Fantasy Baseball: Bold Predictions for the 2025 American League Season

Bold Predictions for the 2025 MLB Season: A Deep Dive into the American League

As we gear up for another thrilling MLB season, it’s that time of year when everyone, from seasoned analysts to your friendly neighborhood mailman, is making predictions. But here, we like to take a different approach. We go bold, we challenge the status quo, and we make predictions that might seem a bit out there. But hey, that’s the fun of it, right? So, let’s dive into some bold predictions for the 2025 season, starting with the American League.

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s set the stage with some context. Aaron Judge has already hit 62 home runs in a season. Paul Skenes has delivered a sub-2.00 ERA. Mike Trout has played 159 games in a season. If we were to predict these feats being repeated in 2025, only one would be truly bold. And no, we don’t think Trout will play 159 games this season, unfortunately.

Now, some of these predictions might look a bit silly in six months, but there’s a method to the madness. Each bold statement is grounded in some rationale, whether it’s a player’s unique skill set or an opportunity that defies conventional wisdom. So, let’s trust our instincts, take some chances, and see which of these bold picks might just turn out to be spot on.

American League Predictions

• Oakland Athletics: Brent Rooker is set to blast a league-leading 50 home runs. Over the last two seasons, Rooker hit a combined 69 home runs, but only 28 came in his home stadium in Oakland. Now, with a more hitter-friendly park in Sacramento, the stage is set for a power surge. Additionally, five Athletics players are predicted to reach 30 home runs, including Lawrence Butler, JJ Bleday, Shea Langeliers, and Tyler Soderstrom. However, beware of the A’s pitching, as even the impressive Mason Miller is expected to post a 3.45 ERA.
• Baltimore Orioles: Adley Rutschman is poised for a breakout season, hitting .288 with 32 home runs, making him the top fantasy catcher. Coby Mayo, after a slow start last season, becomes the everyday DH and hits 22 home runs over 400 plate appearances. Grayson Rodriguez is expected to make 32 starts, winning half of them with a 3.24 ERA, thanks to solid run support.
• Boston Red Sox: Rafael Devers will start the season on the IL but will hit 32 home runs as the regular DH. Alex Bregman, despite winning another AL Gold Glove, will have a disappointing .322 OBP and only 19 home runs. Marcelo Mayer is set to take over the starting shortstop position from an injured Trevor Story in June, hitting .270 with 13 home runs and 14 stolen bases. Meanwhile, Liam Hendriks is expected to save 36 games.
• Chicago White Sox: Prospect Kyle Teel will debut in July and hit .298 with 10 home runs. Three White Sox players, Luis Robert Jr., Andrew Vaughn, and Brandon Drury, are predicted to hit 25 home runs each. For AL-only managers, Sean Burke and Shane Smith are expected to make 26 starts each, both surpassing 150 strikeouts. The White Sox are projected to lose only 106 games this year.
• Cleveland Guardians: Kyle Manzardo is expected to hit .265 with 24 home runs and 65 walks, eventually qualifying at first base. Juan Brito will win the starting second base job, hitting 21 home runs with 65 walks. Veteran Shane Bieber is predicted to post a valuable 2.95 ERA over 15 starts. Emmanuel Clase is expected to miss a month due to injury, falling short of 40 saves for the first time in four years, with Paul Sewald stepping in as the fill-in closer.
• Detroit Tigers: Kerry Carpenter is set to play in 140 games, hitting 33 home runs with a .540 slugging percentage. Gleyber Torres, struggling with a .240 average and 12 home runs by late July, is expected to be traded to the Mets, where his numbers will marginally improve. Matt Manning is predicted to thrive in relief, becoming the closer and saving 14 games.
• Houston Astros: Jose Altuve is expected to hit .310 with 26 home runs as the team’s regular left fielder. Zach Dezenzo is predicted to take over at first base, hitting 17 home runs. Christian Walker is expected to start in the All-Star game over Vladimir Guerrero Jr., hitting 37 home runs. Hunter Brown is predicted to make the All-Star team, striking out 200 hitters. Houston is expected to boast the AL’s top rotation, with Ronel Blanco contributing significantly.
• Kansas City Royals: Bobby Witt Jr. is expected to finish 2025 at the top of the ESPN Player Rater. Jonathan India is predicted to hit .220 with single-digit home runs and stolen bases. Jac Caglianone is expected to hit .220 at Double-A with big power but won’t debut in the majors this season. Seth Lugo is predicted to finish as a top-20 starter with a 2.95 ERA and 175 strikeouts. Lucas Erceg is expected to save 31 games, while Carlos Estevez will not.
• Los Angeles Angels: Mike Trout is expected to hit 34 home runs over 502 plate appearances, with half of his production coming at DH. Zach Neto is predicted to debut in May, hitting 23 home runs with 27 stolen bases. Reid Detmers is expected to have his best season, with a 3.60 ERA and 179 strikeouts over 29 starts. Kenley Jansen is predicted to save 31 games between the Angels and Rangers, marking his first MLB trade.
• Minnesota Twins: Emmanuel Rodriguez is expected to take over as the regular DH in June, hitting .235 with 26 home runs over 101 games. Byron Buxton is predicted to hit 27 home runs over 411 plate appearances, his most playing time since 2017. David Festa is expected to win a rotation spot, giving the Twins four starters with 170-plus strikeouts.
• New York Yankees: Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Jasson Dominguez are each expected to complete 25/25 seasons, though neither will bat as high as .250. Paul Goldschmidt is predicted to knock in 101 runs, while Giancarlo Stanton, despite being injured, is expected to knock in 50 runs. Gerrit Cole is predicted to strike out 200 hitters for the seventh time, while Luis Gil is expected to make only 16 starts, posting a 4.30 ERA.
• Seattle Mariners: Julio Rodriguez is expected to start strong, hitting .285 with a 30/30 season. Randy Arozarena is predicted to struggle, falling short of 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases. Victor Robles is expected to hit .238 with 19 stolen bases. Logan Gilbert is predicted to win 15 games with a 2.80 ERA, while prospect Logan Evans is expected to post a 3.02 ERA over 16 starts.
• Tampa Bay Rays: Junior Caminero is expected to be a top-20 points league and roto hitter, going .290-33-101. Josh Lowe is predicted to return to 2023 form, hitting 24 home runs with 30 stolen bases. Chandler Simpson is expected to appear in 46 games after the All-Star break, stealing 45 bases. Taj Bradley is predicted to throw 178 innings, the most for any Rays pitcher since Charlie Morton in 2019, with a 3.40 ERA. Three Rays are expected to save between 10-15 games: Pete Fairbanks, Edwin Uceta, and Mason Montgomery.
• Texas Rangers: Five Rangers are expected to club 30 home runs (Jake Burger, Corey Seager, Adolis Garcia, Joc Pederson, Wyatt Langford), with only Seager hitting above .250. Jacob deGrom is predicted to make 19 starts, his most since 2019, with a 2.42 ERA. Robert Garcia is expected to lead the staff with 16 saves.
• Toronto Blue Jays: Bo Bichette is expected to rebound, hitting .282 with 21 home runs. Will Wagner is predicted to take over the leadoff spot with a .370 OBP, scoring 70 runs. Bowden Francis is expected to achieve a 3.45 ERA, best among Toronto’s starters, over 30 starts. Max Scherzer is predicted to win 13 games in his final MLB season, with a 3.55 ERA.

So there you have it, folks. These are the bold predictions for the 2025 MLB season in the American League. Whether these predictions come true or not, one thing is for sure: it’s going to be an exciting season. So, grab your popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the ride!