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Watch Heliot Ramos hit San Francisco Giants' first home run of 2025 MLB season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Giants left fielder Heliot Ramos started the 2025 MLB season with a bang.

The 25-year-old crushed San Francisco’s first homer of the year — a two-run shot — in the top of the fourth inning against the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday at Great American Ballpark.

Ramos gets the Giants on the board with the first homer of the season 💪 pic.twitter.com/9YDrx9AlQ4

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) March 27, 2025

Ramos earned the long ball, which came on the 11th pitch of the at-bat against Reds starter Hunter Greene. The homer run cut Cincinnati’s lead to 3-2.

The 2024 NL All-Star finished with 22 homers last season, second most on the Giants, and he picked up right where he left off.

The 2017 first-round draft pick hit fifth in the Giants’ Opening Day lineup and extended San Francisco’s historic streak of having a different player start the opener in left field.

The Giants expect big things from Ramos in his second full MLB season, and so far, he’s delivering.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

The Mets face the Astros on Opening Day in Houston on Thursday at 4:10 p.m. on SNY.

Here's what to know about the game and how to watch...

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Mets Notes

• Clay Holmes is on the mound for the Mets in what will be his first big league start in the regular season since his rookie year with the Pirates in 2018
• Juan Sotois making his official Mets debut
• Francisco Lindor is beginning his fifth season as a Met. Over his first four years in Queens, Lindor has finished in the top 10 in National League MVP voting three times
• Pete Alonso is 26 home runs shy of tying Darryl Strawberry for No. 1 in franchise history

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SNY's Andy Martino is responding to and breaking down answers to Mets questions from readers. Here's the latest...

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Is Kodai Senga on a pitch limit, for sure? – @KrankingKranick

I’m told that all Mets starting pitchers, including Senga, will be on a somewhat limited pitch count in the early part of the season. This isn’t Senga-specific, though he might be built up a bit less than the others.

Big picture, the best way to talk about the Mets’ pitching might be to think of it in terms of a staff rather than a "rotation.”

The Mets will be comfortable using their bullpen aggressively behind all their starters and will expect to use their organizational depth – not to mention external additions – to cycle through fresh arms over the long season.

The front office has acquired, and the player development staff has developed, pitchers with high-end stuff, many of whom are relievers. Manager Carlos Mendoza will utilize these pitchers at all points in games.

The philosophy will, at times, challenge traditional baseball discussion. If Mendoza removes, say, a reasonably effective Tylor Megill with one out in the fourth inning at 75 pitches, some talk radio callers will go bananas. But it’s worth noting at the outset of the season that this is the expected approach.

Does Brett Baty have a chance to ‘Wally Pipp’ Jeff McNeil? And do you see him sticking around once McNeil returns if not? Are the Mets happy with the Jose Siri/Tyrone Taylor platoon in center? – @tmcgrathBC

To cut to the very heart of your first question, it’s not clear that either of the players you name will be the Mets’ long-term solution at second base. McNeil’s hold on the position has clearly weakened over the past year, but David Stearns and Mendoza value plus defense up the middle. McNeil offers more of that than Baty, who, through no fault of his own, was born with the body of a corner infielder.

Baty dove wholeheartedly into learning second base, taking great pleasure in the newness of positioning, cuts, throws, etc. The Mets are lucky to have a touted prospect so willing to do whatever he can to make the roster. Not long ago, teams valued offense more than defense at second base – remember the Dan Uggla era? – but that is generally no longer the case. On the plus side for Baty, he has a strong throwing arm, an underrated tool at second that is useful in turning double plays.

Consider this, though: Baty is on the team essentially as Jose Iglesias’ replacement. Remember Iglesias’ above-average range and magic hands? If McNeil and Nick Madrigal (the infielder originally signed to replace Iglesias, who is now out for the year) were healthy, it’s hard to see Baty making the Opening Day roster. He remains an imperfect fit for that role. But he has worked his tail off, and he can hit. Let’s see what happens.

To answer your second question, the Mets are in great shape in center field. Siri is an elite fielder in the Harrison Bader mold. Count on Stearns to always bring in a plus-plus glove at that position to help offset Juan Soto in right. The Yankees were unable to this last year with Aaron Judge in center, but Stearns will not fall into that trap. Siri will also contribute power from the bottom of the lineup. And Taylor’s ability to play whenever and somehow produce makes him a manager’s dream.

Do you think Stearns will make a move for a high-end starter this year? – @StengelCase

Yes.

Who do you see as the top pitcher at the end of the year for the Mets? It can even be a player the Mets trade for. – @TaddHilyard3

Dylan Cease or Michael King.

If Pete Alonso struggles in the 3 hole, how long till Mendy makes a change? – @steve60264894

Mendoza will not have this problem because Alonso will hit at least 50 home runs this year. I mean it.

Why you always talking about the Yankees? – @kelsan2415

Here at SNY, we are proud to offer coverage of the entire New York pro sports scene. My question is, why you mad about it?

Are you excited or are you excited? – @metsandanime

I am excited.

SNY MLB Insider Andy Martino answers Yankees questions from readers...

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Why are they so secretive with Stanton? Has he officially been placed on the IL and for how many days? No replacement, so is it Rice\righty platoon at DH? - @BillBrown35

I don’t know about secretive. I am told that Stanton responded well to the PRP shots and should be back to contribute before too terribly long. There is no exact timetable, but it does not sound nearly as dire as, well, Stanton made it sound when he called the injury “severe.”

Yankees officials were not as alarmed as fans by Stanton’s choice of words. The organization has long known Stanton as a player who does not sugarcoat injuries or provide overly optimistic prognoses. He’ll be out a while, don’t get me wrong. But the expectation is that he’ll be back with more than enough time to provide his typical late-season and October heroics.

In the meantime, yes, Ben Rice along with Aaron Judge and others will take the DH at-bats. External additions are always possible, too. Brian Cashman and his staff never stop looking.

Why do you think we care about the Yankees so much? Most of us are Mets fans. Genuine question! - @HeismanHedley

Your phrase “most of us” struck me. For whom are you presuming that you speak? Your social media bubble, which is naturally self-curated? Who are you to define what “us” means?

This is like when people on Twitter say “Mets fans think this” or “Mets fans think that.” Baseball fans are a diverse group with a wide range of opinions, most of whom are not on Twitter. Why not just speak for yourself? I accept and respect that you do not care about the Yankees.

Why can’t Juan Soto keep the Yankees out of his mouth - he chose to take the most money from the Mets , but he’s trying to play the victim card here by saying he still keeps tabs on the Yankees and their offseason … why can’t he just move on - @shamshirosenfe2

I find the fan angst on both sides of town regarding Soto’s feelings about the Yankees to be strange.

He is a human being who had a profound experience with his previous employer, coworkers and fan base. He initially hoped to return to that job, and then made a difficult decision to accept a new job at a company whose resources and culture left a strong impression on him and his family. He subsequently balanced feelings of loss with excitement about the new coworkers and fan base.

When reporters ask him about this, he does his best to answer openly, likely knowing that social media bullies will parse his every word despite his good faith attempts to share nuanced and evolving feelings.

In other words, let’s all give this young man a break.

What's your favorite vendor at Yankee Stadium? - @benjamntenison1

Christian Petroni meatballs and cheesy garlic bread. Yum yum.

Do the Yankees still win the division? - @drjevans182

I have Boston winning the American League East and the Yankees making the playoffs. My reasoning is that the Red Sox have dramatically improved their starting pitching by adding Garrett Crochet and Walker Buehler and imported championship-caliber edge (and elite third base defense) with Alex Bregman. Alex Cora is a difference-making manager whose clubs exploit opponents’ weaknesses -- remember the Jose Trevino stolen base extravaganza at Fenway last year?

The Yankees should still be good, even without Gerrit Cole and, for several months, Luis Gil and Stanton. They have Max Fried and oodles of homegrown talent that could lead the offense. Players like Cody Bellinger, Austin Wells and Rice feature swings perfectly tailored to Yankee Stadium. And like the Red Sox, they have one of the best managers in the game.

Here is my list of the top Opening Day memorable moments for the Mets all time...

1) Gary Carter’s Debut: Mets 6, Cardinals 5, 10 innings, April 9, 1985, Shea Stadium

Acquired in a surprise trade from the Montreal Expos the previous December, Carter was viewed as the final piece of a team with championship potential. So when he sent a full house at Shea home happy with a game-winning home run off former Met Neil Allen in the bottom of the 10^th, this Opening Day had a Hollywood feel to it.

It was also the first shot fired in a season-long battle with the Cardinals for NL East supremacy, and Carter went on to have a great year, hitting 32 home runs with 100 RBI. As it turned out, of course, the Mets finished three games behind the Cards in ’85 and so it wasn’t until the next year that Carter helped deliver the championship GM Frank Cashen envisioned when he made the trade to get the future Hall of Fame catcher.

2) The Franchise Returns: Mets 2, Phillies 0. April 5, 1983, Shea Stadium

Six years after the Mets infuriated their fan base by trading Tom Seaver to the Cincinnati Reds, their star pitcher was back at age 38, having been acquired from the Reds the previous December after the worst season of his career.

Welcomed back with a standing ovation as he took the mound, Seaver pitched six scoreless innings in a duel with Steve Carlton and wound up getting a no-decision when the Mets scored two runs in the seventh. 

It made for a feel-good story in an otherwise forgettable season as the Mets went 68-94, their seventh straight losing season, and then lost Seaver again when the Chicago White Sox surprised them by claiming him in a free agent compensation draft the following January.

3) Darryl Strawberry’s Roof Shot: Mets 10, Expos 6. April 4, 1988, at Montreal

Having been there for this Opening Day, I’d make the case that you had to see Strawberry’s mammoth home run off Randy St. Claire to truly appreciate it. It’s still the longest, highest shot I’ve ever seen, as it seemed to climb forever above the right field stands until it crashed into the rim of lights just below the roof of Olympic Stadium.

Long before the Statcast technology that now measures home runs, a physics professor from a local college in Montreal calculated that the ball would have traveled 525 feet had it not essentially hit the top of the dome. For Strawberry it was his second home run of the day and quite a start to a superb season that included 39 home runs and 101 RBI as he finished second in the NL MVP voting to the Dodgers’ Kirk Gibson.

4) First Opening Day Win: Mets 5, Pirates 3, 11 innings. April 7, 1970, at Pittsburgh

Nope, the Mets didn’t always win on Opening Day. In fact, they lost the first eight season openers before breaking through on this day at Forbes Field in their first game following their miracle championship ’69 season.

Seaver pitched eight strong innings but the game was tied until Donn Clendenon, fresh from winning the World Series MVP Award the previous October, delivered a pinch-hit, two run single in the 11^th, and Tug McGraw then got the last three outs for the save.

5) Raising The Flag: Mets 3, Pirates 2, April 7, 1987, Shea Stadium

The 1986 world championship was the second in franchise history but because the Mets opened the season in Pittsburgh after their ’69 title, this was the first Opening Day they could celebrate by raising the championship flag.

Nevertheless, the day had a bittersweet feel to it for the Mets, coming only a week after they were stunned to learn that Dwight Gooden had tested positive for cocaine and entered a rehab facility in New York. 

In what he said was a tribute to his teammate, Darryl Strawberry wore Gooden’s uniform pants in the opener and had the decisive hit, a three-run home run in the first inning that Bob Ojeda and Jesse Orosco made stand up for the win. 

6) The Strangest Day: Mets 1, Braves 0, July 24, 2020, Citi Field

At 81 degrees it had to be the hottest Opening Day ever but that was hardly the strange part. Due to the pandemic, no fans were allowed in the ballpark, and while crowd noise was pumped in via the sound system, the quiet was eerie at times, especially when Yoenis Cespedes hit a solo home run in the seventh inning to provide the only run of the game.

Cespedes’ heroics seemed to be a good omen for the 60-game season, but within a month he was gone, opting out due to COVID-19 concerns, though reports surfaced of his unhappiness at potentially being benched at times. Meanwhile, the Mets would never climb above .500 the rest of the season, losing seven of their next nine games en route to a disappointing 26-34 record.

7) Johan Santana’s Debut: Mets 7, Marlins 2, March 31, 2008, at Miami

After their historic September collapse in 2007 the Mets were hoping that acquiring Santana from the Minnesota Twins in a blockbuster trade would be the boost they needed to get back to the postseason. And Opening Day, as usual, offered plenty of promise.

The two-time Cy Young winner pitched seven strong innings andDavid Wright, in what would be a spectacular 33-home run, 124-RBI season, had a pair of doubles and three RBI to lead the Mets to an easy win. Santana would go on to pay dividends on the trade all season, posting a record of 16-7 with a league-leading 2.53 ERA, but the Mets fell short of the postseason again, eliminated from wild card contention on the final day of the season in a loss to the Marlins, the last game played at Shea Stadium.

8) Extras In Atlanta: Mets 6, Braves 4, 10 innings, April 3, 2001, at Turner Field

Coming off their World Series season in 2000, the Mets had high expectations, all the more so after their Opening Day win against the team they could never seem to beat when it counted in those days.

Al Leiter pitched seven strong innings, then both teams blew late-inning leads before Robin Ventura’s two-run home run in the 10^th off Kerry Lightenberg put the Mets ahead and Armando Benitez closed out the win. 

However, with Mike Hampton gone via free agency the Mets couldn’t repeat their success of 2000, finishing 82-80, making for second-guessing that maybe they should have taken up free agent Alex Rodriguez on his desire to play in Queens.

9) Pedro Martinez’s Debut: Reds 7, Mets 6, April 4, 2005, at Cincinnati

It felt like a hugely important day as Martinez, freshly-signed after his 2004 championship season with the Boston Red Sox, signaled the start of a big-spending era under GM Omar Minaya, racking up 12 strikeouts in six solid innings.

However, closer Braden Looper gave up two home runs in the ninth to blow a 6-4 lead and the Mets would lose five straight games before new manager Willie Randolph got his first win. 

Pedro delivered a strong season, going 15-8 with a 2.82 ERA, and though the Mets fell short of the postseason with 83 wins, their first winning season in four years set the stage for big things to come in 2006.

10) Meet The Mets: Cardinals 11, Mets 4, April 11, 1962 at St. Louis.

After four years without a National League team in New York, thanks to the Giants and Dodgers leaving for the west coast, the Mets began play as an expansion team on this Opening Day in St. Louis, and the ugly loss, which included three errors, turned out to be a sign of things to come.

Gil Hodges did make history in this game by hitting the first home run for the new franchise, and that proved to be a bit poetic when he later managed the Mets to their 1969 championship. But it was an awfully long inaugural season as the Mets stumbled to a record of 40-120, which included a 17-game losing streak in May and June, finishing a mere 60 ½ games behind the first-place San Francisco Giants in the National League.

With all the lore and big moments in Yankee annals, you know they’ve got some Opening Day highlights. For instance, maybe you heard about the time a big Yankee star blasted the first homer ever in the ballpark that was (nick)named for him?

We’re looking back at the top moments in Yankees Opening Day history. 

April 14, 1908

Stump your friends: What pitcher threw 12 shutout innings for the Highlanders (the Yankees’ former name) on this Opening Day? Slow Joe Doyle, that’s who! He allowed only six hits in a 1-0 victory over the Philadelphia Athletics. You’re welcome.

April 18, 1923

What, you thought Wally Schang was going to hit the first home run at brand-new Yankee Stadium? In the first-ever game at this baseball palace, aka The House That Ruth Built, Babe Ruth smashed a three-run shot in the third inning, delighting a crowd listed at 74,200 strong. More fans milled around outside, unable to get in to see the show. Bet they were happy, too.

April 12, 1932

Ruth was in his age-37 season, but still lethal. He was 3-for-5 with two homers and five RBI in the Yankees’ 12-6 victory over the Philadelphia Athletics. Samuel Byrd homered twice and Lou Gehrig homered and tripled in the rout.

April 17, 1951

There was a lot going on when 44,860 folks crowded into Yankee Stadium for this Opening Day. Mickey Mantle, wearing the No. 6 jersey he was initially assigned, was starting his career. Joe DiMaggio was playing in his final opener. A new public address announcer, who’d stick around for quite awhile, was making his debut. The first batter that Bob Sheppard announced? Joe’s brother, Dom DiMaggio, the center fielder for the Boston Red Sox. In the only opener in which Joe DiMaggio and Mantle played in the same outfield, both went 1-for-4 with an RBI. Vic Raschi threw a six-hit shutout in the Yanks’ 5-0 victory.

April 13, 1955

Bob Cerv and Mantle had four RBI apiece as the Yankees hammered the Washington Senators, 19-1, in front of 11,251 at Yankee Stadium.

April 19, 1960

Please allow Roger Maris to introduce himself: In a remarkable debut, Maris, acquired in a big trade with the Kansas City Athletics, batted leadoff and went 4-for-5 with two homers, a double and four RBI. Quite a kickoff event for his first two seasons in pinstripes, which brought consecutive AL MVP Awards and an assault on the single-season home run record.

April 6, 1973

This 15-5 loss at Fenway Park was mostly forgettable, except for this: In the top of the first inning, Ron Blomberg of the Yankees became the first designated hitter in baseball history when he drew a bases-loaded walk against Luis Tiant.

April 6, 1974

Yankee Stadium was being refurbished, so the Yankees played at Shea Stadium. Mel Stottlemyre threw a complete game, allowing one run and seven hits, to beat Gaylord Perry and the Indians, 6-1, in front of 20,744 fans.

April 9, 1981

The Yankees kicked off a World Series season with an opener made memorable by Bobby Murcer’s pinch-hit grand slam in the seventh inning.

April 2, 1996

Everyone knew Derek Jeter was an uber-prospect, but doubt swirled over whether he was ready, mainly in the owner’s box. This was the Steinbrenner Era Yankees, after all, and at one point The Boss wanted to swap a skinny pitcher named Mariano Rivera to Seattle for shortstop insurance in the form of Felix Fermin. Luckily, no one listened to that ranting. Jeter swatted away all the nonsense with a star turn on Opening Day, homering off Dennis Martinez and making a great catch to steal a hit from Omar Vizquel in a 7-1 victory in Cleveland. Oh, and it was Joe Torre’s first game as Yankee manager, too. It all worked out OK after that, didn’t it?

April 3, 2006

In a 15-2 blowout in Oakland, Alex Rodriguez was 3-for-5 with a homer and five RBI and Hideki Matsui was 4-for-4 with a home run and four RBI.

April 1, 2008

In a hello-goodbye kind of day, Joe Girardi made his debut as Yankee manager in the final opener at the old Yankee Stadium. Chien-Ming Wang made it a happy occasion, allowing only two runs in seven innings to beat Hall of Famer Roy Halladay and the Blue Jays, 3-2.

March 29, 2018

Giancarlo Stanton turned his first game as a Yankee into a power show, blasting two homers and a double in a 6-1 victory in Toronto.

July 23, 2020

The Cole Train and the Hype Train ran on parallel tracks as big-money free agent Gerrit Cole made his first start as a Yankee amid all the fanfare over his $324 million contract and his vapor-trail fastball. He delivered. Cole allowed one hit in a five-inning complete game in a 4-1 victory over the Nationals in Washington, D.C. Stanton homered in this one, too, a mammoth 459-foot blast off then-Nats ace Max Scherzer.

When the Yankees couldn’t re-sign Juan Soto over the winter, they pivoted to a run-prevention plan that included streamlining a pockmarked defense, adding one of the best free agent starters in lefty Max Fried, and trading for dazzling closer Devin Williams. Nice. 

But that plan took a serious ding this spring when Gerrit Cole needed Tommy John surgery. Fried is still a great signing and will front their staff, but the Yanks are far weaker now that they don’t have Cole, one of the few rotation lions still working in baseball’s age of the “five-and-fly” starter. 

Now it’s fair to wonder if the Yankees’ lofty goals – a repeat trip to the World Series, this time with a victory parade – are in peril. Luis Gil and Giancarlo Stanton are out to begin the season, too. Yuck.

But the Yankees still have Aaron Judge, the single greatest offensive force in the game – his OPS of 1.159 last year was 123 points higher than Shohei Ohtani’s (Yes, that Ohtani) – and they added what they believe will be lineup help in Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt. 

And who knows what Jasson Domínguez can bring now that he’s going to get a chance – finally. If it seems like you’ve been hearing about his outsized talents before he was even born, well, it’s because he’s one of the most-hyped prospects ever, even in an age when teenagers are treated as untouchable diamond gods though they have miles to go before they sniff the majors. 

Now, however, it’s Domínguez’s time. Is it the Yankees’ time, too? The answer would be much simpler if Cole were pitching this year. 

What the Yankees have going for them

Judge. You know why, if you’ve been paying even cursory attention to baseball the past few years. If he’s healthy, he might hit 60-plus home runs again. 

Their bullpen, led by Williams and his “Airbender” changeup and setup man Luke Weaver, is strong, though Weaver must prove that his 2024 breakout (2.89 ERA!) was not a one-year surge. The Yanks have been very good at finding other relief contributors, sometimes from unlikely candidates, too.

The remaining arms in the rotation are solid. Carlos Rodón can be confounding every five days, but his ceiling is high – can’t stop thinking about that nails Game 1 start against Cleveland in the ALDS last year. Clarke Schmidt holds promise for more than he’s delivered in his young career, too. Fried is a ground ball machine and the Yanks now own the gloves to scoop ‘em up. 

Jazz Chisholm Jr. is back at second base, probably his best position, and he and Anthony Volpe should form an athletic keystone tandem. Chisholm, one of four players with at least 24 homers and 40 steals last season (Ohtani was one of the others), is a power-speed blend who could be ready to go even bigger.

Goldschmidt, if he provides, say, 20 homers and strong defense at first, will be an enormous improvement over what the Yanks have gotten out of first base in recent years. Yankee first basemen had a .335 slugging percentage in 2024, the worst in the majors at the position. 

We’ll get to third base in a separate category. That’s foreshadowing, if it wasn’t clear. 

Bellinger, in center field, should help on defense and his lefty swing could thrive in Yankee Stadium. Most projection systems have him getting to the low 20s in home runs, but perhaps the short porch helps him to a power infusion that gets him into the 30s again. We’ll see. 

Catcher Austin Wells, coming off a huge spring, is an ascending player with power and catching acumen. He slugged 13 homers last season. Can he get to 20 or perhaps beyond, this year? Another player who had a huge spring, Ben Rice, could be an interesting lineup wrinkle.

The Yankees will make the playoffs if…

Judge is healthy all season. 

Judge led the majors last year in too many categories to list, even in an Internet article. There is enough behind him to get the Yanks into the tournament where they can, as usual, take their chances in October’s cauldron. Even without the wondrous Soto, the Yankees should score.

Of course, it would help if Domínguez turns out to be even half as good as some of his boosters say he’ll be, Bellinger hits, Chisholm continues to grow, and Volpe finally makes an offensive leap. Volpe increased his average by 34 points (to .243) last year, but his homers dipped from 20 to 12. 

This would help, too – a triumphant Stanton return from tennis elbow in both elbows. He hit seven homers in 14 postseason games last October, a huge factor in the Yanks getting to the Fall Classic. The ugly swings he sometimes takes are cringe-inducing, but his power is an undeniable, game-changing (series-changing!) weapon. 

They need to squeeze something out of their rotation depth, too, considering what’s happened so far. Good thing they kept Marcus Stroman after trying to trade him over the winter. Will Warren, a talented youngster, and pickup Carlos Carrasco should have impact, too, at least early on. 

Crisper, more athletic defense profiles as a must, too, all over the field. Domínguez, who was so worrisome on defense last year that the Yanks kept using Alex Verdugo instead, is key here.

The Yankees will miss the playoffs if…

Judge is not healthy all season. 

Remember 2023? We might not have realized it at the time, but the Yanks were cooked once Judge hurt his toe crashing into the wall at Dodger Stadium. The Yanks finished 82-80, everyone was big mad, and it was easy to wonder if a longer-term lull was looming in the Bronx. 

It remains to be seen if third base is a crater that hurts their chances, too. The Bombers go into the season with Oswaldo Cabrera as the likely starter, though he’s been mostly a utility player (and human caffeine as a hype man) in his career. They clearly wanted DJ LeMahieu to take the job to start, but he got hurt in camp. 

So it’s fair to ask: Did they fall one winter move short here? 

And, since it’s the Yankees and we know their recent history with aches and aging players, the specter of the IL always lurks. They must stay healthy (they haven’t already). Judge most of all. 

Final record and playoff prediction

88-74
Third in the AL East
Second Wild Card spot

Chill, they’re making the October tournament. Everyone seems to think the AL is the weaker league this year. Maybe so, but tell it to the AL East, a minefield of a division, what with the Red Sox improving, the Orioles flashing immense young talent, the how-are-they-always-problematic Rays, and the Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Blue Jays, who someday might put it all together as a club.

That’s why the Yanks profile as third place finishers. The real test always comes in October, anyway. The Yankees get there thanks to Judge, defense, and pitching. The front office, under GM Brian Cashman, has always shown a willingness to add at the deadline and they’ll probably need to, so they could be different (better!) in a few months. 

Moves help push them into the ALCS and a meeting with the revived Texas Rangers. That’s where the pinstriped season ends, unless Judge has the playoff series of his life, the monster one Yankees fans have been craving. 

As with everything Yankees, so much depends on Judge.

Turner leading off in Phillies' Opening Day lineup originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Trea Turner? Kyle Schwarber?

In Game 1 of 162, it’s Turner in the leadoff spot against Nationals left-hander Mackenzie Gore.

The Phillies have been interested in seeing what their offense can look like with Turner leading off. Manager Rob Thomson has said that for now, Turner will lead off against lefties and Schwarber against righties.

Schwarber has led off in 83.6% of his plate appearances as a Phillie and he’s certainly performed, setting the major-league record last season in leadoff homers while also leading the National League with 106 walks. Pretty valuable skill set atop a lineup.

But there’s also some more RBI potential if Schwarber hits second, behind Turner, or fourth, behind Bryce Harper and Alec Bohm. You can pretty much bank on Schwarber hitting 38-plus home runs in a healthy season, so putting that bat a spot or two after Harper’s near-.400 on-base percentage could lead to more crooked numbers.

It can’t hurt to try out a couple of variations throughout a long season to see what works best. For Turner to give the Phillies what they’d want from him in the leadoff spot, though, he needs to be able to revert to his table-setting ways.

From 2015-22, Turner hit .303 with a .356 on-base percentage. As a Phillie since, Turner has hit .279 with a .328 on-base percentage, averaging 15 fewer hits and 10 fewer walks per 162 games.

He is still a very good player. He hit .295 with 21 homers and an .807 OPS in 121 games last season but it was his second straight year of extremes. Both years, he carried the offense at one point for 6-8 weeks with power. Both years, he also experienced prolonged cold spells. Ideally, there’s a better balance in 2025 and beyond for a shortstop signed through 2033.

Turner and the leadoff spot isn’t the only lineup focus. Perhaps more important than the structure of the one-two hitters is whether or not Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh can bounce back. Stott’s batting average fell from .280 to .245 last season. He dealt with a bad elbow for most of the way which likely affected his performance — this season should give us an indication of how much. Marsh couldn’t find the same offensive rhythm he found in 2023, when he hit .277 with a .372 on-base percentage that would have ranked ninth in the National League if he wasn’t 30 mere plate appearances away from qualifying. The Phillies know that both 27-year-olds have the ability in them, it’s just a matter of them both doing it again in the same year to help supplement the offensive core.

Here is the Phils’ Opening Day lineup behind ace Zack Wheeler:

1. Trea Turner, SS
2. Bryce Harper, 1B (L)
3. Alec Bohm, 3B
4. Kyle Schwarber, DH (L)
5. J.T. Realmuto, C
6. Max Kepler, LF (L)
7. Nick Castellanos, RF
8. Bryson Stott, 2B (L)
9. Brandon Marsh, CF (L)

Five left-handed hitters in the lineup against a lefty starter is an unusually high number, but the Phillies want to play Kepler every day and give Marsh more opportunities against southpaws. The other factor is the opponent himself. Gore is a talented 26-year-old starter who is only getting better, but he has reverse platoon splits, with lefties hitting .279/.377/.438 against him compared to .253/.325/.409 from righties.

The Mets enter the 2025 MLB season not only as playoff contenders, but as a team that is viewed as one of the very best in baseball.

It's been a huge leap over the last year for a franchise that began the 2024 campaign with legitimate hope that they were turning things around, but not much in the way of postseason expectations.

In last season's version of this story, I predicted that the Mets would win 86 games (they exceeded that mark by three wins) and nab the third Wild Card spot in the National League (which they did).

But even the most optimistic prognosticators had to be surprised at how far the 2024 Mets went, as they caught fire in the second half of the season, rode an incredible wave into the playoffs, took out the Brewers in the Wild Card Series on the back of the most dramatic home run in franchise history, ousted the Phillies in four games in the NLDS, and ultimately fell to the eventual World Series champion Dodgers in six games in the NLCS.

Because of the way the Mets finished last season, and the pixie dust that seemed to be sprinkled on them as they made their remarkable run, it had to be tempting for David Stearns and Co. to keep much of that group together.

But while the Mets re-signed some of the players whose contributions were huge last season (including Pete Alonso,Sean Manaea, and Jesse Winker), others are now playing elsewhere (Luis Severino, Jose Iglesias, Jose Quintana).

Of course, the biggest move the Mets made this past offseason also happened to be the most seismic one they've ever made: the signing of Juan Soto.

Along with Soto and a big chunk of players who were part of the 2024 squad, a new cast of characters including Clay Holmes, A.J. Minter, and Jose Siri will try to help New York not only get back to the playoffs, but be the last team standing at its conclusion.

Without further ado, here is our preview and prediction for the 2025 season...

What the Mets have going for them

After scoring the sixth-most runs in baseball last season, the Mets will return the bulk of that lineup while also adding Soto -- who had a .178 OPS+ last year while smacking a career-high 41 homers, driving in 109, and scoring a career-best 128 runs.

To say that the top of New York's lineup with Francisco Lindor at No. 1 and Soto at No. 2 is dynamic would be an understatement. But it doesn't stop there.

A returning Alonso (who will be looking to cash in after the season) along with Mark Vientos and Brandon Nimmo should provide serious punch in the middle of the lineup. Meanwhile, Winker and Starling Marte (who could split DH duties) and Jose Siri add pop to the lower half.

Two X-factors for the offense could be Francisco Alvarez (who is out until the end of April or a bit longer) and Brett Baty (who will begin the year as the regular second baseman in Jeff McNeil's absence).

The Mets should also have a very strong bullpen, which is a big step up from where they started last season. Anchored byEdwin Diaz, there are a plethora of arms that not only possess big-time stuff but the ability to pitch in the late innings.

That list includes Minter, Ryne Stanek, Reed Garrett, and Dedniel Núñez (who should be ready to contribute soon). And if high-upside, multi-inning options Jose Butto and Max Kranick excel, New York's bullpen could be elite.

The biggest question mark is the rotation, which will be led by Clay Holmes, Kodai Senga, and David Peterson early as Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas work their way back from injuries.

But while the starting staff will have a lot of pressure on it until Manaea returns (perhaps at the end of April) and Montas is back (in May or June), the strength the Mets possess elsewhere should allow them to persevere through any potential early hiccups in the rotation.

Even though most of the focus is rightfully on the players who broke camp on the big league club, it's impossible to ignore the fact that a handful of truly impact prospects could contribute in a big way this season -- potentially as early as the first half.

Names to watch there are right-handed pitchers Brandon Sproat, Nolan McLean, and Blade Tidwell, infielder Ronny Mauricio, and outfielder Drew Gilbert.

There's also a chance infielder/center fielder Jett Williams debuts in 2025.

The Mets will make the playoffs if...

If they stay relatively healthy and the starting rotation is at least average, the Mets should find themselves in October.

And if the rotation excels and/or gets a jolt by Sproat and/or McLean, New York could be headed for its first NL East title since 2015.

Something else to note here is that if serious reinforcements are needed around the trade deadline, Stearns and the front office are now in a spot where they'll likely be more than willing to part with some serious prospect capital in order to acquire it -- whether that's an impact starting pitcher or something else.

Most of these Mets can also draw on the experience of last year's battle for the playoffs and ensuing run, so they should be well-equipped to handle a tight race.

Also a plus is the steady Carlos Mendoza, who had the same demeanor, guiding hand, and communication skills for every day of last season in what was his first year as manager -- from 0-5 to Game 6 in Los Angeles.

The Mets will miss the playoffs if...

For every team, there's always a chance that injuries could derail a season. For a team as deep as the Mets, though, it would take a rash of lengthy injuries to top contributors in the lineup and the pitching staff.

If not injuries, the Mets could also be doomed by how ridiculously deep the National League is -- especially compared to the relatively weak American League.

For someone ranking the 10 best teams in baseball, it wouldn't be crazy to list seven NL teams (the Mets, Braves, Phillies, Dodgers, Padres, Diamondbacks, and Cubs) among them. It's also possible the Brewers are formidable again and the Reds take a step forward, which would set up a serious battle for the six playoff spots.

It is not impossible to envision a scenario where the Mets win 90 games and miss the playoffs, though it should be pointed out that every team that has won 90 games or more since the third Wild Card in each league was added has made the postseason.

Final record and playoff prediction

94-68
Second place in NL East
First Wild Card spot

The Mets will come close to winning the division, but the Braves will eke that out, leaving New York as the top Wild Card team.

New York will oust the Phillies in the Wild Card Series and take out the loaded Dodgers in the NLDS.

But the Mets' season will again end one step shy of the World Series, as they will fall to the Braves in the NLCS.

How Giants newcomer Koss locked up Opening Day roster spot originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

CINCINNATI — Christian Koss was 14 years old when Buster Posey hit a grand slam off Cincinnati Reds right-hander Mat Latos in the 2012 NLDS, but he still remembers exactly where he was. He remembers where he was for Barry Bonds’ record-breaking homers, too. 

Koss was born in Riverside, grew up in Southern California and went to UC Irvine. His friends all cheered for the Dodgers or Angels, but the Koss family was an outlier. 

“It was tough,” he said, laughing. “I always loved orange growing up.”

The family was drawn to the team’s colors, and it certainly helped that Koss spent his childhood watching Bonds and then a dynasty. On Tuesday, his family found out that it’s safe to purchase a lot more orange clothing.

Koss was the big surprise on the Opening Day roster. He had a big spring, but he was in camp as a 27-year-old non-roster invitee who seemingly was blocked on the roster. He bats right-handed, which made the left-handed Brett Wisely and Grant McCray cleaner fits.

But the Giants went with Koss and fellow right-handed hitter Casey Schmitt. President of baseball operations Buster Posey said he’s not worried about the imbalance; the focus was on putting together the best roster, and both Schmitt and Koss bring a lot to the table.

“I think both of those guys give you nice versatility,” Posey said. “Schmitt is obviously great against left-handed pitching but as the spring went along I thought his at-bats against right-handed pitchers got a lot better. He defends well. Koss, the same thing, (plus) the versatility to play multiple positions on the infield. You probably could throw him in the outfield if you need to — he’s just that type of player. 

“He’s another one for me that I watched this spring that just carried himself with such a confidence at short or third or wherever he was playing. He’s just to me is the epitome of a baseball player and will go and do anything you ask him to do. We’re excited he’s on the team.” 

Koss had a .426 on-base percentage while looking comfortable all over the dirt this spring. He played outfield in winter ball and said he even has played first base in the past. The Giants view him as a strong baserunner, and initially that could be how he gets a lot of time late in games. The simple swing should be easily maintained as a bench player.  

“He made an impression from Day 1,” manager Bob Melvin said. “The style of play that we want to play, he embodies it.” 

Melvin delivered the news before Tuesday’s exhibition, and he said the Giants made a production of the whole thing. Koss later got to tell his parents and wife, who will be at Great American Ball Park this weekend, along with his two-year-old daughter. 

Koss said there were a lot of tears. Then the focus turned to travel logistics and preparing for his Major League Baseball debut.

“I don’t think it has really set in yet,” he said, smiling. 

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

Alex Rodriguez on Yankee beards, Juan Soto and who will be in 2025 World Series originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Alex Rodriguez says umpires stink.

No, not at calling balls and strikes. They smell, just like sweaty baseball players.

So, A-Rod is going to bat for umps in his latest commercial for Lysol Laundry Sanitizer that debuted on Opening Day.    

“Bacteria and sweat can lead to seriously stinky clothes, which I can attest as a player,” Rodriguez recently told NBC Local. “So, umpires get stinky, and we come in and help out.”

A-Rod’s World Series prediction

Those umpires are back behind the plate across the country today with the Major League Baseball season officially getting underway. How it ends this fall could come as a surprise if Rodriguez’s prediction plays out, with one team reaching the World Series for the first time in over 40 years.

“The one thing I will not sleep on is the Baltimore Orioles,” said Rodriguez, who hit 696 career home runs, the fifth most in MLB history. “The Baltimore Orioles I think can win 100 games. In many ways, everyone is talking about the Yankees and the Red Sox, but I think the Orioles have a chance to be the head of the class in the American League.”

The Orioles are not far removed from a triple-digit victory season, having gone 101-61 in 2023 for their winningest season since 1979. They followed that up with a 91-win campaign last year. But each season ended without a single postseason victory, with the O’s having been swept in the 2023 ALDS and 2024 Wild Card Series. Rodriguez believes that will change this season.

“I’m a big, big believer in continuity,” he said. “So, they’re a young team, think about them like they’re almost like juniors or seniors in college now, but they’ve come together. Freshman year, they came out and made a big splash. Sophomore year is always the toughest, plus they had a tough injury with their closer. I think this year they have new ownership, they have good mojo, they have continuity.”

Rodriguez’s pick for the Orioles’ opponent in the Fall Classic comes as no surprise. He expects the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers to once again reach the World Series, comparing the dominance of the team to a young Tiger Woods.

“Reminds me a little bit of when Tiger was in his prime, where it was Tiger against the field,” Rodriguez said. “I feel it’s the Dodgers against the field.”

Yankees with beards?!

The field includes the defending American League champion New York Yankees, who lost Juan Soto in free agency and Gerrit Cole to injury, but added Cody Bellinger and Max Fried.  

“For them it’s just play par golf, just move on to live another day,” Rodriguez said. “Look to get healthy and hot at the right time in the summer, kind of leading into the fall, just play really, really strong fundamental baseball. I think one of the things Brian Cashman did a really good job of is addressing some of their liabilities, which kind of all came together in that fifth inning of Game 5 — which is a bit of a lack of fundamentals, lack of focus on those details. I think they’re really much better off going into this year, and then when the time is right, I’m sure they have the resources to go out and plug and play whatever they need at the deadline.”

And those players will be permitted to have a beard. The Yankees lifted their long-standing facial-hair policy that limited players to having nothing more than a mustache.

“I was surprised,” Rodriguez said, joking it would not have impacted him as a player because he’s unsuccessfully been trying to grow a beard for 30 years.

“It was wild pivot for the organization, a rule that had been on there since 1973 when George Steinbrenner acquired the team,” he said. “Give them credit, they’re fluid, they’re willing to change, they’re not just married to whatever the past was.”

Clean-shaven faces are now part of that past – as is Soto.

Advice for Juan Soto

The 26-year-old signed a 15-year, $765 million contract with the crosstown rival New York Mets. Rodriguez also changed teams as a marquee free agent at the height of his career when he left the Seattle Mariners for the Texas Rangers in 2001 at the age of 25.

“What advice would I give him? I think slow and steady wins the race,” Rodriguez said. “Don’t try to get all [15] years done in one at bat or one month. But I think he’s really well positioned. I think he has perfect training. He’s been around a little bit, he’s already been a world champion, he’s already been to another World Series, he played in New York, he understands the media market, which is one of the biggest and toughest challenges of New York, he’s already done that very, very well. So, take your time, be patient and play the long game.”

What does he think Soto saw in the Mets that convinced him to change New York boroughs?

“I think Alex and Steve Cohen are very compelling owners,” Rodriguez said. “They have a really big vision, they have tremendous resources, they’re avid, avid enormous Mets fans. They’ve been partners with the Mets now for over a decade. Usually when Steve Cohen wants something, he gets it. And I’m sure he made a really strong compelling argument of why Juan Soto’s career was better with the Mets than the Yankees.”

Soto returns to Yankee Stadium for his first game as a member of the Mets on May 16.

“He’s gonna get a Bronx reaction,” Rodriguez said with a smile.

Does baseball need a salary cap?

Rodriguez, an MLB analyst for Fox, won three MVP awards and one World Series during his 22-year playing career. He recorded 3,115 hits and 2,086 RBIs – the fourth most all-time. He also set financial records, signing a 10-year, $252 million contract with the Rangers in 2000 that at the time was the largest deal in MLB history.   

He is now set to become one of the majority owners of the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves. Having first been a well-compensated baseball player and now expected to be at the other side of the bargaining table as a team owner, Rodriguez was asked if he feels MLB needs a salary cap like the NBA amid the league’s increasing payroll disparity among its teams.     

“I don’t know what the answer is, but I think you have much smarter people than me that are having to figure that out now,” Rodriguez said. “I do think that you need a system where somehow everybody has an opportunity. I’m not sure what that looks like, but I think they’ll figure it out. And again, we have to make sure that the game stays healthy and it stays fair, and more teams than the Yankees and Mets have an opportunity to win year in and year out.”

Robot umpires? ‘I hate it’

In the years to come, balls and strikes could be determined by robot umpires, a computerized system that MLB recently tested during spring training games.

Stadiums are outfitted with cameras that track each pitch and judge whether it crossed home plate within the strike zone. In early testing, umpires wore ear buds and would hear “ball” or “strike,” then relay that to players and fans with traditional hand signals as part of the Automated Ball-Strike System.

A-Rod, however, does not want to see robot umpires replace the stinky umpires.

“I hate it,” he said. “But I’m a bit of an old school guy. I don’t believe robots should be taking the jobs of human beings. I think umpires are some of the most undervalued assets that we have in sports, and I love to see them be a part of it. I mean, they’re so damn good, and we have to support them and not replace them.”

He’s 89 years old and has been retired for two years, but Dodgers broadcasting legend Jaime Jarrín looked like he was ready to call another season or three as he strode into Gale’s Restaurant in Pasadena.

The mellifluous tenor that narrated Dodgers games for generations of Spanish-language listeners hasn't weakened. His magnificent head of hair remains full. His capacity to tell tales is still worthy of Gabriel García Márquez.

It was the lunch rush earlier this week, yet every Gale's server, busboy and cook stopped what they were doing to shake Jarrín's hand. Wearing a crisp outfit of brown khakis, an Ecuador soccer jersey, Harold Lloyd-style glasses and a 1988 Dodgers World Series championship ring that was simultaneously brilliant yet understated, he greeted them all by name.

“I've eaten here over 20 years,” Jarrín said in Spanish as we made our way toward his regular spot near a wall of glass block windows. "When my wife was alive, we’d come in at least four times a week. If I like something, I stay with it.”

Ya think?

The Hall of Famer called Dodgers games for 64 years, the second longest tenure for one team of any baseball broadcaster after his dear friend, Vin Scully. Jarrín and his late wife, Blanca, were married for 65 years. He has lived in the same San Marino home since 1965. He's still a spokesperson for the Los Defensores legal firm, a relationship that goes back 41 years.

Jarrín never misses a Dodgers game on television and attends home games whenever possible, “because I do miss a little bit the atmosphere of the stadium.”

But his big project these days isn't baseball.

Read more:Arellano: A hearty thank you to Dodgers legend Jaime Jarrín. 'He made me believe that I belong'

He serves as the name and face of a scholarship fund that has awarded more than a quarter million dollars to students. His sons Jorge and Mauricio founded it in 2019 to honor their mother, who died of a heart attack during spring training that year.

“My name is the only thing I have,” Jarrín said as he sipped on an Arnold Palmer and nibbled on complimentary bruschetta. Jorge, himself a broadcaster of note, joined us. “It’s not necessary to have our name [on the fund], but to be able to be associated with something that helps others is wonderful because the need is so obvious and large.

“The community has been so loyal to me, so kind,” he continued. “And in our business — radio, television — if you don’t have followers, it’s over. So the least I can do is give back.”

A waiter came over to take our order. “Denosunos minutitos, por favor,” Jarrín said. Please give us a few minutes, sir.

There were stories to tell.

He remembered as a teenage radio reporter in the 1950s going into the newsroom of El Comercio, the largest newspaper in Quito, Ecuador, in the early morning to swipe stories from desks, “but since we were the same company, it didn’t matter.”

Then there was the time in the 1970s when Sears was expecting 500 people to show up at its landmark Boyle Heights store for a live broadcast with Jarrín, Davey Lopes, Steve Garvey and Ron Cey. About 15,000 people showed up instead: “We told the players, ‘Here’s your check — go! Go! We’re not responsible for your security.”

Above all, Jarrín praised his “extraordinary teacher,” Scully.

“When Blanca died, he called me,” he said. A small bowl of corn chowder was now before him. He tucked a large napkin over his Ecuador soccer jersey. “And they were the most beautiful 20 minutes of my life. Listening to Vin talking in that melodious voice — his mastery of the language, that vocabulary, that intonation, that heart. He spoke from experience, because he had lost his wife too.”

Scully passed away in 2022, just a few months before Jarrín called his last game. Jorge said Scully inadvertently served as an inspiration for him and his brother to start their family foundation.

“We started to discuss, 'How are we going to maintain and perpetuate his legacy and not let it fade away?'” he said. “It’s wonderful the love that people had for Vin Scully. But in another generation or so, it’ll just be, ‘Oh yeah, I heard of that guy — they say he was a great announcer.”

He looked at his dad, who was busy forking through a small house salad with extra garbanzos, and smiled. “My father doesn’t want to write a book because he doesn’t feel that the story is over. But this, he’s proud of.”

Jorge joked that the Jaime and Blanca Jarrín Foundation is “done on our laptops out of the house” with the help of his brother and sons. They’ve yet to ask the Dodgers to donate — “but the wife of [Dodgers CEO] Mark Walter sends us a check,” Jaime noted. Students of all backgrounds and interests can apply, but two scholarships are set aside for students pursuing law and journalism — the former as a nod to the Jarrín Foundation’s primary sponsor, Los Defensores, the latter in honor of Jaime’s career.

Not that he’s happy about the state of journalism.

Read more:Jaime Jarrín has seen every big Dodgers moment in L.A.: Here are his fondest memories

“Maybe I’m a dummy, but I don’t get it,” he said, his voice suddenly sharp. “In all industries, when the competition is hard, you try to better yourself. You try to offer something special. The news industry, instead of fighting to do that — offering better editions, more reporters, more columns, something to attract people to pay attention? No, they gave up against social media.

“It’s an embarrassment,” he added.

Jarrin said that young people long would approach him to share that they wanted to get a communications degree in the hope of breaking into journalism, “and I’d say, ‘Perfect. Very good. Wonderful.' But in the last two years, I’ve said, ‘No. Take language classes.' If you speak three languages, the world is at your feet. This country is behind the rest of the world in two fields specifically because we don’t have enough bilingual people: politics and the economy.”

Our time was nearly up, so I tossed three more questions. First up: How are the Dodgers going to do this year?

Jarrin praised the recent contract extension for manager Dave Roberts “because he has the respect of the clubhouse,” and said he has no problem with huge player contracts because “it would be unjust if the owners kept all the money. … Dodger Stadium is a gold mine. Do you know how much money you get from feeding 50,000 people every night?”

He thinks this year’s team is the strongest Dodgers squad he’s seen since the 1977 and 1978 ones that made it to the World Series only to lose to the New York Yankees. “On paper, they have the most powerful unit, above all with pitching, which is extraordinarily good,” Jarrín said, going as far as to say they’ll win the National League. “If they don’t win, it’s going to be an absolute and total failure.”

Next was a change-up: What do Latinos need to do to now that we’re nearly half of the population in Southern California?

“Even though the numbers favor us, we remain a minority,” he replied. “We need to better ourselves more and do a little bit more than what a white person would do to excel. And the foundation for this is to learn English.”

Jarrín blamed himself for not speaking English as well as he'd like on account of his career and talking only Spanish at home so his sons could be bilingual — “I sacrificed my knowledge” for them, he claimed.

Would he have had a more successful career if his English were better?

For the first time all afternoon, Jarrín seemed unsure of himself.

“Maybe?”

He reflected on all of the accolades and accomplishments of his career. “I don’t know if I would’ve been able to achieve all of that in English.”

A chuckle.

“The competition would’ve been harder, no?”

Finally, a softball: What did he want people to say about what his legacy is?
 
Jarrin didn't hesitate: "Only that they think and say to others, 'I want you to be like Jaime Jarrín in your commitment to whatever you want to do. Follow his way and his discipline, and you'll achieve what you want.'"
 
Throughout our conversation, he waved or gave a thumbs up to admirers who didn't want to interrupt our conversation. The moment we got up from our table, the floodgates of fans opened. Soon came photos, more handshakes, more conversations. The lunch rush was over, so most of the Gale’s workers looked on in admiration.

“A lot of people do that,” said server Francisco Perez in Spanish. “He’s such a loving man. Refined and loving. He’s what we say in Mexico is gente de raza.”

Man of the people.

Chef Leonardo Castillo stood behind the counter. He’s worked at Gale’s for 20 years.

“He’s never been someone who comes in and says, ‘I’m Mr. So-and-So,'” said the native of Puebla, Mexico. “He comes in like anyone else, even though he's Jaime Jarrin! What an honor that he's one of us."

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Are the days of small markets teams winning the World Series over?

No, because winning the World Series only requires 11 postseason wins, providing you avoid the wildcard. The best thing that any team can do to win the World Series is to get into the playoffs. Getting into the playoffs usually requires that teams spend money to employ the best players, but last year was the first time since 2018 that the team with the best regular-season record won the World Series. GB

Definitely not. There are young studs scattered in some of the smallest markets. Pair a couple of trusty veterans with Bobby Witt Jr (Royals), Elly de La Cruz (Reds), or Paul Skenes (Pirates) and crazy things like winning a World Series can happen. See the Nats in 2019. MJ

Small market teams will continue to have a shot for as long as there are more postseason spots than there are $300m-plus payrolls. October baseball is a unique, mercurial beast that can be bested by a healthy team getting hot at the right moment. In baseball, financials may buy you consistent contention – the Dodgers may not miss the playoffs for at least another decade. But each October is still a crapshoot, money just ensures you get to gamble every year. HK

Small market teams? How about teams like the Giants and everyone else outside the top 10 payrolls? Those guys are also up a creek. That said, I do still think there are some slim opportunities for a fantastically designed minor league system to produce unicorns and beat the big boys. It’ll take a perfect game from the front office to get even close and then the window will be smaller than Eddie Gaedel’s strike zone. DL

What I’m most looking forward to this season …

Baseball is teeming with young stars: Skenes electrified baseball upon his arrival last year and is a top contender to win the NL Cy Young; the Diamondbacks’ Corbin Carroll is a budding superstar with power, speed and a hard-charging style; with his size, power and plate discipline, Nationals outfielder James Wood resembles a young Aaron Judge. And those are just a few across the league. GB

Related: Ferocious, calm and deadly: why the Mets agreed to pay Juan Soto $765m

While attention will be on the big market powerhouses, the AL Central is packed with talented young teams. The Royals, Tigers and Guardians are poised for postseason berths once again but will entertain us as they duke it out for the division title first. MJ

The two different receptions awaiting Juan Soto this season will take place fewer than 10 miles apart: when he plays for his new team in Queens and when he visits his most recent team in the Bronx. It’s not just the Soto of it all, the Mets and Yankees are both formidable, flawed, and have reason to believe they’re the premier New York team. The crosstown rivalry should be especially pointed and important this season. HK

Will Soto sink or swim in Flushing? What does $765m, divided into 15 tidy parcels, actually yield? We’ve seen players come to Queens and crumble under the expectations. Yes, I know that Soto has been great almost everywhere he’s been, including the Bronx. Still, nothing on the 7 line is ever guaranteed and I get the feeling that the baseball world wouldn’t mind a Soto shit show to begin the season. Such a slow start could snowball pretty quickly, but the good news is, however he performs, it’s guaranteed to be entertaining. DL

Young player to watch

The Dodgers’ Japanese hurler Roki Sasaki will transfix any viewer with his roaring fastball and disappearing splitter, so I’ll take a moment to focus on my favorite young bat: Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler, who possesses a thrilling combination of power and speed that led to 25 home runs and 18 stolen bases in his rookie campaign. A 30 homer-30 stolen base campaign is not out of the question. GB

Wood. There’s only one reason to watch the Nats this year, and that’s to see how Wood will jumpstart the rebuild. At 6ft 7in and 235lbs, the 22-year-old has crazy speed and the potential to become one of the great hitters in baseball. MJ

It’s tough to make trading away Soto look good but the haul that the Nationals got in return is starting to pan out – headlined by the Nats’ Wood, who pairs the kind of power you would expect out of that physique with the sort of smooth athleticism that you wouldn’t. I’m hardly going out on a limb after he was 20% better than league average in a partial season last year. But if you’re not watching the Nats, you might have missed the debut of the soon-to-be star. HK

We all want to know when Skenes will undergo his seemingly inevitable Tommy John surgery. This year? Next year? Is that a cynical take? Oh yeah it is, and though I do kid, every bad joke has a kernel of truth in it. Skenes has elite secondary stuff and he isn’t quite max effort on every single fastball. But even still, half of his fastballs are over 100 mph and his sinker settles at about 95. So, you know, I worry. A prayer to the baseball gods: Please let Skenes become a sturdy, dominant workhorse who hurls deep into games – the sport needs it desperately. Can I get an amen? DL

MVP winners

NL: Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers. I am aching to pick Carroll, whom I believe will hit between 25 and 30 home runs and steal over 50 bases in 2025, but Ohtani is the default answer once he resumes pitching. AL: Gunnar Henderson, Orioles. I like the young shortstop, who finished fourth in last year’s voting after a phenomenal age-24 season, to edge out another star young infielder, the Royals’ Witt. GB

AL: Witt. The do-it-all stud is a great defender with lightning speed and huge power. Witt could be the next 40-40 man. NL: Ohtani. Speaking of 40-40 seasons, Ohtani is coming off his first. He’s the best player in baseball, and there is no credible counterpoint. MJ

NL: Ohtani. He has won MVP in 50% of the full seasons he’s played in MLB. He’s won with the Angels in the American League and with the Dodgers in the National League. He’s won as the only two-way player this century and he’s won as the first-ever strictly DH to take home the honors. He’s winning it again this year for the NL. Since that’s so chalk, I have a slightly more interesting AL pick: Wyatt Langford, the Texas Rangers outfielder, who debuted last season less than a year after getting drafted. He struggled for most of the season before getting red-hot in September. But even while struggling he was fast, patient, and sprayed the ball all over the field. Now he just needs to add back the power he had in college and the minors. HK

Well there’s Ohtaniin the NL at the juicy price of 5-4 and then there’s the field. If the slugger turns starter around the All-Star break, well, you know the deal. Baseball is generally unpredictable, but with Ohtani, it’s just about whether he will stay healthy. His only competition is in the other league and that’s Judge, who was actually better overall than Ohtani last season, if only because he plays the field. One problem for No 99: nobody will pitch to him now that Soto is gone, and that means Witt gets the trophy in the AL. DL

AL East winners

Even after losing Soto to the Mets and ace Gerrit Cole to an elbow injury (he’ll miss the entire 2025 season), the Yankees should excel after savvy offseason additions like outfielder Cody Bellinger, starting pitcher Max Fried and closer Devin Williams. This will be an extremely competitive division and all five teams may finish with records over .500. GB

While the Yankees did sign Fried, Bellinger and Williams, they lost Soto and Nestor Cortes, and Cole is done for the season. That leaves a Red Sox team that had a fruitful offseason acquiring Garrett Crochet and Alex Bregman with a viable path to AL East glory. MJ

Yes, the Yankees are reigning pennant winners and pivoted admirably from losing Soto. And yes, the Red Sox missed the postseason entirely the past three years. But I believe in the pitching moves Boston made this winter and the influx of talent in the form of a trio of top prospects ready to contribute at some point this summer. It’s a shame Netflix isn’t following them around this season, because the Red Sox are going to be the team to beat. HK

I know who it won’t be: the Yankees. No Cole, no Soto, no Giancarlo Stanton and Luis Gil, at least for now. They still have three MVP’s on the roster, which is nothing to sneeze at, but that’s a lot of losses. It opens the door to the Orioles, who shamefully failed to adequately invest in their rotation after the loss of ace Corbin Burnes to free agency. They’re still more than capable, with an enormous amount of talent on the roster. They should hold off the improved Red Sox for the crown. DL

AL Central winners

The Twins suffered an ugly collapse, going 8-18 in the final month of the 2024 regular season en route to a fourth-place finish in a clustered AL Central. Here’s a bet that their starting pitching depth and versatile lineup – with major contributions from slugger Matt Wallner and former top pick Royce Lewis – put them back in the playoffs in 2025. GB

This will be the most competitive division in baseball and any of three teams could take it. But people are sleeping on the Royals, not believing they can improve on their 30-win jump a season ago. The front of their lineup should be bolstered by new leadoff hitter Jonathan India. Most of Kansas City’s useful rotation stayed intact, and they fortified the bullpen in the offseason. MJ

I would love to see what the Twins could do with full and fully healthy seasons from Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa, but I don’t think we’re ever going to get that. The Royals went from 100 losses to playing in the postseason in the span of a single season. I like their spunkiness – and the fact that Witt projects to be the fourth-best position player, behind only marquee names like Judge, Soto, and Ohtani. HK

Remember when everyone handed the Twins the AL Central last season and ignored the Guardians? Well that was embarrassing. What now? Well, really, I have no idea. We have four middling teams, none of whom light up the room and any of them are capable of winning the Central. That said, KC’s rotation is bright, especially if Seth Lugo can be the ace he broke out to be last season. Plus they have the soon-to-be MVP in Witt, so, the Royals are worth a whirl. DL

AL West winners

The Astros look a bit less fearsome without franchise cornerstones Bregman and Kyle Tucker, so the 2023 World Series champion Rangers will sneak past them and the punchless Mariners. A veteran core should propel this sturdy squad to 92 wins, which will probably be enough to win the division. GB

Welcome back, Jacob deGrom! He’s not the only key player back: with the return of Evan Carter and Josh Jung, as well as adding more pop in the lineup via free agency, these Rangers should hit a lot of homers on the road to the division title. MJ

The Astros have won the West seven out of the last eight years. But their core is aging or getting shipped out while the Rangers have Langford, Carter, and Jung to supplement their 30-something stalwarts (also Corey Seager is somehow only just now going into his age-31 season?). Plus, they may get most of a season out of deGrom for the first time since he signed with Texas ahead of 2023 – and he’s the best pitcher in the sport whenever he’s on the mound. HK

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Oh, the AL West: the AFC South of MLB, or at least it was last season. It was not so interesting to watch the Rangers sink and the Mariners slide, with many thanks to Julio Rodriguez’s mystifying decline. The Astros won, again. Yawn. The good news? That may finally be over. The Rangers have the boys to bounce back into the post season, especially if deGrom can stitch together 20 or so starts: wouldn’t that be something? Their infield is stacked, the rotation may be serviceable and there’s no real closer. Warts and all, it looks like Texas, mostly thanks to the decline in Houston, a cheap, lazy Mariners front office and a flimsy back end of the division. DL

NL East winners

The Mets had the splashiest offseason by adding Soto, but the Phillies still have the league’s deepest starting lineup after the Dodgers and a reliable pitching staff. Zack Wheeler should be the frontrunner for the NL Cy Young award after finishing second last year and he could be challenged by teammate Christopher Sánchez. GB

Unlike other teams that overhauled their rosters in the offseason, Atlanta just needed their stars to return to health. Getting Ronald Acuňa Jr back will be huge. Same with Spencer Strider. If Marcell Ozuna sits somewhere near 40 homers once again, and the rest of the lineup steps it up, this offense will easily lead the Braves to more than 100 wins. MJ

You could justifiably put the Braves, Phillies, and Mets in virtually any order. Which is why I’m going with the boring pick of the Braves. And actually, the projection systems don’t seem to think it’s as close as I do. The Braves finished second in the East last year after losing two of the most impactful players in the sport to early-season injuries. Getting Strider and Acuña back puts them back on top. HK

Loaded, that’s the NL East. The Phillies have a tremendous core, but in a game increasingly defined by young, raw talent, there’s always a chance that their aging roster breaks down. And while that decline could happen sooner than later, it won’t be in 2025: the Phillies will win a tight race with the Braves and Mets. That’ll be thanks to a deep starting rotation led by Wheeler and the usual suspects on offense, Bryce Harper and Co, featuring a Trea Turner who bounces back to his old self. DL

NL Central winners

The Brewers have lost franchise shortstop Willy Adames, who signed a seven-year contract with the Giants, but feature one of the game’s brightest young stars in outfielder Jackson Chourio and arguably the game’s best offensive catcher in William Contreras. GB

The Reds and Cubs could certainly make a push, but Milwaukee’s stacked bullpen will be key in keeping the Brewers as division leaders. Can we stop calling them overachievers? MJ

Speaking of projections, the computers have a hard time separating the NL Central teams right now. I’m going with the Brewers just on gut feeling. Their offseason was a net negative, but somehow they always manage to overcome their financial austerity. And not always just by the skin of their teeth! Last year they scored the sixth-most runs in baseball and they’ll bring back offensive contributors like Chourio, Contreras, and a healthy Yelich, who looked hot in spring. HK

If the Cardinals don’t make the playoffs, it will be their longest streak of postseason less seasons since 1995. And they’re not going to make it, so will we finally hear consistent booing from their wholesome fans who love their team SO MUCH? Who will be more miserable? St Louis or Milwaukee, who traded off Williams and lost Adames to free agency? The door is open for the Cubs, a flawed but capable club led by their freshest face, Kyle Tucker. DL

NL West winners

This won’t be a cakewalk. The Padres were one win away from ending the Dodgers’ season in 2024 and the Diamondbacks made two marquee offseason additions – starting pitcher Burnes and first baseman Josh Naylor – to fortify an exciting young core. Even so, the Dodgers are simply too powerful: Adding Blake Snell and Sasaki gives them the best pitching staff in baseball and their offense is the envy of any executive and fan. They may not win the World Series, but they’ll probably win 100 games. GB

The most loaded hitting and pitching staffs in baseball. Most of the who’s who in MLB are on this roster. The Dodgers feel like a bully at this point, which makes them extra fun to hate. MJ

This winter, the World Series champions – and winners of the most games not just last year but the past decade – added a two-time Cy Young Award winner and the most coveted starting pitcher on the market, and those were not the same person. Plus, their lineup is studded not just with All-Stars or potential MVPs, but likely future Hall of Famers. It adds up to a pretty dominant Dodgers team. HK

It’s all about the Rockies, who seem poised to break out and win the NL West for the first time in when, (checks baseball-reference), ever? Yes, ever! Wow! Spectacular third baseman Ryan McMahon and dynamic Ezequiel Tovar will lead this spicy Colorado bunch along with a revitalized Kris Bryant (remember him?) and veteran hurler German Marquez. How long can I keep this farce up? I’d say up until right about now when I saw the Dodgers. DL

AL wildcards

Orioles, Rays, Guardians. GB

Yankees, Orioles, and Tigers. MJ

Astros, Yankees, Orioles. HK

Red Sox, Yankees, Blue Jays – that means four AL East teams in the playoffs! DL

NL wildcards

Diamondbacks, Braves, Mets. GB

Mets, Phillies, Reds. MJ

Diamondbacks, Mets, Phillies. HK

Mets, Braves, Padres. DL

ALCS

Rangers over Orioles. GB

Red Sox over Yankees. MJ

Red Sox over Royals. HK

Orioles over Rangers. DL

NLCS

Phillies over Dodgers. GB

Braves over Dodgers. MJ

Phillies over Dodgers. HK

Dodgers over Phillies. DL

World Series

Phillies over Orioles. After their surprise run to the 2022 World Series, the Phillies have struggled with the weight of expectations over the last two Octobers. I like them to finally overcome those recent ghosts to outlast a weaker, but mentally tough opponent in the Rangers thanks to brilliant postseasons from Bryce Harper and Wheeler. An underrated contributor this season will be infielder Bryson Stott, who should flush a disappointing 2024 with a breakout offensive season thanks to improved plate discipline. GB

Braves over Red Sox. The Braves win the World Series over the Red Sox thanks to a deep roster that can swing the bat up and down the order. Crochet, a huge add for Boston, will eke out a win. But Atlanta’s starting rotation is too loaded, with reigning NL Cy Young winner Chris Sale and a bunch of contenders. MJ

Red Sox over Phillies. Let’s get this out of the way: the Phillies are not the best team in the NL. But, they have an incredible – and incredibly durable – top of the rotation, which has an outsized impact in October. They’ll ultimately fall, however, to a Red Sox team who pair a gaggle of high-ceiling young players with the veteran presence – and perspective from having played nearly 100 playoff games – of Bregman. To a starting rotation that had the third-lowest park-adjusted ERA last year they added the best pitcher on the trade block in Crochet and a fiery competitor with interesting upside in Walker Buehler. He was on the mound for the end of the 2024 World Series and I’m predicting that he’ll be somewhere in the vicinity again when the 2025 championship is decided. HK

Dodgers over Orioles. It’s 1966 all over again, except this time, Baltimore lose to LA in five games. The Dodgers’ second consecutive title leads us neatly into 2026, which will be dominated by the unavoidable labor issues which are coming at the sport like a speeding locomotive. LA’s grip means split ownership groups taking sides and clarion calls for a salary cap. The Dodgers just have too much talent, for way too much money. Is their roster fair? Does it spoil MLB? Well, as they say, don’t hate the player, hate the game. And that’s why all hell is coming to the game, sooner rather than later. DL