MLB Opening Day 2025: Here's everything you missed during the offseason

Play ball!

With Opening Day upon us, it's finally time to get back out on the diamond.

But before players take the field for the first games of the 2025 MLB season, it's important to look back at everything that's happened over the past few months. Since the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees in the World Series last fall, there have been plenty of changes -- making it tough to predict what could happen this time around.

Here's a deep dive into everything that happened over the offseason, plus some predictions for the upcoming campaign:

MLB free agent signings 2025 offseason

Over a billion dollars were handed out on the open market this offseason.

Here are the 15 biggest contracts signed by free agents since last November, in terms of total value:

1. OF Juan Soto, New York Mets: 15 years, $765 million
2. SP Max Fried, New York Yankees: 8 years, $218 million
3. SP Corbin Burnes, Arizona Diamondbacks: 6 years, $210 million
4. SP Blake Snell, Los Angeles Dodgers: 5 years, $182 million
5. SS Willy Adames, San Francisco Giants: 7 years, $182 million
6. 3B Alex Bregman, Boston Red Sox: 3 years, $120 million
7. OF Anthony Santander, Toronto Blue Jays: 5 years, $92.5 million
8. SP Nathan Eovaldi, Texas Rangers: 3 years, $75 million
9. SP Sean Manaea, New York Mets: 3 years, $75 million
10. RP Tanner Scott, Los Angeles Dodgers: 4 years, $72 million
11. SP Luis Severino, Athletics: 3 years, $67 million
12. OF Teoscar Hernández, Los Angeles Dodgers: 3 years, $66 million
13. SP Yusei Kikuchi, Los Angeles Angels: 3 years, $63 million
14. 1B Christian Walker, Houston Astros: 3 years, $60 million
15. SP Nick Pivetta, San Diego Padres: 4 years, $55 million

Arguably the top free agent on the board aside from Soto didn't land in the above top 15. That's because right-handed pitcher Roki Sasaki was signed to a minor league contract due to his age (23). The Dodgers swooped in to grab the Japanese phenom, who will pitch for Los Angeles alongside fellow countrymen Yoshinobu Yamamoto and (eventually) Shohei Ohtani.

MLB trades 2025 offseason

It was a busy offseason on the trade market, too.

Several All-Stars and World Series winners were dealt away, some in exchange for top prospects.

Here are the 15 biggest trades from the 2025 offseason:

1. OF Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs
   • Houston Astros received third baseman Isaac Paredes, pitcher Hayden Wesneski and third base/outfield prospect Cam Smith.
2. SP Garrett Crochet to the Boston Red Sox
   • Chicago White Sox received four prospects: Catcher Kyle Teel, outfielder Braden Montgomery, infielder Chase Meidroth and pitcher Wikelman Gonzalez.
3. RP Devin Williams to the New York Yankees
   • Milwaukee Brewers received pitcher Nestor Cortes, infield prospect Caleb Durbin and cash.
4. OF Cody Bellinger to the New York Yankees
   • Chicago Cubs received pitcher Cody Poteet.
5. 1B/3B Jake Burger to the Texas Rangers
   • Miami Marlins received infield prospects Echedry Vargas and Max Acosta and pitcher Brayan Mendoza.
6. 1B Josh Naylor to the Arizona Diamondbacks
   • Cleveland Guardians received pitcher Slade Cecconi and a draft pick.
7. OF Jorge Soler to the Los Angeles Angels
   • Atlanta Braves received pitcher Griffin Canning.
8. RP Ryan Pressly to the Chicago Cubs
   • Houston Astros received pitching prospect Juan Bello.
9. 2B Andres Gimenez to the Toronto Blue Jays
   • Cleveland Guardians received first baseman Spencer Horwitz and outfielder Nick Mitchell. Toronto also received pitcher David Sandlin.
10. SP Jesus Luzardo to the Philadelphia Phillies
    • Miami Marlins received two prospects: Shortstop Starlyn Caba and outfielder Emaarion Boyd.
11. SP Jeffrey Springs to the Athletics
    • Tampa Bay Rays received pitchers Joe Boyle and Jacob Watters, first baseman Will Simpson and a draft pick. The Athletics also received pitcher Jacob Lopez.
12. 2B Jonathan India to the Kansas City Royals
    • Cincinnati Reds received pitcher Brady Singer. Kansas City also received outfielder Joey Wiemer.
13. C Jose Trevino to the Cincinnati Reds
    • New York Yankees received pitcher Fernando Cruz and catcher Alex Jackson.
14. 1B Nathaniel Lowe to the Washington Nationals
    • Texas Rangers received pitcher Robert Garcia.
15. RB Taylor Rogers to the Cincinnati Reds
    • San Francisco Giants received pitcher Braxton Roxby.

MLB managers fired and hired for 2025

Three teams will have new managers this season -- the Cincinnati Reds, Miami Marlins and Chicago White Sox.

The Reds are bringing back a familiar face in Terry Francona, who retired for one year before returning to baseball. The two-time World Series champion and three-time AL Manager of the Year, who turns 66 in April, is known for his runs with the Red Sox and Guardians. David Bell was fired by Cincinnati in September after six seasons with the club.

The Marlins will be led by World Series winner Clayton McCullough in 2025. The former Dodgers first base coach, 45, has never managed in the big leagues. He replaces Skip Schumaker, who went 146-176 in two seasons with Miami.

Chicago has another first-time manager in Will Venable. The former MLB outfielder has coached for the Cubs, Red Sox and Rangers before getting his first opportunity as manager for the White Sox this season. Chicago fired Pedro Grifol in August and Grady Sizemore finished the season as interim manager.

MLB season predictions for 2025

The Dodgers are the overwhelming favorites to repeat as World Series champions this season -- and for good reason.

Los Angeles loaded up even more in the offseason, adding Snell, Sasaki and Scott to an already-stacked team.

But considering the randomness that can happen in the MLB postseason, it's difficult to expect the same results in 2025. Remember, the Dodgers were on the brink of elimination against the Padres in the Division Series before catching fire. Anything can happen in October.

With that in mind, here are our divisional, playoff and award predictions for 2025:

AL East: Boston Red Sox

AL Central: Kansas City Royals

AL West: Texas Rangers

AL Wild Cards: Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees

NL East: Atlanta Braves

NL Central: Chicago Cubs

NL West: Los Angeles Dodgers

NL Wild Cards: Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, San Diego Padres

World Series: Atlanta Braves over Texas Rangers

MVP: Bobby Witt Jr. (AL) and Shohei Ohtani (NL)

Cy Young: Garrett Crochet (AL) and Paul Skenes (NL)

Rookie of the Year: Kristian Campbell (AL) and Dylan Crews (NL)

Manager of the Year: Matt Quatraro (AL) and Craig Counsell (NL)