What do you all think will happen during the 2025 MLB season?
It’s Opening Day! Rockies baseball is back!
Earlier today, we shared our Purple Row staff predictions, and for the second-straight year, we asked the community to offer their same predictions! We received 35 responses, up from 28 in 2024, and here’s what you all think will happen this year:
Let’s start with a win total
The community is about on-par with the staff with their views of the Colorado Rockies’ season, but had bigger extremes on both ends. On average, the community believes that the Rox will post 63 wins in 2025 — down from 68 in 2024. The most optimistic person predicts an 82-80 record, while the most pessimistic predicts a 50-112 finish.
National League winners
As to be expected, the community was a bit more split with their predictions. However, 31 out of 35 voters predict the Los Angeles Dodgers will once again be Kings of the NL West. The Arizona Diamondbacks received two votes, and the San Diego Padres and Colorado Rockies each received one vote.
In the Central, the community believes the Milwaukee Brewers will edge out the other teams and claim the crown. One person believes in the St. Louis Cardinals, and the remaining votes were split nearly evenly between the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs.
In the East, there were three teams who caught the community’s attention. 40% of voters believe the Philadelphia Phillies will take the crown, while the remaining votes were split between the New York Mets (10) and Atlanta Braves (11).
As far as Wild Cards go, if the Purple Row community has their way, the Arizona Diamondbacks (27), Atlanta Braves (17) and New York Mets (15) will make the postseason. Every NL team earned multiple votes except for the St. Louis Cardinals — who earned one vote — as well as the Miami Marlins and Washington Nationals, who did not earn a single vote.
American League winners
Switching leagues, the results were similar in their spread.
In the West, the majority of folks (40%) believe the Texas Rangers will take the crown. 34.3% believe in the Seattle Mariners, while 22.9% believe in the Houston Astros. One person believes this will be the Los Angeles Angels’ year.
Heading into the Central, the 2024-surprise Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers each received 10 votes apiece. The Cleveland Guardians received nine, and the Minnesota Twins earned six.
In the AL East, the Boston Red Sox (40%) edged out the New York Yankees (34.3%) as the community’s favorite to win the title. 22.9% of folks believe the Baltimore Orioles will take the crown, and one person believes the Toronto Blue Jays will sneak past everyone.
As far as Wild Cards go, if the Purple Row community has their way, the Baltimore Orioles (19), New York Yankees (15) and Texas Rangers or Cleveland Guardians (11) will make the postseason. Like the NL, every team received multiple votes except for the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Angels, who each received zero. So I guess it’s AL West or bust for the Angels!
Champions
The pennant races were quite interesting again. On the NL side, the Dodgers are the clear favorites, earning 24 of 35 votes. The Phillies and Diamondbacks earned three votes each, the Braves earned two, and the Brewers, Reds and Rockies each earned one.
On the AL side, things were a little more complicated. The Red Sox are the favorites, earning nine votes, but the Orioles (6), Yankees (5) and Mariners (4) weren’t too far behind them. The Blue Jays earned one vote, while the Rangers, Royals, Astros, Tigers and Guardians all earned two.
As far as the whole enchilada, 45.7% of voters believe the Dodgers will repeat as World Series champions. 11.4% believe in the Orioles and 8.6% believe in the Red Sox. The Phillies, Diamondbacks and Braves each garnered two votes, and the Brewers, Guardians, Rockies, Astros and Royals each earned one vote of confidence.
Hardware
Pivoting to individual awards, there was once again a clear favorite for NL MVP: the Dodgers’ $700 million man Shohei Ohtani, who earned 24 votes. Elly De La Cruz (CIN) earned the next-most votes with five, Juan Soto (NYM) earned two, while Nolan Arenado (STL), Fernando Tatís Jr. (SDP), Michael Toglia (COL) and Bryce Harper (PHI) each earned one.
On the AL side, Aaron Judge (NYY) was the favorite, garnering 13 votes. But Bobby Witt Jr. (KCR) wasn’t too far behind him with nine. Gunnar Henderson (BAL) earned three, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (TOR) and Julio Rodriguez (SEA) each earned two, and Corey Seager (TEX), Trevor Story (BOS), Yordan Alvarez (HOU) and Bo Bichette (TOR) each earned one.
On the pitching side, 2024 rookie sensation Paul Skenes (PIT) is the overwhelming favorite to take home the Cy Young with 17 votes. Corbin Burnes (ARI), Roki Sasaki (LAD), and Zack Wheeler (NYM) each earned three votes, while Sandy Alcántara (MIA), Antonio Senzatela (COL), Chris Sale (ATL), Blake Snell (LAD) and Zac Gallen (ARI) each received one vote.
On the AL side, Garrett Crochet (BOS) and Tarik Skubal (DET) are the frontrunners among the Purple Row community voters, earning seven each. Cole Ragans (KCR) earned five and Jacob deGrom earned three. Bryce Miller (SEA), Gerrit Cole (NYY), Walker Buehler (BOS), Framber Valdez (HOU), Joe Rock (TBR), Logan Gilbert (SEA), Kumar Rocker (TEX) and Seth Lugo (KCR) each earned one vote.
As far as rookies go, Roki Sasaki (LAD) is the overwhelming favorite for NL Rookie of the Year with 14 votes. In a distant second is Zac Veen (7) and then Dylan Crews (WAS). Kristian Campbell (BOS) and Matt Shaw (CHC) each earned two votes, while Chase Dollander and Ethan Salas (SDP) each earned one.
On the AL side, Kristian Campbell (BOS) was the overwhelming favorite with seven votes. Jac Caglianone (KCR) and Jacob Wilson (ATH) earned three votes; Cam Smith (HOU), Jackson Holliday (BAL), Roman Anthony (BOS) and Jasson Dominguez (NYY) each earned two votes; and Coby Mayo (BAL), Samuel Basallo (BAL) and Jackson Jobe (DET) each earned one.
(I know these predictions, especially ROY, can be challenging, so I thank you all for your votes and effort!)
Bold predictions
Now is the fun part of the predictions! The staff made some fun predictions, what does the community think?
Here are some predictions for the Rockies:
- Rockies’ hitters will average 11 strikeouts per game.
- The Rockies will break their record for most losses in a season.
- Bud Black will be looking for another job elsewhere before the All-Star Break.
- Kris Bryant retires.
- Ownership hires a President of Baseball Operations who cleans house.
- Three Rockies hit 40 home runs
- The Rockies’ team ERA is the best in the club’s history, but the offense is historically bad and ranks among the worst in all of baseball over the last ten years.
- Zac Veen will lead the Rox is stolen bases
- Veen finishes 2nd in NL ROY voting
- Dick Monfort and Bud Black both step down at the end of the season
And here are some for MLB as a whole:
- The whole Vegas thing falls through and the A’s announce they are staying in Sacramento long term.
- The Yankees finish under .500 for the first time in over 30 years.
- The Dodgers will somehow win more games than Rockies lose.
- The A’s and Reds make playoffs and the Nationals are very close.
- The Pirates finish 1 GB of the final wild card
- Vlad Guerrero JR is traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for a massive haul at the deadline.
- Brendan Hardy debuts right before the break.
- The White Sox win 70 games.
- The Astros win 60-70 games.
Some of these bold predictions will come true, and we’ll all wish we had come up with them ourselves. But either way, baseball is back everyone!
Happy (almost) Opening Day!