It¡¯s hard to believe, but the first week of the 2025 season is in the books.
The first handful of games have featured a number of notable developments -- some more expected than others. How much can happen in seven days? Well, a week ago, most of us didn¡¯t even know what a ¡°Torpedo¡± bat was.
With help from MLB.com¡¯s beat writers, here¡¯s a look at one key takeaway for each team from the opening week of the season.
Jump to: AL East | AL Central | AL West | NL East | NL Central | NL West
AL EAST
Blue Jays: Bo Bichette is Bo Bichette again
Bichette was the star of camp down in Dunedin, Fla., and that¡¯s officially carried over to the regular season. Overshadowed by Vladimir Guerrero Jr¡¯s contract drama, Bichette is in a contract year of his own and is well on his way to shaking off that 2024 season plagued by calf injuries and poor performance. He¡¯s one of the game¡¯s best hitters when he¡¯s right, and as the Blue Jays¡¯ new leadoff man with Guerrero batting right behind him, he¡¯s perfectly positioned to have a massive year. -- Keegan Matheson
Orioles: Tyler O¡¯Neill is a great fit in the lineup
The O¡¯s signed O¡¯Neill to a three-year, $49.5 million deal because of his right-handed power and offensive potential. So far, the 29-year-old corner outfielder has shown exactly why he¡¯s a tremendous fit in this team¡¯s lineup. O¡¯Neill extended his AL/NL record Opening Day home run streak to six during a 3-for-3 performance last Thursday in Toronto, where he reached base in all five of his plate appearances in his Baltimore debut. He also went 4-for-4 in the Orioles¡¯ home opener vs. the Red Sox on Monday. It¡¯s been quite a first impression. -- Jake Rill
Rays: The pitching could be elite
Even with the caveat that the Rays began their season against two clubs that finished in last place a year ago, it¡¯s impossible to deny the talent up and down their pitching staff. The first time through the rotation, from Opening Day starter Ryan Pepiot to right-hander Shane Baz, Rays starters -- without ace Shane McClanahan -- permitted only five runs (four earned) with 36 strikeouts and one walk over 29 innings. And the bullpen was every bit as dominant during that time, racking up 20 strikeouts while only recording two walks in 16 innings. This looked like the strength of their team heading into Spring Training, and it appears that will indeed be the case. -- Adam Berry
Red Sox: Kristian Campbell is for real
Not only did Campbell come out of the gate with a batch of strong performances in his first week in the Major Leagues, but he also reached agreement on an eight-year, $60 million contract on Wednesday. The Red Sox clearly believe in Campbell (the club¡¯s No. 2 prospect and No. 6 overall, per MLB Pipeline). The 22-year-old has a sharp eye at the plate with quick bat speed and the versatility to play infield and outfield. Campbell showed off his power with his first MLB homer on March 29, hammering one off the back wall of the bullpen in center field at Texas' Globe Life Field. That same night, he nearly made a spectacular catch in left field on a play that had a catch probability of 15 percent. The ball ticked off his glove as he hit the ground. -- Ian Browne
Yankees: Bombs away
The Yankees can mash even though ex-teammate Juan Soto is across town. During their first four games of the season, the Bronx Bombers posted a slash line of .289./381/.719 with a Major League record 18 home runs. It¡¯s not just Aaron Judge leading the way. The team has received home runs from nine different players. For example, the Yankees are getting solid production from first baseman/DH Ben Rice, who was 5-for-10 with two home runs during that four-game span. -- Bill Ladson
AL CENTRAL
Guardians: Kyle Manzardo is picking up where he left off
Following the Guardians¡¯ December trade of Josh Naylor to the D-backs, Manzardo taking a step forward in 2025 figured to be key for Cleveland. Manzardo showed his potential last September, when he recorded an .873 OPS in 23 games after being recalled from Triple-A Columbus. The 24-year-old carried that momentum into Spring Training and into the first week of the regular season. Manzardo went 3-for-4 with four RBIs on Opening Day while finishing a single shy of the cycle, and he hit two homers against lefties over his first four games. He went 4-for-19 over 13 games last season against southpaws. -- Tim Stebbins
Royals: Jonathan India looks like a really good acquisition
While the Royals¡¯ trade for India (and young outfielder Joey Wiemer) this past offseason made a lot of sense on paper because of how desperately they needed a leadoff hitter, there were still some questions that needed to be answered. Would India actually fill the hole the Royals had at the top of the lineup? Would they miss the durable starter Brady Singer and all his innings? The latter hasn¡¯t been answered fully, but India has been everything the Royals have needed as a tone-setter. Through Wednesday, India has a .393 on-base percentage and reached base safely 11 times in 28 plate appearances. He also showed his toughness and impressed the entire clubhouse after getting hit on the head by a 99 mph pitch on Sunday and insisting that he play the next day, knocking three hits in the Royals¡¯ win on Monday. -- Anne Rogers
Tigers: Tork is back
Spencer Torkelson reported to Spring Training seemingly without a roster spot or a role. He slugged his way back into Detroit¡¯s lineup with the best camp of his career thanks to much-needed offseason swing adjustments and a more instinctive approach at the plate. He has carried that into the season, becoming the Tigers¡¯ most effective run producer so far while retaking his everyday role at first base in the wake of Gleyber Torres¡¯ oblique injury bringing Colt Keith back to second. -- Jason Beck
Twins: They need the stars to be stars
There¡¯s depth to the Twins¡¯ lineup and rotation. And they¡¯ve gotten some early contributions from guys like Willi Castro and Trevor Larnach. But for the Twins to get where they want to go, they need Pablo L¨®pez, Joe Ryan (who turned in a strong first start), Carlos Correa, and Byron Buxton delivering the kind of results that they¡¯re capable of. -- Matthew Leach
White Sox: For starters, they can pitch
The quintet of Sean Burke, Jonathan Cannon, Davis Martin, Martin Perez and Shane Smith went through the first turn of the starting rotation virtually unscathed, going 28 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run to start the season. That stretch came to an end when reliever Penn Murfee allowed two inherited runners from Smith to score with two outs in the sixth during Tuesday¡¯s 8-3 loss. This group looked good during Spring Training and should be a strong suit for a team playing sound baseball over the season¡¯s first five games. -- Scott Merkin
AL WEST
Angels: The rotation has been a strength
The Angels are off to a hot start and it¡¯s largely because they¡¯ve received solid starts from all five of their starting pitchers. Yusei Kikuchi, Jos¨¦ Soriano, Jack Kochanowicz, Tyler Anderson and Kyle Hendricks combined to post a 3.00 ERA in 30 innings in their first turn through the rotation. It marked just the fifth time in franchise history that their starters went at least five innings while allowing no more than three earned runs in the first five starts of a season. -- Rhett Bollinger
Astros: Starting pitching doing its part
While the new-look Astros lineup struggled to get much offensive production in their first two series against the Mets and the Giants, Houston¡¯s starting pitching was up to the task. Astros starting pitchers Framber Valdez, Hunter Brown, Spencer Arrighetti, Ronel Blanco and Hayden Wesneski combined for a 2.79 ERA the first time through the rotation. Through Wednesday, the Astros¡¯ rotation has allowed only 14 hits and 13 walks with 28 strikeouts with three quality starts through 29 innings. -- Brian McTaggart
Athletics: Jacob Wilson might really hit .300
Turns on the player comps to Luis Arraez might not be premature for Wilson, who hit .401 across his Minor League career. The A¡¯s No. 1 prospect and No. 30 overall, per MLB Pipeline, entered Thursday carrying a seven-game hitting streak, the longest season-opening streak by and A¡¯s player since Marcus Semien (seven) in 2019, and his insane bat-to-ball skills are translating to the Majors as he had yet to strike out in his first 20 plate appearances. -- Mart¨ªn Gallegos
Mariners: The run-it-back offense looks an awful lot like last year's
Conclusions can simply not be drawn after one week, but given that the Mariners mostly returned a lineup that was the biggest culprit in their overall shortcomings last season, there is some alarm to how they performed over their first seven games. Seattle slashed .166/.285/.297 (.582 OPS) with a 27.4% strikeout rate against the A's and Tigers over its first six games, which correlated to a 2-4 record. For a team that missed the postseason by one game each of the past two seasons, they badly need a stronger showing in April. -- Daniel Kramer
Rangers: Jacob deGrom may still be Jacob deGrom, but Nathan Eovaldi is the ace
deGrom threw five shutout innings in his 2025 debut against the Red Sox. But Eovaldi, who has been the staff ace for the last two seasons, threw a 99-pitch shutout against the Reds in his second start of the season and has allowed just two runs in his first 15 innings this year. deGrom, when healthy, is the greatest pitcher in the world. But Eovaldi has been and will continue to be the most important pitcher on the staff, both on and off the field. -- Kennedi Landry
NL EAST
Braves: Things can only get better
Being swept in San Diego wasn¡¯t good, but those four losses paled in comparison to the two suffered Monday, when the Braves lost Jurickson Profar to a PED suspension and Reynaldo L¨®pez to a shoulder ailment that will force him to miss most or all of the season. And the offense has endured a historically bad start. The bats should get going, but this ugly first week only strengthened the belief the Braves needed to add some starting pitching depth this past winter. -- Mark Bowman
Marlins: They¡¯re the fightin¡¯ Fish
Everyone has counted out the Marlins, and rightfully so on paper, considering they have the least experienced club in the Majors by a mile, lack superstars and plan to use this season as a developmental year. But Miami has found its winning formula: Keep the game close and see what happens in the later innings. Though it will be tough to maintain over 162, this pesky team is fun to watch with aggressive baserunning and solid pitching. -- Christina De Nicola
Mets: The jury is still out on the rotation
Sean Manaea¡¯s setback puts the Mets in a precarious position, with neither Manaea nor Frankie Montas due back until at least late May. That puts plenty of pressure on the Mets¡¯ healthy starters, who have been a mixed bag so far. Is Kodai Senga, for example, the pitcher who struggled mightily in the first inning Tuesday, or the one who went on to fan eight Marlins over an otherwise solid performance? What about Clay Holmes? Is Tylor Megill for real? Are David Peterson and Griffin Canning? Through one-plus rotation turns, the Mets are no closer to answers than they were at the end of spring. -- Anthony DiComo
Nationals: Keibert Ruiz poised for turnaround season
Ruiz concluded last season with a .229 batting average, .619 OPS and 13 home runs in 127 games. Ruiz, who signed an eight-year contract in 2023, reported to Spring Training determined to have a bounce back performance. The catcher has opened the season with a six-game hitting streak, including home runs in his first two games. Ruiz entered Wednesday leading all catchers in slugging percentage (.824) and tied for first at his position in hits and home runs. -- Jessica Camerato
Phillies: Luzardo, Kepler might be more than complementary pieces
The Phillies acquired Jes¨²s Luzardo and Max Kepler in December, but fans still think the team is ¡°running it back.¡± But what if Luzardo and Kepler are better than advertised? Luzardo struck out 11 Nationals in his Phillies debut on Saturday. It tied Hall of Famer Jim Bunning for the second-most strikeouts in a debut in franchise history. Kepler has been hitting the ball hard, including his first homer in Monday¡¯s home opener. If both return to prior form, the Phillies have an All-Star caliber starter and an All-Star caliber left fielder. -- Todd Zolecki
NL CENTRAL
Brewers: The pitching is a work in progress
With two (or three, depending on your accounting) of their projected starters on the injured list to start the season, and Jose Quintana not yet ready to go, and Brandon Woodruff still working his way back from shoulder surgery, and now Aaron Civale landing on the IL after only three innings of his first start, the Brewers are in survival mode in the opening weeks. The first pitcher to throw a scoreless first inning, Chad Patrick, who did so in Game 5, wasn¡¯t even supposed to make the team. The Brewers are already way further into their depth than they expected for the early days of April, and are just hoping to hang on until reinforcements can arrive. -- Adam McCalvy
Cardinals: Nolan Gorman and Jordan Walker have impressed; Willson Contreras and Masyn Winn have struggled
Much of the Cardinals' plans to train their focus on their young core centered around creating opportunities for Gorman and Walker. Through five games, Gorman (4-for-8 and a 409-foot solo home run) and Walker (6-for-14 and a 419-foot home run) have responded well to the offseason work they put in with new hitting coach Brant Brown. The same can¡¯t be said for Contreras (0-for-19, nine strikeouts) and Winn (0-for-18, eight strikeouts), who struggled mightily before Wednesday¡¯s series finale against the Angels. Contreras was the team¡¯s best hitter all spring and has hit into some tough luck with several hard-hit balls right at defenders. As for Winn, his struggles are a continuation of Spring Training when he hit just .080. -- John Denton
Cubs: Kyle Tucker is the impact bat they needed
The Cubs acquired Kyle Tucker in a blockbuster trade with the Astros over the offseason to inject a legitimate impact bat into the heart of the lineup. Even as Tucker went 3-for-30 (.100) in Spring Training, neither he nor the team¡¯s staff sounded concerned. And for good reason: Tucker has an established track record of elite production. That has held true in the season¡¯s early going. Through his first eight games with the Cubs, Tucker was hitting .353 with four homers, five doubles, 11 RBIs, 12 runs and as many walks (six) as strikeouts (six). It is the kind of offensive threat the Cubs need in their quest to reach the playoffs. -- Jordan Bastian
Pirates: They are burning up the basepaths
There isn¡¯t a ton of power in the Bucs¡¯ lineup outside of Oneil Cruz, so they know they have to manufacture runs in other ways. One other way has been no secret: This team is running at will. With two more stolen bases in Wednesday¡¯s victory over the Rays, the Pirates have 19 steals in seven games. That¡¯s the most in any club¡¯s first seven games of a season since the 1992 Brewers nabbed 20 bases. The Pirates have picked their spots well, too: They have been caught stealing only twice. -- Brian Murphy
Reds: Matt McLain is back and a big boost
Cincinnati's No. 2 batter in the lineup just ahead of Elly De La Cruz, McLain went 0-for-5 on Opening Day but then hit homers in three consecutive games while hitting the ball hard other times without success. Defensively, he's already made some superb plays at second base while showing range ¨C including one diving stop far to his left. It was what the Reds missed in 2024 when McLain was lost for the whole season while recovering from left-shoulder surgery. -- Mark Sheldon
NL WEST
D-backs: Eugenio Su¨¢rez hasn't cooled down
Su¨¢rez was on the verge of being designated for assignment last summer before catching fire in the second half of the season and finishing with 30 homers and 101 RBIs. The winter did nothing to cool Su¨¢rez down. He swung the bat well during the spring and followed that up by hitting four home runs in the first three games of the season, setting a club record. -- Steve Gilbert
Dodgers: The reigning champs are locked in
It's not uncommon for World Series champions to endure a slow start to their title defense, but the Dodgers have hit the ground running with an 8-0 start to the regular season despite their shortened offseason and spring. What's equally impressive is how they've done it -- in those eight games, they've faced both reigning Cy Young winners and have been without Mookie Betts or Freddie Freeman in five games. -- Sonja Chen
Giants: Wilmer Flores is back
Flores hit only four home runs over 71 games while dealing with a nagging right knee injury in 2024, but he¡¯s already showing how dangerous he can be when healthy. The 33-year-old veteran has crushed four homers over the Giants¡¯ first six games, helping the club withstand the loss of designated hitter Jerar Encarnacion, who is expected to miss two months after undergoing surgery to repair a fractured left hand. -- Maria Guardado
Padres: They¡¯re here to stay, and so is Jackson Merrill
There were plenty who wondered whether San Diego might experience some measure of hangover after its unceremonious exit from the 2024 postseason. That, uh, has not been the case. The Padres are off to the best start in franchise history, winning each of their first seven games while playing an exhilarating and aggressive brand of baseball. And they inked Jackson Merrill to a nine-year extension in the process. Quite an Opening Week. -- AJ Cassavell
Rockies: One must score to win
The first time through a four-man rotation, the Rockies posted a 0.84 ERA, second-lowest in the Majors to that of the White Sox going into Wednesday. Kyle Freeland, Antonio Senzatela and Germ¨¢n M¨¢rquez were scoreless in their starts, and Ryan Feltner pitched as well as anyone while giving up two runs. But the Rockies were tied with the Astros and the Braves for last in runs scored with nine. The bullpen had no margin for error ¨C and a 10.80 ERA. -- Thomas Harding