Big Bear Nolan's Blog

As Major League Baseball entered the halfway point in the 2025 season. It has delivered some great moments and surprises. While the season is halfway over, for a lot of teams there is still plenty to play for. There are teams that I have seen that are entering the second half at a great spot.

WHO IS SITTING PRETTY

• Detroit Tigers (57-34, 1st AL Central. 1st in American League)
  • This one is simple, ever since the end of last season where the Tigers made a late surge to the Postseason. Detroit has been one of the best teams in the 2025 season. In fact the Tigers have held the best record in the league for the most of the year.
  • The Tigers staff is led by Cy-Young contender, Tarik Skubal. He now has the third best ERA in the league at 2.02. This has been a big reason why the Tigers have been 10+ games above in the AL central.
  • Riley Greene has highlighted the Tigers offense in 2025. The first round pick from 2019 has slugged a .286 batting average while recording 98 hits and 22 home runs in his 343 ab’s. Earning him a nod in the 2025 All-Star game.
• Houston Astros (55-35, 1st AL West. 2nd in American League)
  • You can never count them out. Last season, they experienced their first pre ALCS exit since 2015. They also lost key veterans in 3B Alex Bregman and RF Kyle Tucker. Houston has not only found its way back to the top of the American League West but is in a much better spot than where they were last season.
  • Despite a rocky start to the season, the Astros have been one of the best teams in MLB recently. Since the beginning of June, Houston has recorded the second best team batting average in the AL at .285. (Tampa Bay leads at .290) The Astros have been carried by longtime veteran Jose Altuve and 4th year shortstop Jeremy Pena. Pena leads the team with a .322 batting average along with a .378 OBP, he also is the team leader in hits with 102 recorded. Altuve has slashed .272/.332/.457 in the season, Altuve has the second most hits on the team behind Pena with 91.
  • Those two aren’t the only ones that have been key to the Astros success. Pitchers Framer Valdez and Hunter Brown have been huge for the Astros. Valdez has a 10-4 record over his 18 starts with a 2.90 ERA and a WHIP of 1.15, Valdez also 115 strikeouts while allowing 91 hits and 37 earned runs. Brown holds a 9-3 record while leading the team with a 1.82 ERA and with 126 strikeouts, Brown has an 0.90 WHIP on the season and has allowed 65 hits with 21 earned runs.

• Los Angeles Dodgers (56-35, 1st NL West. 1st National League)
  • The Astros swept the Dodgers over the past weekend on July 4-6. During these games, the Dodgers were outscored 29-6. The Dodgers are still hold the best record in the National League while still having almost all of roster from the 2024 World Series championship season.
  • The Dodgers have the best offense in all of MLB. To no surprise, the LAD offense is led by Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani leads the team in hits (97) home runs (30) and OBP (.380). Los Angeles are once again also getting contributions from its other members of its big three in SS Mookie Betts and 1B Freddie Freeman. Freeman leads the team in batting average with a .307 average on the season.
  • One of the biggest surprises to the season is the contributions of Andy Pages. The center fielder is slugging .290/.329./.497 on the season with the second most hits on the team (95) and 17 home runs.
• Chicago Cubs (54-36, 1st NL central)
  • Carried by the 3rd best offense in all of MLB. The Cubs now hold the top spot in the NL Central and are two behind for the top spot in the National League
  • The most notable thing about this Cubs team is the season that Pete Crow-Armstrong is having. The young center fielder is slugging .272/.309/.550 on the season and is in the running for the NL MVP. PCA is tied with Kyle Tucker for the team lead in hits on the season with 95.
  • PCA’s campaign can’t undermine the season that Seiya Suzuki is putting together. Suzuki has slashed .263/.319./.561 on the season while leading the team in home runs (25) and RBI’s (77).
• Milwaukee Brewers (50-40, 2nd NL Central)
  • A surprising pick for some, even with their record I believe the Brewers are in a good spot for the second half of the season. Despite a rough start to the season where Milwaukee once had a 21-25 season. The Brewers have come back to make it a race in the NL central and have gotten contributions from a wide range of players.
  • The Brewers resurgence has been led by Christian Yelich. The 2018 MVP has slashed a line of .260/.335/.452 while leading the team in home runs (17) and RBI’s (61). The young players in Jackson Chourio, Sal Frelick, Brice Turang, and Joey Ortiz have picked it up as the season has gone along. Milwaukee has also had contributions from rookies, Isaac Collins and Caleb Durbin.
  • The Brewers pitching staff which was hammered with injuries to start the year has not only got healthy again but got better. The Ace of the staff in Freddy Peralta has led the team with a 2.91 ERA along with 104 strikeouts and a 1.09 WHIP. Milwaukee has gotten great production from an off-season signing in veteran Jose Quintana. They have also received good outings from Quinn Preister and Chad Patrick.
  • The Brewers have recently seen the rise of a very promising rookie. His name is Jacob Misiorowski. They brought him up in mid June. Misiorowski, who is known to be a fast throwing right handed pitcher started his career with allowing only 2 ER on one hit in his first two starts. The first hit he allowed came in the seventh inning of a game against the Minnesota Twins on June 20. Byron Buxton spoiled a perfect game with a walk right before Matt Wallner spoiled a no-hitter with a two-run home run.

While there are plenty of teams that are in a good spot to start the second half of the 2025 season. These five are the ones I believe that are in the best spot right now. Let me know your thoughts below.