Which Team’s Surprising Hot Start Is Built To Last?

After making the Wild Card round in three of four seasons from 2020 to ’23, the Blue Jays stepped back in 2024. They fell into the AL East cellar with a 74-88 record, their first losing record since 2019.

Much of the reason for that was subpar performances by most of their young offensive core. So even though we at Just Baseball had picked them to finish last in the division again, there was always a chance for a bounce back if those players returned to form.

Even though Toronto is a little behind last year’s runs-per-game pace, there have been improvements from key offensive players. Bo Bichette, George Springer, and newcomer Andrés Giménez all have started the season with a higher wRC+ than they ended with last year.

The pitching is what has really led the Blue Jays, though. Their 3.58 team ERA is third in the American League and eighth in all of MLB.

Starter Chris Bassitt is off to a torrid start, leading the AL in ERA (0.77) and bWAR (1.4). Kevin Gausman (2.49 ERA) and Bowden Francis (3.13 ERA) are also off to excellent starts in 2025.

At the back of the bullpen, offseason pickup Jeff Hoffman (1.59 ERA, five saves) is thriving in the closer’s role, and Yimi Garcia (10.1 IP, 0 ER) has been untouchable setting him up.

As good as the pitching has been, the hitting will need to catch up in order for Toronto to sustain success. Detroit was the lowest scoring playoff team at 4.16 runs per game (RPG) during the regular season in 2024, so the 3.91 RPG that the Jays are at isn’t going to cut it.

Anthony Santander could be the key. The team’s biggest offseason acquisition has started picking things up as of late. If he and other members of the offense keep up that trend, a return to the playoffs is a realistic hope.

San Francisco Giants: 14-8, 3rd in NL West

Most expected that the Dodgers, Padres, and Diamondbacks would all have success for the NL West again this year. Not as many expected that the Giants would not only excel but be right there with that group.

San Francisco hasn’t exactly only played pushovers to start the season either. They already have series wins against the the Yankees and Mariners under their belt as well as a series split against the Phillies.

Unlike the Blue Jays, the Giants have come out swinging to start the season. Their potent offense has produced 5.05 runs per game which is fifth in the NL and sixth in all of MLB.

They have paired that offense with a solid performance from their pitching staff. Giants pitchers have a combined 3.53 ERA that is sixth best in MLB. That’s over a half run improvement over last year’s staff that had a 4.10 ERA that finished 19th in MLB.

On offense, a healthy Jung Hoo Lee has been a revelation. He leads the league with 10 doubles and is hitting .333 with a .981 OPS. Wilmer Flores is also off to a sizzling start, as he is tied for third in the league with 23 RBIs and is slugging .430.

On the mound, the starters have been slow out of the gate behind ace Logan Webb. The bullpen, however, has been absolutely dominant. Of the eight relievers who have appeared in games, four have ERAs under 2.00 and only one has an ERA over 4.00. The squad as a whole has a combined 2.22 ERA, second best in MLB.

Like the Blue Jays, the key for the Giants will be some of their slow offensive starters turning it around, such as Willy Adames (61 wRC+) and LaMonte Wade Jr. (29 wRC+). The difference is that they’ve had more support from the rest of the offense, so once the pair turns it around, this team is built to last.

Los Angeles Angels: 11-10, 3rd in AL West

Despite employing some of the best baseball players on the planet in recent years, the Angels haven’t had a winning record since 2015. Could this be the year they finally set things right?

So far so good in that endeavor. The Angels have won four of their six series so far this season, including series wins over the Guardians and Rays. They may be sitting just over .500, but that’s good for third place in the division.

The offense looks more effective than it has in some time. Led by players like Kyren Paris and Logan O’Hoppe, seven Angels have a wRC+ of 93 or better (100 is league average).

The pitching has been much less effective. Despite solid early-season performances from starters Tyler Anderson and Jose Soriano, as well as new closer Kenley Jansen, Los Angeles has a bottom-ten MLB unit by team ERA (4.35).

Defense has also been a concern. While the team sits around league average with a combined Outs Above Average of +3, they have the seventh-worst mark in MLB with -3 Defensive Runs Saved.

The Angels’ offense might keep the team afloat for a while, but without better performances from the pitching and defense, their surprising start is probably not sustainable. Still, it’s at least a step in the right direction.