The 2025 MLB season is on the horizon, and as spring training comes to a close, teams are finalizing their Opening Day rosters. In these final days, clubs are faced with the difficult decisions of making roster cuts, honing in on their initial 26-man lineup. While the first roster may seem significant, it’s important to remember that teams will frequently shuffle players throughout the season, especially within the first few weeks as they seek fresh talent for the bullpen or manage early-season injuries.
As we gear up for the excitement of baseball, we’ve taken a comprehensive look at each team’s predicted Opening Day lineup and starting rotation. Additionally, our predictions include each team’s MVP, Cy Young Award candidate, Rookie of the Year, and breakout player, providing fans with key names to watch as the season begins.
The Atlanta Braves are poised for a competitive season despite some early challenges. Below is their projected Opening Day lineup and starting rotation:
Projected Opening Day Lineup: (vs. RHP Michael King, SD)
LF Jurickson Profar
3B Austin Riley
1B Matt Olson
DH Marcell Ozuna
CF Michael Harris III
2B Ozzie Albies
C Drake Baldwin
RF Jarred Kelenic
SS Orlando Arcia
Starting Rotation:
LHP Chris Sale
RHP Reynaldo López
RHP Spencer Schwellenbach
RHP Grant Holmes
RHP AJ Smith-Shawver
One-Sentence Outlook: The Braves will need to tread water until Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr. return, but their roster has the potential to be a top-tier contender.
Team Predictions:
MVP: Michael Harris II
Cy Young: Chris Sale
Rookie of the Year: Drake Baldwin
Breakout Player: Spencer Schwellenbach
The Chicago Cubs are looking to improve and contend for the NL Central title. Here’s how their lineup shapes up:
Projected Opening Day Lineup: (vs. RHP Zac Gallen, ARI)
LF Ian Happ
DH Seiya Suzuki
RF Kyle Tucker
1B Michael Busch
3B Matt Shaw
SS Dansby Swanson
CF Pete Crow-Armstrong
2B Nico Hoerner
C Miguel Amaya
Starting Rotation:
LHP Justin Steele
RHP Jameson Taillon
LHP Shota Imanaga
LHP Matthew Boyd
RHP Ben Brown
One-Sentence Outlook: The Cubs are an improved team following their Tokyo Series showing, making them favorites for the NL Central, reliant on their pitching staff’s performance.
Team Predictions:
MVP: Kyle Tucker
Cy Young: Justin Steele
Rookie of the Year: Matt Shaw
Breakout Player: Pete Crow-Armstrong
The Milwaukee Brewers continue to adapt and thrive despite roster changes. Here’s their projected lineup:
Projected Opening Day Lineup: (vs. LHP Carlos Rodón, NYY)
RF Jackson Chourio
DH Christian Yelich
C William Contreras
CF Garrett Mitchell
1B Rhys Hoskins
SS Joey Ortiz
3B Vinny Capra
2B Brice Turang
LF Sal Frelick
Starting Rotation:
RHP Freddy Peralta
LHP Nestor Cortes
RHP Aaron Civale
LHP Tyler Alexander
LHP José Quintana
One-Sentence Outlook: The Brewers have a knack for replenishing their roster, making them a formidable contender despite what may seem like a downgraded lineup from last season.
Team Predictions:
MVP: Jackson Chourio
Cy Young: Freddy Peralta
Rookie of the Year: Caleb Durbin
Breakout Player: Garrett Mitchell
The Philadelphia Phillies are looking to maintain their competitiveness heading into 2025. Here’s their expected lineup for Opening Day:
Projected Opening Day Lineup: (vs. LHP MacKenzie Gore, WAS)
DH Kyle Schwarber
SS Trea Turner
1B Bryce Harper
3B Alec Bohm
LF Max Kepler
C J.T. Realmuto
RF Nick Castellanos
2B Bryson Stott
CF Brandon Marsh
Starting Rotation:
RHP Zack Wheeler
LHP Jesus Luzardo
RHP Aaron Nola
LHP Cristopher Sánchez
RHP Taijuan Walker
One-Sentence Outlook: The Phillies remain stable after offseason discussions of a roster shakeup, with the potential to be a top-tier contender.
Team Predictions:
MVP: Bryce Harper
Cy Young: Cristopher Sánchez
Rookie of the Year: Andrew Painter
Breakout Player: Orion Kerkering
Projected Opening Day Lineup: (vs. RHP Sandy Alcántara, MIA)
LF Tommy Pham
RF Bryan Reynolds
CF Oneil Cruz
DH Andrew McCutchen
C Joey Bart
1B Endy Rodríguez
2B Nick Gonzales
3B Ke'Bryan Hayes
SS Isiah Kiner-Falefa
Starting Rotation:
RHP Paul Skenes
RHP Mitch Keller
LHP Andrew Heaney
LHP Bailey Falter
RHP Carmen Mlodzinski
One-Sentence Outlook: The Pirates should have bolstered their offense further to complement one of the league's best young rotations, which could mirror the success of the Seattle Mariners.
Team Predictions:
MVP: Bryan Reynolds
Cy Young: Paul Skenes
Rookie of the Year: Thomas Harrington
Breakout Player: Nick Gonzales
The Tampa Bay Rays are entering the season under unique circumstances as they prepare for a challenging year. Here’s their projected lineup:
Projected Opening Day Lineup: (vs. LHP Kyle Freeland, COL)
1B Yandy Díaz
RF Josh Lowe
3B Junior Caminero
2B Brandon Lowe
DH Curtis Mead
C Danny Jansen
LF Christopher Morel
SS Taylor Walls
CF Jonny DeLuca
Starting Rotation:
RHP Ryan Pepiot
RHP Taj Bradley
RHP Drew Rasmussen
RHP Shane Baz
RHP Zack Littell
One-Sentence Outlook: The Rays face a unique season as they adapt to playing at Steinbrenner Field during repairs to The Trop, but their track record of maximizing talent remains strong.
Team Predictions:
MVP: Junior Caminero
Cy Young: Ryan Pepiot
Rookie of the Year: Ian Seymour
Breakout Player: Curtis Mead
The Texas Rangers are looking to capitalize on the potential of their roster, especially if their stars can stay healthy. Here’s what to expect:
Projected Opening Day Lineup: (vs. LHP Garrett Crochet, BOS)
2B Marcus Semien
SS Corey Seager
LF Wyatt Langford
RF Adolis Garcia
3B Josh Jung
1B Jake Burger
DH Kevin Pillar
C Jonah Heim
CF Leody Taveras
Starting Rotation:
RHP Nathan Eovaldi
RHP Tyler Mahle
RHP Jack Leiter
RHP Kumar Rocker
RHP Jacob deGrom
One-Sentence Outlook: If Jacob deGrom can maintain health and the young stars like Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter perform well, the Rangers could dominate the AL West.
Team Predictions:
MVP: Corey Seager
Cy Young: Jacob deGrom
Rookie of the Year: Kumar Rocker
Breakout Player: Wyatt Langford
The Toronto Blue Jays present a fascinating narrative as they approach the 2025 season, caught between contention and transformation. Here’s their expected lineup:
Projected Opening Day Lineup: (vs. RHP Zach Eflin, BAL)
SS Bo Bichette
1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
DH Anthony Santander
RF George Springer
2B Andrés Giménez
C Alejandro Kirk
LF Alan Roden
3B Ernie Clement
CF Nathan Lukes
Starting Rotation:
RHP José Berríos
RHP Kevin Gausman
RHP Chris Bassitt
RHP Bowden Francis
RHP Max Scherzer
One-Sentence Outlook: The Blue Jays might be the most intriguing team in baseball, with a strong possibility of contending for a playoff spot or opting to trade key players like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette ahead of the deadline.
Team Predictions:
MVP: Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Cy Young: Jeff Hoffman
Rookie of the Year: Alan Roden
Breakout Player: Will Wagner
As the 2025 MLB season kicks off, fans can look forward to a year filled with excitement, talent, and the potential for surprising outcomes. Be sure to keep an eye on these teams and their star players as the season unfolds!
