2025 National League MLB Season Preview & Best Bets
Introduction
The 2025 MLB season is around the corner, and the National League promises drama, dominance, and surprises across its three divisions: East, Central, and West. In this article, we unpack insights from Munaf Manji and Griffin Warner, who deliver a detailed team-by-team breakdown and share sharp betting perspectives. This guide examines rosters, rotations, and roster moves—revealing which teams are primed for contention and which are rebuilding or falling behind.
National League East: Firepower & Fragility
New York Mets
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Win Total: 90.5
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Key Players: Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso
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Rotation Risks: Clay Holmes moving from closer to starter raises major questions. Kodai Senga and David Peterson need to stay healthy.
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Betting Angle: UNDER 90.5 due to shaky pitching and pressure-cooker environment in NYC.
Atlanta Braves
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Win Total: 93.5
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Key Players: Ronald Acuña Jr., Spencer Strider, Chris Sale
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Injury Woes: Acuña and Strider returning from ACL and TJ surgeries, respectively. Depth could be tested early.
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Betting Angle: UNDER 93.5 due to high volatility and mispriced division favoritism.
Philadelphia Phillies
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Win Total: 91.5
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Key Players: Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Kyle Schwarber
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Strengths: A consistent rotation and power-packed offense. Dominant at home.
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Betting Angle: WIN division. Sharp and deep across all fronts.
Miami Marlins
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Win Total: 62.5
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Team Outlook: 100-loss potential. No players projected for 15+ HRs or 50 RBIs.
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Sandy Alcantara: On the trade block. Only valuable chip.
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Betting Angle: Avoid or fade frequently.
? Washington Nationals
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Win Total: 72.5
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Rebuild Mode: With CJ Abrams and Dylan Crews leading the charge, the Nats show potential.
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Betting Angle: OVER and value in daily underdog spots.
National League Central: Disrespected Veterans & Rising Hope
Milwaukee Brewers
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Win Total: 83.5
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Strengths: Consistent 86+ win team since 2017. Emerging star Jackson Chourio.
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Undervalued: Bookmakers lowballing win total despite strong bullpen and analytics edge.
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Betting Angle: OVER and division WIN.
Chicago Cubs
St. Louis Cardinals
Cincinnati Reds
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Win Total: 78.5
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Potential: Elly De La Cruz is a highlight reel; Terry Francona takes over as manager.
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Rotation Issues: Nick Lodolo and Nick Martinez are gambles.
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Betting Angle: Lean OVER, but focus on situational spots.
? Pittsburgh Pirates
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Win Total: 77.5
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Star Rookie: Paul Skenes debuts; Cy Young buzz already brewing.
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Concerns: Limited offense and injuries to rotation pieces.
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Betting Angle: UNDER, especially on road or in oversold markets.
National League West: Juggernauts & Wildcards
Los Angeles Dodgers
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Win Total: 103.5
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Rotation Depth: Blake Snell, Yamamoto, Glasnow, May, Kershaw, and Shohei (eventually).
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Offense: Ohtani, Betts, Freeman. Three MVPs.
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Betting Angle: Hard to bet against. Pass or ride elite matchups.
San Diego Padres
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Win Total: 85.5
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Lineup Depth: Tatis Jr., Arraez, Bogarts, Machado
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Pitching X-Factor: Dylan Cease’s emergence is pivotal; watch for Sandy Alcantara trade.
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Betting Angle: OVER and sleeper for division at 10:1 odds.
Arizona Diamondbacks
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Win Total: 86.5
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Offense: Led league in runs last year. Corbin Carroll a potential MVP.
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Rotation Bolstered: Added Corbin Burnes to Gallon, Kelly, Rodríguez.
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Betting Angle: Look for good midseason futures value; solid OVER team.
San Francisco Giants
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Win Total: 80.5
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Playstyle: Low-scoring, home-focused team.
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Veteran Depth: Verlander joins Webb; Ryan Walker stabilizes bullpen.
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Betting Angle: Target UNDERs and home dogs.
? Colorado Rockies
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Win Total: 58.5
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Dire Stats: No more than 27 road wins in four seasons.
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No Core Identity: Roster is bloated with aging or fringe talent.
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Betting Angle: Strong FADE, especially on the road.
Best Bets Recap
Munaf Manji
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NL East Winner: Phillies
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NL Central Winner: Brewers
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NL West Winner: Dodgers
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Top Win Totals: Mets UNDER, Cardinals UNDER, Padres OVER
Griffin Warner
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NL East Winner: Phillies
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NL Central Winner: Brewers
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NL West Sleeper: Padres
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Top Win Totals: Braves UNDER, Cubs UNDER, Rockies UNDER
Final Thoughts
The 2025 NL season is lined with sharp contrast—powerhouses like the Dodgers, risers like the Phillies and Padres, and tankers like the Marlins and Rockies. Rotational health, player development, and trade deadline moves will shape playoff races. For bettors and fans alike, Munaf and Griffin offer a sharp and well-reasoned road map for the action ahead.
Quotes from the 2025 MLB National League Season Preview Podcast
Here are some of the most insightful and impactful quotes from the transcript, arranged with speaker names and approximate timestamps for context:
Griffin Warner | 1:19
"Yeah, on the grass, on the turf, in the New York Yankee Spring Training Facility, wherever the games happen to be this year... but I guess on this episode we'll be focused more on the NL."
Munaf Manji | 2:58
"Each team that won the division had a five-game cushion over the second place team."
? Griffin Warner | 5:33
"There’s a fair amount of belief in the marketplace in the Mets... but the big question is how they get to 91 wins because that’s a lot to ask."
Munaf Manji | 8:40
"The biggest question mark right now for the New York Mets is going to be their pitching."
Griffin Warner | 13:04
"Seeing the Braves favored to win this division feels mispriced to me."
Munaf Manji | 16:05
"They have great depth in that starting rotation for this Atlanta Braves team... it's just going to come down to staying healthy."
Griffin Warner | 18:21
"I don’t see a reason why they don’t win the division... if they stay healthy, I think they’re the best team."
Griffin Warner | 23:50
"The Marlins are trying to lose... they’re a disaster on the road and can’t hold leads."
Griffin Warner | 27:39
"There's a difference between Miami who's just not trying and Washington who I think is trying to rebuild."
Griffin Warner | 31:22
"The Brewers can’t keep getting away with this... they seem to have an analytics advantage that keeps them competitive."
Griffin Warner | 36:45
"There are a lot of holes that can be picked in this [Cubs] lineup and rotation... I just don’t see it."
Griffin Warner | 41:51
"Wilson Contreras to first base... what a horrible signing that was."
? Griffin Warner | 45:43
"The Reds have one of the most electrifying players in baseball if you can stomach the strikeouts three times a night."
Griffin Warner | 50:25
"If Paul Skenes is slightly less than magic, I don’t know how this Pirates team wins games."
Munaf Manji | 56:26
"I feel like this Dodgers team is better on paper than the one that won the World Series."
Griffin Warner | 58:16
"I bet the Dodgers’ win total over 105.5... they’re like a battleship — too deep to fail."
Griffin Warner | 59:35
"The Padres are a really strong team... I just don’t know they’ll be priced attractively enough to bet often."
Griffin Warner | 1:03:39
"I like the Diamondbacks’ bullpen — AJ Puk and Justin Martinez are electric arms."
Griffin Warner | 1:06:41
"The Rockies are stealing one of the final places in Major League Baseball."
Munaf Manji | 1:11:38
"If you beat Andre Gomes in the pregame contest, you'll get an additional $500 in bonus cash."