Surprises, Disappointments, And Outlook For Every MLB Team At The All Star Break: NL Edition
Annnnd we're back for the NL Edition. If you missed the AL version, read here. Hand up, I had way more motivation and energy for that one. As you'll quickly realize, the NL is a whole lot better than the AL this year. It's not even remotely close. Let's dive in and see why.
NL East
Philadelphia Phillies (55-41)
These are dangerous times for Phillies fans as this might be the last shot this aging core has left to win a ring together considering Schwarber is a free agent at the end of the year. Harper, Schwarber, Turner, Realmuto, Castellanos. It's now or possibly never. The Phillies have prospects to deal, with one in Andrew Painter who everyone is going to want. If Clase becomes available (and he should) then you have to imagine the Phils jump in head first. They really can't tinker with the lineup too much and the rotation can be improved internally with prospects so the real addressing here needs to be the pen.
Surprise: We knew Cristopher Sanchez was a nice pitcher, but he's taken the leap to becoming a front line guy in 2025. If he's not careful he'll finish top 5 in Cy Young voting. Wasn't good enough to be an All Star unfortunately.
Disappointment: Boy was Sanchez's ascension important given the fact that Aaron Nola has nosedived. On top of poor performance he's been sidelined with ankle and rib issues since mid-May. He's still a few weeks away from returning. Zack Wheeler hasn't missed a beat, but Nola isn't holding up his end of the bargain.
New York Mets (55-42)
The Mets have had a hilarious season. They started out 45-24 with a size-able lead in the NL East, but Juan Soto wasn't hitting to his standard, causing some concern of whether he was happy there. Then Soto turned it on and the team forgot how to play baseball. They stabilized a bit as they headed into the break thanks to the Yankees, but there's still cause for worry, especially with the pitching. The Mets don't have the luxury of the AL Wild Card at their disposal. If they don't win the division they'll be fighting tooth and nail for a postseason spot with how good the NL is.
Surprise: There was debate about what to do with Pete Alonso in the offseason and what kind of contract to offer him. Now Mets fans would jump for joy if Alonso accidentally opted into his 2026 player option. It's been a career year for the Polar Bear which might has to be attributed to the Juan Soto effect in the lineup. Early on while Soto was slumping, Pete and Lindor carried this team to a bunch of wins.
Disappointment: Easy call here with Mark Vientos. What this kid did in the second half last year and October gave you hope and expectations that this was one of the better young bats in the game at your disposal. The surge he had sort of tricked the fanbase into counting on him to be that guy this season. 2025 has been hell for the 25 year old to the point where acquiring a bat to play CF or 3rd will be a priority at the deadline.
Miami Marlins (44-51)
WHO is in 3rd place in the NL East? The….Marlins?? Excuse me. Shocking enough they've got some decent young bats in the lineup with Kyle Stowers and Agustin Ramirez. Edward Cabrera is a pitcher who a ton of teams are going to call for in the next two weeks.
Surprise: Besides the whole not being in 4th or worse place, the Kyle Stowers trade has been a dream for the Marlins. His .911 OPS earned him an All Star bid and rightfully so.
Disappointment: How about Sandy Alcantara not being the most appetizing trade piece on the team? That's Edward Cabrera by a long shot. Sandy is a mess and unless a team overpays, I don't see the point in trading him at this value. You're better off hoping he bounces back in the second half and shipping him off in the winter.
Atlanta Braves (42-53)
What the fuck happened to the Braves, man? Yes Acuna missed a bunch of time to start the season, but that's doesn't excuse this. Ozzie Albies has fallen off a cliff. Riley and Ozuna aren't performing to the level they're expected to. Doesn't help that Sale and Schwellenbach are on the IL for the foreseeable future. I still expect them to blow the doors off the Yankees this weekend despite all this.
Surprise: Drake Baldwin is a fun young piece for them at catcher and has had a real nice rookie season.
Disappointment: The rest of the team, minus Acuna.
Washington Nationals (38-58)
Nothing like firing your GM right before the MLB Draft when you have the number one overall pick. That's how you pass on a stud like Ethan Holliday. The MLB Draft is a crapshoot, who the fuck knows. Just the whole idea of firing your GM that close to the draft is hilarious to me. The Nats have good young pieces like James Wood, CJ Abrams, and MacKenzie Gore, but not a whole lot to surround them with. They're a team with no direction or conviction.
Surprise: James Wood is a superstar. Having him under team control for years upon years is awesome. He has immense, easy power. Getting him in the Soto trade was such a win. I have no idea why anyone pitches to him.
Advertisement
Disappointment: There's not even a young, scrappy feel to this team.
NL Central
Chicago Cubs (58-39)
The Cubs were a team many were hoping would take a jump in 2025 and they've done exactly that. This is a very fun squad to watch play baseball. They have a lineup littered with talent. The fanbase is hungry for a postseason run and I'm excited for it. With Steele done for the year they likely need to go out and get another starting pitcher. They must go for this not only because they're in first place, but also the mystery of Kyle Tucker's looming free agency. Treat this season like it's your last.
Surprise: Guess who leads the NL in WAR? That'd be PCA, not Shohei Ohtani. The arrival of Pete Crow-Armstrong as a star has swept the sport. It seems like every day he's making an insane read on a ball and fully laying out for a highlight reel catch. If this was like 2005, you'd wake up every morning just to turn on SportsCenter to watch a PCA highlight that you might have missed.
Advertisement
Kid is special and the bat has come through big time. Crazy to think he was traded for Javy Baez.
Honorable mention: In his 10th season Matthew Boyd has put together a career year and been incredible? Dude even earned his first ever All Star bid. Definitely has helped ease the blow of some of their pitching injuries.
Disappointment: There's not much to complain about so I'll just go with Justin Steele's elbow blowing out. That was such a bummer when it went down.
Milwaukee Brewers (56-40)
The Brew Crew are one dangerous team in the NL that I wouldn't wanna face in October. Their lineup may not appear scary, but it's deep and tough to navigate. While a month ago it seemed like Freddy Peralta was destined to be traded, he's not going anywhere anymore with the surge this team has been on. Rookie phenom Jacob Misiorowski is a monster who can completely neutralize even the best lineups in the sport.
Surprises: The Miz being this electric right out of the gates. Has a Strasburg/Skenes feel to it every time he pitches. What an advantage and spectacle he's going to be in October. Can't wait for his first start against the Cubs with the division on the line.
Disappointments: I don't really know what's disappointing about this season for them. Most people had forgotten about the Brewers after this offseason when they traded away Devin Williams. The fact that they're just a game off the Cubs tails should shape up for a great NL Central race the rest of the way. I guess I'll go with Yelich dodging the Home Run Derby.
St. Louis Cardinals (51-46)
Another team that was forgotten about and left for dead. Somehow the Cards are staying afloat. I don't really expect them to remain in the race, but again I was wrong about them to start.
Surprises: This team is at the moment just a game and a half out of the 3rd WC spot in the NL.
Disappointments: Jordan Walker's 2025 has been one to forget between 55 games worth of poor performance and then an IL stint with an appendicitis. He returns today to right the ship, but I'm not sure there should be much to expect.
Cincinnati Reds (50-47)
I don't really foresee the Reds doing anything at the deadline. They're 3 games above .500 whereas this time last year they were 3 games below the break even point. Progress! They've pretty much been right around this record all season long, not reaching past 4 games above or below .500 at any point. Good news for Cincy is that Elly De La Cruz got better, showing legitimate progress raising his batting average, OBP, and slugging percentage. Feels like there's a chance he ends the year as a 30/30 guy and an OPS near .900.
Surprise: Pitching! Outside of Hunter Greene, the Reds have some very fun young arms in Abbott and Lodolo to go with top prospect Chase Burns. If not this year, the Reds will be an issue in the Central and the Wild Card race very soon.
Advertisement
Disappointment: What the hell happened to Matt McLain? Labrum issues really are such a bitch and can derail seasons. It would suck so much if he's not able to recreate his 2023 season ever again. The Reds could use his offense, especially since they're not a franchise that's going to spend and/or trade for a big bat.
Pittsburgh Pirates (39-58)
How do you recap the Pirates season? Well, Dennis Santana tried to fight a fan while warming up in the bullpen, a fan fell 21 feet from the outfield stands onto the field (he lived), Nick Gonzales broke his ankle rounding first after a home run, an usher was caught on video whipping a fan with his belt (the usher was in the right), and fans have chanted "sell the team" all year long as they lose countless ball-games and waste Paul Skenes' talent.
Surprises: Paul Skenes hasn't asked for a trade
Disappointments: Paul Skenes hasn't asked for a trade. Livvy has to step in soon and put her foot down.
NL West
Los Angeles Dodgers (58-39)
Blake Snell, Roki Sasaki, Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw, Tony Gonsolin, Michael Kopech, Gavin Stone, Evan Phillips, Blake Treinen, and Max Muncy are all either on the IL or have been on the IL this year for the Dodgers. And guess what? It doesn't fucking matter. The Dodgers still maintain a comfortable lead in the NL West and would currently be the top seed in the NL if the season ended today. They are inevitable. And guess what? Shohei Ohtani looks incredible as a pitcher and will be starting games in October if he remains healthy.
Surprises: As if they needed any help, Andy Pages is now really good and a key contributor to this team, lengthening the lineup towards the bottom.
Disappointments: Besides the injuries being a downer, Mookie Betts has been fairly terrible by his standards, posting a sub .700 OPS. Not sure what's going on there.
San Diego Padres (52-44)
I'll always believe the Padres are poised for a run. Part of it is a lineup with guys like Tatis, Machado, and Merrill. Part of it is Petco Park being such a fun place for baseball with a great fanbase. And of course GM AJ Preller is a mad man always willing to improve the team. They've kinda been hanging around 8 games over .500 for a while now and that has them in striking distance of the division as well as in the thick of the wild card race. They just got Merrill back before the break. Michael King threw a successful bullpen yesterday and is targeting sometime in August for a return. Pair him with a hitter like Jarren Duran who the Padres have been gunning for a while now and they'll be making noise in October.
Surprises: Nick Pivetta came over from the Red Sox and is having a career year in San Diego. His metrics are ticking up for him in ways they never have before. His sparkling 2.88 ERA is paired with a 3.10 FIP so what you're seeing it legitimate. With Musgrove out for the year, King being down, Darvish having just come back, and Cease not being the guy they hoped, Pivetta has been massive in terms of keeping the Padres more than in this thing.
Disappointments: As I just mentioned, Dylan Cease. For whatever reason, I've never been a fan. Maybe it's his control issues, fetish for nibbling the corners, and working up his pitch count, but that's never been a dude I've wanted to trade for. His 4.88 ERA isn't doing him any favors during his contract year. He's gotta get his shit together.
San Francisco Giants (52-45)
The Giants made the splash of the season when they traded for Rafael Devers last month. Oddly enough they're 11-14 since the deal and Devers hasn't hit at all. They're still very much in this thing and have the pieces to get into October, but they need Raffy to be Raffy.
Surprises: Considering he was sent down to the minor leagues last year, I'd say Camilo Doval returning to the closer role and having success in 2025 is a nice surprise for the team. He's put last year's nightmare behind him,
Advertisement
Disappointments: Willy Adames signed a massive contract in the offseason and has not been close to the guy they envisioned. He started to find it in July before the break so hopefully that's a sign of good second half.
Arizona Diamondbacks (47-50)
The Snakes season derailed early on when newly signed ace Corbin Burnes blew out his elbow. That set the tone for what was going to be a difficult year. They have enough offense to keep them afloat, but not much else. They're a team to watch in the next few weeks to see if they sell off some desirable pieces like Suarez, Kelly, Naylor, and Gallen.
Surprises: I got nothing. I don't think the Diamondbacks have had one pleasant surprise this season. I guess one is that Merrill Kelly has had a very nice season and should fetch the team a good haul at the deadline.
Disappointments: Zac Gallen has had a nightmare season and it couldn't be coming at a worse time in his career as he's about to his the open market. His metrics are so bad to back up the poor performances that I'm not even sure if it's worth trading for him.
Colorado Rockies (22-74)
22-74 is an astonishing record. To go with that they also have a -253 run differential. There are still 66 games left! They're very much on pace to be the worst team in baseball history, at least in the modern era.
Surprises: This team has won 22 games.
Disappointments: I'm kinda pissed they won 22 games, it was way more entertaining when they were 9-50.
Welp that's the NL. My hand is now throbbing from typing and I'm ready to pass out. Hope you enjoyed some of this.