Who knows how long Baez can keep up this resurgence, but he’s undoubtedly a surprise catalyst behind the Tigers’ ascent into one of baseball’s top teams this season.
Aroldis Chapman, Boston Red Sox
Once the hardest-throwing pitcher in all of MLB, Chapman has plenty of peers who can routinely top 100-plus miles per hour on the radar gun these days.
Nonetheless, the 37-year-old reliever is still proving that he has gas left in the tank, with a 1.59 ERA in 13 appearances with the Red Sox.
If a full-blown resurgence is in the cards for Chapman in 2025, Boston will be tough to beat in the late innings.
Jacob deGrom, Texas Rangers
His second Tommy John surgery caused him to miss nearly all of the 2023 and 2024 campaigns after signing a five-year contract with the Texas Rangers, but deGrom has returned to dominance on the mound in 2025, with a 2.61 ERA in seven starts.
Baseball is better when deGrom, who was one of the most electrifying arms we’ve ever seen during his prime, is healthy and at his best. Not to mention, many of the Rangers’ hopes and dreams depend on the strength of his right arm.
Paul Goldschmidt, New York Yankees
“Goldy” is looking like his old self in 2025, with a .351/.401/.478 triple slash and an .879 OPS in 134 at-bats with the Yankees as he benefits from hitting behind superstar outfielder Aaron Judge in New York’s lineup.
It can be easy to forget just how much of a force the 2022 National League MVP with the St. Louis Cardinals used to be in his heyday, especially considering the two seasons of decline that followed that 2022 campaign.
George Springer, Toronto Blue Jays
Springer’s Blue Jays tenure has mostly been a bust since signing a six-year contract with Toronto, but the veteran is out to prove his worth once again in 2025. In 95 at-bats thus far, Springer is slashing .316/.421/.547 with four home runs and a .968 OPS.
That’s a level of production the Blue Jays have to be pleased with, as the 35-year-old channels the talent that made him a star with the Houston Astros.