Major League Baseball released its 2025 schedule on July 18, 2024. There are 162 games scheduled for all teams. The scheduling formula was modified this season to increase the number of games between "prime" Interleague rivals from four to six, playing two three-game series instead of two two-game series. May 16–18 has also been designated as "Rivalry Weekend", featuring 11 series of these "prime" Interleague rivals.[1][3]
On September 30, 2024, Zaidi was fired after a six-year tenure as the President of Baseball operations for the team. The same day, the Giants named former catcher Buster Posey as the new President of Baseball operations.[5]
On August 8, 2024, the White Sox fired Grifol. In two seasons as manager of the White Sox, he compiled a record of 89–190 (.319) with no playoff appearance.[6]
Sizemore was named as the interim manager on the same day Grifol and bench coach Charlie Montoyo were fired. This became his first managerial position.[7]
On September 22, 2024, the Reds fired David Bell. During his six seasons as the Reds skipper, Bell complied a record of 409–456 (.473) with one playoff appearance during the 2020 COVID-shortened season.
Benavides, the current bench coach, was named as the interim manager for the rest of the season. This was his first managerial position.[8]
On October 4, Francona was hired as the new manager for the Reds.[9]
On September 29, 2024, the Marlins announced that Skip Schumaker would not return as manager of the team for the 2025 Season. In his two seasons as the Marlins skipper, Schumaker compiled a record of 146–178 (.451), with one playoff appearance.[10]
TBS will continue to broadcast Tuesday Night Baseball. Most games are blacked out in the home markets of the teams playing, however, TBS is allowed to co-exist once with a team's local broadcast.[14]
ESPN will continue to broadcast Sunday Night Baseball, with the option to show alternate broadcasts. The network also has the rights to the Home Run Derby.[15] Select games may air on ABC and ESPN2.
MLB Network will continue to broadcast games daily. While most games will be simulcasts of the home teams' regional sports network broadcasts, select games will be produced by the network under its MLB Network Showcase banner. All games are blacked out in the home markets of the teams playing.[16]
Streaming
ESPN+ continues to hold the rights to stream selected games. These games will be blacked out in local markets.[17]
Max will continue to simulcast TBS' games on its Bleacher Report Sports Add-on tier.[18]
The league's MLB.tv will continue to stream out-of-market games, and all of Roku's games.[19]
Postseason
During the postseason, the ESPN networks (including ABC) (with Spanish–language simulcasts on ESPN Deportes) will air all four Wild Card Series.[15] TBS (with Spanish-language simulcasts on MLB Network) will then broadcast the National League Division Series and the National League Championship Series,[14] and Fox Sports (Fox and FS1, with Spanish-language simulcasts on Fox Deportes) will broadcast the American League Division Series, the American League Championship Series and the World Series.[13]
This will be the third season affected by the February 2023 bankruptcy of Diamond Sports Group, owners of the Bally Sports regional sports networks.
The Cleveland Guardians, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, and Texas Rangers' contracts with Bally Sports Great Lakes, Bally Sports Wisconsin, Bally Sports North, and Bally Sports Southwest, respectively, expired at the end of their 2024 regular seasons.[22][23][24] The Rangers were reported to be developing a "direct-to-distributor" model, which would involve an ad-hoc network for game broadcasts distributed directly to television providers (similar to MLB Local Media, except produced in-house by the team), and a streaming platform that would carry the games and ancillary content.[25]
On October 2, 2024, Diamond Sports announced it was ending its contracts with eight more MLB teams through bankruptcy court. Teams being dropped include the Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Miami Marlins, St. Louis Cardinals, and Tampa Bay Rays. The announcement means that the Atlanta Braves are the only MLB team to continue to have a television contract with Diamond Sports for the 2025 season. Diamond Sports has not ruled out signing new contracts with the affected teams.[26]