15. Arizona Diamondbacks: C
Somehow, some way, the book is still not yet closed on the 2025 D-backs. It looked for all the world like they’d waved the white flag at the deadline, shipping off Josh Naylor, Eugenio Suarez, Merrill Kelly and more quality big-leaguers. And yet, with a huge assist from the spiraling Mets, here they are, smack in the middle of the race for the final NL Wild Card spot entering the final week of the regular season.
That’s an achievement, all things considered, and there remains a ton of talent here despite the midseason departures. Still, though, Arizona entered 2025 with aspirations of being a legitimate contender, and while they might yet sneak into October, this season feels like a step back in that regard. Ryne Nelson’s emergence aside, the rotation more or less fell apart, with Kelly gone and Zac Gallen a pending free agent and Brandon Pfaadt stagnating and Corbin Burnes lost for most if not all of 2026 due to Tommy John surgery. There are definitely still reasons for optimism around this team moving forward, but it’s hard not to view the year on the whole as a disappointment considering where it started.
-CL
14. New York Mets: B+
The payroll suggested the Mets should have had a Usain Bolt-like sprint to the NL East title. At the very least, the playoffs should have been locked up well in advance. It’s going to take them a little longer than others to confirm the inevitable: this team is pretty good despite all of the regular season flaws we saw exposed.
Juan Soto is playing his best baseball at the perfect time. Rookie Nolan McLean has added dominance on the mound lost for much of the season. This team can be sneaky good in the playoffs. However, we can’t look back at the regular season and declare it a resounding success.
David Stearns misses as much as he hits on trades and free agents. Soto has worked out well. A Pete Alonso reunion has given them the extra oomph in the middle of the order no one else could have provided. A long list of Tommy John surgery recipients plus failings of veteran starting pitchers made this a regular season only worth a B+ grade. That mark can always change with how far they go in the playoffs.
-Tim Boyle, Rising Apple
13. Cincinnati Reds: C
Perhaps this is a bit harsh, but I was very high on the Cincinnati Reds entering the year. A bold prediction I had entering the year was that they’d win the NL Central. Not only did they fail to do that, but they’ve got ground to make up just to earn the final Wild Card spot in the NL. For a Reds team with this much talent, that feels unacceptable.
Their rotation, led by Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott and Nick Lodolo, is one of the best in the National League. Their lineup, featuring big names like Elly De La Cruz, TJ Friedl and Matt McLain, should frankly be much better than it has been. McLain has struggled all year, and De La Cruz has had an abysmal second half.
This grade will obviously change a lot if they do make it to the playoffs, and I’d say with their pitching, they have a chance to go on a memorable run. With that being said, they’re on the outside looking in right now, and that’s a disappointment - point blank. I do believe this team can take meaningful strides in 2026, especially with both Chase Burns and Sal Stewart set to play full seasons, but this season will be a very disappointing one if they miss the playoffs.
-ZR
12. Houston Astros: C+
In a season of trials and tribulations, it's somewhat difficult to come up with an accurate grade for the Houston Astros. The club tried to sell the world on the fact that they'd be contenders, even after they traded away Kyle Tucker and let Alex Bregman walk. Most weren't buying and believed the Astros were primed to take a big step back.
On the flip side, the story of the season is one of devastating injuries and incredible perseverance. If you'd known at the beginning of the season that Yordan Alvarez would miss four months of action, you'd be forgiven for thinking the club would be dead in the water. The superstar slugger was far from the only significant injury the Astros would sustain.
At the end of the day, the injury waves just kept coming and became harder and harder for Houston to withstand. They lost their grip on the AL West, and now their playoff lives hang in the balance. On the one hand, a fringe playoff team was probably the expectation going into the season, but given what they've had to endure, it's fair to say they've been just a hair above expectations.
-Stephen Parello, Climbing Tal’s Hill
11. Cleveland Guardians: B+
If you had asked me to grade the Guardians two weeks ago, I likely would have given them a ‘C’ grade. Sure, they showed some fight and showed they had some pieces for the future, but it looked like they were destined for a disappointing season after last year’s trip to the American League Championship Series.
Now here we are.
Despite the fact they’ve had two big swoons this season and lost two key players to a gambling investigation, they’re entering the final week of the regular season in control of their postseason destiny. They’ll likely need to win four of their final six weeks to get in, but they just rattled off 10 wins in a row to cut the Tigers’ lead in the division to just one game.
This season doesn’t get an A grade because of their mid-summer struggles, but it may be the best B+ season in MLB history.
-Henry Palatella, Away Back Gone