2024-2025 MLB Wraparound Season

 

Every MLB All Star break, an idea runs through my head ... who has had the best last 12 months in baseball?  ESPN used to calculate this full season of stats from All Star Break to All Star Break back when they cared about baseball.  I used to calculate all these stats for a few years and write about them, last doing it in 2018.  I stopped doing it because I didn't have time to do all the calculating, but now there's websites that can do all that calculating for me.  Add on top of that a certain amount of boredom during this All Star Break, and I've decided to resurrect this yearly article.

We all just saw the All Star Game celebrate who has had the best start to the 2025 MLB season, but if you add in the end of last season, who has had the best last 12 months of baseball.  Let's find out!

Thanks to FanGraphs for having the tools to calculate these stats for me.

Hitting

Batting Average

(minimum 500 plate appearances)

1.  Aaron Judge - NYY - .352

2.  Vladimir Guerrero Jr. - TOR - .318

3.  Bobby Witt Jr. - KC - .314

4.  Xavier Edwards - MIA - .301

5.  Luis Arraez - SD - .296

6.  Jose Ramirez - CLE - .293

7.  Kyle Tucker - HOU / CHC - .293

8.  Jeremy Pena - HOU - .292

9.  Alejandro Kirk - TOR - .290

10.  Brendan Donovan - STL - .290

Home Runs

1.  Aaron Judge - NYY - 59

2.  Shoehi Ohtani - LAD - 57

3.  Cal Raleigh - SEA - 52

4.  Eugenio Suarez - ARZ - 51

5.  Kyle Schwarber - PHI - 49

6.  Juan Soto - NYY / NYM - 41

7.  Brent Rooker - ATH - 38

8.  Corbin Carroll - ARZ - 38

9.  Ketel Marte - ARZ - 36

10.  Pete Alonso - NYM - 36

RBI's

1.  Aaron Judge - NYY - 140

2.  Eugenio Suarez - ARZ - 131

3.  Shohei Ohtani - LAD - 121

4.  Cal Raleigh - SEA - 121

5.  Kyle Schwarber - PHI - 119

6.  Matt Olson - ATL - 115

7.  Pete Alonso - NYM - 114

8.  Manny Machado - SD - 109

9.  Jackson Chourio - MIL - 106

10.  Seiya Suzuki - CHC - 105

OPS (On Base + Slugging)

(500 Plate Appearance Minimum)

1.  Aaron Judge - NYY - 1.209

2.  Shohei Ohtani - LAD - 1.008

3.  Vladimir Guerrero Jr. - TOR - .944

4.  Juan Soto - NYY / NYM - .941

5.  Bobby Witt Jr. - KC - .931

6.  Cal Raleigh - SEA - .913

7.  Eugenio Suarez - ARZ - .911

8.  Kyle Tucker - HOU / CHC - .906

9.  Kyle Schwarber - PHI - .904

10.  Corbin Carroll - ARZ - .893

wRC+

(500 Plate Appearance Minimum ... League Average - 100)

1.  Aaron Judge - NYY - 226

2.  Shohei Ohtani - LAD - 172

3.  Juan Soto - NYY / NYM - 165

4.  Vladimir Guerrero Jr. - TOR - 162

5.  Cal Raleigh - SEA - 157

6.  Kyle Tucker - HOU / CHC - 153

7.  Bobby Witt Jr. - KC - 153

8.  Kyle Schwarber - PHI - 147

9.  Eugenio Suarez - ARZ - 146

t-10.  Pete Alonso - NYM - 145

t-10.  Brent Rooker - ATH - 145

As if Aaron Judge's 2025 season wasn't impressive enough, if you add in how he finished 2024, somehow his stat line gets even more impressive.  He leads every category here ... and by a significant margin.  Strong starts to 2025 have led to impressive wraparound resumes for Eugenio Suarez and Cal Raleigh.  Two impressive resumes that fall just below the plate appearance minimum are Ketel Marte and Byron Buxton.  None of that really matters though.  We're all just living in Aaron Judge's world right now.

Starting Pitching

Innings Pitched

1.  Logan Webb - SF - 206.0

2.  Zack Wheeler - PHI - 205.1

3.  Framber Valdez - HOU - 199.0

4.  Tarik Skubal - DET - 197.0

5.  Christopher Sanchez - PHI - 193.1

6.  Bryan Woo - SEA - 192.0

7.  Spencer Schwellenbach - ATL - 189.2

8.  Jose Berrios - TOR - 188.2

9.  Max Fried - ATL / NYY - 188.1

t-10.  Carlos Rodon - NYY - 187.2

t-10.  Jake Irvin - WAS - 187.2

t-10.  Paul Skenes - PIT - 187.2

ERA

(162 inning minimum)

1.  Paul Skenes - PIT - 2.01

2.  Tarik Skubal - DET - 2.28

3.  Hunter Brown - HOU - 2.36

4.  Zack Wheeler - PHI - 2.37

5.  Framber Valdez - HOU - 2.44

6.  Freddy Peralta - MIL - 2.81

7.  Max Fried - ATL / NYY - 2.82

8.  Garrett Crochet - CWS / BOS - 2.89

9.  Bryan Woo - SEA - 2.91

10.  Spencer Schwellenbach - 2.94

Strikeouts Per 9 Innings

(162 inning minimum)

1.  Garrett Crochet - CWS / BOS - 11.7

2.  Zack Wheeler - PHI - 11.0

3.  Tarik Skubal - DET - 11.0

4.  Jack Flaherty - LAD / DET - 10.7

5.  Carlos Rodon - NYY - 10.5

6.  Dylan Cease - SD - 10.3

7.  Sonny Gray - STL - 10.3

8.  MacKenzie Gore - WAS - 10.3

9.  Hunter Brown - HOU - 10.2

t-10.  Paul Skenes - PIT - 10.2

t-10.  Nick Pivetta - BOS / SD - 10.2

WHIP

(162 inning minimum)

1.  Zack Wheeler - PHI - 0.88

2.  Tarik Skubal - DET - 0.89

3.  Bryan Woo - SEA - 0.92

4.  Paul Skenes - PIT - 0.94

5.  Spencer Schwellenbach - ATL - 0.97

6.  Nathan Eovaldi - TEX - 1.00

7.  Hunter Brown - HOU - 1.02

8.  Framber Valdez - HOU - 1.03

9.  Carlos Rodon - NYY - 1.05

10.  Zack Littell - TB - 1.06

There are some names at the top of these lists you expect to see like All Star Game starters Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes.  Zack Wheeler has been a well-known workhorse the last few seasons.  Garrett Crochet has been everything he is supposed to be since the trade to Boston.  Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez lead continue to lead the Astros rotation.  However, names like Bryan Woo and Spencer Schwellenbach popping up multiple times was not something I was expecting.

Relief Pitching

Innings Pitched

1.  Tyler Alexander - TB / MIL / CWS - 84.0

2.  Jose A. Ferrer - WAS - 80.1

3.  Jason Adam - TB / SD - 78.1

4.  Brant Hurter - DET - 77.1

5.  Tanner Scott - MIA / SD / LAD - 75.2

6.  Bryan Abreu - HOU - 74.1

7.  Tim Hill - NYY - 74.0

8.  Dennis Santana - PIT - 73.1

9.  Emmanuel Clase - CLE - 73.1

10.  Spencer Bivens - SF - 73.1

ERA

(50 inning minimum)

1.  Dennis Santana - PIT - 1.47

2.  Mike Vasil - CWS - 1.59

3.  Daniel Lynch IV - KC - 1.71

4.  Emmanuel Clase - CLE - 1.84

5.  Jason Adam - TB / SD - 1.95

6.  Randy Rodriguez - SF - 2.03

7.  Manuel Rodriguez - TB - 2.05

8.  Aroldis Chapman - PIT / BOS - 2.08

9.  Tyler Rogers - SF - 2.14

10.  Andres Munoz - SEA - 2.21

Strikeouts Per 9 Innings

(50 inning minimum)

1.  Fernando Cruz - CIN / NYY - 14.3

2.  Edwin Diaz - NYM - 14.1

3.  Aroldis Chapman - PIT / BOS - 13.8

4.  Mason Miller - ATH - 13.4

5.  Devin Williams - MIL / NYY - 13.3

6.  Kirby Yates - TEX / LAD - 13.3

7.  Griffin Jax - MIN - 13.2

8.  Mark Leiter Jr. - CHC / NYY - 13.0

9.  Josh Hader - HOU - 12.9

t-10.  Cade Smith - CLE - 12.8

t-10.  Jeremiah Estrada - SD - 12.8

WHIP

(50 inning minimum)

1.  Dennis Santana - PIT - 0.75

2.  Tyler Rogers - SF - 0.84

3.  Josh Hader - HOU - 0.85

4.  Andres Munoz - SEA - 0.86

5.  Aroldis Chapman - PIT / BOS - 0.86

6.  Edwin Diaz - NYM - 0.89

7.  Ryan Walker - SF - 0.91

8.  Jesus Tinoco - CHC / MIA - 0.92

9.  Tyler Holton - DET - 0.93

10.  Nick Mears - COL / MIL - 0.93

Two things that stand out to me ... First, veteran closers like Emmanuel Clase and Josh Hader have their reputation for a reason.  They pitch a lot, and they dominate.  Second, Aroldis Chapman has still got it!  Popping up on most of these lists, Chapman is still one of the best relievers in the game.  Many of the other names I haven't heard much of, I can imagine a lot of teams are calling the Pirates about Dennis Santana.

So there you go!  Enjoy the stretch run and the Trade Deadline.  See you again next July!

2023 Pre-Season Profile: Seattle Mariners

 #4

The Seattle Mariners broke their 21 year postseason drought in 2022.  Can 2023 bring about another step towards winning a championship?

2022 Predictions

#8 - 3rd in AL West, WILD CARD, lose in ALDS

MIH - Jesse Winker

MIP - Logan Gilbert

PTW - Julio Rodriguez

2022 Results

#8 - 90-72, 2nd in AL West, WILD CARD, lost in ALDS

Highest WAR (Position) - Julio Rodriguez

Highest WAR (Pitcher) - Logan Gilbert

The drought is over!  The Mariners made the playoffs in 2022 for the first time since their 116 win season in 2001.  They may not have done it the way it was expected though.  They rode the back of their young superstar Julio Rodriguez, who won Rookie of the Year and finished 7th in MVP voting.  Before the 2022 season started, everyone was talking about the impact Jesse Winker would have on the offense, but it was the forgotten part of that trade, Eugenio Suarez, that became a leader of the team.  A Trade Deadline deal, again with the Reds, that brought in starter Luis Castillo revamped the starting rotation and made them a dangerous team in the postseason.  Despite being swept in the ALDS, they were really the only team that gave the Astros any fits in the playoffs.

Additions / Subtractions

Even though Jerry DiPoto has garnered the reputation of being extremely active in roster tweaks, this offseason was comparatively somewhat quiet.  Two main trades defined the offseason for the Mariners.  They brought in outfielder Teoscar Hernandez from the Blue Jays for reliver Erik Swanson to replace the departing Mitch Haniger.  They also ended the Jesse Winker experiment by trading him and Abraham Toro to the Brewers for second baseman Kolten Wong to replace the departing Adam Frazier.  One free agent signing was bringing in veteran outfielder A.J. Pollock.

Most Important Hitter

Ty France

Although Julio was the headline grabber last season, in a lot of ways Ty France was the one that helped keep this lineup moving for the Mariners.  He is one of those players that just knows how to hit.  This earned him his first All Star appearance in 2022.  However, an elbow injury mid-season threw off his swing and timing the rest of the season, and France really struggled to have any production down the stretch.  If the Mariners are going to have a strong lineup, they need Ty France to hit the way he did before his injury.  If he is back to that level, this lineup will score runs.

Most Important Pitcher

Robbie Ray

The Mariners made a big free agency splash before the 2022 season by signing the reigning AL Cy Young winner, Robbie Ray, away from the Blue Jays.  In his first year in Seattle, Ray did not live up to the hype.  Still able to strike out a lot of batters, Ray's ERA+ fell from 157 in 2021 to league average 100 in 2022.  His standard ERA rose from 2.84 in 2021 to 3.71 in 2022.  His inconsistency forced the Mariners to trade for another ace mid-season, and he ended the season relegated to the bullpen in the ALDS and gave up a game-winning, back-breaking home run to Yordan Alvarez in Game 1.  It looks like he has made some changes in the offseason and is ready to have a better season.  The Mariners need him to be better to provide that right/left 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation.

Prospect to Watch

Bryce Miller

The Mariners quickly went from one of the best farm systems in baseball to one of the worst thanks to guys like Julio Rodriguez, Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, and Jarred Kelenic graduating from the list, then trading away a bunch of their depth in a variety of trades.  Only two players remain for the Mariners in the Top 100, with Bryce Miller (#98 on Top 100) being ready to impact the big league roster this season.  Miller is a 24 year old right-handed starter that may have had a chance to be a part of the rotation on Opening Day if not for the tremendous pitching depth in Seattle.  He will get his chance at some point this season though, and when he does, he might be the next great young arm in Seattle's arsenal.

2023 Prediction

2nd in AL West, WILD CARD, lose in ALCS

I don't know if the Mariners are ready to dethrone the Astros at the top of the division, but they showed last season that they are ready to compete with anyone in the postseason.  They are built to compete in the playoffs and will be a dangerous team in October.  My slightly skeptical fandom might be the only thing keeping me from putting them in the World Series, but they are definitely good enough to get there.

Fearless Prediction

Julio Rodriguez finishes in the top 3 in the MVP voting.

This might not feel like that fearless of a prediction.  A fearless prediction would be picking Julio to win the MVP.  However, when you remember that the American League also includes so many people you have to vote for out of principle, like the unicorn Shohei Ohtani, the best player in baseball Mike Trout, and the reigning MVP Aaron Judge, cracking the top 3 in MVP voting would be quite a feat.  Give Julio 5 years, and he will be the best player in baseball.