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!

2021 Pre-Season Profile: Detroit Tigers

 #23

The Detroit Tigers are a young up-and-coming roster that looks poised to take a leap in 2021.  Will it be enough to be players in the AL Central this season?

2020 Predictions

#29 - 5th in AL Central

MIH - Jonathan Schoop

MIP - Matthew Boyd

PTW - Casey Mize

FP - Miguel Cabrera will retire at the end of the 2020 season.

2020 Result

#28 - 23-35, 5th in AL Central

I had the Tigers' season pretty well prognosticated last year.  They were still a young roster that needed to grow up a little more.  One thing I did not get right is Miguel Cabrera is still around as a veteran presence in the clubhouse.

Additions / Subtractions

The Tigers made minor tweaks to their roster getting ready for the 2021 season.  They brought in Jose Urena from the Marlins to help their rotation and Robbie Grossman to give professional at bats from the outfield.  The rest of the roster is mainly young players needing experience.  The biggest move made that could have a huge impact is the hire of AJ Hinch to replace the retiring Ron Gardenhire.

Most Important Hitter

Jeimer Candelario

The best player in terms of WAR for the Tigers last season was Jeimer Candelario, ending the season with almost a .300 average and a 135 OPS+.  Entering his age 27 season, this could be just the start of his prime.  For a team looking to show some progress in 2021, they are looking for who will be the heart of their future core.  If Candelario repeats the production of 2020, he could become a face of this next wave of Tigers success.

Most Important Pitcher

Michael Fulmer

Michael Fulmer's career couldn't have gotten off to a stronger start.  He won Rookie of the Year in 2016, then made the All Star Team in 2017.  Then in 2018 he got hurt, and it knocked out his entire 2019 season.  He came back in 2020 and was far less than what he was before the injury.  Now with another year removed, he needs to get his career back on track, either to be a veteran arm anchoring a young rotation or to be a trade chip at the Trade Deadline.

Prospect to Watch

Tarik Skubal

The Tigers have built up a strong farm system, boasting five players in the top 25 best prospects in baseball.  Three of those prospects are pitchers that should all be in the Tigers' rotation by the end of the 2021 season.  Although Casey Mize gets a lot of the headlines as a former #1 overall pick, Tarik Skubal might be the more impressive.  Getting drafted in the 9th round of the same draft that produced Mize, Skubal is a big lefty with a fastball that comes close to triple digits.  He was able to log some innings in 2020 with mixed success.  Look for 2021 to be a breakout year for Skubal, Mize, and the third of their three-headed prospect monster in Matt Manning.

2021 Predictions

4th in AL Central

I see the Tigers taking a huge step forward in 2021.  Moving out of the cellar doesn't sound like a big move, but the AL Central has quietly become one of the deepest divisions in baseball.  The addition of AJ Hinch as manager is huge as he has already shown the ability to take a team ready to break out over the top in Houston.  You add to that the potential of an elite big 3 emerging at the top of their rotation, and this is going to be a team contenders are not going to want to face in September.

Fearless Predictions

Miguel Cabrera will become a 3000/500 hitter in 2021.

In one year, my thoughts on the role of Miguel Cabrera has completely shifted.  Before last season, I viewed Miggy as a relic of a bygone era that was on his way out.  Now I see the future Hall of Famer as a veteran presence in a lineup and clubhouse that only has two projected starters over the age of 30 (Cabrera at 38 and Matthew Boyd at 30).  This has the potential of being a huge year for Cabrera if he can stay healthy.  He needs 134 hits to reach the magical 3000 hit plateau and 13 homers to get to the magical 500 home run mark.  He would be only the 7th player to ever reach both numbers.  If he gets both this year, this could be an exclamation point on an all-time great career.  For many reasons, this should be an exciting season in Detroit.