The 2025 MLB regular season is just about four weeks old, and things are beginning to look more normal. Currently, only one qualified hitter is above .400, and there are few pitchers with an ERA under 1.00. Early trends in play are showing significant deviations from what we expect to be standard performance metrics for many players, notably Fernando Tatis Jr. and the Royals and Phillies.

Tatis Excelling in Season Six

Fernando Tatis Jr., at just 26 years old, is impressively showcasing his skills from his rookie season. With an ongoing impressive performance leading to a player-of-the-week title, Tatis brings a staggering .349/.424/.663 slash line to the table, establishing himself as a crucial asset to the Padres’ lineup. His efforts have catapulted him to second in WAR league-wide, rivaling Aaron Judge. This increase comes as he adapts more sophisticated tactics at the plate, improving his strikeout ratios and overall decision-making during at-bats.

Kansas City’s Persistent Struggles

Despite significant progress last year, the Royals are grappling with offensive issues, particularly in the outfield where they hold some grim statistics…

Statistic	KC OF	MLB Rank	MLB OF Average
Batting Average	.184	30th	.244
On-base Percentage	.248	29th	.319
Slugging Percentage	.256	30th	.399
OPS+	52	30th	100
Home Runs	3	30th	8
WAR	-1.4	30th	0.9

The Royals are left scrambling to address these shortcomings. Meanwhile, the Phillies are figuring out their own lineup inefficiencies, notably in their bullpen and performance at the plate from key players like Bohm and Marsh. As the season progresses, catching up to the top of their divisions requires improvements in these areas.