Top 5 Surprises of the 2025 MLB Season
A Blog By Brett
5) Detroit’s Dominance
The Tigers are the best team in baseball as we hit the All-Star Break. They are 59-35 and sit atop the entire league in the standings. Twenty-four games above .500 is quite impressive. They own the second-best ERA in baseball as a staff at 3.45, have tossed 10 shutouts (2nd best MLB), and have a top-5 WHIP at 1.20.
Detroit is also top-10 across multiple hitting categories, including AVG, OBP, SLG, OPS, Runs, Hits, RBI, and Home Runs. They are getting it done on both sides of the ball. Detroit has a winning record at home, on the road, and against teams that are above .500.
The Tigers are for real and can add serious talent at the deadline, given they are 18th in payroll according to Spotrac at $145,774,770 in Total Payroll for the 2025 season. In my opinion, Detroit needs to be aggressive with the team they have now, led by the best pitcher in baseball, Tarik Skubal.
4) Pete Crow-Armstrong’s Emergence
Don’t get me wrong, PCA was always considered super talented and an elite defender. What's truly amazing is how he has transitioned into Major League Baseball with such ease. He has established himself as arguably the best outfield defender in the world. Maybe even all positions?
On top of the spectacular defense, he has become one of the best offensive players in baseball. PCA is currently sitting at 25 Home Runs, 27 Stolen Bases, 70 RBI, 98 Hits, and 67 Runs Scored as we approach the All-Star break.
Super impressive season out of Crow-Armstrong so far in 2025. There is a reason why he declined a contract extension from the Cubs earlier this season; he knew what was coming. I think he will ultimately stay with the Cubs, but now he can command a lot more money!
3) Baltimore Is BAD
This is not the season that the baseball world was expecting for Baltimore. The Orioles are a BAD team, and 2025 has not been kind to them. Baltimore is 42-50 through 92 games! This team won 91 games last year. With the youth movement, everyone was expecting the Orioles to become a consistent playoff team.
That is not the case. Despite their talented lineup, the Orioles are not able to climb in the standings. Right now, they are dead last in the American League East. Unfortunately, I don't think they'll move up in the standings in the second half without a massive deadline, and I wouldn’t expect the Orioles to get aggressive mid-season the way they have been playing.
My guess is they will punt the season, continue to run with the youngsters, and add much-needed pitching depth in the offseason. The pitching was a concern preseason, and that concern became a realistic nightmare. Right now, the Orioles’ rotation is headlined by Dean Kremer (4.53 ERA), Tomoyuki Sugano (4.44 ERA), and Charlie Morton (5.47 ERA). They have dealt with a ton of injuries with their starting pitching. It is hard to compete when you are missing Zach Eflin, Cade Povich, Grayson Rodriguez, Kyle Bradish, and Tyler Wells.
2) Houston Continues Winning Ways Post Kyle Tucker
The Astros are currently 55-38 as I write this piece. That makes them the second-best team in the American League as well as in all of baseball. Who would have thought that the Astros would continue to dominate in a Kyle Tuckerless lineup?
Not only did the Astros move Kyle Tucker, but they have only had Yordan Alvarez for 29 games this season. Even Houston has to be a bit surprised that they are playing so well without two perennial All-Stars in their lineup.
Houston’s lineup owns the best team batting average in all of baseball at .260. Who would have predicted this without Kyle Tucker and essentially no Alvarez? On top of that, they can pitch and pitch well! They lead the league in strikeouts as a staff, arguably the best bullpen in baseball, and have a rotation that delivers results on the backs of Hunter Brown, Framber Valdez, Lance McCullers Jr., Brandon Walter, and Colton Gordon. Not to mention, they will get Spencer Arrighetti back soon.
1) Boston Red Sox Moving on From Rafael Devers
This was a shock to the entire baseball world! Maybe to everyone besides Rafael Devers. He was clearly unhappy in Boston, but no one thought the Red Sox were going to move him. Especially not mid-season, and for the return they got. A big reason for the shock was that Devers is under contract through 2033.
The Red Sox moved Devers quickly and quietly, which also added to the chaos. The baseball world all seems to be on the side that thinks the Giants fleeced the Red Sox in the process. We are talking about one of the best hitters in the world at age 28 with 8 years of team control getting moved for a questionable return.
For sure, one of the most chaotic trades of my lifetime, Devers might have a Hall of Fame case at some point. Key word “might”. He already has 217 career home runs to his name to tag onto 705 RBI, 1154 Hits, a World Series title, and multiple All-Star selections and Silver Slugger awards.