Apr 3, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge (99) doubles during the sixth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images It took nearly three weeks, but every Major League Baseball team has a week under its belt. That’s not nearly enough time to determine where this season is headed — or is it?
Here are six thoughts, one per division, on early trends that may be lasting.
AL EAST
The New York Yankees are insanity personified
The Yankees were able to bludgeon the American League into submission last season before their lack of pitching and fundamentals finally doomed them against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series.
So the Yankees responded to their Fall Classic defeat by … setting a big league record with 22 homers in their first six games, while their starting pitchers posted a 4.35 ERA and barely averaged five innings per outing. They also became just the 18th team this century to commit at least five errors in a win when they beat the Milwaukee Brewers 20-9 last Saturday.
In the words of Homer Simpson: “My friends, the Yankees haven’t learned a thing.”
AL CENTRAL
Can’t anyone here play this game?
Apr 1, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Minnesota Twins pitcher Jorge Alcala (66) reacts after closing out the seventh inning against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images OK, it might be a little early to channel our inner Casey Stengel.
But then again, there’s a four-way tie for first at 2-4 (with the Minnesota Twins alone in last at 2-5), and the only team with a positive run differential is the Chicago White Sox — who, of course, are coming off a 121-loss season.
The eventual division winner won’t finish 54-108, but the slow start is a reminder the Cleveland Guardians, Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers all might be due for a step back after exceeding expectations. And the Twins are in the purgatory that accompanies a franchise being sold.
AL WEST
Bruce Bochy’s every-other-year thing is happening again
Mar 28, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy (15) looks on before the game against the Boston Red Sox at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images But this time, in odd-numbered years.
The Texas Rangers, who followed up their 2023 World Series title by going 78-84 last year, have been outscored 25-18 but are 5-2 after earning consecutive 1-0 wins over the Cincinnati Reds — the first back-to-back 1-0 victories in franchise history.
Nathan Eovaldi, Jack Leiter and Jacob deGrom won’t pitch to a 0.90 ERA all season, but the trio of Jake Burger, Marcus Semien and Corey Seager won’t be hitting a collective .149 for long, either.
NL EAST
Atlanta Braves are in deep trouble
Jul 9, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Jesse Chavez against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images A season-opening seven-game losing streak has included a little bit of everything for the Braves, who endured a 29-inning scoreless streak and rank last in the majors with a .151 batting average.
Atlanta’s pitching staff has compiled a 5.11 ERA, the sixth-worst in the majors, and blew a 5-0 lead against the Dodgers on Wednesday, when Shohei Ohtani capped his bobblehead night with a walk-off homer against closer Raisel Iglesias.
Of the previous 20 teams to open a season with at least seven straight losses, nine finished with at least 100 losses, while only two came back to post a winning record. The Braves won’t join the century club, but the climb back to contention is going to be a long one in the loaded NL.
NL CENTRAL
St. Louis Cardinals are still here
Mar 5, 2025; West Palm Beach, Florida, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Ivan Herrera (48) hits a single against the Houston Astros during the third inning at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-Imagn Images The Cardinals seemed to be stuck in no man’s land when they announced their plans to rebuild this winter but couldn’t trade Nolan Arenado.
Yet the ever-proud Arenado is off to a red-hot start — a .391 average with a 1.109 OPS — for the division-leading Cardinals, who have the third-best run differential in the NL and look much more formidable as a challenger to the Chicago Cubs than the perpetually rebuilding Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates, or the scuffling Brewers.
NL WEST
Save a good thought for everyone chasing the Dodgers
Mar 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) hits a double in the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images The Dodgers aren’t perfect — they’ve trailed in six of their first eight games, two of which they won in dramatic walk-off fashion — but it’s not ludicrous to think they’ll make a run at 162-0, or at least the modern-day record of 116 victories.
The San Diego Padres are 7-0, have the best run differential in the game at plus-25 and might never spend a day in first place.
And the San Francisco Giants and Arizona Diamondbacks are a combined 9-4 and probably already looking at a best-case scenario of their seasons coming down to a wild-card series in October.
Then there’s the Colorado Rockies, praying for expansion and realignment.
