For the 2025 rankings, where does Houston fall? How about all the other teams?
Spring Training. 30 teams enter, all with the potential to perhaps, maybe, survive two months ramp-up, six months of regular season and (if fortunate) a month of high-intensity post-season baseball. The records for everyone reads 0-0, so in theory, all start with a clean slate. Yet, not all teams arrive with equal “clean slates”. Some come into Spring Training with lower expectations, while others carry championship pressures.
This subjective index looks at teams based on pressure to win the championship this year. This index is not a direct correlation with assessments of who is the best team coming into the season. Parallels exist, but a team can face more pressure to win vs. what their season projections hold.
UNDER PRESSURE TO NOT LOSE OVER 120 GAMES FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT SEASON:
- Chicago White Sox
The 2024 White Sox. Worst team by losses in history. They enter the 2025 season in the drivers’ seat for worst record in the league, but hopefully, not the worst in history (again).
NO PRESSURE TO WIN THE WORLD SERIES IN 2025 (No particular order):
- Los Angeles Angels
- Sacramento A’s
- Tampa Bay Rays
- Colorado Rockies
- Pittsburgh Pirates
- Miami Marlins
- Washington Nationals
These squads reside here for a reason. They may be rebuilding/trying to get young talent to a level where they can start thinking playoffs (Washington, Pittsburgh), or they face pressures of just trying to adjust to a new, temporary location (A’s, Rays), or they just honestly suck and no one knows what they are doing or trying to do (Miami, Colorado, Los Angeles). Could they surprise and have a playoff-contending season? Sure. Think Arizona from 2023 or Detroit/Kansas City from last season. However, championship pressure in 2025 is the furthest thing from the minds of these organizations.
NO CHAMPIONSHIP PRESSURE, BUT DEFINITELY PLAYOFF PRESSURE (No particular order):
- Seattle Mariners
- Toronto Blue Jays
- San Francisco Giants
- St Louis Cardinals
- Cincinnati Reds
No championship-or-bust pressure. However, the pressure to at least get to the postseason hangs over them. Perhaps odd to have Cincinnati here. Yet, they have a young core of dynamic players that should elevate this team in a relatively open division. St. Louis has yet to get over their Wild Card gag against Phillies in 2022. They aren’t as strong as in the past, but the Cardinals’ fanbase does not tolerate also-ran status. The 2021 season seems increasingly like a fluke for the Giants, but stuck in the same division as San Diego, Arizona and the vile Dodgers, they can’t stand pat. Toronto still has the talent to make a run, but if not now, when? Seattle could and should be thinking higher, but with only half of a quality team (great pitching, zero offense), this seems to be the realistic limit.
THE REST OF THE AL CENTRAL (No particular order):
- Minnesota Twins
- Kansas City Royals
- Cleveland Guardians
- Detroit Tigers
Enter the wildest division in MLB. Blessed with sharing the division with the White Sox, all four team were in the playoff hunt until the end of the regular season. The Twins epically imploded out of the playoff picture, so a playoff berth is a must. As for the other three, they at least won a playoff series. In 2025, the AL Central doesn’t face championship expectations (pending if the Tigers manage to sign a certain 3rd baseman), but they won’t surprise anyone in a pleasant way this coming season.
TEAMS THAT FACE ACTUAL PRESSURE TO WIN IT ALL (In ascending order):
13. Milwaukee Brewers: Somehow, this squad, after trading away its ace and seeing its star manager depart last offseason, not only didn’t implode, but managed to win the NL Central. Unfortunately, they lost again in the Wild Card. How much longer can they hold out as a division contender? The Central may not be as open as it was the last couple of years, but you can’t completely count them out either.
12. San Diego Padres: For the past couple of seasons, the Padres made moves that belied their small/mid-market team status. Yet, the best they’ve managed is a trip to the 2022 NLCS. Arguably they let the Dodgers off the hook in the NLDS last season. For once, they’ve had a quiet offseason, with concerns about the financial viability of the team dominating headlines. They still field a potent squad, but the World Series window is closing fast.
11. Boston Red Sox: Since 2018, they have more last-place AL East finishes (two) than playoff appearances (one). Last season, they stayed in the playoff chase until the last month. However, they have some of the best talent on the roster since 2021. They lack some key pieces, but there is enough promise to warrant higher expectations. Maybe the Sox aren’t a real “contender” yet, but the pressure to be in the hunt is very much present. Now that they signed Bregman, the pressure only increases from here.
10. Arizona Diamondbacks: Few teams are as ready for 2025 as Arizona. They improved their win total in ‘24 and held their own in the brutal NL West. Yet, in the triple-threat bonus doubleheader to end the 2024 season, the Diamondbacks could only watch as Atlanta and New York split the series and ended their year. They lost Christian Walker, but brought in Corbin Burnes, and still possess a strong team that, given the right circumstances, can get hot. It doesn’t help being in the NL West.
9. Houston Astros: Wait, what? This low? Actually…yes. The Astros saw their seven-straight-ALCS-appearance streak come to an abrupt end in a home Wild Card loss. This offseason, the squad traded away Kyle Tucker and Ryan Pressly, let Justin Verlander walk and at the time of this writing, don’t have Bregman at 3rd. They did find major-league replacements in Paredes and Walker, but for the first time in years, the Astros aren’t seen as a league-leading contender. If they can get back to the playoffs, and if they can get key pitchers like Garcia, Javier and McCullers back from injury, they could go on a run. Overall, the championship pressure is somewhat lessened coming into 2025.
8. Chicago Cubs: Speaking of Tucker and Pressly, the Cubs find themselves in an interesting position. They haven’t been back to the playoffs since 2020 and haven’t won a playoff game since 2018. Yet, they may have their best squad since the magical 2016 team. The NL Central is very winnable, and if they are “Astros North”, then they will face Astros’-level expectations. They once went 108 years between World Series titles. It has only been nine years since the last Cubs title. Yet, with these big moves, especially as Tucker and Pressly only having one year remaining on their respective contracts, the Cubs face championship-or-bust vibes.
7. Baltimore O’s: They have a lineup full of young, talented bats. Their farm system boasts even more field player goodness. Yet, they sorely lack the quality of pitching to match their offensive prowess. Even with new ownership, the O’s remained relatively tepid this offseason, signing some decent arms but not really replacing the ace they let walk. Elias copied the Astros model for the teardown and the buildup to a contender. However, he hasn’t done what Luhnow did and win the title. The window remains open, but there is pressure to actually deliver.
6. Texas Rangers: Time for every-other-year Bochy to re-emerge. The title defense, or lack thereof, did not sit well in Arlington. They still have a strong core of bats, but they need to put 2024 in the rearview mirror. Getting back arms like DeGrom and Eovaldi should help the rotation. Yet, that bullpen, even with a master like Bochy, remains a major concern. Also, can the injury bug stay at bay? The regional network revenue issues shadow the front-office, but the Rangers should have legit championship expectations.
5. Atlanta Braves: In the past three seasons, the Astros and Dodgers added to their World Series totals. Yet, what of the Braves? That 2021 win augured a future where Atlanta could add to that total. Since then, the Braves have yet to even return to the NLCS, suffering a meek Wild Card sweep last year. Many key players from that 2021 remain under contract, but they’ve lost players like Fried and Soler. They still have Strider and Acuna, Jr, but both will be coming back from major injury. Also, the NL East is a three-headed monster between Atlanta, New York and Philadelphia. The window is open, but the timeframe is narrowing.
4. New York Mets: Their 2024 ended on a high note. Shaking off the 2023 season, the Mets rebounded for a surprising run to the NLCS, where they fell to the Dodgers in a hard-fought six games. Then, before the calendar year turned to 2025, the Mets shelled out the largest contract in sporting history for Juan Soto. With their recent reunion with Pete Alonso, the Mets look to build on 2024. However, the burden of expectations will be oppressive.
3. Philadelphia Phillies: Since they held a 2-1 lead in the 2022 World Series, they’ve moved increasingly further from their first World Series since 2008. For much of the 2024 season, the Phillies rated perhaps the best team in baseball. While they won the NL East, they fell in the NLDS to the Mets. The Phillies still return their core of ace pitchers and strong bats. Yet, many key contributors are aging out, and the NL does not get any easier. The front office will spend the money/make the moves to win, but the clock is ticking.
2. New York Yankees: In 2024, the Yankees had so many things go their way as they clinched their 41st AL Pennant. Then the 10th inning of Game 1 and the 5th inning of Game 5 happened. A magical season ended on the bitterest of notes. At least it wasn’t the Astros. The Yankees lost Juan Soto, but arguably got better, trading for Cody Bellinger and signing Max Fried, among other moves. They expect a World Series return. Yet, it will be 16 years since the team last won it all. Teams like Houston, Boston and Los Angeles have multiple WS wins since 2009. Those 27 rings mean nothing until the Yankees get #28. The championship pressure will be off the charts in 2025.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers: When they won their first full-season World Series since 1988, it seemed like so much pressure was off. Enter the offseason. It seemed that all the free agents signed with LA. Throw in the fact that Ohtani will make his pitching return, as well as generally the same lineup that won 98 games and it is easy to see why the Dodgers are championship favorites. However, they sit in a damned-if-they-do, damned-if-they-don’t no-man’s-land. Win it, and the cries about the Dodgers ruining baseball and a salary cap will deafen all baseball discourse, sparking a massive labor dispute. Fail to repeat, and the Dodgers go down as one of the biggest disappointments in sporting history. No pressure whatsoever, right?
With that, we have set the pressure-to-win the World Series index for 2025. Yet, this is one iteration. Perhaps you, the minds on the other side of the internet screen, see it differently. Agree, disagree? Let your (respectful) take be heard below: