Ranking Divisions in the MLB

Every division is unique. Some are filled with competitors, while others may see teams luck their way into the playoffs.

6. National League Central

Talent is abound in this division, but no team is without serious flaws.

The Brewers always find themselves in contention, no matter their offseason, due to pitching depth and solid defense, but a lackluster offense may hold them back.

The Cubs made big splashes this offseason, moving on from OF Cody Bellinger while bringing in OF Kyle Tucker and RP Ryan Pressly from Houston. Other minor additions have improved the Cubs, but not to contender status.

The Pirates and Reds have some of the best young talent in baseball. Pitching for the Pirates and bats for the Reds are the headliners, but both lack what the other has and will likely hold them both back.

The St. Louis Cardinals need a lot to go right, and that may be an understatement. Pitching looks to be sorely lacking, while they are waiting on some young bats, namely Jordan Walker, to finally break out.

5. American League West

Do any of these teams scream contender to you?

The Seattle Mariners are the closest to that mark, but still possess fatal flaws. Their pitching will remain elite, but they did next to nothing in addressing an offense that has stymied them for years.

The Texas Rangers, 2023 World Series Champions, are hoping to avoid the injury bug that derailed their 2024 campaign. They bolstered their roster by signing SP Nathan Eovaldi and OF Joc Pederson while trading for 1B Jake Burger.

The Astros traded away OF Kyle Tucker and RP Ryan Pressly while watching 3B Alex Bregman sign with the Red Sox, signaling a new era in Houston. The additions of 1B Christian Walker and 3B Cam Collier could be impact bats, but they won’t replace the production lost.

The Athletics made a surprising number of moves in the offseason, adding some good veteran talent like Luis Severino and Jeffrey Springs. They are still a few years away from competing, however.

The Angels will be a bad baseball team. Mike Trout is moving to a corner outfield spot to hopefully keep him on the field, but no one man can do it alone.

4. American League Central

The Cleveland Guardians made it to the American League Championship Series before falling to the Yankees 4-1. Following this, they traded three-time gold-glover Andrés Giménez to the Toronto Blue Jays. They got little in return, likely due to Giménez's hefty contract.

The Royals and Tigers both made minor moves after surprising playoff berths last season. The Royals flipped starting pitcher Brady Singer to the Reds for 2B Jonathon India and OF Joey Wiemer.

The Tigers brought back Jack Flaherty while bringing in Gleyber Torres and a few solid bullpen pieces to help around the margins.

The Twins are hoping a healthy Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton can lead them back to the promised land, but history has proven this task difficult. Good pitching will help Minnesota if the bats fail, but they still lag behind other teams in their division.

The Chicago White Sox will be unwatchable.

3. National League East

The first division where contenders truly exist, the NL East should be a three-horse race down the stretch.

The Phillies followed up their first division title since 2011 with a quiet offseason. Signing OF Max Kepler and trading for SP Jesús Luzardo improves their roster, but it might not be by enough if existing pieces slip.

The New York Mets had a great offseason, signing superstar OF Juan Soto and bringing back 1B Pete Alonso. Their lineup will be dangerous, but a thin starting rotation could harm them down the stretch..

The Atlanta Braves didn’t make many moves in free agency and are hoping health brings them back to contention in 2025. Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuna Jr. should return, but it may not be enough to win the east.

A young and scary team is starting to develop in Washington, D.C.. The Nationals have an optimistic look on the future with players like James Wood and Dylan Crews, but are far from contention this season.

The Miami Marlins will not be a competitive baseball team in 2025.

2. American League East

After falling in the World Series 4-1, the Yankees followed it up by losing Juan Soto to the Mets. Since then, they have signed SP Max Fried and 1B Paul Goldschmidt while trading for RP Devin Williams from Milwaukee. They didn’t replace Soto but looked to make the team more solid all around.

A young team with plenty of experience, the Baltimore Orioles will look to make another run at the AL East crown. The most notable acquisitions are Gary Sanchez and Charlie Morton, but it is clear Baltimore is relying on its current roster to make a deep run.

The Red Sox quietly had one of the most productive off seasons in 2025. Adding SP Walker Buehler in free agency while trading for RP Jovani Moran and SP Garret Crochet adds important depth to shallow positions for Boston.

These moves, coupled with young talent in Boston’s system, could make for an interesting 2025 season.

The Blue Jays and Rays will both be on the outside looking in. There is not enough talent on either roster that could hope to bring them to the playoffs, especially with the competition within their division.

1. National League West

The rich get richer. There isn’t much else to say. OF Teoscar Hernandez and SP Clayton Kershaw return, while SP Blake Snell, SP Roki Sasaki, RP Tanner Scott and IF Hyseong Kim all join the defending champions. No reason not to win it all.

The San Diego Padres will bring back much of the same players as last season when they almost took down the Dodgers in the NLDS. SP Nick Pivetta was the only real notable acquisition.

The desert was alive with action as the Arizona Diamonds tried to keep pace in a competitive NL West. Signing SP Corbin Burnes and trading for 1B Josh Naylor improve areas of major concern.

Finally, someone chose to sign with San Francisco. After playing bridesmaid for too many years to count, the Giants finally made a splash in free agency.

Star SS Willy Adames signed on to man the hot corner, while the Giants are also giving SP Justin Verlander a chance to have one more vintage season in him.

The Colorado Rockies will be almost as unwatchable as the White Sox. Almost.

Carter Brooks is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, please email cjb7448@psu.edu.