It is a new beginning for the national pastime. Major League Baseball’s 145th season is setting up to be a fun and interesting one. The Dodgers are looking to repeat their World Series winning season from last year and sure have a convincing squad to do it. New faces in new places are looking forward to a fresh start and hoping for a good first impression for their fans. Superstars like Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, and Bobby Witt Jr. have their sights set on winning awards and the World Series. Plenty of teams have competitive rosters and could make a push for the Commissioner’s Trophy. The 2025 season is just now getting underway and there is so much to be excited about. 

Here are 5 storylines to look out for during this season:

• Los Angeles Dodgers

The LA Dodgers have built an absolute superteam over the last three years. It has already resulted in a World Championship. This offseason they went out and got Roki Sasaki, a phenom pitcher from Japan. They acquired two-time Cy Young Winner, Blake Snell to strengthen an already overpowered rotation. The Dodgers have been, and always will be the team to be scared of this season. It is certainly not surprising to see them as the favorites to win the World Series again this year. Look out.

• New Faces in New Places

It was a busy offseason for many teams in the MLB. More than half of the teams are welcoming a new star into their city, hoping for the best for their team. Players like Alex Bregman, Juan Soto, Max Scherzer, and Justin Verlander, all superstars of the game, have moved teams to succeed and prosper in a new town. Arguably the biggest move was the Juan Soto deal who moved from the Yankees to the crosstown rival Mets in a huge 15 year deal. Juan Soto is my player to watch because I think he can lead the Mets to a long playoff run, in a mission to take down the Dodgers.

• Can Mike Trout Stay Healthy?

Mike Trout has yet to play a relatively full season since 2019. His later career has been plagued by injuries. He has shown that when healthy he is easily one of the best, if not the best player in baseball. It has been a really unfortunate past couple years for him and baseball fans. It will be really exciting to see Mike Trout play this year and I hope that he can stay healthy. Baseball needs him. 

• Under the Radar Team NL: St. Louis Cardinals

As biased as I may be, the Cardinals can do some damage this year. Not only have baseball critics turned on them this year, even some of our fans have. In the first three games they have proven that they could be a solid team throughout the year. The fans, as frustrated as they can be in the ownership, should still realize that this team will not be bad and can certainly win the division if things go right and they stay healthy. The moniker “Youngry” (Young and Hungry) is the perfect way to describe the team as they push for a playoff berth for the first time since 2022. 

• Under the Radar Team AL: Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox have always been an under the radar team. But this year, I see them as even more under the radar. Critics say that either the Yankees or Orioles will win the division, but I can totally see the Red Sox sneaking from behind and taking the division from both teams. They went out and got star pitcher Garrett Crochet and third baseman Alex Bregman to an already star-studded lineup and rotation. Not to mention, the young stars they have like Jarren Duran and Ceddanne Rafaela. The Red Sox can be a very exciting team this year and I can’t wait to see the season unfold.