4 Biggest Surprises of the 2025 MLB Season Thus Far
9 hours ago
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The 2025 Major League Baseball season is nearly one month in the books, and it has already been full of surprises.
From breakout stars to unexpected struggles, here are the four biggest surprises from the first few weeks of the 2025 season.
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1. The Angels are … good?
The Los Angeles Angels entered the 2025 season as nothing more than an afterthought. The Halos have the longest postseason drought in the league, and their biggest offseason addition was left-handed pitcher Yusei Kikuchi.
However, the breakout performance of Kyren Paris, as well as the home run happy lineup, has propelled the Angels to a 9-6 start and first place standing in the American League West.
Mike Trout, who moved to right field this year in an effort to stay healthy, is tied for the league lead with six home runs. Paris, outfielder Taylor Ward, and catcher Logan O’Hoppe each have five.
It’s early, but the Angels are playing like a potential contender in a wide open AL West.
2. The Dodgers aren’t even the best team in their division.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 13: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers at bat against the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium on April 13, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 13: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers at bat against the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium on April 13, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images
The Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series, and followed it up by being the most aggressive team in free agency, adding Blake Snell, Roki Sasaki, Michael Conforto, Tanner Scott, and Kirby Yates.
The Dodgers were expected to run away with the NL West, and at least reach the NL Championship Series, if not another World Series
However, three weeks into the season, they’re not even the best team in their own division.
The Dodgers are currently in third place in the NL West, behind the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants.
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The Padres are by far the best team in baseball at 14-3, and are an incredible 11-0 at home.
The two teams don’t meet until June, but they appear to be on a crash course to another postseason series.
3. The Orioles are in last place in the AL East.
The Orioles won the AL East in 2023 and went 91-71 in 2024. This year, they’re just 6-9 and in last place in the division.
Their pitching has been atrocious, with a combined ERA of 4.57 that ranks 25th in MLB. Their starting pitching has been abysmal, with a combined ERA of 5.30 that ranks last in MLB.
Offensively, their team OPS of .685 ranks 17th.
In a division loaded with talent, the Orioles need to start putting things together — and fast.
4. The Braves are in trouble.
It’s hard to script a worse start to the season for the Braves. Big injuries and a suspension to their only major offseason addition has Atlanta scrambling just a few weeks into the season.
A presumed favorite to win the NL East is in early trouble of wasting a season with an aging veteran roster.
At 5-11, the Braves only have a better record than the Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox, and Colorado Rockies.
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