With spring training in full swing, Stan “The Fan” Charles previews his preseason power rankings by predicting the order of finish in each division for the 2025 season. The American League is up next. Click here to read about the National League.
Each team’s 2024 record and finish in last year’s final power rankings are noted as well.
AL East
1. Boston Red Sox (81-81, No. 18)
Manager: Alex Cora
There is a recommitment by the Red Sox to do what’s necessary to win. It seems GM Craig Breslow has the full support of owner John Henry after rather short and bumpy rides with Dave Dombrowski and Chaim Bloom. The net result? In the last two years they have extended Rafael Devers, traded for Garrett Crochet and signed Alex Bregman, Walker Buehler and Aroldis Chapman — all of this to go along with a slew of young, athletic position players. If closer Liam Hendriks returns to close to full form, the Sox look like the AL East team with the fewest question marks.
2. New York Yankees (94-68, No. 4)
Manager: Aaron Boone
Not saying the Yankees didn’t do everything they could to sign Juan Soto, but the pivots to Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt underwhelm me. I do, however, love the addition of Devin Williams to close. And who wouldn’t love to add lefty Max Fried? With Giancarlo Stanton set to perhaps miss a good chunk of the season, the Yankees may reach into the free-agent market and add J.D. Martinez. Don’t get me wrong, they are good, but I see more ifs in the lineup than the Sox.
3. Baltimore Orioles (91-71, No. 5)
Manager: Brandon Hyde
The Orioles had two big free-agent losses in Corbin Burnes and Anthony Santander. Since Kyle Bradish won’t be ready until the second half, the Orioles spent $28 million on Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano to make up for the loss of Burnes. With Grayson Rodriguez, Zach Eflin, Dean Kremer, Cade Povich, Albert Suárez and Trevor Rogers, they have some depth. The bullpen is deep and strong, save for Seranthony Domínguez’s proclivity to give up long balls. But what GM Mike Elias has on the position side is a stack of ifs: Jackson Holliday, Adley Rutschman, Ryan Mountcastle, Heston Kjerstad, Coby Mayo and Ryan O’Hearn. Gunnar Henderson, Jordan Westburg and Tyler O’Neill won’t be enough. They need some heavy lifting by that list of ifs to be capable of a real run.
4. Toronto Blue Jays (74-88, No. 24)
Manager: John Schneider
With the possible exception of Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol, I don’t see any other seat as warm as Schneider’s. In fact, I’ll flat-out predict David Bell will be the manager by mid-June. The Jays added outfielder Anthony Santander, second baseman Andrés Giménez, reliever Jeff Hoffman and the legendary Max Scherzer, but for some reason they haven’t budged on extending Vladimir Guerrero Jr. or Bo Bichette. The Jays have enough talent to jockey themselves into contention, but I’m not sure Schneider is a capable enough leader or that the core feels invested.
5. Tampa Bay Rays (80-82, No. 20)
Manager: Kevin Cash
The Rays are one of the smartest organizations in the game, so I wouldn’t predict they are down for the count — but just as important as smarts is luck. And since August 2023, when Wander Franco’s career came crashing to a halt amid an investigation of a relationship with an underage girl back in his native Dominican Republic, the Rays haven’t had a whole lot of luck. That same season, the Rays lost three starting pitchers to Tommy John surgeries: Jeffrey Springs, Drew Rasmussen and Shane McClanahan, though Springs is gone to Sacramento. Rasmussen and McClanahan will be back this year, but this rotation is a far cry from what it was becoming. The offense took a big tumble in 2024 and was by far the worst in the division. If infielders Junior Caminero and Jonathan Aranda and outfielders Josh Lowe and Jonny DeLuca lift their games, the Rays could stay within 12-15 games on first place. The bullpen is still a strength. Manager Kevin Cash will run through plenty of relievers in six months.
AL Central
1. Kansas City Royals (86-76, No. 12)
Manager: Matt Quatraro
I can’t get out of my mind how easily the Royals dispatched the Orioles in the Wild Card Series in October. Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. is as good as it gets in the AL. The club swapped right-hander Brady Singer for former NL Rookie of the Year Jonathan India, who is getting some reps in left field during spring training. India figures to be a .345-plus on-base guy who should give Witt and Vinnie Pasquantino more RBI opportunities. The top three pitchers in the rotation — Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha — are solid. The bullpen is now a strength, with Carlos Estévez, Lucas Erceg, Hunter Harvey and John Schreiber forming quite the quartet.
2. Detroit Tigers (86-76, No. 10)
Manager: A.J. Hinch
The Tigers took big strides in 2024 to make the postseason. Their team WHIP of 1.16 was the lowest of all the postseason squads. Reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal is all-world. We already know Jack Flaherty fits well in Detroit. That makes top prospect Jackson Jobe the key here. If he is ready to be a top-of-the-rotation arm, the rotation will be a major strength for the Tigers. The bullpen led by Jason Foley and Tyler Holton is also tough. The Tigers’ plan to move Colt Keith to first base makes me think they’re giving up on former top overall pick Spencer Torkelson, but once they see Gleyber Torres’ defense at the keystone, that plan may change.
3. Cleveland Guardians (82-69, No. 7)
Manager: Stephen Vogt
The Guardians were the class of the division a season ago. I’m not sure how they did it with ace right-hander Shane Bieber missing just about the entire season and Triston McKenzie battling injuries. Clearly, the bullpen was the club’s savior. Emmanuel Clase, Hunter Gaddis and Cade Smith were terrific. They added Paul Sewald to the relief mix. Still, they were light offensively a year ago. They have a core of young prospects who will help in the future, but with Josh Naylor exiting, I just don’t see enough runs in 2025.
4. Minnesota Twins (82-80, No. 17)
Manager: Rocco Baldelli
Last year, 10.5 games separated the Guardians (first place) and the Twins (fourth). So let’s be clear: Any of these top four teams can win the Central. The question in Minnesota is whether the starting rotation of Pablo López, Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober and Simeon Woods Richardson can raise its level. The bullpen is not tremendously deep after Jhoan Duran and Garrett Jax. Keep an eye on rookie Zebby Matthews, who could help deepen the rotation.
5. Chicago White Sox (41-121, No. 30)
Manager: Will Venable
In all of modern-day baseball (1961-2024), the Sox team on display last year was as bad as it gets. I could try to show off and give you a few names of prospects. But what’s the point? This team looks every bit of where the Orioles were in 2019 — four or five years away from respectability. And that is only if GM Chris Getz is the right man to lead this rebuild. To date, he has done little to look like he is up to the task.
AL West
1. Texas Rangers (78-84, No. 21)
Manager: Bruce Bochy
One can go broke betting on the due theory, but so much hinges on a healthy Jacob deGrom. I am inclined to think this is the year Texas gets 25-30 starts out of the most talented arm in the game. I love the pickups of sluggers Jake Burger and Joc Pederson. Youngsters Evan Carter and Josh Jung should be a lot more help to an already powerful lineup. One question — who gets the saves? Chris Martin is 37 years old and can’t be called upon to secure more than 20-25 saves.
2. Houston Astros (88-73, No. 8)
Manager: Joe Espada
The Astros lost Kyle Tucker via trade and Alex Bregman to free agency and brought in Christian Walker and Issac Paredes to man the corner-infield spots. This is one of the weakest offensive outfields in the game. Framber Valdez, Ronel Blanco, Hunter Brown and Spencer Arrighetti could form a very solid rotation. Josh Hader and Bryan Abreu are a good 1-2 punch late in games.
3. Seattle Mariners (85-77, No. 14)
Manager: Dan Wilson
GM Jerry Dipoto had a dismal offseason, only adding utility man Donovan Solano and bringing back second baseman Jorge Polanco to help out an offense that struggled in 2024. After dangling starter Luis Castillo and not getting a package of his liking, Dipoto has apparently opted to go into the season with a top-flight rotation of Castillo, Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryce Miller and Bryan Woo. Andrés Muñoz leads a deep ‘pen. I can’t see the Mariners beating out the top two in this division with this paltry offense.
4. Los Angeles Angels (63-99, No. 27)
Manager: Ron Washington
Not crazy about the tandem of owner Arte Moreno and GM Perry Minasian, but I will say the GM is trying. Future Hall of Famer Mike Trout moved to right field in an effort to stay healthy. Shortstop Zach Neto (shoulder surgery) will likely miss at least 4-6 weeks. Third baseman Anthony Rendon will most all or most of the season with a hip injury. The Angels picked up lefty Yusei Kikuchi, closer Kenley Jansen and DH Jorge Soler in the offseason. That should be enough to put a nose back in front of improving Athletics.
5. Athletics (69-93, No. 26)
Manager: Mark Kotsay
Owner John Fisher made some big splashes to juice up excitement in Sacramento and Vegas. The A’s beefed up the rotation, signing right-hander Luis Severino to the largest contract in club history and trading for lefty Jeffrey Springs. They also extended DH Brent Rooker and skipper Mark Kotsay. It looks like outfielder Lawrence Butler is next. José Leclerc should help Mason Miller in the back end of the ‘pen, and while the front of the rotation is better, I’m not sold on Osvaldo Bido, JP Sears and Mitch Spence.
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