The 2025 baseball season is almost here! There are plenty of things to talk about as we prepare to see who will be the last team standing. Teams are hoping to bounce back, retain success, or get out of the basement after 2024.
MLB rumors are always swirling, and teams look for opportunities to make themselves better throughout the season. One of the biggest talking points in baseball is about which established stars will return to form in 2025 after returning from injury or disappointment. Here are the most likely candidates to do that.
Ronald Acuna Jr., Atlanta Braves
The former NL MVP is a prime candidate to rebound. He is coming back from an ACL tear in his left knee after already dealing with a tear in his right knee. Suffered last May, Acuna Jr. may be a bit slower to make his return than others on the list, beginning the season on the standard 10-day IL.
Acuna Jr. had a legendary campaign in 2023, becoming the only 40-70 player in history. At 27, he still has the upside to be an MVP candidate. It may take him some time to come back from injury, but there are few players as dangerous as he is.
Sandy Alcantara, Miami Marlins
Alcantara feels like a bit of a throwback. He’s a workhorse that can eat a ton of innings while overwhelming hitters at the same time. After a massive 2022, he took a step back in 2023, and then suffered a UCL tear and Tommy John surgery in 2023.
Alcantara has had a fantastic spring, looking ready to dominate once again. Given the state of the Marlins, he could become one of the most coveted trade pieces in the league at the deadline. Alcantara is the kind of frontline pitcher that could make any team exponentially better.
Felix Bautista, Baltimore Orioles
In just two seasons as an MLB closer, Bautista was as good as there was. He dominated over 2022-23 with a 1.85 ERA and 198 strikeouts in 121 relief appearances. Oh, and he also converted 86% of his save opportunities.
Tommy John surgery in October 2023 cost him the 2024 season, leaving him ready to go for 2025. With enough time to recover, it looks like his command and control are there, showing positive indications that he is ready to dominate again in 2025.
Jacob deGrom, Texas Rangers
If you are talking about an “elite when healthy” guy, deGrom is the poster child. He has an ERA+ of 156 and a career K/BB ratio of 5.41, both of which are absolutely ridiculous. Of course, he’s pitched just 197 1/3 innings in the last four seasons.
He got three starts in at the end of 2024 after recovering from his second Tommy John, looking strong in the short span. He’s one of the great arms in history and if he can get near 180 innings, he’s probably in contention for the Cy Young.
Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers
It’s hard to have Ohtani here given the fact that he is coming off the first 50-50 season in league history. That said, Ohtani couldn’t be on the mound because he had a hybrid Tommy John procedure done on his pitching elbow.
As dominant as Ohtani was at the plate, he was excellent on the mound as well. There’s no telling how much he’ll do on the mound this season, but he’s the kind of two-way superstar that can get back on the mound and dominate in addition to his plate prowess.
