College football’s Way-Too-Early Top 25 for 2024: Reloaded Georgia back on top
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Mark Schlabach, ESPN Senior Writer
The curtain fell on the four-team College Football Playoff in Houston on Monday night, and it more than delivered in its last season with two nail-biting semifinals that weren’t decided until the final play and enough controversy to make even Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh raise an eyebrow.
The 2024 season will arrive with a seismic shift that includes even more conference realignment and a bigger (and supposedly better) 12-team CFP format. That will surely make everyone in Florida happy, right?
As we bid adieu to college football’s familiar landscape and embark on an even more uncertain future, let’s take a sneak peek at the inaugural edition of the 2024 Way-Too-Early Top 25:
2023 record: 13-1, 8-0 SEC
Expected key losses: TE Brock Bowers, OT Amarius Mims, WR Ladd McConkey, C Sedrick Van Pran, LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson, RB Daijun Edwards, S Tykee Smith, CB Kamari Lassiter, S Javon Bullard
Expected key additions: RB Trevor Etienne, WR London Humphreys, DL Xzavier McLeod, S K.J. Bolden, CB Ellis Robinson IV, LB Justin Williams, TE Jaden Reddell
2024 outlook: After narrowly missing out on the College Football Playoff for the third straight season, the Bulldogs reloaded with another No. 1-ranked recruiting class and blasted Florida State 63-3 in the Capital One Orange Bowl. Georgia has won 30 of its past 31 games and 46 of 48. The winning might not slow down with starting quarterback Carson Beck opting to return for his senior season. His experience will be invaluable during a 2024 schedule that kicks off with a high-stakes opener against Clemson in Atlanta. Georgia’s demanding slate includes SEC road games at Kentucky, Alabama, Texas and Ole Miss. Replacing Bowers and McConkey presents a challenge, but the Bulldogs have stockpiled tight ends and receivers. Adding Etienne, who ran for 1,472 yards with 14 touchdowns at Florida the past two seasons combined, was important with Edwards and Kendall Milton departing. Developing depth in the interior defensive line and in the secondary will be a priority in the spring.
2023 record: 12-2, 8-1 Big 12
Expected key losses: WR Adonai Mitchell, WR Xavier Worthy, RB Jonathon Brooks, TE Ja’Tavion Sanders, OT Christian Jones, DT T’Vondre Sweat, NT Byron Murphy II
Expected key additions: WR Matthew Golden, S Andrew Mukuba, WR Ryan Wingo, DE Colin Simmons, RB Jerrick Gibson, CB Kobe Black, S Xavier Filsaime
2024 outlook: The Longhorns are back. Texas turned the corner under coach Steve Sarkisian in 2023, winning the Big 12 in its last season in the league and reaching the CFP for the first time. The Longhorns could return as many as four starting offensive linemen, reinforcing the team’s strength up front. The task of identifying capable replacements for key players like Sweat and Murphy on the defensive line takes center stage in the spring. Quarterback Quinn Ewers has a decision to make regarding the NFL draft. If he returns, Ewers will have to find new go-to targets with Mitchell, Worthy and Sanders all expected leaving for the NFL. The Longhorns play at Michigan on Sept. 7 and face Oklahoma in Dallas and Georgia at home in consecutive weeks in October, before closing the regular season at Texas A&M on Nov. 30. Welcome to the SEC.
2023 record: 12-2, 8-1 Pac-12
Expected key losses: QB Bo Nix, RB Bucky Irving, WR Troy Franklin, C Jackson Powers-Johnson, G Steven Jones, CB Khyree Jackson, S Steve Stephens IV, S Evan Williams
Expected key additions: QB Dillon Gabriel, QB Dante Moore, RB Jay Harris, S Kobe Savage, OT Matthew Bedford, OT JacQawn McRoy, DE Elijah Rushing, DT Aydin Breland
2024 outlook: Oregon’s Dan Lanning has done a commendable job in his first two seasons as a head coach, guiding the Ducks to a 21-5 record and signing ESPN’s No. 3-ranked recruiting class in 2024. But three of Oregon’s five losses under Lanning came against rival Washington, and with both programs transitioning to the Big Ten, Lanning and his staff have to figure out how to get over that particular hump. Adding Gabriel, who threw for 3,660 yards with 30 touchdowns and six interceptions at Oklahoma in 2023, was big after losing Nix. UCLA transfer Moore, the No. 2 pocket passer in the 2023 ESPN 300, might be Oregon’s quarterback of the future. Savage, who had 115 tackles and six interceptions at Kansas State the past two seasons, will help offset the loss of three starters in the secondary. Oregon plays at Michigan on Nov. 2 and gets Ohio State and Washington at home.
2023 record: 12-2, 8-0 SEC West
Expected key losses: LB Dallas Turner, OT JC Latham, C Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB Terrion Arnold, LB Chris Braswell, DL Justin Eboigbe, WR Jermaine Burton, K Will Reichard
Expected key additions: DL LT Overton, CB Domani Jackson, QB Julian Sayin, CB Jaylen Mbakwe, WR Ryan Williams, LB Cayden Jones, RB Kevin Riley, TE Caleb Odom
2024 outlook: Just when it seemed the Alabama dynasty might be fading, Nick Saban pulled off one of his better coaching jobs and guided the Crimson Tide to another SEC championship and CFP appearance. Quarterback Jalen Milroe, benched in the third game of the season, became one of the better dual-threat passers by season’s end. He needs to continue to develop as a decision-maker. The offensive line, to which guards Tyler Booker and Jaeden Roberts and left tackle Kadyn Proctor are expected to return, remains a liability at times. There’s a lot of firepower expected to depart on defense, especially Turner, Braswell and Eboigbe. The transfer portal additions of Overton (Texas A&M) and Jackson (USC) might help fill some of those holes. Alabama plays road games at Wisconsin, Tennessee, LSU and Oklahoma in 2024. A Sept. 28 home game against Georgia will loom large.
2023 record: 11-2, 8-1 Big Ten
Expected key losses: QB Kyle McCord, DT Michael Hall Jr., WR Marvin Harrison Jr., LB Steele Chambers
Expected key additions: QB Will Howard, WR Jeremiah Smith, QB Air Noland, CB Bryce West, DE Eddrick Houston, WR Mylan Graham, CB Aaron Scott
2024 outlook: Ryan Day has done solid work as Ohio State’s coach since taking over for Urban Meyer in 2019. The Buckeyes are 53-8 the past five seasons, winning two Big Ten titles and reaching the CFP three times. But after a third consecutive defeat to rival Michigan, followed by a listless 14-3 loss to Missouri in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, the pressure is building. McCord transferred to Syracuse, and Day went into the portal to land former Kansas State starting quarterback Howard, who threw for 48 touchdowns and 5,786 yards over four seasons with the Wildcats. Noland, from Fairburn, Georgia, was the No. 2 pocket passer in the 2024 ESPN 300. Improving the offensive line is also a priority. Ohio State’s schedule in 2024 includes home games against Iowa and Michigan and road contests at Oregon and Penn State.
2023 record: 15-0, 9-0 Big Ten
Expected key losses: QB J.J. McCarthy, RB Blake Corum, RB Donovan Edwards, OT LaDarius Henderson, G Trevor Keegan, G Zak Zinter, C Drake Nugent, WR Roman Wilson, LB Michael Barrett, CB Mike Sainristil
Expected key additions: QB Jadyn Davis, LB Jaishawn Barham, TE Brady Prieskorn, LB Jaden Smith, RB Jordan Marshall
2024 outlook: After returning to the CFP for the third straight year, there will be a lot of uncertainty surrounding the Michigan program heading into the offseason. Will coach Jim Harbaugh sign a contract extension at his alma mater or jump back to the NFL? The Wolverines have already received a notice of allegations from the NCAA regarding alleged recruiting violations and there’s a separate NCAA investigation into the program’s alleged sign stealing. Harbaugh might face another suspension in 2024 if he returns. On the field, the Wolverines are going to lose a boatload of talent, especially if McCarthy and Edwards leave for the NFL draft. The offensive line will have to be rebuilt and key pieces will also have to be replaced on defense. The Wolverines play one of the most difficult schedules in the FBS next season with home games against Texas, USC and Oregon and road games at Washington and Ohio State.
2023 record: 11-2, 6-2 SEC
Expected key losses: RB Quinshon Judkins, G Quincy McGee, OT Victor Curne, DE Cedric Johnson, CB Deantre Prince, CB Zamari Walton, S Daijahn Anthony, LB Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste
Expected key additions: DT Walter Nolen, DE Princely Umanmielen, WR Antwane Wells Jr., DE Tyler Baron, G Gerquan Scott, S Key Lawrence, LB Chris Paul Jr., CB Tahveon Nicholson, S Louis Moore, WR Deion Smith
2024 outlook: After taking Ole Miss to the first 11-win campaign in the 118-year history of the program, Lane Kiffin’s team might be poised to run it back in 2024, especially with quarterback Jaxson Dart deciding to return for another season. Unexpectedly losing Judkins to the transfer portal hurts, and a couple of receivers also have decisions to make on whether or not they’ll enter the NFL draft, but the Rebels should be explosive again on offense either way. There will be some key losses on defense: Johnson (5½ sacks) announced he’s leaving, along with three starters in the secondary. But Kiffin, the self-proclaimed “Portal King,” has added a dozen transfers (and counting). Umanmielen had seven sacks at Florida in 2023; Nolen was the No. 1 prospect in the 2022 ESPN 300 when he signed with Texas A&M. The Rebels will play their two toughest opponents, Oklahoma and Georgia, at home in 2024.
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Luther Burden III makes great catch on 42-yard Missouri TD
Brady Cook throws a 42-yard touchdown pass to Luther Burden.
2023 record: 11-2, 6-2 SEC
Expected key losses: RB Cody Schrader, CB Kris Abrams-Draine, LB Ty’Ron Hopper, CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr., DL Darius Robinson
Expected key additions: RB Marcus Carroll, OT Cayden Green, LB Corey Flagg Jr., DL Chris McClellan, CB Toriano Pride Jr., LB Darris Smith, DE Williams Nwaneri, WR Courtney Crutchfield
2024 outlook: After the Tigers went 6-7 in 2022, coach Eli Drinkwitz seemed to be on the hot seat entering 2023. Not anymore. Missouri’s patience was rewarded with an 11-win season and a victory over Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl. With quarterback Brady Cook and receiver Luther Burden III returning, the Tigers figure to be a legitimate CFP contender in 2024. They’ll have to replace some key starters on defense — Harper was a Butkus Award finalist and Abrams-Draine and Rakestraw were two of the best cornerbacks in the SEC. The Tigers will also lose Schrader, the leading rusher in the FBS with 125.2 yards per game. Carroll ran for 1,350 yards with 13 touchdowns at Georgia State last year. Pride (Clemson), Smith (Georgia) and McClellan (Florida) were key pickups through the portal as well. Nwaneri was the No. 1 defensive end prospect in the country, according to ESPN recruiting. Losing defensive coordinator Blake Baker to LSU hurts.
2023 record: 10-3, 7-2 Pac-12
Expected key losses: OT Jordan Morgan, WR Jacob Cowing, RB Michael Wiley, TE Tanner McLachlan, DT Tyler Manoa, DE Taylor Upshaw
Expected key additions: OL Alexander Doost,, DL Chubba Maae, CB Jordan Shaw, S Jack Luttrell, QB Demond Williams Jr., RB Jordan Washington, TE Dylan Tapley, DT Bryce Butler
2024 outlook: It has been quite a turnaround for the Wildcats under coach Jedd Fisch. After going 1-11 in 2021, Arizona won 10 games by defeating Oklahoma 38-24 in the Valero Alamo Bowl. The Wildcats will take a seven-game winning streak into 2024, when they jump from the Pac-12 to the Big 12. They’ll be among the favorites in their first season in their new league. The bulk of Arizona’s starters this past season were underclassmen, so there’s plenty of talent returning. Noah Fifita was one of the top freshman quarterbacks in the FBS, and one of his favorite targets, receiver Tetairoa McMillan, is also coming back. Four starters could also return on the offensive line, although left tackle Morgan will be missed. Upshaw had 8.5 sacks in 2023 and left a big hole on the edge. Arizona’s 2024 schedule is manageable with Big 12 road games at BYU, Utah, TCU and UCF.
2023 record: 10-3
Expected key losses: QB Sam Hartman, OT Joe Alt, RB Audric Estime, OT Blake Fisher, LB Marist Liufau, CB Cam Hart, LB JD Bertrand, S Thomas Harper
Expected key additions: QB Riley Leonard, DE R.J. Oben, WR Kris Mitchell, WR Beaux Collins, WR Cam Williams, OT Guerby Lambert, QB C.J. Carr
2024 outlook: The Fighting Irish won 19 games in coach Marcus Freeman’s first two seasons, and big changes are coming on offense in 2024. Offensive coordinator Gerad Parker left to become Troy’s coach. Freeman replaced him with LSU’s Mike Denbrock, whose Tigers unit led the FBS in scoring and yards per game in 2023. Leonard, who accounted for 43 touchdowns the past three seasons at Duke, was added to replace Hartman. The Irish landed Mitchell (Florida International) and Collins (Clemson) to shore up what was an underwhelming receiver corps. Mitchell led Conference USA in receiving yards last season, while Collins had 510 receiving yards and three touchdowns with the Tigers. Finding replacements for both starting offensive tackles and Estime (1,341 rushing yards with 18 touchdowns) will be priorities in the spring. The good news: Several defensive starters, including tackles Howard Cross III and Rylie Mills, linebacker Jack Kiser and safety Xavier Watts, announced they’re coming back.
2023 record: 14-1, 9-0 Pac-12
Expected key losses: QB Michael Penix Jr., WR Rome Odunze, WR Ja’Lynn Polk, OT Troy Fautanu, DE Bralen Trice, LB Alphonzo Tuputala, LB Edefuan Ulofoshio, S Jabbar Muhammad, S Dominique Hampton
Expected key additions: QB Will Rogers, WR Jeremiah Hunter, TE Tre Watson, DL Sebastian Valdez, OT Drew Azzopardi, DL B.J. Green, LB Ethan Barr
2024 outlook: There’s no question the Huskies are going to take a step back after a magical season in 2023, but there’s no way Washington’s program is going to fall off a cliff under coach Kalen DeBoer, who seemingly does nothing but win. Losing Penix and perhaps his top three receivers will leave a Lake Washington-sized hole on offense. The Huskies added Rogers, who is Mississippi State’s all-time leading passer with 12,315 yards and 94 touchdowns. Hunter had 143 receptions for 2,056 yards with 13 touchdowns the past three seasons at California. Green, a transfer from Arizona State, had 11.5 tackles for loss and six sacks in 2023. His pass-rushing skills will be needed with Trice probably departing. The Huskies play road games at Iowa, Penn State and Oregon and face Michigan, USC and UCLA at home during their maiden Big Ten campaign.
2023 record: 10-3, 7-2 Big Ten
Expected key losses: CB Kalen King, CB Johnny Dixon, OT Olu Fashanu, DE Chop Robinson, DE Adisa Isaac, OT Caedan Wallace, LB Curtis Jacobs, TE Theo Johnson, C Hunter Nourzad
Expected key additions: WR Julian Fleming, RB Quinton Martin, G Donovan Harbour, QB Ethan Grunkemeyer, OT Cooper Cousins, G Liam Andrews, K Chase Meyer
2024 outlook: It seemed the Nittany Lions missed a chance in 2023 to challenge Michigan and Ohio State in the Big Ten East with one of the better defenses in the FBS. But Penn State’s passing game wasn’t good enough — it ranked 80th in the FBS with 215 passing yards per contest. Coach James Franklin brought in former Kansas offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki to jump-start his attack. There are some nice pieces coming back in quarterback Drew Allar, running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen and tight end Tyler Warren. Both starting offensive tackles will have to be replaced, and the receiver room needs a serious upgrade. Defensive coordinator Manny Diaz left to become Duke’s head coach and was replaced with former Indiana coach Tom Allen. The Nittany Lions will miss their two departing lockdown cornerbacks, but there’s enough talent returning for Allen to be successful in his first season.
2023 record: 8-5, 5-4 Pac-12
Expected key losses: CB Miles Battle, G Keaton Bills, S Sione Vaki, S Cole Bishop, WR Devaughn Vele, CB JaTravis Broughton, RB Ja’Quinden Jackson, QB Bryson Barnes, QB Nate Johnson
Expected key additions: RB Anthony Woods, CB Kenan Johnson, TE Carsen Ryan, OT Isaiah Garcia, QB Isaac Wilson, LB Hunter Andrews, S Maurice Evans
2024 outlook: Injuries derailed the Utes this past season, as quarterback Cameron Rising and tight end Brant Kuithe missed the entire campaign while recovering from knee injuries and tailback Micah Bernard missed all but two games with an injury. The Utes struggled with consistency on offense and lost four of their last six games, including a 14-7 defeat against Northwestern in the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl. There’s hope that Kuithe and Bernard might return with Rising in 2024, when Utah jumps to the Big 12. Four sophomores and one freshman started on the offensive line in the bowl game. Jackson, the team’s leading rusher with 797 yards, entered the transfer portal, as did backup quarterbacks Barnes and Johnson. Three starters will have to be replaced in the secondary.
2023 record: 10-3, 6-2 SEC
Expected key losses: QB Jayden Daniels, WR Malik Nabers, WR Brian Thomas Jr., C Charles Turner III, S Andre’ Sam, LB Omar Speights, DT Jordan Jefferson
Expected key additions: QB A.J. Swann, WR Zavion Thomas, S Jardin Gilbert, OT Dominick McKinley, TE Trey’Dez Green, ATH Jelani Watkins
2024 outlook: The Tigers won 10 games in each of Brian Kelly’s first two seasons in Baton Rouge. They didn’t take advantage of having Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels this past season, as the defense allowed at least 42 points in three losses. Now, Daniels is off to the NFL draft. He accounted for 95% of LSU’s passing yards and 44.3% of its rushing yards before its bowl game. Daniels was responsible for 50 total touchdowns. The good news for Kelly is that heir apparent Garrett Nussmeier, who waited three years for the starting job, seems more than ready to take over. He was MVP of the ReliaQuest Bowl after passing for 395 yards with three scores in a 35-31 victory over Wisconsin. He won’t have Nabers and Thomas, who are potential first-round picks. Shoring up LSU’s defense will be a focus in the spring. Kelly cleaned house by moving on from coordinator/linebackers coach Matt House, safeties coach Kerry Cooks, cornerbacks coach Robert Steeples and defensive line coach Jimmy Lindsey. Hiring Baker from SEC opponent Missouri was a boss move.
2023 record: 10-3, 7-2 Big 12
Expected key losses: QB Dillon Gabriel, OT Tyler Guyton, C Andrew Raym, NT Isaiah Coe, OT Walter Rouse, WR Drake Stoops, G McKade Mettauer, DE Rondell Bothroyd
Expected key additions: DT David Stone, RB Taylor Tatum, TE Davon Mitchell, OT Spencer Brown, CB Dezjhon Malone, WR Deion Burks, RB Samuel Franklin, TE Bauer Sharp, G Febechi Nwaiwu, DE Caiden Woullard
2024 outlook: The Sooners made good progress in coach Brent Venables’ second season, improving from 6-7 to 10-3 and knocking off Texas 34-30 in the Red River Rivalry. Losing Gabriel, a two-year starter who threw for 6,828 passing yards and 73 total touchdowns in Norman, was a big blow. Freshman Jackson Arnold, a former five-star recruit, is next in line. He has all the tools but needs to cut down on mistakes. Four of five starting offensive linemen will have to be replaced, along with Stoops, the leading receiver. The Sooners added Brown, a two-year starter at Michigan State, and Nwaiwu, a starter at North Texas, to help fill holes up front. Malone was an honorable mention All-Mountain West selection at San Diego State and might shore up a pass defense that needs help. Venables parted ways with defensive coordinator Ted Roof and replaced him with Jacksonville State’s Zac Alley.
2023 record: 13-1, 8-0 ACC
Expected key losses: QB Jordan Travis, RB Trey Benson, WR Keon Coleman, WR Johnny Wilson, TE Jaheim Bell, DE Jared Verse, LB DJ Lundy, S Akeem Dent, LB Kalen DeLoach
Expected key additions: QB DJ Uiagalelei, CB Charles Lester III, TE Landen Thomas, RB Kameron Davis, OT Jonathan Daniels, LB Marvin Jones Jr., CB Jamari Howard
2024 outlook: The Seminoles will have to do some self-examination after their 60-point loss in the Orange Bowl, the worst defeat in program history. The Seminoles were missing 30 players who were injured, opted out or entered the transfer portal. The sting of going undefeated and being left out of the CFP will probably linger for a while. Coach Mike Norvell and his staff have to pick up the pieces with many of their best players moving on. Uiagalelei will have the unenviable job of replacing Travis. DJU started 40 career games at Clemson and Oregon State and had a 30-10 record with 8,319 passing yards and 57 touchdowns. The Seminoles picked up a big addition on defense in Jones, a former Georgia linebacker whose father was an All-American at FSU. There are going to be many new faces on both sides of the ball in 2024.
2023 record: 9-4, 4-4 SEC
Expected key losses: QB Joe Milton III, RB Jaylen Wright, DE Tyler Baron, LB Aaron Beasley, S Jaylen McCollough, CB Doneiko Slaughter, DB Tamarion McDonald, S Wesley Walker, WR Ramel Keyton
Expected key additions: WR Chris Brazzell II, S Jakobe Thomas, CB Jermod McCoy, TE Holden Staes, WR Mike Matthews, DE Jordan Ross, OT Bennett Warren
2024 outlook: Volunteers fans got a sneak peek into the future in a 35-0 rout of Iowa in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl. With Milton opting out of the bowl game, freshman Nico Iamaleava got the start. He completed 12 of 19 passes for 151 yards with one touchdown and three more scores rushing. The Los Angeles native was the No. 4 pocket passer in the 2023 ESPN 300. There are solid receivers returning in Squirrel White, Bru McCoy and Brazzell, who was Tulane’s leading pass-catcher in 2023. It will also help that center Cooper Mays and tackles John Campbell Jr. and Gerald Mincey are coming back. Shoring up the secondary will be a priority in the spring after six defensive backs entered the transfer portal.
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Ollie Gordon breaks off 25-yard rush
Ollie Gordon breaks off 25-yard rush
2023 record: 10-4, 7-2 Big 12
Expected key losses: LB Xavier Benson, DE Anthony Goodlow, TE Josiah Johnson, WR Leon Johnson III, DE Nathan Latu, WR Jaden Bray
Expected key additions: OL Isaia Glass, S Kobe Hylton, QB Maealiuaki Smith, RB Rodney Fields, LB Temerrick Johnson, S Landyn Cleveland, TE Tyler Foster
2024 outlook: The Cowboys got the last laugh on rival Oklahoma in the Sooners’ final season in the Big 12. The Pokes won the last Bedlam game for the foreseeable future, reached the Big 12 championship game and defeated Texas A&M 31-23 in the TaxAct Texas Bowl. With Oklahoma and Texas moving on, Oklahoma State could challenge Arizona and Utah for supremacy in the revamped league. Tailback Ollie Gordon II, FBS’ leading rusher with 1,732 yards in 2023, is coming back. So are all five starting offensive linemen, leading receiver Brennan Presley and quarterback Alan Bowman, who was given an NCAA waiver to play a seventh season. The Pokes play Big 12 road games at Baylor, BYU, Colorado, Kansas State and TCU in 2024.
2023 record: 9-4, 4-4 ACC
Expected key losses: RB Will Shipley, LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr., CB Nate Wiggins, DT Tyler Davis, DT Ruke Orhorhoro, WR Beaux Collins, S Andrew Mukuba, DE Xavier Thomas, C Will Putnam
Expected key additions LB Sammy Brown, WR Bryant Wesco, WR T.J. Moore, S Corian Gipson, TE Christian Bentancur, S Ricardo Jones
2024 outlook: The current state of Clemson football can be perceived as both a glass half-full and half-empty. The Tigers won nine games in 2023 for the 13th season in a row, and they’ll probably finish in the top 25 of the final AP poll for the 13th consecutive season as well. That being said, they were 4-4 at the end of October and out of the CFP race for the third straight season. If the Tigers are going to return to the sport’s upper echelon in 2024, quarterback Cade Klubnik must continue to improve, and coach Dabo Swinney needs to find some weapons. Shipley entered the NFL draft, and Collins, the team’s second-leading receiver, transferred to Notre Dame. Hiring former Ole Miss coach Matt Luke to coach the offensive line should help an inconsistent unit. The Tigers lost a handful of players to the transfer portal but haven’t added any yet.
2023 record: 9-4, 6-2 ACC
Expected key losses: LB Payton Wilson, LB Jaylon Scott, CB Shyheim Battle, CB Aydan White, TE Trent Pennix, QB Brennan Armstrong, OT Anthony Belton, C Dylan McMahon
Expected key additions: QB Grayson McCall, TE Justin Joly, RB Jordan Waters, WR Noah Rogers, CB Tamarcus Cooley, CB Corey Coley Jr., WR Wesley Grimes, OL Zeke Correll
2024 outlook: The Wolfpack navigated their way through a quarterback mess throughout the 2023 season, but still had a chance to win 10 games. NC State coach Dave Doeren may have found an answer to his quarterback problem next season by bringing in former Coastal Carolina starter McCall, who passed for more than 10,000 yards with 106 total touchdowns with the Chanticleers. The Wolfpack also signed Waters, who was Duke’s leading rusher with 819 yards and 12 scores in 2023. Correll was a three-year starting center at Notre Dame. The Wolfpack will have to find replacements for Wilson and Scott, who combined to make 213 tackles last season. There are also holes to fill in the secondary.
2023 record: 9-4, 6-3 Big 12
Expected key losses: QB Will Howard, G Cooper Beebe, S Kobe Savage, TE Ben Sinnott, WR Phillip Brooks, DE Nate Matlack, RB Treshaun Ward, CB Will Lee III
Expected key additions: OL Easton Kilty, DE Travis Bates, S Jordan Riley-Scott, G Navarro Schunke, ATH Jake Stonebraker, DT Malcolm Alcorn-Crowder, S Dante Thomas
2024 outlook: The Wildcats came painfully close to putting together another magical run under coach Chris Klieman. They lost four games by a total of 21 points, including a 30-27 loss at Missouri and 33-30 defeat in overtime at Texas. Now, Kansas State will have to move forward without Howard, who left for Ohio State, and former offensive coordinator Collin Klein, who left for Texas A&M. Klieman promoted offensive line coach Conor Riley to co-offensive coordinator and hired former Texas Tech coach Matt Wells to work with him. The offense seems to be in good hands with quarterback Avery Johnson, who threw for two touchdowns and ran for another one in a 28-19 victory over NC State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Four starting offensive linemen will have to be replaced, including Beebe, an All-American.
2023 record: 10-4, 7-1 ACC
Expected key losses: RB Jawhar Jordan, OT Willie Tyler, QB Jack Plummer, OT Eric Miller, C Bryan Hudson, WR Jamari Thrash, S Cam’Ron Kelly, CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr.
Expected key additions: DL Thor Griffith, QB Tyler Shough, CB Jalen Kimber, DL Jordan Guerad, OT Monroe Mills, WR Ja’Corey Brooks, WR Caullin Lacy, TE Mark Redman, TE Tanner Koziol, RB Peny Boone
2024 outlook: Kiffin might be the “king of the transfer portal,” but Louisville’s Jeff Brohm isn’t doing too bad in landing impact transfers, either. The Cardinals will add at least 17 transfers, including several on offense who might jump-start their inconsistent passing game. Shough turns 25 in September and will be playing his seventh season of college football. He is 13-7 as a starter at Oregon and Texas Tech. Brooks (Alabama) and Lacy (South Alabama) were big additions at receiver, as were Redman and Koziol at tight end. Boone was the MAC Offensive Player of the Year in 2023, rushing for 1,400 yards and 15 touchdowns. Much of the defense is expected to return intact, led by ends Ashton Gillotte (11 sacks) and Mason Reiger (five sacks). Griffith, an FCS All-America defensive tackle at Harvard, had 11 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in 2023.
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Jalon Daniels connects with Jared Casey for Jayhawks TD in OT
Jalon Daniels connects with Jared Casey for Jayhawks TD in OT
2023 record: 9-4, 5-4 Big 12
Expected key losses: OT Dominick Puni, C Mike Novitsky, G Ar’maj Reed-Adams, DE Austin Booker, DL Gage Keys, S Kenny Logan Jr., LB Rich Miller, LB Craig Young
Expected key additions: S Devin Dye, DE Dylan Wudke, TE DeShawn Hanika, DE Deshawn Warner, LB Dakyus Brinkley, CB Austin Alexander, CB Jalen Todd
2024 outlook: Lance Leipold has done tremendous work at Kansas, leading the Jayhawks to consecutive bowl games and their first postseason victory since 2008, a 49-36 win against UNLV in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl. Now, Kansas could be on the verge of even bigger things in 2024 — if quarterback Jalon Daniels can recover from a back injury. The Jayhawks will have to do some work in the trenches, with three starting offensive linemen departing, along with Booker, the top pass-rusher. However, leading rusher Devin Neal, top receivers Lawrence Arnold, Quentin Skinner and Luke Grimm are all returning. Former BYU and Baylor offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes was hired to replace Kotelnicki.
2023 record: 11-3, 8-0 AAC
Expected key losses: NT Jordan Miller, DT Elijah Chatman, LB Nelson Paul, CB Charles Woods, CB Chris Megginson, OT Hyrin White
Expected key additions DL Mike Lockhart, CB Deuce Harmon, OT Savion Byrd, DE Omari Abor, DL Jonathan Jefferson, OL Nate Anderson, LB Justin Medlock, WR Ashton Cozart, DE Jahfari Harvey
2024 outlook: The Mustangs had quite a swan song in the American Athletic Conference, winning a conference title and putting together their best season since Eric Dickerson and Craig James were part of the “Pony Express” backfield in 1982. Now, the Mustangs will try to transition that success to the ACC. Starting quarterback Preston Stone, who broke his left leg and didn’t play in the AAC championship game or bowl game, is coming back. So are running back Jaylan Knighton and potentially four starting offensive linemen. Getting defensive end Elijah Roberts (9.5 sacks in 2023) to return was also another coup for coach Rhett Lashlee. The Mustangs will need to find two new starting cornerbacks in the spring and shore up the interior defensive line.
2023 record: 10-4, 7-2 Big Ten
Expected key losses: CB Cooper DeJean, P Tory Taylor, G Rusty Feth, DT Logan Lee, DE Joe Evans, WR Nico Ragaini
Expected key additions: G Cody Fox, LB Preston Ries, LB Cam Buffington, QB James Resar, OT Will Nolan, K Rhys Dakin
2024 outlook: Hear me out: Iowa averaged 15.4 points per game in 2023, which ranked 132nd out of 133 FBS teams (only Kent State was worse) in scoring offense. The Hawkeyes somehow managed to win 10 games and capture a Big Ten West title. Sure, they were shut out in their final two games, falling to Michigan 26-0 in the Big Ten championship game and to Tennessee 35-0 in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl. It was the first time Iowa had been shut out in consecutive games since 1966. Don’t forget Iowa played its final nine games without starting quarterback Cade McNamara, who tore an ACL on Sept. 30. So, if coach Kirk Ferentz can hire the right offensive coordinator to replace his son, Brian, things have to get better, right? A handful of six-year seniors, including cornerback Jermari Harris and linebacker Jay Higgins, have already announced they’re coming back. The bad news: Taylor is departing after setting an NCAA record for punting yards in a season with 4,479.
MLB Opening Day has finally arrived!
Twenty-eight of 30 teams will be in action Thursday, with the opening matchup between the Colorado Rockies and Tampa Bay Rays scheduled for Friday.
The New York Yankees and Milwaukee Brewers will get things started on ESPN at 3:05 p.m. ET. Soon after, things will really heat up with nine games scheduled to begin between 4:05 p.m. ET and 4:15 p.m. ET — highlighted by Juan Soto‘s debut for the New York Mets at the Houston Astros and an NL showdown between the Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres.
Later, the Los Angeles Dodgers will raise their World Series banner before taking on the Detroit Tigers at 7:10 p.m. ET on ESPN. That’s followed by two late-night games on the West Coast, including Zac Gallen and the Arizona Diamondbacks against the Chicago Cubs.
What are we looking for as the season gets started? Our reporters give their pregame takes from the ballparks, and we’ll also post lineups as they are announced and live updates throughout the day, followed by takeaways from each game as it concludes.
Season preview: Power Rankings | Predictions | Moves that rocked offseason
ESPN+: Passan’s bold predictions, breakout stars | Aces in new places
All “one thing to know” stats courtesy of ESPN Research.
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Thursday, March 27
Milwaukee Brewers at New York Yankees
First pitch: 3:05 p.m. ET on ESPN
The pitching matchup: Freddy Peralta vs. Carlos Rodón
The big storyline: The post-Juan Soto era begins with Gerrit Cole and Giancarlo Stanton missing as well. New York’s tumultuous winter — the Cole opt-out-and-back-in, Soto’s departure to Queens, the pivot, the injuries — leaves the defending American League champions with a to-be-defined future. Were Cole not out for the season after Tommy John surgery, and Stanton not sidelined indefinitely with bilateral elbow pain, the Yankees would feel confident about their season. Now, there are questions about who can step up alongside Aaron Judge to carry New York.
Milwaukee shares some of those are-they-as-good-as-last-year questions after losing shortstop Willy Adames in free agency and trading closer Devin Williams to … the Yankees. With Jackson Chourio‘s impending superstar turn and a team that always seems to manage to win, the Brewers still have enough talent to remain the class of the NL Central. — Jeff Passan
One thing to know for New York: Left fielder Jasson Dominguez is the favorite (+400) at ESPN BET to win the American League Rookie of the Year in 2025.
One thing to know for Milwaukee: Following the departure of Adames, Joey Ortiz is now expected to play shortstop, a position he played just 10 games at last season.
Lineups
Brewers
Jackson Chourio (R) LF
Christian Yelich (L) DH
William Contreras (R) C
Rhys Hoskins (R) 1B
Sal Frelick (L) RF
Joey Ortiz (R) SS
Garrett Mitchell (L) CF
Vinny Capra (R) 3B
Brice Turang (L) 2B
Yankees
Austin Wells (L) C
Aaron Judge (R) RF
Cody Bellinger (L) CF
Paul Goldschmidt (R) 1B
Jazz Chisholm Jr. (L) 2B
Jasson Dominguez (S) LF
Anthony Volpe (R) SS
Ben Rice (L) DH
Oswaldo Cabrera (S) 3B
First pitch: 3:07 p.m. ET
The pitching matchup: Zach Eflin vs. Jose Berrios
The big storyline: This AL East matchup is most notable for who won’t be playing. MVP contender Gunnar Henderson will begin the season on the injured list with an intercostal strain that limited him to three games in spring training. The Orioles are hoping it’s just a few days before his return, and they better hope that’s the case as they begin the season with the Blue Jays, Red Sox, Royals, Diamondbacks and Guardians for their first 20 games. The good news: Adley Rutschman, after struggling the final three months of 2024, had a terrific spring. Also, a fun fact: Orioles outfielder Tyler O’Neill will be looking to homer on Opening Day for the sixth year in a row.
For the Blue Jays, the biggest story remains Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s contract status, as extension discussions continued up to Opening Day. The Jays believe that it will eventually happen and will look for Anthony Santander, coming off a 44-homer season with Baltimore, to do some damage against his former team. — David Schoenfield
One thing to know for Toronto: If Guerrero reaches 200 hits in his walk year of 2025 — he finished one hit shy last season — he and his father, Vladimir Guerrero Sr., would be the first father-son duo in MLB history to each have a 200-hit season.
One thing to know for Baltimore: The Orioles are seeking to make the playoffs for a third consecutive season for the first time since reaching the World Series from 1969-71.
Lineups
Orioles
Colton Cowser (L) LF
Adley Rutschman (S) C
Jordan Westburg (R) 2B
Ryan O’Hearn (L) DH
Tyler O’Neill (R) RF
Ryan Mountcastle (R) 1B
Cedric Mullins (L) CF
Ramon Urias (R) 3B
Jackson Holliday (L) SS
Blue Jays
Bo Bichette (R) SS
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (R) 1B
Anthony Santander (S) LF
Andres Gimenez (L) 2B
Alejandro Kirk (R) C
George Springer (R) CF
Will Wagner (L) DH
Ernie Clement (R) 3B
Alan Roden (L) RF
First pitch: 4:05 p.m. ET
The pitching matchup: Garrett Crochet vs. Nathan Eovaldi
The big storyline: Red Sox fans will get their first look at their new ace. Crochet, acquired from the White Sox, led all pitchers with at least 100 innings last season in strikeout rate, whiffing 209 in 146 innings. With a better defense behind him than what he had in Chicago, combined with a projected increase in innings, he’s a leading Cy Young contender. That defense will include Kristian Campbell, the consensus minor league player of the year, who earned a roster spot and should start at second base, giving the Red Sox another right-handed bat for the lineup. Campbell hit under .200 in spring training, but his at-bats got better throughout the spring and Alex Cora praised his defensive improvement.
The Rangers will hope their World Series-winning offense of 2023 shows up: They scored 198 fewer runs in 2024. — Schoenfield
One thing to know for Texas: Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker, who were college teammates at Vanderbilt in 2021, both made the Opening Day roster for the Rangers and will anchor the back end of the rotation.
One thing to know for Boston: New addition Alex Bregman has had great success at Fenway Park, batting .375 with 7 home runs and 15 RBIs in 21 career games to go with a 1.240 OPS, the best in MLB history among players with at least 90 plate appearances there.
Lineups
Red Sox
Jarren Duran (L) LF
Rafael Devers (L) DH
Alex Bregman (R) 3B
Triston Casas (L) 1B
Trevor Story (R) SS
Kristian Campbell (R) 2B
Wilyer Abreu (L) RF
Connor Wong (R) C
Ceddanne Rafaela (R)
Rangers
Marcus Semien (R) 2B
Corey Seager (L) DH
Wyatt Langford (R) LF
Adolis Garcia (R) RF
Jake Burger (R) 1B
Josh Jung (R) 3B
Kevin Pillar (R) CF
Kyle Higashioka (R) C
Josh Smith (L) SS
First pitch: 4:05 p.m. ET
The pitching matchup: Zack Wheeler vs. MacKenzie Gore
The big storyline: No team has played more playoff games than the Phillies the past three seasons — and they’re hoping to make it the most over four seasons. Wheeler makes his second career Opening Day start after tossing six scoreless innings last year. The names in the lineup will be mostly the same, although manager Rob Thomson may mix things up a bit this season. Kyle Schwarber hit leadoff all 149 games he started last year, but look for Trea Turner to hit leadoff against left-handers, which will be the case with Gore. Bryce Harper has five career home runs on Opening Day — but none with the Phillies.
The Nationals will feature young outfielders James Wood and Dylan Crews making their Opening Day debuts. Crews retains his rookie status after coming up late last season and should be one of the top candidates for Rookie of the Year. — Schoenfield
One thing to know for Washington: The Nationals will open the season with three exciting young players patrolling the outfield in Wood, Jacob Young and Crews, the No. 6 prospect in baseball per ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel.
One thing to know for Philadelphia: While the Phillies’ core remains intact for 2025, they will have decisions to make on two key players who are both free agents at the end of this season: DH Schwarber, who has hit the third-most home runs in MLB since 2022, and catcher J.T. Realmuto.
Lineups
Phillies
Trea Turner (R) SS
Bryce Harper (L) 1B
Alec Bohm (R) 3B
Kyle Schwarber (L) DH
J.T. Realmuto (R) C
Max Kepler (L) LF
Nick Castellanos (R) RF
Bryson Stott (L) 2B
Brandon Marsh (L) CF
Nationals
CJ Abrams (L) SS
James Wood (L) LF
Luis Garcia Jr. (L) 2B
Josh Bell (S) DH
Nathaniel Lowe (L) 1B
Paul DeJong (R) 3B
Keibert Ruiz (S) C
Dylan Crews (R) RF
Jacob Young (R) CF
First pitch: 4:10 p.m. ET
The pitching matchup: Ben Lively vs. Cole Ragans
The big storyline: The Guardians got off to a roaring start last season and were never out of first place after April 13. The bullpen led the way with Emmanuel Clase, Cade Smith, Hunter Gaddis and Tim Herrin all posting sub-2.00 ERAs. But they traded away two of the best players in slugging first baseman Josh Naylor and Gold Glove second baseman Andres Gimenez.
The Royals, last year’s playoff surprise, will look similar, with leadoff hitter Jonathan India the primary offseason acquisition. Royals leadoff hitters were stunningly dreadful last season (.270 OBP), so India’s arrival should give Bobby Witt Jr. a lot more RBI opportunities. Indeed, while it’s unrealistic to expect a better season from Witt, he may yet have another gear in him. His 9.4 WAR tied George Brett for best in franchise history. Don’t be surprised if Witt finds a way to improve on that. — Schoenfield
One thing to know for Kansas City: The Royals have made back-to-back postseason appearances once in the past 35 seasons — in 2014-15, when they reached the World Series in consecutive years.
One thing to know for Cleveland: Jose Ramirez finished one home run shy of joining MLB’s 40/40 club in 2024, but became the first player in franchise history with 35 home runs and 35 stolen bases in a season.
Lineups
Guardians
Steven Kwan (L) LF
Jose Ramirez (S) 3B
Lane Thomas (R) CF
Carlos Santana (S) 1B
Kyle Manzardo (L) DH
Jhonkensy Noel (R) RF
Bo Naylor (L) C
Gabriel Arias (R) 2B
Brayan Rocchio (S) SS
Royals
Jonathan India (R) 3B
Bobby Witt Jr. (R) SS
Vinnie Pasquantino (L) DH
Salvador Perez (R) C
Michael Massey (L) 2B
Hunter Renfroe (R) RF
MJ Melendez (L) LF
Cavan Biggio (L) 1B
Kyle Isbel (L) CF
New York Mets at Houston Astros
First pitch: 4:10 p.m. ET
The pitching matchup: Clay Holmes vs. Framber Valdez
The big storyline: Juan Soto will make his highly anticipated debut with a New York club in Houston for the second straight year. A year ago, he punctuated his first game with the Yankees by throwing out the game-tying runner at home plate in the ninth inning of a victory to commence an MVP-caliber season. This year, he’ll take the field at Daikin Park (formerly known as Minute Maid Park) for the Mets with the richest contract in professional sports history and all the expectations that accompany it. He won’t be the only ex-Yankee in a Mets uniform. Holmes, who closed that Yankees season-opening win a year ago, will make his first start since 2018 to begin his relaunch as a starter.
The Astros’ offseason, meanwhile, was defined by the departures of two stars: Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker. Jose Altuve, the lone holdover from the Astros’ original championship core, will make his first career start in left field, and 22-year-old Cam Smith, acquired in the trade for Tucker, will make his major league debut after just 32 minor league games as Houston begins its quest for a ninth straight postseason appearance with a very different look. — Jorge Castillo
One thing to know for Houston: Altuve, who has played second base his entire 14-year MLB career, is set to play left field this season, making him the player with the third-most career games played (1,821 entering 2025) before his first start in the outfield among players to debut since 1900.
One thing to know for New York: The Mets are one of three active franchises (along with the Rays and Diamondbacks) to never have a player win an MVP award — though the addition of the offseason’s biggest star, Soto, could change that.
Lineups
Mets
Francisco Lindor (S) SS
Juan Soto (L) RF
Pete Alonso (R) 1B
Mark Vientos (R) 3B
Brandon Nimmo (L) LF
Starling Marte (R) DH
Tyrone Taylor (R) CF
Luisangel Acuna (R) 2B
Luis Torrens (R) C
Astros
Jose Altuve (R) LF
Isaac Paredes (R) 3B
Yordan Alvarez (L) DH
Christian Walker (R) 1B
Yainer Diaz (R) C
Jeremy Pena (R) SS
Cam Smith (R) RF
Brendan Rodgers (R) 2B
Jake Meyers (R) CF
First pitch: 4:10 p.m. ET
The pitching matchup: Logan Webb vs. Hunter Greene
The big storyline: It’s the dawn of two new eras. For the Giants, franchise icon and future Hall of Famer Buster Posey took over as president of baseball operations. His first offseason wasn’t the most adventurous, although he gave Willy Adames a big contract to plug a hole at shortstop and signed Justin Verlander for the rotation.
In Cincinnati, future Hall of Famer Terry Francona replaces David Bell as manager after sitting out 2024 to focus on his health. Francona’s proven track record in Cleveland of working well with young players has many viewing the Reds as sleepers in the NL Central. Of course, it helps that Francona will have the electrifying Elly De La Cruz and the flame-throwing Greene to build around. De La Cruz finished eighth in NL MVP voting in 2024 in his first full season, while Greene had a 2.75 ERA and led NL pitchers in WAR. — Schoenfield
One thing to know for Cincinnati: Francona, a three-time Manager of the Year, has reached the postseason in his first season with his new team in each of his past two managerial stops.
One thing to know for San Francisco: Giants ace Webb, who had a 3.47 ERA and 172 strikeouts in 2024, is the only MLB pitcher to throw 200-plus innings in each of the past two seasons.
Lineups
Giants
LaMonte Wade Jr. (L) 1B
Willy Adames (R) SS
Jung Hoo Lee (L) CF
Matt Chapman (R) 3B
Heliot Ramos (R) LF
Patrick Bailey (S) C
Wilmer Flores (R) DH
Mike Yastrzemski (L) RF
Tyler Fitzgerald (R) 2B
Reds
TJ Friedl (L) CF
Matt McLain (R) 2B
Elly De La Cruz (S) SS
Gavin Lux (L) LF
Jeimer Candelario (S) 3B
Spencer Steer (R) DH
Christian Encarnacion-Strand (R) 1B
Jake Fraley (L) RF
Jose Trevino (R) C
Atlanta Braves at San Diego Padres
First pitch: 4:10 p.m. ET
The pitching matchup: Chris Sale vs. Michael King
The big storyline: Two teams with championship aspirations meet in a rematch of last year’s wild-card series, which the Padres swept in two games. We also get a nice showdown between the 2024 Cy Young winner and a pitcher who had a 2.24 ERA over his final 20 starts. King tossed seven shutout innings with 12 strikeouts in Game 1 of that playoff series, a game score of 79 that tied for the third-best start in Padres postseason history. Sale, meanwhile, missed that series when his back flared up at the end of the regular season.
Looking to repeat his Cy Young performance, Sale will be making the sixth Opening Day start of his career, but his first since 2019. As the Braves await the returns of Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr., they begin the season with a tough seven-game road trip against the Padres and Dodgers. A key player to watch: rookie catcher Drake Baldwin, who will get the Opening Day starting assignment with Sean Murphy on the IL. — Schoenfield
One thing to know for San Diego: Starting pitchers King and Dylan Cease were the only teammates in baseball with 200 strikeouts each in 2024.
One thing to know for Atlanta: Marcell Ozuna, who has had at least 100 RBIs in each of the past two seasons, is seeking to become the first Braves player to have 100-plus RBIs in three consecutive seasons since Chipper Jones did it in eight straight from 1996-2003.
Lineups
Braves
Jurickson Profar (S) LF
Austin Riley (R) 3B
Matt Olson (L) 1B
Marcell Ozuna (R) DH
Ozzie Albies (S) 2B
Michael Harris II (L) CF
Drake Baldwin (L) C
Orlando Arcia (R) SS
Jarred Kelenic (L) RF
Padres
Fernando Tatis Jr. (R) RF
Luis Arraez (L) 1B
Manny Machado (R) 3B
Xander Bogaerts (R) SS
Jackson Merrill (L) CF
Yuli Gurriel (R) DH
Jake Cronenworth (L) 2B
Brandon Lockridge (R) LF
Elias Diaz (R) C
First pitch: 4:10 p.m. ET
The pitching matchup: Yusei Kikuchi vs. Sean Burke
The big storyline: Mike Trout will be starting his 13th straight Opening Day game for the Angels, extending a franchise record. For the first time, it won’t be in center field, as Trout will man right field this season. Trout didn’t play in center at all during spring training, spending most of his time in right while getting a few starts at DH. If the position switch helps keep Trout healthy after a string of injury-marred seasons, it’s not just good for the Angels, but good for the game writ large.
Alas, Trout is making his return in what may well be the worst Opening Day game ever played. That’s not just anti-hype: The Angels (99) and White Sox (121) lost 220 games between them last season. That’s 13 more combined losses than any other two teams that squared off in a subsequent Opening Day game. The previous mark was set 119 years ago, on April 12, 1906, when the Boston Nationals (104 losses in 1905) beat the Brooklyn Superbas (103) 2-0 at Washington Park in Brooklyn. Let’s hope this one is just as memorable. — Bradford Doolittle
One thing to know for Chicago: The win total for the White Sox this year is set at 53.5 at ESPN BET, the lowest of any team in the past 35 years, according to SportsOddsHistory and ESPN BET.
One thing to know for Los Angeles: The Angels haven’t made the postseason since 2014, the longest active drought in MLB.
Lineups
Angels
Taylor Ward (R) LF
Nolan Schanuel (L) 1B
Mike Trout (R) RF
Jorge Soler (R) DH
Tim Anderson (R) 2B
Luis Rengifo (S) 3B
Logan O’Hoppe (R) C
Jo Adell (R) CF
Kevin Newman (R) SS
White Sox
Miguel Vargas (R) 3B
Luis Robert Jr. (R) CF
Andrew Benintendi (L) DH
Andrew Vaughn (R) 1B
Austin Slater (R) RF
Lenyn Sosa (R) 2B
Korey Lee (R) C
Jacob Amaya (R) SS
Michael A. Taylor (R) LF
First pitch: 4:10 p.m. ET
The pitching matchup: Paul Skenes vs. Sandy Alcantara
The big storyline: For two teams that lost a combined 186 games in 2024, this is one of the more interesting Opening Day matchups. Every Skenes start, of course, is must-see viewing while 2022 Cy Young winner Alcantara will be making his first regular-season start since 2023 after missing all of last season following Tommy John surgery.
Despite playing for the small-market Pirates, Skenes’ dominating rookie performance has already made him one of the faces of the sport — see the recent sale of his MLB debut patch rookie card for $1.11 million, more than Skenes’ 2025 salary. Alcantara had a strong spring with 12 scoreless innings and his fastball velocity back up to 98 mph — including hitting 100 mph a couple of times. If he gets off to a strong start, the trade rumors will ramp up even more. — Schoenfield
One thing to know for Miami: Alcantara, the 2022 National League Cy Young winner, is returning from Tommy John surgery after missing the entire 2024 season and is expected to be on the trade block for the Marlins.
One thing to know for Pittsburgh: After winning the NL Rookie of the Year Award and finishing third in Cy Young voting in 2024, Skenes is the favorite to win the NL Cy Young Award this season at +250, according to ESPN BET, and would become the third Pirates pitcher to win it.
Lineups
Pirates
Tommy Pham (R) LF
Bryan Reynolds (S) RF
Oneil Cruz (L) CF
Joey Bart (R) C
Andrew McCutchen (R) DH
Nick Gonzales (R) 2B
Endy Rodriguez (S) 1B
Ke’Bryan Hayes (R) 3B
Isiah Kiner-Falefa (R) SS
Marlins
Xavier Edwards (S) SS
Kyle Stowers (L) LF
Jonah Bride (R) DH
Matt Mervis (L) 1B
Otto Lopez (R) 2B
Griffin Conine (L) RF
Derek Hill (R) CF
Graham Pauley (L) 3B
Nick Fortes (R) C
First pitch: 4:15 p.m. ET
The pitching matchup: Pablo Lopez vs. Sonny Gray
The big storyline: How many Cardinals who take the field Thursday will still be on the team in August? It’s kind of a surprise that one of them — third baseman Nolan Arenado — is even on their Opening Day roster. Rumored to be traded all winter, it never happened — in part because of a no-trade clause. There are several Cardinals who have them, including Opening Day starter Gray. He could be moved come July, if he waives it, as could closer Ryan Helsley, who is one of the few veterans that doesn’t have a no-trade clause. There are others who could be traded, but there is a potential hiccup in the Cardinals’ reset plans: What if they’re in contention in a mediocre division? You can’t break up a team that has playoff hopes. At least not in St. Louis. During the spring, the vets vowed to make it a tough decision on the front office. Thursday will begin to tell the tale of the Cardinals’ near- and long-term future.
For the Twins, it’s all about health. Byron Buxton, Royce Lewis and Carlos Correa missed significant time last season, and Minnesota needs its stars healthy to contend. Of course, Lewis will start the season on the injured list with a hamstring strain. — Jesse Rogers
One thing to know for St. Louis: Arenado, who enters 2025 with 341 career home runs, sixth most among active players, remains with the Cardinals after nixing a deal that would have sent him to Houston in December.
One thing to know for Minnesota: Despite doing little this offseason in a division that boasts four teams that could conceivably compete for the title, the Twins enter 2025 as the favorite to win the AL Central at +200, their second consecutive season opening as the favorite.
Lineups
Twins
Matt Wallner (L) RF
Carlos Correa (R) SS
Byron Buxton (R) CF
Trevor Larnach (L) DH
Ryan Jeffers (R) C
Ty France (R) 1B
Willi Castro (S) 2B
Jose Miranda (R) 3B
Harrison Bader (R) LF
Cardinals
Lars Nootbaar (L) LF
Willson Contreras (R) 1B
Brendan Donovan (L) 2B
Nolan Arenado (R) 3B
Alec Burleson (L) DH
Ivan Herrera (R) C
Jordan Walker (R) RF
Victor Scott II (L) CF
Masyn Winn (R) SS
Detroit Tigers at Los Angeles Dodgers
First pitch: 7:10 p.m. ET on ESPN
The pitching matchup: Tarik Skubal vs. Blake Snell
The big storyline: The Dodgers already opened their season from Japan last week, but this will be a chance to truly see one of the most talented teams in recent memory for one obvious reason: Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, who missed the two games against the Cubs because of an illness and rib discomfort, respectively, are both expected to start, making the Dodgers’ lineup whole for their stateside opener.
Hovering above that will be a marquee pitching matchup featuring two of the game’s best left-handers in Skubal, who won the AL Cy Young Award unanimously last year, and Snell, the two-time Cy Young winner who joined the Dodgers on a $182 million contract over the offseason. The Dodgers won’t see much better pitchers than Skubal all year, so it’ll be interesting to see how they fare. But don’t forget that the Tigers are young and ascending and could vie for a division title of their own. — Alden Gonzalez
One thing to know for Los Angeles: The Dodgers look to become not only the first defending champion to reach the World Series the following season since the 2009 Phillies, but the first repeat title winners since the Yankees won three in a row from 1998-2000.
One thing to know for Detroit: Skubal is the favorite to win the award again at +360, per ESPN BET, which would make him the first AL pitcher to repeat as a Cy Young winner since Pedro Martinez did it in 1999 and 2000.
Chicago Cubs at Arizona Diamondbacks
First pitch: 10:10 p.m. ET
The pitching matchup: Justin Steele vs. Zac Gallen
The big storyline: Coming off their 0-2 start in Japan against the Dodgers, the Cubs will look to get the bats going after hitting .172 without a home run in those initial two games. Steele will get the starting assignment after pitching the second game in Tokyo, when he allowed five runs and two home runs in five innings.
Longtime Diamondbacks ace Gallen gets the nod of Arizona, which isn’t necessarily odd, except manager Torey Lovullo waited so long to make the decision between Gallen and $210 million free agent Corbin Burnes that he had to start Gallen because Burnes wasn’t going to be on his preferred routine — which means he now won’t start until the D-backs’ fifth game of the season, against the Yankees. Corbin Carroll had a huge spring training, a good sign for Arizona’s chances to repeat in leading the majors in runs scored. — Schoenfield
One thing to know for Arizona: Ketel Marte‘s 36 home runs last season were the most by an MLB second baseman since 2021.
One thing to know for Chicago: The Cubs, who are favored to win the NL Central, are seeking to win their first division title in a full season since 2017.
First pitch: 10:10 p.m. ET
The pitching matchup: Luis Severino vs. Logan Gilbert
The big storyline: The Athletics begin on the road, so we’ll have to wait until the team’s second series of the season against the Cubs to get a first look at their new home park in Sacramento, California (which they’re sharing with the Giants’ Triple-A affiliate). The A’s will be starting a rookie duo at middle infield in shortstop Jacob Wilson, who appeared in 28 games last season, and second baseman Max Muncy (not THAT Max Muncy, although the two improbably also share the same birthdate), a non-roster invite who made the team with Zack Gelof out with a broken hamate bone.
The Mariners will look to continue their recent domination of the A’s: They went 21-5 against them the past two seasons. The Mariners didn’t have a good spring but ended on a high note when they signed Cal Raleigh to a six-year, $105 million extension that buys out three years of free agency. — Schoenfield
One thing to know for Seattle: The Mariners have had four consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 2000 to 2003, but spent just $3.5 million on free agents this offseason, which was the second-lowest (behind the Cardinals) of any team in MLB.
One thing to know for the A’s: After 57 seasons in Oakland, the A’s will be playing at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento for the next three seasons before a planned move to Las Vegas.
Friday, March 28
Colorado Rockies at Tampa Bay Rays
First pitch: 4:10 p.m. ET
The pitching matchup: Kyle Freeland vs. Ryan Pepiot
The big storyline: This game was supposed to be about Shane McClanahan‘s return to the mound after missing 2024, but he went down with nerve irritation in his left triceps in his final spring training start, landing on the IL. Instead, Pepiot will get the ball as the Rays host the Rockies in their adopted home field, George M. Steinbrenner Field, the Yankees’ spring training stadium. Two players to watch for the Rays: sophomore third baseman Junior Caminero, who hit four home runs in camp, but otherwise struggled, hitting .149; and infielder Curtis Mead, who hit .529. Mead is expected to get the start at first base, with Yandy Diaz serving as the DH.
For the Rockies, center fielder Brenton Doyle and shortstop Ezequiel Tovar are two of the most exciting defenders in the game — both won Gold Gloves in 2024 — but, barring a miracle, the Rockies aren’t going to score enough runs to be competitive. — Schoenfield
One thing to know for Tampa Bay: The Rays will be playing this season’s home games at the Yankees’ spring training facility after their home park of Tropicana Field sustained damages from Hurricane Milton in October.
One thing to know for Colorado: Doyle, who has won Gold Gloves in each of his first two seasons in the majors, will look to become the third Rockies player to win the award in three consecutive seasons since Nolan Arenado (2013-20) and Hall of Famer Larry Walker (1997-99).
MLB’s regular season gets underway tomorrow with Opening Day baseball, so you know what that means — it’s time for season predictions!
There are lots of questions going into the 2025 season: Will the Dodgers repeat as World Series champions? What surprises will the expanded playoffs bring this year? How will Juan Soto look for the Mets — and how will the Yankees fare without him? And when will we see Shohei Ohtani reprise his two-way role on the mound?
No one can definitively know what’s in store for this season, but that doesn’t stop us from making our best guesses. We put 28 of ESPN’s MLB writers, analysts and editors on the spot to predict what will happen in baseball this year, from the wild-card contenders all the way up to the World Series champion, plus the MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year awards in both leagues.
For each category, we’ve asked a number of our voters to explain their picks. Did they hit the nail on the head or were they way off their mark? Only time can tell — and we’ll be circling back to these predictions come October to see how well — or poorly — we did.
Jump to:
AL picks | NL picks | WS picks | AL awards | NL awards
AL East
Our pick: Boston Red Sox (13 votes)
Who else got votes? Baltimore Orioles (10), New York Yankees (3), Toronto Blue Jays (1), Tampa Bay Rays (1)
Boston is our voters’ favorite in the AL East. How can the Orioles beat out the Red Sox for the title? The Orioles will win the division because they will cobble together enough pitching to outlast the Red Sox and Yankees. They will win because their young players — most prominently Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson and Colton Cowser — will carry the offense through the regular season. Jackson Holliday, free of last year’s ridiculous expectations, will be more relaxed and productive. And here’s a wild card: Tomoyuki Sugano, signed out of Japan, will be a revelation in the starting rotation and present a reasonable facsimile of the departed Corbin Burnes. But temper the excitement: Boston is my pick to end up in the World Series. — Tim Keown
You were the only person to pick Toronto to win the division. Why are the Jays your choice? The Yankees and Orioles are already going to be several wins worse than last season because of all of those injuries they’ve already suffered this spring. Meanwhile, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is playing for a new contract, Bo Bichette can’t possibly play as poorly as he did last season and Anthony Santander gives this lineup a nice power upgrade. If even only one of Max Scherzer and Jeff Hoffman stays healthy into September, we’re looking at a potential division winner here. Throw in a little extra support from an extra-motivated Canadian fan base? Head and heart unite behind the Blue Jays in 2025. — AJ Mass
AL Central
Our pick: Kansas City Royals (12 votes)
Who else got votes? Detroit Tigers (11), Minnesota Twins (4), Cleveland Guardians (1)
Make the case for the Royals to take home the division title. The Royals’ move to get Jonathan India will ripple through how their lineup is constructed. It’s a case of a player’s collective impact being more valuable than his individual one. India could hit leadoff and his improvement in the walks category allows other players to be slotted correctly in the lineup — though Kansas City still needs Hunter Renfroe and others to anchor the back end of the lineup.
Veteran pitchers Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo know the pace of the season, and the Royals could be bolstered by the young arm depth they have in their system. Keep in mind that they were in first place on Aug. 27 last year and they still made the playoffs after losing seven in a row in September. They had room to slump and still get in. I see a better September and a team that now has a taste of the playoffs; but more importantly, I see an organization that is backing up the contract it gave Bobby Witt Jr. to make sure he will not be a star in a vacuum and that the team will be competitive every year and build internally with good players. Why? Because they already have their franchise player. — Doug Glanville
Make the case for the Tigers to take home the division title. The AL Central is winnable for any of the four teams that received votes, but my pick is Detroit. The Tigers have the best pitcher in the majors, Tarik Skubal, and a Rookie of the Year contender in pitcher Jackson Jobe. They are so unpredictable in their rotation, bullpen and lineup that matching up against them is going to be very difficult for opposing managers. And the Tigers’ manager, A.J. Hinch, is as good a manager as there is in baseball in handling the strategy of the game. The Tigers played exceptionally well the last six weeks of last year. It’s possible that that could continue. — Tim Kurkjian
AL West
Our pick: Texas Rangers (18 votes)
Who else got votes? Seattle Mariners (7), Houston Astros (3)
The Rangers are the overwhelming favorite to win the division. How do the Mariners beat them? By not having one of the worst offenses in baseball. The Mariners, between their elite pitching staff and stout defense, are going to excel in run prevention again. Their starting rotation might be the best in baseball. The issue, for years, has been the offense. Last season, they ranked 21st in runs scored. Seattle famously didn’t acquire a high-impact bat during the offseason. So, how are they going to flip the script? There are two reasons for hope:
1. Julio Rodriguez is due for a hot start. The star center fielder owns a .642 OPS in April/March, a .768 OPS in May and a .704 OPS in June in his three-year career. The Mariners gave him more at-bats in spring training in hopes of an early improvement. Rodriguez has also spoken highly of hitting coach Edgar Martinez, who was brought on board at the end of August last season.
2. That leads us to the second reason for optimism: The Mariners’ offense was significantly better after Dan Wilson replaced Scott Servais as manager and hired Martinez. Seattle averaged the third-most runs in baseball (5.8) and recorded the second-best OPS (.804) over the season’s final 34 games. Maybe it was coincidental. But there’s reason to believe a turnaround is possible. — Jorge Castillo
AL wild cards
Our picks: New York Yankees (21 votes), Houston Astros (15), Baltimore Orioles (13)
Who else got votes? Boston Red Sox (10), Seattle Mariners (6), Kansas City Royals (5), Detroit Tigers (5), Cleveland Guardians (3),Texas Rangers (3), Tampa Bay Rays (1), Toronto Blue Jays (1), Athletics (1)
Our voters view the Yankees and Astros as wild-card teams rather than division winners. Why do you think that is? The Yankees play in the game’s most tightly bunched division from top to bottom — with almost every projection system having the AL East winner and basement dweller separated by eight games or fewer — and losing their best pitcher (Gerrit Cole) after seeing their best hitter from 2024 depart (Soto) puts them in a perilous spot. The Yankees badly need to add upper-tier pitching reinforcements and, as the season dawns, have given no indication they’ll do so.
The Astros, meanwhile, lost key hitting contributors in Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker, are taking some real chances with their defensive alignment (Jose Altuve in left field?!) and no longer have quite the pitching depth that they once did. It brings them back toward an AL West pack that has solid competitors in the Rangers and Mariners and potentially a surprise squad in the A’s. I personally think the Rangers rebound after their 2024 World Series hangover year. — Tristan Cockcroft
You were the lone voter to choose the A’s to make the postseason as a wild-card team. How do they get there? The AL West feels a little wide open, doesn’t it? So does the entire AL, for that matter. That’s not to say the A’s are going to win 95 games and get a first-round bye, but if things fall right, I believe they can sneak in. It starts with a solid offense that ranked eighth in OPS during the second half of last season. That didn’t feel like a fluke — not when you have Brent Rooker and the emerging Lawrence Butler in the lineup. Both produced an OPS of .900 after the All-Star break (Butler was actually .898).
We all know the headlines the team garnered in the winter when they actually spent some capital on pitching, bringing in Luis Severino and Jeffrey Springs. The A’s will hand the ball off to All-Star closer Mason Miller, so they’re going to win a lot of tight games. And all signs point to the group in the clubhouse embracing the move to Sacramento. If they can create a bit of a home-field advantage, watch out for the A’s — they might surprise everyone. — Jesse Rogers
AL champion
Our pick: Boston Red Sox (10 votes)
Who else got votes? Baltimore Orioles (7), Texas Rangers (7), Seattle Mariners (2), Detroit Tigers (1), New York Yankees (1)
The Red Sox didn’t even make the playoffs last year — but this season, they’re our favorite to win the AL pennant. Why? Boston had three major needs going into the last offseason: a couple of frontline pitchers and an established right-handed hitter. The Red Sox went on to land Garrett Crochet, the most coveted lefty in the trade market; signed Walker Buehler, who threw the last pitch of last year’s World Series; and signed Alex Bregman, a two-time All-Star with a career adjusted OPS+ of 132. Their rotation is better, their defense is better and their lineup should be more balanced.
At the same time, they’re graduating three high-end prospects into the big leagues in Kristian Campbell, Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony. This could be a dynamic team cast against a mediocre AL landscape, making the Red Sox stand out. — Buster Olney
You and a number of our other voters are predicting a bounce-back for the Rangers this year. How do you think they get back to the ALCS? When the Rangers won the World Series in 2023, they had a devastating offensive team. Last year, so many of their best hitters either got hurt or didn’t perform up to expectations. There’s no way that’s going to happen again. And outfielder Wyatt Langford, who’s entering his second season, will be a star before long. The Rangers have pitching questions, as do most teams, but they should be able to maneuver through some of those issues. — Kurkjian
NL East
Our pick: Atlanta Braves (18 votes)
Who else got votes? Philadelphia Phillies (9), New York Mets (1)
Atlanta is once again the preseason division favorite. How can the Phillies beat out a fully healthy Braves squad? It’s mostly about starting pitching. I’m a big believer in what Cristopher Sanchez has done this spring — just look at his 29.2% K rate. If he has truly elevated his skillset to at least Aaron Nola‘s tier, if not a half-step behind Zack Wheeler‘s, and Jesus Luzardo can stay healthy as well as pitch the way he did in 2023, then the Phillies’ rotation isn’t simply as good as the Braves’ … it’s a clear step better. Yes, yes, the Braves have all of those bad-luck injury rebound candidates to potentially elevate their win total, but the Phillies did have six wins on them in the 2024 standings and have every bit as tantalizing a 2025 ceiling. — Cockcroft
Despite landing Juan Soto this offseason, you were the only person to pick the Mets to win the NL East. Explain your reasoning. The Braves are a better team on paper, especially given the Mets’ recent run of injuries, but I think New York’s willingness to spend and its depth — particularly of prospects in the upper minors — are being underrated as solutions to many of those problems. Brett Baty, Luisangel Acuna, Ronny Mauricio, Ryan Clifford, Drew Gilbert and Jett Williams are all position player candidates. Brandon Sproat, Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong and Blade Tidwell are young pitchers lingering in the upper minors. Only two or three players need to play better than expected in addition to the widely expected breakout from Clay Holmes to bridge that gap. — Kiley McDaniel
NL Central
Our pick: Chicago Cubs (15 votes)
Who else got votes? Milwaukee Brewers (8), Cincinnati Reds (5)
The Cubs are the favorite to win the NL Central, despite not having made the playoffs in a full season since 2018. What makes this year different? In going 83-79 the past two seasons, the Cubs lacked a middle-of-the-order hitter to anchor the lineup. Now they have Kyle Tucker, one of the best all-around players in the majors. Tucker, who was having his best season in 2024 before fracturing his shin, gives the Cubs their best offensive player since Kris Bryant during his MVP season in 2016. Rookie Matt Shaw also projects as a significant upgrade at third base (Cubs third basemen hit .210 last season) and the pitching staff is deeper. Throw in some Pythagorean improvement — the Cubs were seven wins worse than expected in 2023 and five worse in 2024 — and the arrows point to a division title. — David Schoenfield
Why is Milwaukee still your pick to win the division even with all the support for Chicago? Because the difference between the two talentwise is pretty negligible and I like teams that have won recently. It’s true the Brewers did not spend any money this winter and were raided in free agency. It’s also true that Jackson Chourio is on the verge of becoming one of the best players in baseball and the Brewers’ farm system consistently produces quality big leaguers — enough to send them to the postseason five times in the past six full seasons. The Cubs are better on paper, sure, but they haven’t played as much postseason baseball recently. That said, would it surprise me if the Cubs won the division? Not at all, because it’s the NL Central, and just about anything can happen. — Jeff Passan
NL West
Our pick: Los Angeles Dodgers (28 votes)
Every single voter chose the Dodgers to win the division. Is their title inevitable? Never use the word inevitable when it comes to baseball but GM Andrew Friedman has done the best possible job of fortifying his team for another seven-month grind. Because of this, the Dodgers’ chances of not just another division title but a repeat World Series title are as good as any championship team since the early 2000s. The moment I picked them to repeat was the day they signed reliever Kirby Yates. It came just days after they grabbed Tanner Scott to close games. Signing the top arm in the market and then arguably the next best one is all anyone should know about L.A. This team has depth and redundancy all over the field. It’ll be enough to win the division, and the Fall Classic, again. — Rogers
NL wild cards
Our picks: Arizona Diamondbacks (20 votes), New York Mets (19), Philadelphia Phillies (18)
Who else got votes? San Diego Padres (11), Atlanta Braves (10), Milwaukee Brewers (3), Chicago Cubs (1), Pittsburgh Pirates (1), Cincinnati Reds (1)
You picked all three of the wild-card teams that received the most votes. Why will this be the NL wild-card field? The NL looks extremely top heavy this season, with a clear-cut top five. The Dodgers are heavy favorites to win it all, of course, and while the Braves face a tough three-way battle in the NL East, they are still running well over 50-50 in my projections to win that division. Meanwhile, the NL Central very much looks like a one-playoff-berth division. So that leaves the Phillies, Mets, Diamondbacks and Padres to duke it out for the three wild-card slots, with the last spot coming down to the latter pair. Right now, I just think the Diamondbacks are deeper and better balanced than the Padres. I see all of this with extreme clarity which, in my experience, means all of this will be completely scrambled by Memorial Day. — Bradford Doolittle
It seems as if the Padres’ only route to the postseason is through the wild card — and our voters had them just missing the cut. How can San Diego replace one of the favored teams? The well-run Padres still boast plenty of talent to win 90 games again, led by multiple aces topping the rotation (Michael King and Dylan Cease), a strong, deep bullpen (watch Jeremiah Estrada) and an underrated lineup that was among the top 10 in runs scored last season. The Padres did lose some key players — but most teams do. Still, center fielder Jackson Merrill can keep improving, as can new veteran right-hander Nick Pivetta. Don’t worry about left field, because prospect Tirso Ornelas will be a star by midseason. These Padres are good enough to make their fourth playoff appearance in six seasons. — Eric Karabell
Cincinnati received five division title votes but just your one wild-card vote in a super packed NL field. How do you think the Reds can disrupt the wild-card race? Truth be told, I’m probably rooting for this story just as much as I think it will happen. Terry Francona’s return to the dugout is something to be celebrated and understood as simply a major upgrade at manager. Add to that the fact that Elly De La Cruz has had a full offseason to understand his potential, alongside the hopeful efforts of fireballer Hunter Greene on the mound and the Reds are, at the very least, going to be extremely fun to watch, never mind their actual success. — Clinton Yates
NL champion
Our pick: Los Angeles Dodgers (21 votes)
Who else got votes? Philadelphia Phillies (3), Atlanta Braves (3), Arizona Diamondbacks (1)
Make a case for how the Phillies can beat out the Dodgers. With right-handers Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola, and left-handers Cristopher Sanchez and Jesus Luzardo, the Phillies can win a playoff series against any team, including the mighty Dodgers, who, before 2024, hadn’t had much playoff success. The key is for the Phillies to score runs in October, but their lack of production is why they’ve lost in recent seasons. Who knows which Dodgers will even be on the mound then? Los Angeles has excellent pitching, but it is far from reliable. Every rotation member boasts recent injury woes. This might be a regular-season dynasty — the Dodgers won only one playoff game during 2022-23. Any team can beat them in October. — Karabell
Make a case for how the Braves can beat out the Dodgers. The Braves aren’t as talented as the Dodgers, but they’re next on the list. In a vacuum, their 89-win season followed by a wild-card-round exit in 2024 was disappointing. But reaching that point was one of the most impressive results of the year in baseball given Atlanta’s dreadful injury luck. Most teams would’ve folded after losing their best position player (Ronald Acuña Jr.) and best starting pitcher (Spencer Strider). That didn’t happen in Atlanta. If Acuña and Strider return as expected and the Braves avoid terrible injury luck elsewhere, they should be right there in October — and anything can happen in October. — Castillo
World Series champion
Our pick: Los Angeles Dodgers (20 votes)
Who else got votes? Philadelphia Phillies (3), Atlanta Braves (2), Boston Red Sox (1), Texas Rangers (1), Seattle Mariners (1)
Our voters are predicting the Dodgers win the first back-to-back World Series titles since the Yankees won three in a row in 1998-2000. How can L.A. do it? First and foremost, the Dodgers need health; they can’t possibly thrive in October with as many injuries as they absorbed last year, particularly to their starting pitchers. They boast an incredibly deep lineup, but they need their three best hitters — Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman — to continue to produce like stars. They have the makings of quite possibly the best collection of starting pitchers in the sport, but that group is exceedingly volatile, which means that among the three more certain arms — Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow — perhaps two need to be dominant for a full season. The defense has some deficiencies, and Betts being a serviceable shortstop is especially crucial.
Just as important, they also need a little luck. There’s a reason it’s been a quarter century since a baseball team repeated — this sport is incredibly unpredictable, especially when sample sizes are whittled down in October. The Dodgers are no stranger to that. But they’re as well-equipped to repeat as any team has been this century. — Alden Gonzalez
You picked a rematch of the 2023 World Series between the Rangers and Diamondbacks, with Texas prevailing again. Explain your reasoning. The Rangers’ lineup is one of baseball’s likeliest bounce-back units, having scored 198 fewer runs in 2024 than it did in the World Series-winning season. That team won the title despite only 30⅓ innings from Jacob deGrom, whose stuff has popped this spring in the wake of his second Tommy John surgery.
The Diamondbacks led the majors in runs scored last season and added, conservatively, a top-10 starter in Corbin Burnes to an already-stacked rotation. And while the Dodgers will overwhelm everyone during the regular season, Arizona can set its sights on a potential rematch of the 2023 NLDS in which it swept the 100-win Dodgers out of the postseason. — Paul Hembekides
AL MVP
Our pick: Bobby Witt Jr. (14 votes)
Who else got votes? Aaron Judge (3), Gunnar Henderson (3), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (3), Alex Bregman (2), Yordan Alvarez (1), Brent Rooker (1), Julio Rodriguez (1)
There was a nice mix of votes for a variety of players, but Witt is the favorite among our voters. Why is he your pick for MVP? If we set aside certain two-way players, Witt might already be the best overall player in the game. Even if he doesn’t repeat his .332 average/.354 BABIP breakouts from 2024, his overall range of skills is good enough to get him at least 7-to-8 WAR. He’s also more durable than Judge, whom Witt finished second to in the MVP race last season.
More than anything though: Witt doesn’t turn 25 years old until June. He’s not only still on the ascension in terms of the aging curve, but he just seems like a player driven to shore up his weaknesses. Eventually, he won’t have any left. No player in baseball right now means more to his franchise than Witt does to the Royals. — Doolittle
AL Rookie of the Year
Our pick: Jackson Jobe (9 votes)
Who else got votes? Kristian Campbell (5), Cam Smith (3), Jacob Wilson (3), Jasson Dominguez (3), Coby Mayo (2), Roman Anthony (2), Tomoyuki Sugano (1)
So many different players received votes for Rookie of the Year. Why is that — and why was your pick Anthony? There isn’t really a clear potential star that’s big league ready being handed an Opening Day starting spot with plenty of slack for a slow start, though Campbell would be the closest to that. With Anthony and Mayer also circling, and Boston having a pretty good lineup, there might be room for only one of those three to really take the reins of the Rookie of the Year race.
Smith hasn’t played much in pro ball yet, Wilson has limited upside, Jobe has the concerns that come with any pitcher, Dominguez has had mixed luck and health over the past few years, the Rays are not quick to call up prospects (Chandler Simpson and Carson Williams are of interest) and the Rangers’ injuries mean Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter are both in the rotation now to split votes. Anthony is the best prospect of that group and I think he’ll get a chance to succeed at the major league level at some point in the first half. — McDaniel
AL Cy Young
Our pick: Tarik Skubal (12 votes)
Who else got votes? Garrett Crochet (9), Cole Ragans (3), Logan Gilbert (3), Max Fried (1)
Why do you think that Skubal will win back-to-back Cy Young honors? No AL pitcher has repeated as a Cy Young winner since Pedro Martinez in 2000, but Skubal was the easiest call of all the award picks for me — that’s how great he was in 2024, when he captured the pitching triple crown. Skubal has matured into a complete pitcher: He possesses one of the best left-handed fastballs in the game while deploying a five-pitch repertoire and averaging only 1.6 walks per nine innings. He also benefits from fewer Cy Young contenders in the AL compared to a loaded list of them in the NL. — Schoenfield
NL MVP
Our pick: Shohei Ohtani (19 votes)
Who else got votes? Fernando Tatis Jr. (3), Elly De La Cruz (2), Juan Soto (2), Trea Turner (1), Mookie Betts (1)
Ohtani will be working back toward a two-way role this season, yet he’s still our voters’ favorite to win a second consecutive MVP. Why? Ohtani didn’t need to pitch to become the NL MVP last year, when he was rehabbing his elbow while putting together the first 50-50 season in big league history. As tempting as it is to predict someone else to be MVP this season — Soto, anyone? — it just seems as if the award has become Ohtani’s to lose — probably for the next five years. He’ll pitch at some point this season, and whatever he brings to the mound for the Dodgers is just another ridiculous addendum to everything else he’s doing to separate himself from the field. — Keown
NL Rookie of the Year
Our pick: Dylan Crews (12 votes)
Who else got votes? Roki Sasaki (7), Matt Shaw (5), Bubba Chandler (3), Andrew Painter (1)
Why is Crews your NL Rookie of the Year pick? A major factor for fledgling award candidates is often about opportunity. Paul Skenes didn’t start last season in the big leagues (incredibly), and that might well have cost him the NL Cy Young Award.
With Crews, there is no doubt about how he’ll be handled this year: Having made his debut at the end of last season, he is going to get 600 plate appearances if he’s healthy, and if healthy, he’s going to do a ton of damage. The second pick in the 2023 draft hits for power and steals bases, and he’ll be an anchor in the Nationals’ up-and-coming core of young star prospects. — Olney
Why did you choose Sasaki? Sasaki is an easy pick here, as my No. 1 prospect in baseball who will open the season in the Dodgers’ rotation and has already impressed stateside. He could be a true ace at some point in 2025 but still has some work to do diversifying his arsenal. Crews and Shaw are leading candidates as position players with Opening Day spots in the lineup, but there are questions about their ceiling this season. Chandler and Drake Baldwin lurk as potential sleeper candidates. — McDaniel
NL Cy Young
Our pick: Paul Skenes (17 votes)
Who else got votes? Zack Wheeler (5), Blake Snell (3), Spencer Strider (2), Yoshinobu Yamamoto (1)
Skenes won Rookie of the Year for his 2024 season and is our voters’ favorite to win Cy Young in his second year. What makes him so dominant? Skenes is as self-aware a 22-year-old baseball player as I’ve ever met, and that fastidiousness informs his approach to pitching. He has immense physical gifts: the 6-foot-6 height, the capacity for his body to gain strength and supercharge its output into the arm. Skenes is still relatively new to pitching, switching full time on the mound only three years ago, so there is more to learn — and he will do so with an open-mindedness to expanding his repertoire but a fealty to the foundational elements that brought him to this point.
In other words: The guy throws 100 mph, created one of the best pitches in the world in the splinker, added another changeup this winter and has a handful of spinny pitches with which he piles up strikeouts. There is no such thing as the perfect modern pitcher, but Skenes comes awfully close to what one might look like. — Passan
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