Aaron Judge to shatter Barry Bonds' 73-HR record; Juan Soto struggles and posts a career-low OPS | 10 bold predictions for MLB 2025 season

As the 2025 MLB season rapidly approaches, there are a number of bold predictions already being made about players and teams. Baseball is wildly unpredictable, which is one of the main reasons why we all love the sport.

When it comes to bold predictions for any MLB season, there are a number of factors at play that could significant help or hurt one of the bold predictions coming to fruition. It is worth noting that not every bold prediction is going to happen, which is why we dub them as "bold" in the first place.

The fact that we have already seen one of the best pitchers in baseball, Gerrit Cole, ruled out for the season, the season already has an interesting ripple when it comes to top contenders.

Here's a closer look at 10 bold predictions for the 2025 MLB season

#1 - Paul Skenes wins National League Cy Young Award

This one might depend solely on health, but if Paul Skenes can avoid missing any significant time in 2025, it would be tough to argue against him earning the NL Cy Young Award. This might be one of the least bold predictions on this list because Skenes is as good as they come.

#2 - Juan Soto struggles and posts a career-low OPS

Juan Soto has continued to prove that he is one of the best hitters in baseball, however, after signing the richest contract in MLB history, there is a chance that the pressure gets to him. The worst OPS that Soto has ever posted in his career has been .853, so it might not be too difficult to see him dip below that threshold if he is forcing the issue too much in order to live up to the deal.

#3 - Elly De La Cruz steals 80 bases

The Cincinnati Reds have one of the most exciting players in baseball on their roster in the shape of Elly De La Cruz. The talented shortstop is a menace on the basepaths and should once again contend for the league lead in stolen bases. He finished the 2024 season with 67, so it's no unreasonable to see him clear 80, especially if he can improve his on-base skills.

#4 - Toronto Blue Jays secure Wild Card berth

The Toronto Blue Jays have had a quietly solid offseason despite missing out on a number of big name free agents such as Juan Soto and Roki Sasaki. That being said, the additions of Anthony Santander, Max Scherzer, Andres Gimenez, and Nick Sandlin might give them a legit shot to make a postseason spot.

#5 - Julio Rodriguez delivers a 40/40 season for the Mariners

Like some of the names mentioned on this list, Julio Rodriguez is an exciting talent with the ability to rack up steals while also crushing homers. If he can remain healthy and locked in, a 40 home run, 40 stolen base season is not out of the realm of possibilty for the Mariners outfielder, especially after posting a 32/37 season in 2023.

#6 - New York Yankees win a consecutive AL Rookie of the Year Award

There are a number of bold predictions that could be made on the New York Yankees this season, however, Jasson Dominguez earning the AL Rookie of the Year might be one of the juiciest. The talented slugger will need to stay in the lineup, however, if he does, he could follow in the footsteps of Luis Gil, who won the award last season.

#7 - Aaron Judge to shatter Barry Bonds' 73-HR record

This one might be the definition of a bold prediction, however, there is a chance that we see a locked in and fully healthy Aaron Judge surpass Barry Bonds' single-season home run record. Judge's personal high is 62, so it's not impossible to imagine him crushing 10 more over the course of a season.

#8 - Chicago White Sox get at least 55 wins

To say that 2024 was a disaster for the Chicago White Sox would be an understatement, finishing the year with a 41-121 record, the worst finish in MLB history. That being said, there is nowhere to go but up for the White Sox, who will certainly miss the postseason again but could at least see a near 15 win improvement.

#9 - Nolan Arenado returns to All-Star form

There have been many conversations about the future of Nolan Arenado and how long he might continue to play for the St. Louis Cardinals. The potential Hall of Famer struggled mightily last season, however, he has something to prove this season and could bounceback in a significant way in 2025.

#10 - The Los Angeles Dodgers don't win the World Series

The final bold prediction on this list is that the Los Angeles Dodgers fail to win the World Series again in 2025. This might sound like a bizarre choice, however, odds makers have the Dodgers as the runaway favorites right now. There are already questions surrounding the health of some of their stars such as Mookie Betts. If they can't remain healthy, it will be a tough road ahead.