MLB 2025 Season Win Total Odds and Predictions: Will the Rangers Bounce Back?

It took the Tigers a minute to pick up their bats and get hot, but they figured it out after the All-Star break. The Tigers rode timely, clutch hitting to get the job done.

Despite not having a household power hitter, the Tigers watched youngsters Riley Greene, Colt Keith, and Matt Vierling get hot. Greene is only 24 and made waves in his rookie season. He led the Tigers with 24 home runs and a .348 OBP in 2024.

Riley Greene has TWO homers in TWO innings 😮 pic.twitter.com/MlVSt0tHvE

— MLB (@MLB) June 15, 2024

I can only see Greene swinging a hotter bat in his third season in the Major Leagues. In addition to him, Keith was just a rookie last year and had a productive season. The second baseman finished with a .260 average and 13 home runs. Look for his numbers to improve this season, too.

The X-factor for the Tigers has to be the No. 1 pick of the 2020 MLB Draft. Spencer Torkelson had a wild third year in the Majors. He was sent down to the minors, called back up, and had some moments after getting some confidence. If he can revert to his 2023 form and hit roughly 30-35 home runs, the Tigers are in great shape.

Torkelson has been swinging a hot bat in spring training! He ranks in the top 10 with four home runs and a .310 batting average. That’s a great sign for a Tigers club who would get a big lift if Torkelson lives up to his billing as the top selection of the draft in 2020.

Tork bomb number 4️⃣ this spring! 💣 pic.twitter.com/uop7ERRGNV

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) March 12, 2025

Overall, it’s a young offense that gained a lot of momentum and learned how to win last season. I’m confident they continue an upward trend moving forward into the 2025 season.

The Tigers’ rotation is spearheaded by 2024 AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. There were rumblings that the Tigers were poised to trade Skubal at the trade deadline, but couldn’t, given their sudden success. It was the right move, as Skubal led them to the postseason and won the Cy Young.

UNANIMOUS

2024 American League Cy Young Award Winner Tarik Skubal 🏆 pic.twitter.com/8D3paCfMlN

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) November 20, 2024

Skubal concluded the regular season with an 18-4 record, a 2.39 ERA and 0.92 WHIP. He is right back on track in spring training for the Tigers. The 28-year-old Skubal has posted an ERA of 2.16 and 0.84 WHIP in 8.1 innings of work in the preseason.

They did ultimately trade Jack Flaherty to the Dodgers, but he is back in Detroit as the No. 2 pitcher in the rotation. They did ultimately trade Jack Flaherty to the Dodgers, but he is back in Detroit as the No. 2 pitcher in the rotation.

Flaherty was hot with a 2.95 ERA and 0.96 WHIP before dealing him to Los Angeles. With Reese Olson and Alex Cobb following in the rotation, this unit has the potential to be better than expected. I am confident in a deep bullpen, which features Tommy Kahnle and Will Vest.

Tigers’ Projected Starting Rotation:

1. Tarik Skubal
2. Jack Flaherty
3. Reese Olson
4. Alex Cobb
5. Jackson Jobe/Casey Mize/Keider Montero/Kenta Maeda

There is no shortage of power in the Rangers’ offense. They had a down year in 2024, but I suspect they can improve considerably. In addition to having their veterans back from that World Series team, the young talent is starting to come around for Texas.

Marcus Semien, Adolis Garcia, and Corey Seager are the top three hitters, and they’re all back at the top of the order for the Rangers. Additionally, it’s another year of experience for Wyatt Langford, Evan Carter, and Josh Jung.

The bats are hitting throughout spring training for the Rangers. As a team, the Rangers are tied for third in the Majors with 29 home runs. They’re hitting well at the dish for a .265 batting average through 19 exhibition matchups.

In 2024, Langford and Carter were both preseason MLB Rookie of the Year candidates. Langford was fourth on the Rangers with 16 home runs and a .253 batting average. I expect great things from him, and Carter should show improvement.

✅ Walk-off grand slam
✅ Hit for the cycle
✅ Inside-the-park HR

Wyatt Langford joined Jackie Robinson as the only players to accomplish all three in the same season!

📺 "Stats & Oddities of 2024" on MLB Network pic.twitter.com/MLcdH5WRJx

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) December 29, 2024

The Rangers’ bats should make some noise, and I like the direction they’re heading in this season.

The Rangers’ pitching is the big question mark this season. The fate of the team largely depends on whether Jacob deGrom can stay healthy and return to form. DeGrom has pitched in just nine games as a Ranger over the last two years.

When he’s been on the mound, deGrom has been in sharp form in Texas. He posted a 1.69 ERA in three starts in 2024 and a 2.67 ERA in six a year earlier in 2023. He’s throwing in camp and reports are positive, so the Rangers are optimistic.

DeGrom has only appeared in two innings this spring training, but he held his own through two innings. There were no ill effects from his injury, with deGrom conceding no runs and three strikeouts! He doesn’t need any more warm-up starts to prove that he’s ready.

Sights and sounds from Jacob deGrom's 2025 spring debut 🔊

The @Rangers ace tossed two scoreless frames with three strikeouts. pic.twitter.com/i9e9dAR0Fo

— Victory+ (@victoryplustv) March 8, 2025

Following deGrom in the rotation, the Rangers are loaded with proven veterans. DeGrom and Nathan Eovaldi make for a fairly strong 1-2 punch. Overall, I like the looks of this rotation, and they should see plenty of run support.

Rangers’ Projected Starting Rotation:

1. Jacob deGrom
2. Nathan Eovaldi
3. Cody Bradford
4. Jon Gray
5. Tyler Mahle

The Royals are ready to soar on the shoulders of Bobby Witt Jr. this season. He took the AL Central by storm a season ago, and I’m confident he’s prepared to develop into a star soon. The 24-year-old shortstop had a breakout campaign in Kansas City.

Bobby Witt Jr. leads the way among https://t.co/Z3s2EphcSH's 2025 American League MVP favorites 👀 pic.twitter.com/CX34q3OZYy

— MLB (@MLB) March 7, 2025

He logged a .332 batting average, 109 RBIs, and 32 home runs in his third MLB season. It started to look really easy for Witt Jr. in the batter’s box, and he should continue to look more comfortable. In addition to Witt Jr., 27-year-old first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino showed solid gains this past season.

The Royals’ offense has been in solid form in spring training. They’re top 10 in RBIs and batting average, with 105 and a .269. I have no qualms about the Royals having success in the regular season as well.

With a strong veteran bat like Salvador Perez in the middle of the lineup, the Royals are going to compete for the divisional title. Depth is a concern at the bottom of the order, but enough to hang tough in a mediocre AL Central.

In any case, the offense should perform well this season. I have high hopes for the Royals swinging hot bats in 2024!

Along with the batting likely to turn some heads, the pitching staff has a chance to be a strength of this team. The Royals return a rotation that was amongst the best in the Major Leagues.

Kansas City’s rotation ranked second in the Major Leagues with a team ERA of 3.55. Brady Singer departed the Royals, but they turned him into a lead-off man at the top of the order in Jonathan India and outfielder Joey Wiemer.

"We learned a lot about each other, we became really close. It's more than just teammates, we're like a little family. We talk a lot, we talk about each other's outings…"

– Cole Ragans on the @Royals starting rotation pic.twitter.com/xlsFPOXGrD

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) February 13, 2025

Cole Ragans and Seth Lugo remain entrenched at the top of the rotation. Also, the Royals re-signed Michael Wacha to a new three-year contract. Despite Singer’s exit, the Royals’ rotation is in good shape through this season.

Ragans recorded a 3.14 ERA, Lugo a 3.00 ERA, and Wacha still had it with a 3.35 ERA in his 12th season in the Major Leagues. The Royals’ rotation will remain one of the most underrated units in 2025!

The Pirates had their moments, but not enough for anything significant last season. They were 23rd in the Major Leagues with a .234 batting average.

Additionally, Pittsburgh was just 21st after scoring 643 RBIs. The Pirates’ power numbers were also low, with only 160 home runs, for 25th in the Major Leagues.

I mention these stats because the Pirates didn’t spend any money to improve their offense. This isn’t an organization that likes to spend big money on free agency, so you can expect more mediocre results. And, now, the Pirates are dealing with a key injury. Ke’Bryan Hayes is already battling injuries in spring training.

Pirates 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes hopes his chronic back issues are behind him pic.twitter.com/eSG4AOwjOz

— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) February 12, 2025

Hayes played in just 96 games last season due to a back injury after posting career-highs in 2023. The Bucs were hoping to get a healthy Hayes back, but it doesn’t look promising in March.

Andrew McCutchen is 38 years old, and he’s being depended on to be one of the Pirates’ top hitters. McCutchen, Bryan Reynolds, and Oneil Cruz are expected to be the power bats for the Pirates and that isn’t good enough.

You can call the Pirates the Paul Skenes Show because that’s the only reason people are turning in. Skenes was unbelievable as a rookie for the Pirates. He recorded a 1.96 ERA and 0.95 WHIP across 23 starts.

The sophomore has been working on two new pitches: a cutter and a two-seam baseball. Skenes doesn’t need any more firepower, but it appears that batters have more to worry about in 2025.

Paul Skenes with a new cutter? NASTY.

(via @PitchingNinja)pic.twitter.com/hXFiQwKwMU

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) March 1, 2025

If Skenes pitched a full schedule, there is a strong chance he would have won the NL Cy Young ahead of Chris Sale. Skenes didn’t need much run support en route to an 11-3 record. Jared Jones and Mitch Keller with a healthy Skenes offer the Pirates a formidable rotation.

However, Jones and Keller need more run support than Skenes. In other words, the Pirates can’t survive on winning 3-2 games all season long. If the pitching suffers injuries, they’ll be on a one-way ticket to the bottom of the NL Central.