Author: Deesha Thosar

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Alas, Soto is nothing if not prepared. The former Yankees slugger responded to the vicious jeers by removing his helmet, tapping his chest, and saying “thank you” multiple times while wearing a wry smile. Soto knew what he was doing when he picked the Mets over the Yankees in free agency, a decision that was informed by the reception he would receive in the Bronx for the rest of his career. 

“We were just joking in the dugout that I should do it, and I just did it,” Soto said of his hat-tip. “The guys loved it.”

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was proud of the way Soto handled being public enemy No. 1.

“He’s just very steady,” Mendoza said. “He doesn’t get too high, doesn’t get too low. He knew that this was coming. Like I told him a couple of days ago, embrace it. Try to enjoy every second of it, and just be yourself. And that’s what he did. I thought today he was the same guy. I thought he handled it really well. That’s what makes this guy who he is. Elite. His personality is off the charts.”

While he may not have enjoyed breaking Yankees fans’ hearts, Soto seemed to relish their hatred of him. He smiled every time he walked from the dugout to the plate, all the while continuing to be serenaded by acrimony. Yankees fans came prepared, too, with a fan holding a sign that said “Boo this man!” under a picture of a smug-looking Soto in a Mets uniform slapped onto white paper. Another sign read: “22 looks better on Ben Rice.” 

When Soto jogged out to right field to take his position in the bottom of the first inning, the section of fans behind him, dubbed the Bleacher Creatures, turned their backs on him, not even acknowledging his presence. Perhaps the gesture was a metaphor for Soto turning his back on the Yankees when he chose to rep Queens. Moments later, “We have Grisham!” chants broke out in right field, alluding to the Yankees’ acquisition of outfielder Trent Grisham as part of the Soto trade.

“I didn’t realize that,” Soto said when asked if he saw fans turning their backs towards him. “I was just listening to the boos. Didn’t have any eye contact. Just listened to the boos.”

If the crowd’s point was to convey that the first-place Yankees were doing just fine without Soto, the Bronx Bombers backed up that conviction by forcing Mets starter Tylor Megill to exit his outing after 72 pitches in the third inning. The Yankees batted around the order and scored four runs as Megill lost his command and permitted a season-high five walks in the third. 

Soto had a chance to limit the damage from his former team when Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe hit a routine fly ball to shallow right with two outs in the third. Soto caught the ball, but didn’t make his best throw home, and the two-hopper to the dish was too slow to beat Cody Bellinger, who scored the third run of the inning for the Yankees.

For his part at the plate, Soto wasn’t fazed by the noise. He drew a walk in each of his three plate appearances against Yankees right-hander Carlos Rodon. The Mets entered Friday with the tenth highest-scoring offense in the major leagues, but they didn’t do enough behind Soto’s free passes to make a comeback against their crosstown rivals. 

“It was loud,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said of the crowd. “That’s what makes this place unique. I thought they were very respectful, and that’s what you want. You can boo all you want and all that, but as long as they’re not crossing the line.”

Just over six months ago, Soto was treated like a king in the Bronx. 

He hit 41 home runs, a career high, before taking the Yankees to the World Series for the first time in 15 years. He formed one of the deadliest duos in Major League Baseball history, hitting in front of Aaron Judge. He was beloved by the Yankees fan base, who bought Soto’s No. 22 jersey and showed up in droves to watch him play in pinstripes for one year. All he had to do to get the keys to the city was stay. 

But Soto didn’t just leave, he found a new home less than 10 miles away. The 26-year-old signed a 15-year, $765-million contract with the Mets, the largest deal in professional sports history. For Yankees fans who are used to getting what they want, Soto’s decision to play for a Mets franchise known as “the little brother” to the Bombers was a personal offense. So they booed and booed and booed. 

Even so, the bat in Soto’s hand represented an opportunity to silence the noise. The Mets, trailing the Yankees by four runs, had runners on second and third with two outs in the ninth against Yankees closer Luke Weaver when Soto came up to the plate. One swing could’ve cut their deficit to one run. One more walk would’ve loaded the bases for Pete Alonso, who then would have represented the tying run. 

But, on the second pitch of the at-bat, Weaver got Soto to fly out to shallow center field to deliver a Yankees win. Even though the booing finally stopped, Soto wasn’t smiling anymore.

“It’s uncomfortable that we couldn’t get the win,” Soto said. “I don’t focus, at all, on the fans. We gotta focus on the game and be a professional, trying to win the game. Yeah, it sucks that we lost the game. But we have two more to win the series.”

And two more games for Yankees fans to let Soto know how they feel. Maybe next time the new Mets slugger will let his bat do the talking. 

Deesha Thosar covers Major League Baseball as a reporter and columnist for FOX Sports. Follow her on X at @DeeshaThosar.

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“The most impressive thing about Pete and what is, I think, the hardest thing for young players to grasp onto, is not only a belief in themselves, but how they can formulate a routine that maximizes their potential,” Swanson said. “He’s smart, he’s really instinctual, and he’s been able to feel his way through what works for him and what doesn’t. 

“To be able to do that at a really young age is impressive.”

Why is it all coming together now? Crow-Armstrong finally has an established role on the roster as the Cubs’ starting center fielder — unlike last year, when he began the season in the minor leagues. He no longer had to worry about proving he should be in the big leagues; this year he knew he belonged. He’s always been an elite defender, but digging into his numbers at the plate, Crow-Armstrong has made a huge jump in his ability to barrel the ball, which has led to a power surge. And he’s hitting right-handed pitchers better than he ever has at the big-league level. He’s already collected 10 doubles in 124 at-bats facing righties this season, compared to 11 doubles in 285 at-bats against them last year.

Plus, suiting up alongside a World Series champion like Tucker served as a wake-up call to Crow-Armstrong that his hard work was paying off.

“Signing a guy like that was pretty exciting,” Crow-Armstrong recently told FOX Sports. “Before he was my teammate for the last few months, that guy was a very renowned, revered player. It was always fun for me to watch him. That was kind of a cool one. That was one of the reminders, like, hey, you’re a big leaguer. You’re playing with Kyle Tucker. You’re playing with Dansby Swanson. So that stuff’s cool. It gave me that little-kid feeling.”

Given Crow-Armstrong’s bold, yet grounded personality (he dyes his hair blue and “couldn’t care less” about what the media will say about him) and his high-profile journey to the major leagues, it can be easy to forget that he’s just 23 years old with less than 200 MLB games under his belt.

Known as PCA, he was drafted by the Mets in the first round (19th overall pick) in 2020 out of Harvard-Westlake High School, a hotbed of major-league talent in the Los Angeles area. While he was climbing up the minor-league ladder in the Mets farm system, they traded him in July 2021 to the Cubs for infielder Javier Baez. In 2023, Crow-Armstrong made his major-league debut as a 21-year-old September call-up. He was on track to make the Cubs’ Opening Day roster last year before they signed Cody Bellinger in spring training. But it didn’t take long for the Cubs to promote him for good. 

He was called up in April last year and has grown into an essential piece of the Cubs roster ever since, racking up a team-best defensive WAR (22.4) in that span. While Crow-Armstrong has always turned heads with his top-tier sprint speed and superb glove — he leads all MLB position players with a Fielding Run Value of 10 this year, and it’s not even close — early scouting reports suggested his lack of power was a major concern and predicted his ceiling would be a 10-15 home run hitter. 

“That’s no secret,” Crow-Armstrong said. “I think defense is easier than hitting, but I was always aware that I was viewed as this one-dimensional player. That was always fine. I didn’t really start hitting for power until I got into Triple A, anyways. It was fine. I thought that was a fair criticism, a fair assessment to put on a young player who hasn’t proven anything.”

Now, Crow-Armstrong is busy proving them wrong. 

But those who knew him while he was a minor-leaguer for the Mets were sure he would be a star in the league one day. Crow-Armstrong built a strong friendship with Mets infielders Mark Vientos and Brett Baty when they played together in the Mets’ instructional league during the 2020 pandemic year, spending every day with each other when the minor-league season was canceled. Crow-Armstrong still has a support system in Vientos and Baty nearly four years after he was traded. 

“​​We would call each other constantly, especially when he was on the Cubs, and I was over here,” Vientos said. “We would just have check-ins to see how we were doing mentally.” 

“He’s going to be a phenomenal player for a really long time,” Vientos added. “He’s true to himself. He’s authentic. That’s what makes him who he is.”

“Anybody who’s around him knows how hard he works,” Baty said. “So it was just a matter of time before people noticed. And he’s always been a tremendous hitter.”

His latest home run, a towering solo shot to right field just shy of 400 feet, got nearly 40,000 fans on their feet at Wrigley Field on Tuesday. His belief in himself is just as evident as his swag, and that confidence is infectious in Chicago. The Cubs are 25-18, first place in the NL Central, competing as a legitimate playoff contender for the first time in several years. So much of their early ascendancy is due to Crow-Armstrong’s hot bat and Gold Glove-caliber defense, and now their future success relies on him staying steady throughout the full season.

Crow-Armstrong plans to sustain his hot start by relying on repetition and consistency at the plate, rather than getting caught up in day-to-day results. But he’s also prepared for an inevitable dip in production, because going 3-for-4 every night isn’t realistic. Still, equipped with a no-pressure mindset, he’s focused on maintaining his approach for a long, successful career. If he can stick to his game plan, he’s shaping up to earn his first career All-Star appearance this season, and this is just the beginning of what Crow-Armstrong has in store. After all, he’s only 23 years old and is already becoming a household name.

“I started to find that, it’s like, I hit 10 home runs last year. I already hit nine [in 34 games] this year,” he said. “I’ve definitely had to have my moments of just like, dude, you’re doing just fine. But, I still want a lot more for myself.”

Deesha Thosar covers Major League Baseball as a reporter and columnist for FOX Sports. Follow her on X at @DeeshaThosar.

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8. Don’t count out the Astros  

For all the talk about the Astros’ demise after trading away Kyle Tucker and letting Alex Bregman walk in free agency, they enter the week within two games of the first-place Mariners, and they’re not going anywhere just yet. Astros right-hander Ronel Blanco pitched eight scoreless innings and struck out 11 against the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday, helping the club forget about how Lance McCullers Jr. pitched the day before. It’s been an up-and-down season so far for Houston, and these are not the dominant Astros we’ve seen since 2017. But they’re still a competitive team doing a solid job of weathering the storm amid critical injuries to Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, Hayden Wesneski and Cristian Javier. It would be extraordinary if they won the AL West for the fifth consecutive year after the challenges they’re still trying to overcome.

7. Devin Williams steps up

It’s hard to argue anyone has had a tougher start to the season than the New York Yankees closer. After getting traded to the Bronx and entering the year with the highest of expectations, Williams has crumbled under pressure more times than he’s successfully navigated high-leverage situations, leading to his demotion from closing duties. But he finally stepped up on Wednesday night against the San Diego Padres. Even though it wasn’t the cleanest of innings, he kept the game tied in the 10th inning, allowing the Yankees to walk it off in the bottom of the frame. Williams screaming into his glove after the third out told you everything you need to know about how much that opportunity meant to him. The Yankees will need more of that to get where they want to go.

6. Schwarber’s eye-popping on-base streak

Contract years tend to bring out the best in players, and Kyle Schwarber is just the latest example. The Philadelphia Phillies slugger went yard twice in their win over the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday, tying Aaron Judge for the major-league lead in home runs with 14. As if being in the same conversation as Judge wasn’t impressive enough, Schwarber is now also being mentioned in the same category as the all-time-great, Ted Williams. Schwarber carries a 46-game on-base streak into the week, which dates back to the end of last season. He’s 11 games away from breaking Mike Schmidt’s franchise record of 56, and then he’ll be closer to Williams’ territory, who holds the MLB record with his 84-game on-base streak, achieved in 1949 for the Boston Red Sox. 

RELATED: Where the teams stand in our latest MLB power rankings

5. Twins win eight in a row

Excellent pitching can solve a lot of problems, and the Minnesota Twins are seeing first-hand how dominance on the mound can rack up more than a week’s worth of wins. Minnesota’s pitching staff has the second-best ERA (2.22) in MLB since their winning streak began on May 3. Even though their eight-game winning streak is exciting, the Twins don’t have the luxury of getting comfortable in the suddenly competitive AL Central. Minnesota, despite sweeping the Baltimore Orioles and San Francisco Giants this past week, remains in fourth place in part because of the club’s 5-12 start to the season, and, of course, the Tigers’ hold over the division. The Twins are finally above .500, but they need to be consistent now. And speaking of winning streaks…

4. Cards win eight straight, too

The St. Louis Cardinals, at least, are in far better shape in the much weaker NL Central than Minnesota is faring in the American League. The Cardinals are outshining their opponents in both pitching and hitting during their eight-game winning streak, helping them surge ahead in the division. They sit just one game back of the Cubs, and they’re getting help from across the board. Veteran right-hander Sonny Gray pitched a gem against the Pirates on Wednesday, hurling seven shutout innings with eight strikeouts and one walk. Willson Contreras has gone 10-for-26 and slugged three home runs since May 3. And in the bullpen, eight of St. Louis’ nine relief pitchers combined to record a perfect 0.00 ERA during the winning streak. They’ll look to keep it rolling during a tough matchup in Philly this week.

3. Devers engages in drama, then rises above it

Rafael Devers is tired of the Red Sox asking him to switch positions again. First it was third base to DH, to accommodate Bregman’s arrival, and now it’s DH to first, to fill the hole Triston Casas’ season-ending injury left behind. Boston’s chief baseball officer, Craig Breslow, could’ve avoided this public drama if he had just privately spoken to Devers about the organization’s expectations of him from the get-go, but no mind. Devers rose above the drama and went 7-for-12 while crushing a statement-making 440-foot home run against the Kansas City Royals this weekend, helping Boston with the series. Have the Red Sox figured it out yet? Be upfront about what you want from your star slugger, and then let him hit. 

RELATED: Three teams that could fit if Devers departs Boston

2. Skubal is on another level

Skubal’s first two losses of the season are all but a distant memory. Since then, the Detroit ace has a 0.98 ERA, 50 strikeouts, and one walk across his last six starts. He became the first pitcher in MLB history to post a sub-1.00 ERA, permit no more than one walk, and record 50 strikeouts. Skubal has absolutely dominated opposing lineups, generating 32 swings-and-misses in his most recent outing against the ice-cold Texas Rangers. For the reigning American League Cy Young award winner’s latest feat, Skubal carried a perfect game into the sixth inning on Friday afternoon, recorded 12 strikeouts, and helped the Tigers win their fifth straight game. For the second consecutive year, the AL Triple Crown is calling his name. 

1. Court is in session

Aaron Judge needs to be promoted to a superior league. Call it MLB+. The Yankees’ two-time MVP winner continued making a case for his third award in Sacramento this past weekend, lifting his wRC+ to 254 in the process. Judge went 7-for-14 with two home runs, two doubles and five RBI against the Athletics, including a four-hit performance on Sunday. He entered Monday leading the major leagues in batting average (.409), RBI (39), on-base percentage (.494), slugging (.779), OPS (1.273), and hits (63), while being tied with Schwarber for the league lead in home runs (14). Judge is having an absolutely ridiculous start to the year. Who knows when we’ll see this kind of dominance again, so sit back, pay attention, and enjoy watching one of the greatest players to ever do it.

Deesha Thosar covers Major League Baseball as a reporter and columnist for FOX Sports. Follow her on X at @DeeshaThosar.

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“He’s ascended to one of the top starters in the game,” Yankees skipper Aaron Boone said of King after Tuesday’s win.

In December 2023, the Yankees were putting the finishing touches on the blockbuster trade for Soto. The deal was close to done, but New York was reluctant to give up King, a talented reliever who had developed into an essential piece of its pitching staff. 

The Padres wouldn’t budge. Just like the Yankees, San Diego had big plans to promote King from a high-leverage reliever to a top-end starting pitcher. As tough as it was for the Yankees to part ways with King, they needed Soto more. So King and four other players in the Yankees system departed for San Diego, while Soto and outfielder Trent Grisham came to the Bronx. 

King has flourished in brown pinstripes and will be one of the most coveted starting pitchers in the free agency market after the season. The 29-year-old boasts a 2.80 ERA in 218.1 innings and 38 starts for the Padres, including a 2.22 ERA across eight starts this year.

The Yankees need to reinforce their rotation as ace Gerrit Cole’s rehab from Tommy John surgery will extend into next season. King has always seemed like the answer, and in a handful of months, the Yankees will have the opportunity to bring him back to the Bronx.

King said he’s open to a reunion with the Yankees, but if he keeps pitching like this, they can expect a bidding war for the Rochester, New York product.

“Hopefully by the end of it,” King said, “I can have all 30 teams calling me.”

In that scenario, it’s fair to say that the Yankees will have an advantage. King loved his time in New York; he posted a 2.60 ERA with 11.2 strikeouts per nine innings in his final two years with the Yankees. He became an irreplaceable part of the pitching staff across that stretch, interchanging between an effective high-leverage reliever and a starting pitcher with maximum potential to develop into one of the game’s best arms. 

From the Yankees’ perspective, they loved that King was unflappable in the Bronx. Over the years, the organization has seen too many pitchers crumble under the bright lights. Being successful in New York’s cutthroat environment is an accomplishment in itself. 

“A lot easier playing with him than playing against him,” Schmidt said of King. “Great pitcher, great person. I can’t speak highly enough of him and everything that he’s done for this organization and for myself. Hopefully, somewhere down the line we can reunite, but it’s a lot of fun being able to compete with him as well. We’re both very competitive. It’s kind of like playing with one of your brothers in the backyard.”

To be clear, King is enjoying his time in San Diego, too. He appreciated that the Padres gave him a long leash during his first year transitioning into a full-time starter, allowing him to make 30 starts and record a career-high 173.2 innings in 2024. That trust led to King receiving down-ballot votes for the National League Cy Young award last year. And he hasn’t missed a step this season. King’s 2.22 ERA ranks fifth in the NL, and his 44.2 innings are ranked eighth. 

Both the Yankees and the Padres should be highly interested in King’s services for the long-term future, but it’ll cost them. The righty earns just under $8 million this year, but his market value, according to Spotrac, is closer to $18 million. If he continues his dominance this season, the bidding war for King could reach up to a total of $100 million on a multi-year contract.  

A trade for King is all but certainly out of the question as the Padres remain a competitive force in the NL West. They enter Wednesday just a half-game behind the league-leading Los Angeles Dodgers. For now, all King cares about is carrying San Diego into the postseason and going from there. King picked up how to handle approaching free agency after he watched Judge navigate his walk-year with the Yankees. 

“[Judge’s] whole thing was he’s gonna make the person next to him the best player that they can be and all he’s gonna do is try to care about wins,” King said. “And once you finish 162 or hopefully more in the playoffs, then you can actually look up and figure out what’s happening in free agency. So I’m taking it game by game, trying to make every starter around me as good as they can be and trying to win as many games as possible.”

Deesha Thosar covers Major League Baseball as a reporter and columnist for FOX Sports. Follow her on X at @DeeshaThosar.

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2024 stats: .232/.358/.494, 15 HR, 135 wRC+, 2.4 fWAR
2025 ZiPS projection: .214/.341/.434, 21 HR, 119 wRC+, 2.4 fWAR

It seems like every year Muncy enters the season with expectations that he’ll decline, but besides his missed time with injuries, he’s stayed consistent at the plate. With the Dodgers, Muncy doesn’t have the luxury of shifting to designated hitter with Shohei Ohtani batting leadoff, so give him credit for posting up at third in his mid-30s, all while carrying a high ceiling of 35 home runs, which he’s achieved four times since 2018.

2024: .264/.312/.481, 18 HR, 125 wRC+, 2.8 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .256/.317/.437, 17 HR, 116 WRC+, 3.6 fWAR

Coming off a breakout 2024 season that earned him his first career All-Star nod, Westburg is a first-timer on our third-base rankings with the possibility of a huge year in front of him. He split his time between second and third last year and now has the green light to begin settling into the hot corner full-time. He’s not as flashy of a young O’s star as Adley Rutschman or Gunnar Henderson, but that’s not at all a knock on his talented skill set. Westburg, with a quieter disposition, has the same potential to make a big leap in his second full season in the big leagues this year.

2024: .266/.322/.516, 27 HR, 133 wRC+, 2.9 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .250/.313/.459, 26 HR, 116 WRC+, 3.1 fWAR

It’s incredible to think Vientos didn’t make the Mets’ 2024 Opening Day roster given the way he rose to prominence by the All-Star break. Now he enters 2025 with the starting third-base job and a ton of pressure to replicate last year’s numbers in a Juan Soto-powered offense. Vientos’ production trailed off by September, so the key for the 25-year-old will be to make in-season adjustments to continue building off his early-career success.

2024: .272/.325/.394, 16 HR, 102 wRC+, 3.1 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .264/.321/.423, 18 HR, 107 wRC+, 3.1 fWAR

Let’s be honest: Arenado’s down year in 2024 was a bit overemphasized in the context of the Cardinals missing the playoffs for a second consecutive year. He still hasn’t missed more than 20 games since 2014, and he still finished the year as an above-average player. The veteran is starting to decline, no doubt. But it’s time for us to adjust our expectations of Arenado. His days of being a perennial MVP candidate are likely behind him, but he still had the sixth-highest fWAR among qualified third basemen last year.

2024: .247/.328/.463, 27 HR, 121 wRC+, 5.5 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .241/.328/.438, 23 HR, 115 wRC+, 4.1 fWAR

Chapman fell just short of becoming the Giants’ first 30-home run hitter since Barry Bonds in 2004. Entering his age-32 season, he still has the chance to break that record in 2025. Power numbers aside, Chapman went from attempting to steal 3–4 bases per season to successfully swiping 15 bags in 17 attempts last year on his way to recording the second-highest WAR among his peers at the hot corner.

2024: .260/.315/.453, 26 HR, 118 wRC+, 4.1 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .252/.333/.430, 22 HR, 119 wRC+, 3.9 fWAR

Bregman and the Green Monster seem like a match made in heaven given how much the veteran likes to pull fly balls, so it’ll be fascinating to see how he hits in his new home, with a bump in batting average all but certain after singles turn into doubles at Fenway. A dramatic drop in his walk rate (12% in 2023, to 6.9% in 2024) remains concerning, and he no longer plays at the level of his MVP-caliber days. But he sure looked like vintage Bregman in the second half of last year (.266 BA, 14 HR, .833 OPS). We’re not counting him out of our top-five just yet.

2024: .256/.322/.461, 19 HR, 116 wRC+, 2.4 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .275/.343/.499, 29 HR, 131 wRC+, 4.4 fWAR

Riley was attempting to record a fourth consecutive 30-homer season when a hit by pitch led to a fractured wrist and ended his season in August. But when he’s healthy and at his best, he deserves to be moved up our rankings. A third baseman with an OPS+ in the 130-140 range doesn’t come around all that often, and that’s the type of production the Braves are expecting from the 28-year-old power hitter for at least the next several years.

2024: .272/.354/.516, 28 HR, 134 wRC+, 4.1 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .269/.349/.505, 30 HR, 131 wRC+, 4.0 fWAR

As of this writing, Devers hasn’t played a single game at third base during spring exhibition games — making it clear he’ll be taking over designated-hitter duties in Boston’s ideal lineup construction. Still, he’s one of the best and most consistent offensive third basemen in the game, he’s been adamant about wanting to play third (glaring defensive woes aside), and there’s no telling how the roster will look next season. With nine years left on his contract, this figures to be an ongoing topic within the Red Sox organization.

2024: .275/.325/.472, 29 HR, 122 wRC+, 3.5 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .266/.323/.462, 26 HR, 119 wRC+, 4.0 fWAR

Machado looked sluggish and was a below-average hitter to start the 2024 season, only to turn it on with a .900 OPS in June and never look back. If you look closely at his yearly production, that’s just what Machado does. But his Baseball-Reference page paints the better picture: a consistent, 30-ish homer dude with 90-105 RBIs per year. Machado is still as dependable as they come at the hot corner.

2024: .279/.335/.537, 39 HR, 141 wRC+, 6.5 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .270/.342/.496, 29 HR, 131 wRC+, 5.6 fWAR

Ramirez’s brilliance and durability can sometimes be taken for granted. He did, after all, fall one home run short of a 40/40 season last year and hardly anyone outside of Cleveland was talking about it. Now entering his age-32 season and 13th year in the big leagues, Ramirez has finished in the top 10 in MLB voting in seven of the past eight years. He remains the best of the bunch among the top third basemen in the league. 

Honorable mentions: Eugenio Suarez, Arizona Diamondbacks; Isaac Paredes, Houston Astros; Royce Lewis, Minnesota Twins; Alec Bohm, Philadelphia Phillies; Junior Caminero, Tampa Bay Rays

Deesha Thosar is a MLB reporter and columnist for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets for four years as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

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The former first-round pick struggled mightily last year, recording his worst OPS since 2018 and forcing the Cubs to drop him to eighth in the batting order. Swanson’s skillset returning to his career norm will be crucial for a Kyle Tucker-powered Cubs team that hopes to make it past the postseason wild-card round for the first time since 2017.

9. Trea Turner, Philadelphia Phillies

2024: .295/.338/.469, 21 HR, 124 wRC+, 3.9 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .287/.335/.462, 21 HR, 120 wRC+, 4.4 fWAR

Turner’s numbers have been somewhat quietly declining over the past couple of years, and his age (32) likely has a lot to do with it. But he still projects to be a 20-20 player for the Phillies, where a possible shift to batting leadoff could help him set the table and boost his outlook. But it’s fair to question whether this is the final year Turner will appear in our top-10 shortstop rankings as his defensive value continues to trend downward.

8. Willy Adames, San Francisco Giants

2024: .251/.331/.462, 32 HR, 119 wRC+, 4.8 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .246/.319/.430, 23 HR, 110 wRC+, 4.2 fWAR

Adames steps into his age-29 season having set career highs in home runs, runs, doubles, stolen bases and games played for the Brewers in 2024. Now, in the pitcher-friendly Oracle Park on a new team in a new division, the shortstop has the challenge of maintaining that quality performance — even though a dip in power is expected.

7. Carlos Correa, Minnesota Twins

2024: .310/.388/.517, 14 HR, 155 wRC+, 4.3 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .272/.354/.456, 18 HR, 130 wRC+, 4.1 fWAR

It’s a testament to Correa’s pure talent that he remains a top-10 shortstop in MLB despite battling plantar fasciitis and missing significant time over the past few seasons. Last year, Correa played just 86 games, but he enjoyed an All-Star season before hitting the injured list in July. The veteran shortstop has high hopes of playing a full season this year, aiming to help the Twins win their first World Series since 1991.

6. Elly Da La Cruz, Cincinnati Reds

2024: .259/.339/.471, 25 HR, 118 wRC+, 6.4 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .263/.335/.472, 25 HR, 117 wRC+, 5.0 fWAR

EDLC garnered his first career All-Star honor and led MLB with 67 stolen bases in his first full season in the big leagues last year. The 23-year-old is a sight to see and if he can work through the setbacks that accompany his raw talent, he could take a step forward this year by relying on his five tools and added experience that should slow the game down for the Reds’ budding superstar.

5. Corey Seager, Texas Rangers

2024: .278/.353/.512, 30 HR, 140 wRC+, 4.5 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .281/.359/.511, 28 HR, 143 wRC+, 5.3 fWAR

The two-time championship winner remains one of the most potent hitters in the sport while being widely regarded as the best glove at shortstop. Despite missing around 40 games in 2023 and 2024, Seager in 2025 is vying for a 30-homer season for the fourth consecutive year. When healthy, he’s capable of being the best shortstop in the majors, and he still finds a way to be a top-tier high-impact player regardless of how much time he may miss with injury. 

4. Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers

2024: .289/.372/.491, 19 HR, 141 wRC+, 4.4 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .283/.381/.495, 24 HR, 145 wRC+, 5.1 fWAR

Betts would rank in the top-five of any position he decides to play, and this is no exception as the Dodgers are once again depending on him to man the hardest defensive position in baseball. Skipper Dave Roberts said Betts has “unfinished business” at short after he fractured his left hand last June, missed two months, then returned to right field for the Dodgers. If he excels this year, Betts could become just the third player in history to win a Gold Glove award at multiple positions.

3. Gunnar Henderson, Baltimore Orioles

2024: .281/.364/.529, 37 HR, 155 wRC+, 8.0 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .274/.359/.495, 28 HR, 144 wRC+, 6.1 fWAR

The 2023 Rookie of the Year is expected to improve in his second season as the O’s full-time shortstop — and that should be terrifying for opposing pitchers. Henderson has high expectations after he decreased his strikeout rate and increased his walk rate in 2024. He finished fourth in a stacked AL MVP class last year and, as long as he can stay healthy, he has a legitimate path to winning the award in 2025.

2. Francisco Lindor, New York Mets

2024: .273/.344/.500, 33 HR, 137 wRC+, 7.8 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .260/.337/.462, 27 HR, 125 wRC+, 6.0 fWAR

Lindor has become the most underappreciated superstar in MLB since he was traded to the Mets four years ago, but he’s still a top-three shortstop in the league after he inserted himself in the middle of the National League MVP conversation last year, ultimately finishing second to Shohei Ohtani. Lindor’s 53.3 fWAR since his 2015 rookie season leads all active shortstops, and it’s not even a little close.

1. Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals

2024 stats: .332 /.389/.588, 32 HR, 168 wRC+, 10.4 fWAR
2025 ZiPS projections: .288/.343/.517, 29 HR, 135 wRC+, 6.1 fWAR

Fresh off a second-place finish in American League MVP balloting, recording the top batting average in the major leagues, it’s incredible to think we haven’t even seen Witt’s best season yet. He enters his age-25 season this year, and he’s arguably baseball’s most well-rounded player after sharpening his defense. All eyes will be on Witt, the fastest player in MLB, as he attempts to put up a 30-30 season for a third consecutive year.

Honorable mentions: Ezequiel Tovar, Zach Neto, Jeremy Peña, Bo Bichette, Anthony Volpe

Deesha Thosar is a MLB reporter and columnist for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets for four years as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

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Instead, the Cubs whiffed on Bregman, made a series of low-to-mid-level signings and operated like a small-market team.

[MLB Tokyo Series 2025: Everything you need to know]

Unloading outfielder Cody Bellinger’s contract to the Yankees allowed the Cubs to dip $34 million below the first luxury-tax line, and then there were crickets. Left-hander Matthew Boyd signed a two-year, $29 million contract, but he’s essentially just a replacement for the departures of Drew Smyly and Kyle Hendricks. They reportedly tried to sign top free-agent closer Tanner Scott, but wound up trading with the Astros again, this time for veteran reliever Ryan Pressly. In terms of free-agent splashes, Chicago has remained incredibly stubborn to spend — outside of manager Craig Counsell’s five-year, $40 million contract, that is. 

Remember: the Cubs are one of the most prominent franchises in Major League Baseball, valued at more than $5 billion, according to Sportico, with a rich history and a passionate fanbase. And yet, the Athletics, Angels, Tigers and yes, even the Rays, outspent them this winter. If winning was a priority, the Cubs should have done more to build a strong supporting cast around Tucker. But it increasingly seems like they gave up future talent and team control to meet the bare minimum. 

Sure, they have a solid shot at winning the division and getting into the playoffs, where health and luck are major factors in giving any team the opportunity to make a run for it. FanGraphs projects the Cubs to win around 84 games, which is right in line with their back-to-back 83-win seasons of the past two years, and that wasn’t enough to qualify for the playoffs in either year. It certainly won’t be enough to compete with a stacked National League, either.

As the Cubs gear up for the Tokyo Series against the almighty Dodgers on Tuesday, it looks more and more like trading for Tucker simply wasn’t enough to make them serious contenders. There’s now heightened pressure on a young roster that needs more star power, to go along with the legitimate concerns and unanswered questions about their pitching depth. Still, there are bright spots to look forward to. 

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The Cubs No. 1 prospect, 23-year-old third baseman Matt Shaw, is making his major-league debut at the Tokyo Dome, and he has a legitimate shot at winning the NL Rookie of the Year award. Outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong will be a delight to watch as he takes over full-time center field duties this year while he tries to find consistency at the plate. Shortstop Dansby Swanson and second baseman Nico Hoerner make a terrific double-play duo up the middle. Southpaw Shota Imanaga will look to build off his special rookie campaign, and left-hander Justin Steele is entering his prime. And there’s potential for a 30-30 season from Tucker.

So, there are plenty of reasons to expect butts in the seats at Wrigley Field this year. But the Cubs don’t struggle with attendance. It’s all that spending on top-tier talent that they just can’t seem to figure out how to do. 

Deesha Thosar is a MLB reporter and columnist for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets for four years as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

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