MLB Today: Live Scores, Power Rankings & Must-See Highlights Driving 2025 Season Buzz

Lead-off: Memorial Day Means the MLB Standings Finally Matter Every year, Memorial Day weekend serves as baseball’s first true measuring stick. With nearly two months in the books, the 2025 standings tell us which clubs are built to last—and which ones may already be eyeing the trade deadline. Below is a division-by-division snapshot of the landscape, the surprise storylines driving fan chatter, and the key players reshaping the pennant races. American League: Tigers Roar, East in Turmoil • AL Central: Detroit owns the league’s best run production (4th-highest in MLB) and shrugged off early injuries to seize a comfortable lead. • AL East: Once-powerhouse Baltimore has collapsed to last place despite the star power of Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman, sparking speculation of a mid-summer sell-off. • AL West: Just four games separate the top four clubs, underscoring how every head-to-head series could swing the playoff picture. National League: Dodgers Stay Elite, Rockies on Record Pace for Futility • NL West: Los Angeles continues its 100-win hunt despite a battered rotation, while Colorado’s minus-171 run differential has the franchise flirting with the modern loss record. • NL East: Philadelphia, New York and Atlanta are primed for a three-team dogfight once the Braves’ stars are fully healthy. • NL Central: Chicago’s breakout offense, led by rookie sensation Pete Crow-Armstrong, has the Cubs trending toward a high-90s win total. Five Biggest Surprises So Far 1. Detroit’s deep lineup powering an AL-best start. 2. The Cubs’ balanced attack turning the NL Central upside down. 3. Seattle staying afloat despite early rotation injuries. 4. San Francisco’s pitching-first surge keeping them in the Wild Card mix. 5. Kansas City’s young core pushing the Royals into borderline playoff territory. Five Biggest Disappointments 1. Orioles’ free fall from 91 wins to potential 100-loss pace. 2. Rockies’ historically bad pitching putting 122 losses in play. 3. Diamondbacks’ bullpen (5.24 ERA) wasting a resurgent offense. 4. White Sox improvements still not enough to escape another triple-digit loss season. 5. Cleveland’s slide out of early AL Central contention. Players Generating MVP Buzz • Aaron Judge (Yankees): On pace for a unanimous AL MVP after a blistering start. • Tarik Skubal (Tigers): 13-strikeout complete game highlighted his Cy Young candidacy. • Oneil Cruz (Pirates): Statcast-shattering 122.9 mph homer added to his highlight reel. • Pete Crow-Armstrong (Cubs): Rookie’s emerging bat lifting Chicago’s ceiling. Key Dates to Circle • June 14-27: Dodgers vs. Mets seven-game gauntlet could preview October. • July 30-31: Trade deadline; expect bullpen shopping sprees from Arizona and Toronto. • Aug. 12-15: Tigers visit Yankees in possible ALCS dress rehearsal. • Sept. 19-24: Phillies and Braves close with six head-to-head games that may decide the NL East. What to Watch Next • Will Detroit buy insurance for the rotation or let the kids keep rolling? • Can Colorado avoid eclipsing the 2024 White Sox’s 121-loss low-water mark? • Which AL East club acts first—Boston, Toronto or Baltimore—when the bidding war for frontline pitching begins? • Does Shohei Ohtani’s bullpen session foreshadow a late-season return to two-way stardom for the Dodgers? Bottom Line Memorial Day brings clarity, but not certainty. History shows nearly 60 percent of teams leading their divisions on June 1 hold on to win them. With parity high—especially in the American League—every lineup tweak, call-up and midsummer trade could be the difference between a champagne shower and an early October vacation.