Every MLB Fanbase's Current Mood in 1 Sentence
The 2025 MLB season has reached the dog days of August, and there's a whole spectrum of moods among all 30 fanbases.
As such, the situation calls for a quick temperature check.
When we say "quick," we mean exactly that. The idea here is to summarize the mood of every fanbase in MLB in a single sentence, albeit with accompanying analysis that fleshes things out just a little.
The only other thing to know at the outset is that there are no repeats, even it was tempting to put "Make it stop!" for both New York clubs.
We'll proceed in alphabetical order and check off three teams at a time.
Arizona Diamondbacks, Athletics, Atlanta Braves
1 of 10
Arizona Diamondbacks: It wasn't supposed to slip away this fast.
Record: 57-62
By all rights, Diamondbacks fans should be backing one of the great powerhouses in MLB right now. The team went to the World Series in 2023, and owner Ken Kendrick OK'd major payroll raises for 2024 and again for this season. That's how it's supposed to be done.
What D-backs fans are beholding instead is a ship that suddenly feels rudderless after a disappointing first half and a trade deadline sell-off. Even if a full rebuild isn't in order, a mini-rebuild is already underway.
Athletics: Should have sold the team, John.
Record: 53-68
What even is A's fandom right now? Oakland fans have no reason to remain loyal, and people in Sacramento aren't showing up. And while there may yet be a fanbase awaiting the team in Las Vegas, that remains a bigger "if" than it should be.
Which is pretty much to say things aren't exactly looking up for owner John Fisher, even if this year's roster hints at an interesting long-term future. If he feels like he's being wronged, he should remind himself that nobody is making him own the team.
Atlanta Braves: This had better be a one-off.
Record: 51-67
Braves fans were basically promised a dynasty in the early 2020s, first through the World Series championship of 2021 and then through the front office's aggressive moves to secure a dominant core for the rest of the decade
As such, there is no excuse for how the Braves have spiraled in 2025. There's obviously no getting out of it right now, but there must be this winter. Especially, that is, with the club's payroll notably short of where it probably should be.
Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs
2 of 10
Baltimore Orioles: Have we been duped?
Record: 53-65
The Orioles have actually played good baseball for the better part of the last three months, but even they officially deemed it too little, too late at the trade deadline. It's all about the future now.
Following a 101-win season in 2023 and the arrival of new owner David Rubenstein last year, the future was supposed to be now. And especially given how badly Adley Rutschman and Jackson Holliday have stalled in 2025, there's even a question of what can be salvaged from this year.
Boston Red Sox: Oh, right, this is what hope feels like.
Record: 65-55
The Red Sox aren't the biggest success story of 2025, but they are the most surprising. They seemed doomed after trading away Rafael Devers in June, yet they are instead primed to play in October for the first time in four years amid a 35-20 run since June 7.
That this is happening largely because of Garrett Crochet, Roman Anthony and the rest of a young, cost-controlled core makes it even sweeter. It's a taste Red Sox fans haven't enjoyed since Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts came up in the mid-2010s.
Chicago Cubs: This is great, but why are we chasing the Brewers?
Record: 67-50
This is pretty much the team Cubs fans had been waiting for after the collapse of the 2016-era core in 2021. The stars are plentiful, and there isn't really an area of the game where they aren't thriving.
North Side fans nonetheless have every right to hold a grudge about the fact that the Cubs are in second place. Surely some of them can credit the Brewers for that, but all of them should be asking why the front office didn't go harder at the deadline.
Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Guardians
3 of 10
Chicago White Sox: Is it the future yet?
Record: 43-76
If you're a White Sox fan who is still tuned in, well, more power to you. Yet if you're a White Sox fan who has checked out, you are not guilty of anything. This is going to be their third straight 100-loss season, which is three too many.
The goal either way is to, begrudgingly, be patient while the club's rebuild progresses. At least there's some forward momentum happening, as Colson Montgomery and Kyle Teel have been solid since getting the call from what is still a solid minor league system. B/R's Joel Reuter ranked it No. 9 after the draft.
Cincinnati Reds: Is this really for real?
Record: 62-58
It's been 12 years since the Reds last made the playoffs after a full 162-game season. And if the standings remain the way they are now, the counter will tick to 13 years and, accordingly, the Castellinis can count on continued frustration among the base.
And yet, 2.0 games behind the New York Mets for the NL's last wild-card spot is not a bad place for these Reds to be right now. A playoff berth is likelier than it has any right to be, especially with Hunter Greene coming back this week.
Cleveland Guardians: Wait, we were told this season was over.
Record: 61-56
The Guardians didn't go into full-on fire-sale mode at the deadline, but it seems they were tempted to do so. And why not? According to FanGraphs, their playoff odds got as low as 13.4 percent the day before the deadline.
So, who had Cleveland being 1.0 game out of a playoff spot less than two weeks later? Probably nobody, even if this team succeeding in spite of a lifeless offense and a pitching staff stripped of stars is one of the most Guardians things to have ever happened.
Colorado Rockies, Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros
4 of 10
Colorado Rockies: Please liberate us from the Monforts.
Record: 30-88
The Rockies were actually playing OK for a minute there, but they have since been outscored by 56 runs amid a seven-game losing streak. Like that, they're back on track for all-time infamy by way of a 121-loss season.
What's for sure is they will lose over 100 games for a third straight season. By extension, also for sure is that the Monforts have only cemented their standing among the worst owners in Major League Baseball. Until they move on, fans should divest as much as possible.
Detroit Tigers: This was more fun before the wheels came off.
Record: 69-51
The Tigers peaked at 25 games over .500 on July 8, and they promptly became the first team to reach 60 wins behind Cy Young Award front-runner Tarik Skubal. But even that win came amid a 10-17 slide that has removed Detroit from MLB's elite.
The Tigers could have course-corrected at the deadline, but they pretty much chose to throw stuff at the wall in hopes something would stick. As a result, fans are justified in wondering if the July peak might be as good as it gets this year.
Houston Astros: Rumors of our demise...well, you know the bit.
Record: 67-52
To be clear, the Astros should be worried. Their lead in the AL West is down to 1.0 game, and the team chasing them (i.e., the Seattle Mariners) is rightfully getting buzz as the team to beat in the American League.
Even still, this year is already a case of the Astros refusing to reach the end to their AL West reign that has been teased for years. And they're far from doomed, as the Carlos Correa trade has been a huge win and they're just now starting to get healthy.
Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers
5 of 10
Kansas City Royals: Would somebody please hit.
Record: 59-60
Hot off a surprise playoff run in 2024, Royals fans are getting to watch half of an elite team on a daily basis in 2025. Only the Texas Rangers have allowed fewer runs, and the Royals still have Cole Ragans' return to look forward to.
And yet, 3.68 runs per game doesn't cut it. New additions like Mike Yastrzemski and Randal Grichuk are going to help in this regard, but what Kansas City really needs is the 2024 version of Bobby Witt Jr. to show up. A Jac Caglianone breakout wouldn't hurt, either.
Los Angeles Angels: Is Arte Moreno gone yet?
Record: 57-62
Everyone can probably agree the Angels have been more competitive than expected, especially as they have gone 40-37 since reaching a low point in May. And yet, everyone can probably also agree it doesn't matter.
As of now, the Angels are headed for a 10th straight losing season and an 11th straight year with no playoff baseball. It all stems from owner Arte Moreno's annual delusion over his team's contention chances, and he has unfortunately already turned away from selling the franchise.
Los Angeles Dodgers: [Long, deep breath] Hang in there.
Record: 68-51
The Dodgers are the reigning World Series champions, and they've been in first place in the NL West since late April. And while they didn't do much at the trade deadline, everyone knows the real reinforcements will come from the injured list.
Even still, Dodgers fans should be feeling a little nervous. The San Diego Padres are in hot pursuit at 1.0 game out, and things that were supposed to work in Los Angeles (i.e., Mookie Betts and an ultra-deep pitching staff) have instead turned into persistent liabilities.
Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins
6 of 10
Miami Marlins: Nobody told us 2025 would be this much fun.
Record: 57-61
Just as a reminder, the Marlins of 2024 lost 100 games and became the first team to churn through 70 different players in a season. There was nothing and nobody for fans to cheer for.
As nobody predicted, this year couldn't be more different. Kyle Stowers and Edward Cabrera have been legitimate stars at the plate and on the mound, respectively, and the team as a whole has won 32 out of its last 52. It's a complete 180 unlike any other in MLB this year.
Milwaukee Brewers: We believe!
Record: 74-44
For anyone scoring at home, the Brewers have won 10 in a row in August and 25 out of their last 29 games. Once as low as 0.6 percent, FanGraphs now has their odds of representing the NL in the World Series at 14.6 percent.
Whether it's all too good to be true is always a fair question in times like these, but it would be fatalistic for Brewers fans not to buy in right now. Theirs is the best team in MLB, and the attitude should be this will remain the case until proved otherwise.
Minnesota Twins: Don't even talk to us right now.
Record: 56-62
It wasn't even two years ago that the Twins snapped a 21-year drought without wins of either a game or a series in the playoffs. And by all rights, that season should have been a mere springboard to better things.
Instead, here we are staring at a shredded roster and waiting for the Pohlads to sell the team. One supposes it's a small miracle the Twins don't have an even worse record, but the reality is it'll likely be a long time before this team is contending again.
New York Mets, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies
7 of 10
New York Mets: Stop doing this to us.
Record: 63-55
In the abstract, the Mets' Steve Cohen era has been a big success. They have made the playoffs twice in four years, and his willingness to spend is an ongoing reminder of how the Yankees used to operate under George Steinbrenner.
Yet there has also been a frustrating pattern of the Mets falling short of the hype. It happened in 2023, and it has lately been more of the same as the 2025 club has put its playoff fate in the balance with losses in seven straight and 31 out of 49. Even if the season's not over yet, it shouldn't be slipping away like this.
New York Yankees: No, seriously, we deserve better than this.
Record: 63-56
The Yankees have a good record, but anyone who's watched them recently will know this is just a bad team right now. Their slide indeed mirrors that of the Mets, as they are 21-31 in their last 52 games.
The frustration coming from all of Yankeedom is palpable, and one sympathizes even if these same fans have been treated to 32 straight winning seasons. It's not the fans' fault that their expectations are perpetually high, and a franchise with this many resources deserves better than to be so thoroughly mismanaged.
Philadelphia Phillies: What could possibly go wrong?
Record: 69-49
The Phillies already had the best starting rotation in MLB, and now they have an elite closer and an offense that has really come around since the All-Star break. If that doesn't sound like World Series material, nothing does.
But if any fanbase knows to be cautious, it's this one. The Phillies also looked unstoppable at times in 2023 and 2024, only to prove to be very much stoppable. All this will be at least in the back of fans' minds right up until the last out of the World Series is squeezed—ideally by them, obviously.
Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants
8 of 10
Pittsburgh Pirates: Is Paul Skenes pitching today?
Record: 51-69
The Pirates have the lowest floor of any team in MLB, full stop. They have been to the playoffs just three times since 1993, and it is increasingly difficult to separate that history from their notoriously stingy owner, Bob Nutting.
Bucs fans aren't in the dark (or chill) about this but, hey, at least they get to watch Skenes every fifth day. He's done "best pitcher ever" stuff through his first 47 career starts, so every outing he makes for Pittsburgh is a gift to be enjoyed to the fullest...at least while it lasts, anyway.
San Diego Padres: Get it done this time.
Record: 67-52
Save for the 2022 NLDS, the Padres have yet to inflict any real damage on the Dodgers despite being a persistent thorn in their side in the NL West. So it goes in 2025, wherein L.A. has won five out of seven head-to-head matchups.
And yet the effort to dethrone the Dodgers goes on, and Friars fans have every right to feel confident about the club's latest push. The Padres made a series of big swings at the deadline, and they have managed to trim the defending champs' NL West lead down to 1.0 game They're not down, but they are staggered.
San Francisco Giants: At least Rafael Devers is waking up.
Record: 59-60
The Giants aren't technically out of the NL playoff picture just yet, but nobody likes the way the team is trending. A 41-29 start has given way to an 18-31 slog, and they're looking up at multiple teams in the NL West and NL wild-card races.
On the plus side, at least Devers has gotten warm with a .872 OPS and five homers in his last 21 games. Even if it is too little, too late, it'll do for a sign of hope that he may yet be the game-changing slugger the team badly needs him to be as it pays out the rest of his $313.5 million contract.
Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays
9 of 10
Seattle Mariners: Whoa, this could actually be our year.
Record: 66-53
The Mariners are in their 49th season, and they remain the only team in MLB that has never made it to the World Series. Seattle fans thus have every reason to be cautious, especially knowing that not even a 116-win club from 24 years ago could bring home a pennant.
Yet things just feel different right now, don't they? The 2025 Mariners already had a strong talent base, and their trade-deadline additions basically erased what weaknesses they had left. The 9-1 run that has ensued sure feels like proof of concept.
St. Louis Cardinals: Just tell us when it's 2026.
Record: 61-59
Though the Cardinals made the playoffs just three years ago, the franchise has felt out of touch and short on hope for longer. Even this year, a 47-39 start didn't feel as much like a full-on turnaround as a temporary reprieve from the doldrums.
Well, the Cardinals are 14-21 ever since then, and it's only getting clearer that fans were never really invested in this year's club. That can happen when you openly signal said year doesn't really count, so all the team can do now is hope to earn the trust of the fans back as quickly as possible.
Tampa Bay Rays: The new owner is worth how much?
Record: 58-62
Between their temporary accommodations at Steinbrenner Field and their 11-26 slide down the standings since late June, this year would feel like a wash for the Rays even if nothing else was going on.
Of course, we found out in July that the team had been sold from longtime owner Stu Sternberg to a group led by Florida-based developer Patrick Zalupski. As his net worth is about $1.5 billion compared to the $800 million Sternberg was reportedly worth in 2020, Rays fans ought to feel bullish about what he might contribute.
Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, Washington Nationals
10 of 10
Texas Rangers: Remember when this team could hit?
Record: 61-59
You really have to hand it to Rangers GM Chris Young, himself a former pitcher, for building such a fine-tuned run prevention machine. The Rangers of 2025 have allowed 30 fewer runs than any other team in MLB.
The tragedy, of course, is that they're down from 5.44 runs per game in their championship-winning season of 2023 to just 4.05 per game in 2025. Corey Seager aside, it's a near-total system failure that has continually frustrated fans, and which could ultimately be what keeps them out of October.
Toronto Blue Jays: It just keeps getting better and better.
Record: 69-50
The Blue Jays are probably overachieving, but good luck getting any of their fans to give a you-know-what about that. This has unequivocally been a good year for the franchise, and it just keeps finding new ways to get better.
As a reminder, the season started with an extension for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. He's now front and center in the club's 44-23 run since May 26, having gone off for a 1.192 OPS and seven homers in his last 21 games. If he keeps hitting like that, Toronto will have just the guy to carry the team through October.
Washington Nationals: It just keeps getting worse and worse.
Record: 47-71
And then there are the Nationals. They aren't exactly the perfect inverse of the Blue Jays, but technicalities like that are kind of whatever when a team has 491 losses since 2020. And a league-high 41 of those have come just since June 1 of this year.
With Mike Rizzo out, it's up to Mike DeBartolo to basically reboot what had been an ongoing rebuild. With Reuter having ranked Washington's farm system at No. 22 in MLB after the trade deadline, this the part where Nats fans groan at how much work needs to be done.
Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.
