With the 2025 MLB season starting next week, many have already spoken about the LA Dodgers repeating world titles. What teams have the best chance at defeating the juggernaut Dodgers? What teams will shock everybody? What teams are expected to go deep into October?
There is so much information to cover in just a small segment, so let’s start with the NLCS and ALCS teams and winners. For the American League Championship Series, my prediction would be the Detroit Tigers taking on the Baltimore Orioles. For the National League Championship Series, my prediction would be Philadelphia Phillies will take on the juggernaut Los Angeles Dodgers.
As mentioned already, the Tigers have had a great off-season, and on top of that, a great run for playoffs that nobody saw coming. They went on to sign second basemen Gleybor Torres of the NY Yankees, Gleyber played a pivotal role in the World Series run for the Yankees last year, he’s been in those crucial moments and came through, Torres will be a problem for other teams facing that lineup. On top of that, they signed Jack Flaherty, one of the Dodgers’ Aces last year who played a vital role in their victory over the Yankees to take home the trophy. Pair him up with Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal and Alex Cobb, that’s a lethal group of pitchers in Detroit. To add to that, the Tigers’ top-ranked player on Detroit’s minor league team, Jackson Jobe, is scheduled to be called up this year, if he does what he’s been doing in AAA, that is a solid 4 man rotation. In my opinion, this team is built to go deeper in the playoffs this year – and my bold prediction is they face the Baltimore Orioles in the ALCS in October.
For the Tigers opposing team – the Baltimore Orioles – I predict the Orioles beat the Tigers and will make a push for the trophy this year, here’s why: This team has been consistently one of the best teams in the American League. Despite their performance in the playoffs for the last two years, Baltimore has been young and resilient. This is the year when they start to become completely comfortable and mature. There’s no better time than to do it this year with the signing of veteran pitcher and ace Charlie Morton, who also won the World Series twice, in 2017 and 2021. With that said, Jackson Holliday, one of the most hyped rookies to be called up in a while, played in his first season last year. He had many spurts of greatness and he is a baller. Holliday will have a tremendous breakout season. Along with Holliday, the Orioles also have their next top prospect, Coby Mayo, waiting to be called up. This team has the talent to go to the World Series, as it’s time for them to become World Series contenders.
On the NL side, the championship matchup will be between the defending champion LA Dodgers and the already-established Philadelphia Phillies. Despite the historic season, the Dodgers continued to dominate the off-season. They acquired 2x Cy Young winner Blake Snell, as well as one of the most hyped-up Japanese pitchers in Japanese baseball, Roki Sasaki. He is a rookie but sits 98-101 MPH as a starter. The Dodgers rotation is stacked, with Sasaki, Snell, Glasnow, Ohtani, Yamamoto, and Kershaw – all of these players were consistently their previous teams’ aces before signing with LA. With these acquisitions on top of the defense and offense, LA is now making a strong push to go back-to-back for the first time in the MLB since 2000. That is until they face the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLCS.
The Philadelphia Phillies have a strong core with an outstanding supporting cast. After they lost to the Mets last year in the NLDS, they openly talked about the reasoning behind these cold streaks the team randomly has, their mindset in the box. The Phillies have been to the playoffs and gone deep the last 3 years, beating the ‘22 Braves that seemed just as dominant, if not better, than the Dodgers. When they are hot, they are the best in the league. The one thing that stops the Phillies is their consistency in the box, which will be a priority this year, as Dave Dombrowski, the Phillies GM mentioned. If they work better counts and swing at pitches in the zone, that will bring them past their recent failures.
With the signings of Marlins Ace Jesus Luzardo and Jordan Romano, a veteran closer for the Blue Jays, the Phillies have a complete starting rotation full of Ace-level pitchers – Zach Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Christopher Sanchez, Jesus Luzardo, and Ranger Suarez. Not to mention their bullpen as well. This team has the same core of players but with massive additions of Luzardo and Max Kepler, who batted .375 in spring training and had the most home runs on the team during the pre-season. Kepler looks to play left field, replacing Austin Hayes who didn’t click with the Phillies last year. He has been a good player and is in an environment full of hard work that keeps players on their toes, I believe he’ll have a good season now that he’s with this special group.
It is a pivotal year for the Phillies, with some players’ contracts ending soon. This team has had the talent to win the World Series, now, all that is left for them to do is actually accomplish the goal. The Phillies window is slowly closing, and they will take advantage of their past mistakes and make history.
To conclude these predictions, I have an Orioles-Phillies World Series, The Orioles are a great team, but I still don’t think they are a match for the competition in the National League – The Phillies, Dodgers, Mets, Braves, and Padres. That said, I predict the Philadelphia Phillies will win the 2025 World Series in 5 games, achieving the third trophy for the club.
