Looking back, we’re able to trace the arc of a baseball season, the plotline that gives texture to the story’s conclusion, beyond the names of the champions and the defining statistics of the game’s best players.
It’s hard to see in the thick of it, of course, as the enervating heat of the dog days gives way to the scramble of September and the tension of October.
But from here we can see, say, 1994 was “they cancelled the damn World Series.” 1998 was “the home run chase.” 2000 was “the Yankees in full dynasty mode.” 2004 was “the Red Sox break the curse.” 2006 was “how did the Mets not win that one?” (see also: 2015). 2007 was “let Bonds get the record then get him out of here.” 2009 was “the last gasp of the Core 4.” 2016 was “the Cubs finally win.” 2017 was “the unbelievable Astros turnaround” and then “the cheating Astros turnaround.” 2020 was “cardboard cutouts.” 2024 was “the inevitability of Ohtani and the Dodgers.” And so on.
How will 2025 be remembered?