The Powerhouse

Los Angeles Dodgers

I’d be remiss to start this section off with any other team but the Los Angeles Dodgers. They look to defend their World Series title after a tremendous 2024 season that included their newly acquired star, Shohei Ohtani, becoming the first player ever to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bags.

They’ve added some depth to their starting rotation with aspirations of making their 14th consecutive playoff appearance. Blake Snell, two years removed from his Cy Young season, looks to bolster that rotation along with Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki. Sasaki, a 21-year-old righty, features a fastball that sits around 100 mph and a forkball that is undoubtedly the best pitch in his arsenal.

However, that’s not where the influx of international talent ends for the Dodgers. They also acquired left-handed Korean star Hyeseong Kim, who can play both middle infield positions and has stolen at least 20 bases in each of the past seven seasons. Kim doesn’t just play both middle infield positions—he excels at both, having won the KBO Gold Glove three years in a row at shortstop and once at second base in 2021.

With the Dodgers looking to experience their first season with Shohei doing what he does at the plate while also giving them quality on the mound, this team is primed to make another postseason run. As long as that star-studded starting rotation and the top of the lineup—both of which include Ohtani—stay healthy, I don’t see a reason why the Dodgers shouldn’t be the favorites to claim their third NL pennant (+140 to win the NL) in six years.

Buy-Low

Boston Red Sox

After missing the postseason for their third consecutive season, Brian O’Halloran, the Red Sox General Manager, decided to make some splash moves in hopes of his ballclub returning to October baseball this year.

Of course, the biggest offseason acquisition was two-time All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman, who signed a three-year, $120 million contract with the team. Bregman is coming off an exceptional 2024 campaign, during which he won his first Gold Glove at third base. However, there is some concern about where exactly he will play, as franchise cornerstone Rafael Devers seems reluctant to give up his hot corner duties.

After losing Chris Sale and seeing him promptly win the NL Cy Young Award the following year, the Red Sox decided to make a move to strengthen their starting rotation. They traded away four of their highly touted prospects—two of which were their last two first-round picks—to the White Sox in exchange for LHP Garrett Crochet.

The Red Sox have strong conviction that Crochet can be their ace. They look to pair him with their ascending starter, Tanner Houck, who was voted to the All-Star team last year. Nevertheless, they’ll be hoping to get more out of their other newest addition, Walker Buehler, after an uninspiring season last year with his former team, the Los Angeles Dodgers.

If they can turn things around with Buehler and get him back to his 2021 All-Star form, this rotation could prove to be the most formidable in the AL East. Pair that with the play they’ve gotten from some of their young players, like right fielder Wilyer Abreu, who won a Gold Glove in his rookie year while finishing sixth in ROY voting, and Jarren Duran, who was voted to his first All-Star game and led the league in doubles last season. This team has the potential to really surprise people. After missing the postseason the last three seasons, don’t be too shocked if the Red Sox are playing baseball in October this year. (Red Sox to make the playoffs: -125)

Sell-High Candidates

New York Yankees

I know, I know—why would you look to fade the Yankees? They have the reigning AL MVP, Aaron Judge, and there’s speculation the vibes will be immaculate with the abolition of their half-century-long facial hair ban. Sorry, I’m not buying it.

The loss of Juan Soto to their cross-town rival, the Mets, can’t be understated. There were multiple points last season where Soto was the catalyst for this Yankees offense, including in the playoffs, where he posted the best batting average, on-base percentage, and on-base plus slugging percentage among all his former teammates. All the while, Yankees fans watched Aaron Judge go 9-for-49 in the 2024 postseason, continuing his career-long streak of underwhelming playoff performances.

Their other key contributor last year, during both the regular and postseason, was Giancarlo Stanton. Stanton has been suffering from “severe” soreness and discomfort in both of his elbows this spring and hasn’t participated in any baseball activities, per Yankees GM Brian Cashman. Stanton is 35 and hasn’t been a nominee for the Cal Ripken Jr. Iron Man Award by any means, as he has yet to play in 140 or more games since 2018.

Speaking of injuries, the Yankees received news that their ace, Gerrit Cole, will need to undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery. Shortly after that, they were forced to place their 2024 AL Rookie of the Year, Luis Gil, on the 60-day IL with a right lat strain; he’ll be sidelined until at least June. And when you thought the injury bug couldn’t bite them any harder, Cashman announced a third starter, Clarke Schmidt, is expected to start the season on the IL.

With the loss of pivotal pieces all over this depth chart, there’s some optimism that new additions like Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt will be able to replace what the Yankees lost at the plate. I don’t share that optimism and believe they are trying to replace a couple of McLarens with an aging Honda Civic and a Ford Mustang that is found on the side of the road more often than not. I’m looking to fade this Yankees team, whether it’s going under on their inflated 89.5-game win total or even a longshot of them missing the playoffs at +310.