Orioles Adley Rutschman I’m still a believer in Adley Rutschman. A prospect as highly touted as he was, and only 2 seasons removed from a 126 wRC+ season in 2023, doesn’t simply fall off the map. After that strong 2023 season, Rutschman regressed in 2024 and declined further in 2025, posting a .220 average with a .673 OPS while missing 63 games due to oblique injuries. What makes the drop in production particularly curious is that his quality-of-contact metrics remained virtu

Diamondbacks Geraldo Perdomo Coming off of a 4th place MVP finish, Perdomo delivered one of the more notable breakouts in recent memory, perhaps comparable to Justin Turner’s 2014 emergence with the Dodgers or José Bautista’s 2010 breakout with the Blue Jays. After essentially profiling as a league average bat across his first 4 seasons with Arizona, Perdomo looked like a completely different hitter in 2025. From 2021-2024, he hit .235 with an 84 OPS+. In 2025, he surged to a

Cubs Michael Busch Although Michael Busch had a career year in 2025, he did so somewhat quietly. Busch set career highs in home runs (34), RBI (90), batting average (.261), OBP (.343), SLG (.523), and OPS (.866). He ranked 2nd in home runs, 2nd in SLG, 3rd in OPS, and 4th in xwOBA among qualified first basemen. Even more impressive was the significant leap he made 2024 to 2025, increasing his OPS by nearly 100 points in a single season. Furthermore, his 5.9% increase in barre

Braves Spencer Schwellenbach Schwellenbach really put the league on notice in 2025, posting a 3.09 ERA backed by a 3.25 FIP and a 0.97 WHIP, an improvement from an already impressive rookie year that featured a 3.35 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. Although he made only 17 starts last season after suffering a fractured elbow in late June, 13 of those 17 outings were logged as quality starts. That comes out to an incredible 76.5% QS rate, highest in the MLB among pitchers with at least 10

The Need to Replace Rafael Devers The Devers trade shocked fans both in and out of the fanbase. Beyond being the only remaining link to the 2018 World Series team, Devers posted a 162-game average of 33 home runs, 106 RBI, and a 130 OPS+. Losing that production leaves a significant void.  While Roman Anthony will undoubtedly be a massive contributor and Wilyeur Abreu has flashed promise, the lineup still needs help in both power and with runners in scoring position (RISP).

It was just announced that first baseman Josh Naylor is planning on re-signing with the Seattle Mariners on a 5-year deal, pending physical. A trade-deadline addition this past season, Naylor had a career year in 2025 between the Diamondbacks and Mariners, posting a .295 AVG and .816 OPS. He also set career highs with a 128 wRC+ and a 3.1 fWAR. A significant chunk of that production came after he was traded to Seattle, where he put up a .299 AVG, .831 OPS, and 137 wRC+ in his

With the 2025 MLB season officially in the books, attention now shifts toward 2026. This past week we got our first taste of the offseason with options being picked up or declined and qualifying offers being handed out. Quickly, we’ve already gotten a clearer picture of how this winter’s free-agent class will take shape. One of the more surprising developments was Shane Bieber’s decision to exercise his $16 million player option to remain in Toronto for another year. In my 20

Winners, Great Job, Could've Done Better, Losers, What Just Happened

The Red Sox have been the victim of a “middle-of-the-pack” situation for the past 3 years, finishing 78-84 in both 2022 and 23 and 81-81 this past 2024 season. A historically winning franchise with 4 World Series rings and 11 postseason appearances since 2000, Boston fans are not used to being average. This past year was a rollercoaster season. The Red Sox rotation, despite losing key starter Lucas Giolito for the entire season, pulled away out of the gate as the best staff i