MLB Winners & Losers After First Month

Major League Baseball’s opening month is winding down, and it’s time to check in on who’s thriving and who’s struggling so far in 2025. While it’s still early, some clear winners and losers have already emerged.

Let’s dive into the players, teams, and trends making headlines for better or worse.

## Mets rotation shines against all odds

The Mets’ starting pitchers have been absolutely dominant despite facing serious adversity.

With Sean Manaea, Frankie Montas, and Paul Blackburn all on the injured list without throwing a single inning this season, things could have gone south quickly.

Instead, Mets starters lead the majors with an incredible 2.29 ERA and a 2.71 FIP.

This surprising excellence is the main reason New York currently sits in first place.

## Orioles’ rotation in shambles

Baltimore’s front office is paying the price for failing to replace Corbin Burnes after he left in free agency.

The O’s rotation has been a disaster, posting an MLB-worst 6.22 ERA—a full 0.75 runs higher than the 29th-ranked Rockies, who play at altitude.

Injuries to Grayson Rodriguez (elbow) and Zach Eflin (lat) have exposed just how thin their pitching depth really is.

All that young hitting talent might go to waste if they can’t find answers on the mound soon.

## Jung Hoo Lee making up for lost time

After missing most of his rookie season with a torn labrum, the Giants’ 26-year-old center fielder has returned with a vengeance.

Lee is slashing .315/.374/.573 through 21 games with an MLB-leading 10 doubles and zero double plays.

He’s making consistent contact, finding the sweet spot regularly, and playing excellent defense at a premium position.

That’s a huge relief for San Francisco, who took a gamble when they signed him from Korea.

## Joc Pederson’s brutal start

When your OPS would make a bad batting average, you know things are rough.

Pederson, coming off a strong year in Arizona, has been shockingly ineffective for the Rangers. His current slash line? A miserable .052/.141/.069 with zero homers.

He hasn’t recorded a hit since April 2.

## Aaron Judge somehow getting better

The reigning AL MVP is playing at a level that seems impossible, even for him.

Judge is slashing .411/.509/.722 for a mind-boggling 254 OPS+. He leads the American League in WAR and has more RBIs than games played.

The best hitter in baseball is somehow playing better than ever.

## White Sox finding new depths

It seemed impossible to be worse than last year’s historically bad 41-121 record.

Yet here are the White Sox at 5-18 with an AL-worst -28 run differential, on pace for a 35-127 season.

What makes it even more depressing? They’ve managed this awful start while playing one of the easiest schedules in baseball.

## Kyle Tucker boosting his value

Already one of baseball’s best all-around players, Tucker has taken his game to new heights with the Cubs.

In 25 games, he’s hitting .320/.420/.650 with seven homers, six stolen bases, and more walks than strikeouts.

This couldn’t come at a better time for Tucker personally—he’s a free agent after this season and is now clearly the top talent available after Vladimir Guerrero Jr. signed an extension with Toronto.

Whether he re-signs with Chicago or tests the market, Tucker is setting himself up for a massive payday.

## Cardinals can’t win on the road

St. Louis has been surprisingly good at home, but they’re a disastrous 2-11 away from Busch Stadium.

They’ve been outscored 83-56 in those 13 road games, putting them on pace for a 12-69 road record this year.

For context, the worst road record in MLB history is 17-64, shared by the 1963 Mets and 2010 Pirates.

## Stolen bases making a comeback

The rule changes implemented before the 2023 season continue to revitalize the running game.

MLB teams averaged 0.51 stolen bases per game in 2022, jumped to 0.71 in 2023 after the new rules, and have now reached 0.84 steals per game this season.

The larger bases, limits on pitcher disengagements, and even the pitch clock have all contributed to making baseball more exciting on the basepaths.

## Batting average in crisis

League batting average has fallen to .238 so far this season, continuing a troubling trend.

If this holds, it would be the lowest mark since 1968’s infamous “Year of the Pitcher” when the average was .237—which prompted MLB to lower the mound.

That 1968 figure represents the lowest batting average in baseball history dating back to 1871.

While warmer weather might help, this decline reflects a fundamental issue: rising strikeout rates and increasingly sophisticated defensive positioning are turning more batted balls into outs than ever before.