in Major League Baseball today as there has ever been in league history. That’s not to mention that the best player in the sport, Shohei Ohtani, not only hails from Japan but also has become a global superstar. And while Ohtani’s fame has reached international levels, the other Japanese stars who will appear in the series — including Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki, Shota Imanaga and Seiya Suzuki — represent some of the best talent to come out of Japan in recent years.

For all intents and purposes, these two matchups are spring training games that happen to count. In some ways, it might seem like much ado about nothing, given that Chicago’s and Los Angeles’ rosters might look significantly different two weeks from now. But the importance of showcasing baseball on an international scale is paramount.

Who will be pitching in Tokyo?

The Dodgers will be showcasing two of their Japanese imports during this series, with Yamamoto starting in Game 1 and Sasaki taking the ball for his MLB debut in Game 2. On the other side, the Cubs will have their two best arms on the bump, with Imanaga going in Game 1 and southpaw Justin Steele getting the start for Game 2.

Not pitching, of course, is Shohei Ohtani, who is still rehabbing from elbow and shoulder surgeries. Ohtani was previously expected to be back on the mound come May, but a recent pause to his rehab has put that timeline in doubt.

Who are the new faces on these teams?

While Roki Sasaki gets a lot of the attention as the Dodgers’ biggest acquisition of the past offseason — and for good reason — it’s easy to forget that L.A. also added two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell to the top of its rotation, providing a true ace. And as you might’ve heard, the Dodgers also went several steps further, reinforcing the back of the bullpen with the additions of reliever Kirby Yates and closer Tanner Scott and boosting the lineup by signing outfielder Michael Conforto and second baseman Hyeseong Kim.

For the Cubs, the most notable new face on the roster happens to be the team’s best player in Kyle Tucker, who was acquired over the winter from the Houston Astros. Tucker, who will be penciled in as the team’s right fielder, is entering a contract year, which should make for a storyline to watch all season. Other new faces on Chicago’s roster include infielder Justin Turner, closer Ryan Pressly, left-hander Matthew Boyd and top prospect Matt Shaw, who is expected to make his MLB debut in Tokyo and be the team’s every-day third baseman.

Who will we not see in Tokyo?

Missing for the Cubs during the Tokyo Series will be second baseman Nico Hoerner, who is still recovering from offseason flexor tendon surgery, and right-hander Javier Assad, who suffered a mild oblique strain in February. While Hoerner expects to be ready for domestic Opening Day, Assad is likely to start the season on the injured list.

Two pitchers who will not be on the Dodgers’ roster are left-hander Clayton Kershaw and right-hander Tony Gonsolin. Kershaw isn’t expected to return from offseason surgery until June or July, and Gonsolin was in a spring training battle with Dustin May for the team’s fifth starter spot until he sustained a back injury while lifting weights at the team facility.

Of more consequence for the Dodgers, Mookie Betts will miss the two games of the Tokyo Series. The superstar, who is making the transition to every-day shortstop this spring, began feeling flu-like symptoms during the final week of spring camp before the team left for Tokyo and continued to feel ill during the flight to Japan and subsequent workouts. Miguel Rojas will likely play shortstop for the Dodgers in Betts’ absence.

What’s the latest on Shohei Ohtani?

The biggest star during the Tokyo Series also happens to be the world’s best baseball player. Ohtani had a delayed start to the spring due to his recovery from labrum surgery after he dislocated his shoulder during the World Series. Throughout the winter, he was also continuing his rehab from 2023 elbow surgery.

While he appears to be right back in the swing of things at the plate — he homered in the team’s first exhibition game on Saturday, because of course he did — the Dodgers have slowed down the three-time MVP’s ramp-up as a pitcher. Prior to the labrum surgery, Ohtani was projected to be ready for Opening Day 2025. Over the winter, the thought was that he could return to the mound in May, but now that timeline seems likely to be pushed back.

Once upon a time, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was arguably the most exciting prospect in MLB, leading a pack of legacy kids who were ready to take the league by storm. Fantasy baseball managers, in turn, were just as excited to be able to draft Guerrero onto their teams.

Vladdy is entering his seventh season in MLB, and while he’s been a star, he hasn’t exactly achieved the true superstardom many have had him tabbed for.

[Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Baseball league for the 2025 MLB season]

But perhaps last season was a sign of Vlad Jr. putting things all together. When he was first being hyped as a young prospect, the thought was that he’d be the rare combination of batting average and power that you don’t see much in today’s MLB.

After back-to-back down seasons, Guerrero delivered an eye-popping .323 batting average and 30 home runs in 2024. If he’s able to build off that production entering just his age-26 season and a contract year, watch out.

[Fantasy Baseball Draft Rankings: C | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | OF | SP | RP]

Guerrero headlines our analysts’ first baseman rankings for 2025:

Who is your top first base target this season?

The New England Patriots answered one of the biggest mysteries on their offensive line by signing veteran center Garrett Bradbury on Tuesday.

It’s a move that came less than a week after the team’s shocking decision to move on from longtime center David Andrews. There were other options for the team, including moving Cole Strange to center, starting Ben Brown for another year or drafting a young player to take the reins at the position.

However, the Patriots went the veteran route in signing Bradbury, a former first-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft. Did they make the right move?

Here’s our initial grade of the signing:

Contract details

• Two-year, $12 million deal with $3.8 million in guaranteed money

Grade: B-

The Patriots adding Bradbury to the mix is an obvious upgrade over what they would have had if they went into the season as currently constructed. They needed to fill the center position after releasing Andrews, and they managed to do so with a veteran starter.

That’s a win, no matter how you slice it.

But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows with Bradbury. If that were the case, the Minnesota Vikings would have worked toward an extension instead of running for the door when his contract was up.

The veteran offensive lineman ranked amongst the worst pass-blockers in the league at his position last season. Protecting the quarterback was a major problem for the Patriots heading into the offseason, and they didn’t do much to fix that issue with this signing.

With that said, this was their best option if they were moving away from Andrews. Strange doesn’t have many reps at center, and Brown was too inconsistent to rely on as a starter.

Bradbury was solid in run-blocking last season considering he ranked 14th out of 64 centers with a 70.7 Pro Football Focus grade. Perhaps he can improve elements of his game in New England with Doug Marrone as his new offensive line coach.

And who knows? Maybe the offensive line wizard himself, Dante Scarnecchia will pay him a visit as well.

This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: 2025 free agency: Grading the Patriots signing of C Garrett Bradbury

OXFORD – Austin Simmons’ time is now. And he’s doing everything in his power to make sure the transition from one of Ole Miss’ all-time greats under center is as seamless as possible.

Coming off their third 10-win campaign in four seasons, the Rebels started spring practice Tuesday with a roster that looks significantly different than it has in recent years. Gone are stalwarts like quarterback Jaxson Dart, wide receivers Tre Harris and Jordan Watkins, defensive linemen J.J. Pegues and Jared Ivey and one-year impact players like defensive linemen Walter Nolen and Princely Umanmielen.

Dart, the program’s all-time leader in passing yards, total offense and wins by a starting quarterback, will be succeeded by Simmons. Simmons, a Florida native, threw for 282 yards and two touchdowns behind Dart last season. The redshirt sophomore lefty saw his most meaningful action against Georgia, when he entered the game for a drive in the first quarter following a brief injury to Dart and led the Rebels down the field for a touchdown.

In addition to his record-setting statistics, Dart was widely lauded for his leadership ability – including by head coach Lane Kiffin – and the way he was able to bring the entire roster together. Simmons has started taking those same steps, though Kiffin made sure to note he doesn’t want or need his young quarterback trying to be Dart.

“I think he’s done a really good job of spending time with players. He’s always out, trying to throw extra with them,” Kiffin said. “He’s got a hard act to follow, and he doesn’t need to be Jaxson. Everybody’s different. But that was a really good one for him to learn from, to see how Jaxson took the whole team in. And so, I see him trying to do that. But at the same time, he has to be his own person, too.”

Simmons admitted he isn’t naturally the most verbal leader, preferring to let his work do the talking. It’s something he says he has been working on, though, and believes he has made strides in. He also said he’s taken “bits and pieces” from Dart’s example, particularly in terms of creating and maintaining relationships.

“I always want to lead by example, was never really the verbal guy. And, frankly, that’s what I want to get better at,” Simmons said. “Because I feel like you’ll gain more respect that way, and also I just want to let them know I always have their back, regardless. Doesn’t matter where the game’s going, doesn’t matter what’s going on. I’ll always have their back.”

One of Simmons’ closest friends on the team, junior wide receiver Cayden Lee, has also done his part to step up as a vocal leader despite it not being what he’s generally been. He described Simmons as a “goofy guy” off the field with a “one-of-a-kind” arm.

The pair arrived at Ole Miss together in the 2023 recruiting class, and Lee said Simmons’ biggest area of growth the last few years has been in his confidence.

“When he came in … he stood back, tried to observe and feel where he was,” Lee said. “And I feel like now that he knows – he’s starting to realize how good he is – and I feel like that’s a big step in everybody’s game, that once you realize that you’re that guy, you’re a lot better.”