What have been the Biggest Surprises of the 2025 Season?

Javier Baez celebrating a hit for his Detroit Tigers, CCed by Liscense 2.0

Every year, the media portrays the way they expect the season to go, and every year, certain players and certain teams blow up everyone's expectations. Last season, teams like the Astros started out a lot slower than usual and players like Tyler O’Neill resurrected themselves into completely different hitters. This year, it has been about players and teams outplaying expectations just as much as it has been about players underperforming them. This leads me into what has been surprising about this season. If someone would have walked up to me and said this is how the season would start, I would have been baffled. And yet, here I am writing this article; baffled.

1. Javier Baez looking turning back the clock

Baez signed a 6 year, $140M fully guaranteed deal entering the 2022 season. In his first three seasons with the Detroit Tigers, he has been one of the worst hitters in all of baseball. 

2022 Stats

Games Played - 144

AVG - .238 

OBP - .278

SO - 147

HR - 17

H - 132

2023 Stats

Games Played - 136

AVG - .222

OBP - .267

SO - 125

HR - 9

H - 113

2024 Stats

Games Played - 80

AVG - .184

OBP - .221

SO - 69

HR - 6

H - 50

In his first three years with the Tigers, he had more strikeouts than he did hits. He was a complete liability in their lineup. Coming into this year, it was expected to be more of the same from Baez with anything on the outside part of the plate being an extreme issue for him. However, to start the season, he has been nothing less than exceptional.

Javier Baez 2025 Stats

Games Played - 41

AVG - .292 

OBP - .329

SO - 33

HR - 6

H - 42

Through 41 games played, Baez has almost matched his hit total from a year ago and matched his home run total. He has made himself less of a liability and more of a threat within a lineup that already contains Spencer Torkelson, Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter, and other young players with a ton of potential. Baez is even getting reps in center field and has actually been doing fairly well. If Baez keeps this up, it is possible he becomes a three time all-star this year. Consistency has plagued him ever since he put on that Tigers uniform, so that is something to watch as the season continues.

2. The NL Rookie of the Year Pool

Before the start of the 2025 MLB season, the NL Rookie of the Year favorites were Dylan Crews and Roki Sasaki. Both have been very underwhelming to start the season. Dylan Crews was called up late last year and burst onto the scene and showed signs of being a future star. Roki Sasaki had no prior MLB experience, but has played professionally in Japan before coming to the MLB. You could say he is going through a learning curve due to the transition into the MLB. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Sasaki’s teammate, had the same issues, but they have since been resolved. 

Dylan Crews 2025 Stats 

Games Played - 45

AVG - .196

OBP - .266

SO - 48

HR - 7

H - 31

Crews’ batting average is very concerning considering in the minors he did not struggle with getting on base through hits. His strikeout rate is also very concerning. Some people believe the Nationals will send him down and get him more reps, but I personally think he should stay in the majors until his defensive production no longer outweighs his offensive inefficiency anymore. Once that happens, send him down to Triple-A. MLB teams have film and stats on Crews and have discovered his weaknesses this season due to his late call-up last season. The film and stats that teams had on him coming into this season have proven helpful to Crews’ opponents. I expect him to figure it out and show everyone why he was a highly touted prospect in the second half of the season. Even though I think he will figure it out, I still believe someone else will win the NL Rookie of the Year.

Roki Sasaki 2025 Stats 

Games Started - 8

Record - 1-1

ERA - 4.72

SO - 24

IP - 34.1

In 8 starts, Sasaki has struggled to strike hitters out. His main issue is his command which leads to giving hitters free passes to first too many times. It is also why he is struggling to get past 5 innings in his starts and has only managed to do it twice in his first 8 attempts. He is currently on the 15 day IL with a right shoulder impingement. I would expect him to get at least one or two rehab starts when he gets ready to return to the Dodgers. Hopefully he can figure some things out during his rehab starts that he can carry with him into the majors. I think he is going to continue to struggle this year, but will show flashes of greatness. He should do enough to stick around, but do not be surprised if he is sent down or moved to the bullpen when other starting pitchers re-join the Dodgers from the injured list. 

These are my two biggest surprises so far. Another one that is worth mentioning is the amount of competition in the NL Rookie of the Year Race. AJ Smith-Shawver, Drake Baldwin, Matt Shaw, Jordan Lawlar, and even names who have not been called up yet like Bubba Chandler and Andrew Painter.. Nobody has pulled away enough to be a clear favorite to win the award, although we are still early in the season. I am fully expecting that there will be many more surprises this season, but these in my opinion are two of the biggest thus far.