Nearly a full month into the 2025 Major League Baseball season, the sample sizes are still small in the context of a 162-game campaign, but every club has gotten some pleasant surprise returns in the opening weeks.
Whether it’s a $325 million pitcher over-delivering or a late spring training bullpen addition making waves, some of these early trends will prove to be sustainable over the next five months, while others are mere sample-size anomalies.
Is Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story turning back the clock after losing years to injury? Have the New York Yankees found their first baseman of the future in Ben Rice?
Here’s a look at every team’s biggest surprise so far in 2025:
AL East
Baltimore Orioles: Cedric Mullins – After a 30-30 season in 2021, Mullins’ productivity dropped off as the Orioles rose to prominence, averaging 16 homers with a .718 OPS from 2022-2024. But the 30 year old could be playing himself into a big free-agent payday with six homers, 19 RBI and a 1.056 OPS through 20 games.
Boston Red Sox: Trevor Story – Finally healthy after playing just 163 games across his first three years with the Red Sox, Story is off to a torrid start (.337 average, 5 HR, 6 SB) in 2025. It’s easy to forget that the infielder, now 32, was one of baseball’s best all-around players, averaging 6.5 WAR per 162 games from 2018-2021.
New York Yankees: Ben Rice – Giancarlo Stanton’s injury opened the door for Rice to become the team’s regular designated hitter and the second-year Yankee has seized on the opportunity with a .988 OPS in 66 at-bats. The Yankees might have their first baseman of the future.
Tampa Bay Rays: Jonathan Aranda: The 27 year old failed to make his mark in stints over the past three years, but looks to be in the early part of a post-hype breakout season with a 1.116 OPS in 20 games.
Toronto Blue Jays: George Springer: After struggling in 2023 and 2024 (.705 OPS), the 35-year-old outfielder hit .348 with a .980 OPS in 21 games to begin the fifth year of his six-year pact in Toronto.
AL Central
Chicago White Sox: Shane Smith – Getting thrown to the wolves as a rookie pitcher on baseball’s worst team, Smith’s career is going great through four starts with a 2.82 ERA and 0.94 WHIP.
Cleveland Guardians: Logan Allen – The lefty had a sophomore slump last season with a 5.73 ERA in 20 starts, but has turned in a 2.11 mark in his first four starts of the year.
Detroit Tigers: Spencer Torkelson – The 25 year old is finally mashing in the manner that made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 draft with seven home runs, 21 RBI and a 1.011 OPS to begin his fourth full year in the majors.
Kansas City Royals: Kris Bubic – Bubic looked good in relief last year as he worked back from Tommy John surgery and has been a dominant part of Kansas City’s rotation to begin 2025 with a 1.45 ERA in five starts and 33 strikeouts in 31 innings.
Minnesota Twins: Danny Coulombe – Sure the 35-year-old lefty was one of baseball’s better relievers in recent years, but he missed a chunk of 2024 after undergoing elbow surgery and didn’t sign with the Twins as a free agent until February. He didn’t surrender a run in his first 10 outings of the new season.
AL West
Athletics: Tyler Soderstrom – MLB’s joint home run leader entering Wednesday, the 23-year-old Soderstrom is establishing himself as one of the game’s premier power hitters and will get some experience in left field with the arrival of top prospect Nick Kurtz.
Houston Astros:Bryan King – After an impressive 2024 debut, the left-hander has become Josh Hader’s primary setup man with a 1.69 ERA and six holds in 12 games.
Los Angeles Angels: Kyren Paris – The 23-year-old infielder was stuck in a 1-for-20 slump over the past week, but still has a .965 OPS
Seattle Mariners: Dylan Moore – Named the AL Player of the Week after going 10-for-26 with three homers, 5 RBI and three stolen bases.
Texas Rangers: Tyler Mahle – Tommy John surgery cost Mahle nearly two full seasons, but he’s been baseball’s best pitcher in April with a 0.68 ERA, giving up two earned runs in 26⅔ innings.
NL East
Atlanta Braves: Austin Riley – Things are not going well in Atlanta, but it’s a huge relief that the club’s slugging third baseman is back to his productive self after injuries wrecked his 2024 season.
Miami Marlins:Eric Wagaman – A 27-year-old rookie who debuted last season for the Angels, Wagaman is suddenly Miami’s No. 3 hitter and playing every day at first base and DH, totaling 19 hits in 19 games with three home runs.
New York Mets: Luisangel Acuña – With five doubles and six steals in 20 games to start 2025, the 23-year-old infielder is proving himself to be an indispensable player for the Mets after his surprising offensive outburst in a 14-game cameo last season – in the heat of a pennant race.
Philadelphia Phillies: Taijuan Walker – In the third year of a $72 million deal, Walker has rejoined the Philadelphia rotation after an injury-riddled 2024 season in a big way with a 2.29 ERA in four starts.
Washington Nationals: Mitchell Parker – The 25-year-old lefty made 29 starts last year and is off to a terrific start in 2025 with a 1.39 ERA, averaging more than six innings in his first five starts.
NL Central
Chicago Cubs: Colin Rea – The veteran right-hander pitched his way into the rotation via some bulk relief in the first weeks of the season. He has a 1.32 ERA in 13 ⅔ innings with 12 strikeouts and just one walk.
Cincinnati Reds: Austin Hays – His season got a late start but he’s been on a tear since his Reds debut, hitting .371 with three homers and nine RBI in his first eight games.
Milwaukee Brewers: Sal Frelick – Formerly one of Milwaukee’s top prospects, Frelick is hitting .329 in 82 at-bats with seven stolen bases to begin 2025, mirroring the hitter he was projected to be a few years ago.
Pittsburgh Pirates: Justin Lawrence – Claimed off waivers from the Rockies in March, the 30-year-old right-hander has 14 strikeouts and a 0.84 ERA in his first 10 appearances for Pittsburgh.
St. Louis Cardinals: Nolan Arenado – The 10-time Gold Glove winner is off to a solid start after a winter of trade rumors and a career-worst 2024 campaign. While he could be moved before the deadline, the Cardinals are surely thrilled they weren’t able to sell low on the 34-year-old.
NL West
Arizona Diamondbacks: Pavin Smith – The seventh overall pick in 2017, Smith has an absurd .397 average and 1.259 OPS entering Wednesday, building on his strong 2024 campaign.
Colorado Rockies: Mickey Moniak – Colorado snatched up the former No. 1 overall pick who was cut loose by the Angels right before Opening Day and he’s stepped into the lineup admirably, racking up eight extra-base hits in his first 19 games. Struggled last year after a breakout 2023, but last-place Rockies found themselves a useful player.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Yoshinobu Yamamoto – The Japanese import’s debut 2024 was a mixed bag, missing a good chunk of the regular season before making four starts (all Dodgers wins) in the World Series run. With a 0.93 ERA in five starts to begin 2025, the 26 year old is sure looking like the guy who commanded a $325 million contract.
San Diego Padres: Gavin Sheets – Signed to a minor-league deal in February, Sheets is now San Diego’s everyday DH and his .323 average outpaces the first four years of his career with the White Sox by nearly 100 points.
San Francisco Giants: Randy Rodríguez – The second-year right-hander is yet to allow a run or walk a batter through 10 appearances, striking out 13.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB’s biggest surprises: Every team’s early 2025 stats hero