2025 MLS Western Conference previews, Part 2: The Quakes can't possibly be as bad as they were last year
In the last of our four-part series, we look at last year's worst team and one of this year's title contenders.
We're rounding out our exhaustive look at MLS teams with the back half of the alphabet in the West ... which included Wooden Spoon winners bound to get better, playoff teams bound to get worse, and a perennial power that got even better in the offseason with the addition of two players you'd long associated with an Austin rival.
Portland Timbers
How did their 2024 go?
Well, it went better than Austin’s. Austin notably beat Portland on a fluky Dani Pereira goal late in the season when both were vying for playoff places, but beat out Austin for the 9 seed and then got to host the play-in game for the stupidest reason ever — Vancouver’s home stadium was being transformed for a monster truck rally. The Whitecaps went on to beat the Timbers 5-0 in that playoff match. Felt karmic.
Oh yeah, also, the Timbers had a pretty terrible kit sponsor they axed just weeks into the arrangement, and then landed Tillamook, which was amazing for them. They kept Phil Neville as their head coach the whole season, which was not amazing for them. (He might be the first to go in 2025 if the Timbers don't do well; only Caleb Powell's seat at the Revs might be hotter.)
Players In
Ariel Lassiter (F), Dec. 23, free agent
Joao Ortiz (M), Jan. 15, transfer from Independiente del Valle
Kevin Kelsy (F), Jan. 22, transfer from Shakhtar Donetsk
Ian Smith (D), Jan. 31, SuperDraft
Jimer Fory (D), Feb. 4, transfer from Independiente Medellín
David Da Costa (M), Feb. 17, transfer from RC Lens
Players Out
Tega Ikoba (F), Nov. 1, option declined
Marvin Loría (M), Nov. 1, option declined
Mason Toye (F), Nov. 1, option declined
Eryk Williamson (M), Jan. 15, trade to Charlotte FC
Hunter Sulte (GK), Feb. 4, loan to Indy Eleven
Evander (M), Feb. 17, trade to FC Cincinnati
Key player
This is a key player out situation, and it’s Evander, though Portuguese midfielder David Da Costa is about as like-for-like as a GM can muster this late in the preseason.
Fashion report
The 50th-anniversary kit features a rich green and a stunning gold and even has a tree ring pattern using 50 rings to symbolize 50 years of the franchise, dating back to its NASL days.
We have 2025’s perfect kit. It’s amazing. Someone buy me this. (I will take a medium, and put Chara 21 on that in honor of the card-havinest player in MLS.)
Over/Under on points total for 2025 regular season (courtesy of Soccerwise)
45.5, with two taking the under. I’m intrigued by Da Costa, and I like the Kevin Kelsy addition, but I think they didn’t fix what they needed to fix, and Evander’s a singular talent.
Real Salt Lake
How did their 2024 go?
They finished third in the West on 65 points, which is great, but were ousted by Minnesota in the first round of the playoffs, and had dismal cup competitions, losing to New Mexico United in their first U.S. Open Cup match and didn’t make it past the group stage of Leagues Cup.
Players In
Tyler Wolff (F), Dec. 9, trade from Atlanta United
Forster Ajago (F), Dec. 13, Re-Entry Draft
Elias Manoel (F), Dec. 20, trade from New York Red Bulls
Sam Junqua (D), Dec. 23, trade from FC Dallas
Kobi Henry (D), Jan. 13, loan from Stade Reims
Mason Stajduhar (GK), Jan. 15, trade from Orlando City SC
Owen Anderson (M), Jan. 16, homegrown
Aiden Hezarkhani (M), Jan. 16, homegrown
Omar Marquez (M), Jan. 16, homegrown
Juan Gio Villa (D), Jan. 16, homegrown
Rafael Cabral (GK), Jan. 21, free agent
Ariath Piol (F), Jan. 23, transfer from Macarthur FC
Zack Farnsworth (D), Feb. 17, re-signed)
Max Kerkvliet (GK), Feb. 17, SuperDraft
Players Out
Kevin Bonilla (D), Nov. 27, option declined
Maikel Chang (M), Nov. 27, out of contract
Zach Farnsworth (D), Nov. 27, option declined
Tomás Gómez (GK), Nov. 27, out of contract
Erik Holt (D), Nov. 27, option declined
Bertin Jacquesson (F), Nov. 27, option declined
Benji Michel (F), Nov. 27, option declined
Jaziel Orozco (D), Nov. 27, option declined
Ilijah Paul (F), Nov. 27, option declined
Delentz Pierre (D), Nov. 27, option declined
Rubio Rubín (F), Nov. 27, option declined
Marcelo Silva (D), Nov. 27, out of contract
Anderson Julio (F), Dec. 23, trade to FC Dallas
Matt Crooks (M), Jan. 10, transfer to Hull City
Chicho Arango (F), Jan. 11, trade to San Jose Earthquakes
Gavin Beavers (GK), Jan. 22, transfer to Brøndby IF
Kevon Lambert (D/M), Jan. 23, loan to Louisville City
Andrew Brody (D), Feb. 18, waived
Key player
This is definitely a key player out situation, as Chicho Arango has been moved on to San Jose, and RSL is taking a striker-by-committee approach to start the season. (Which, I was emotionally invested in RSL, I’d be very concerned about.) Diego Luna is poised to get to the next level, and his creation and tenacity will help this team, but he’s going to need attackers around him to succeed.
Fashion report
The Grid City Kit is a beaut. It’s using a checker design that makes it immediately distinctive in MLS, and the colors are on point.
Also, this detail about the designs visible in the white squares:
“The Grid City Kit's square patterns represent the architecturally famous grid system that shaped Salt Lake City's urban form. The kit pays homage to Utah's grid system, designed by settlers to fit a horse-pulled carriage.”
Perfection.
Over/Under on points total for 2025 regular season (courtesy of Soccerwise)
44.5, with all three picking the under. This is probably the year RSL comes back down to Earth a bit.
San Diego FC
How did their 2024 go?
Well, they ramped up to actually playing matches! The badge reveal happened in October 2023 (gradients!), and their highest-profile signing happened in June, and it was only in December that they really set out to build their roster.
Players In
Duran Ferree (GK), Dec. 13, free
Marcus Ingvartsen (F), Mar. 19, transfer from FC Nordsjaelland
Jeppe Tverskov (M), Mar. 19, transfer from FC Nordsjaelland
Chucky Lozano (F), Jun. 6, transfer from PSV Eindhoven
Paddy McNair (D), Jul. 25, free
Alex Mighten (F), Aug. 30, transfer from Nottingham Forest
Tomás Ángel (F), Dec. 9, trade from LAFC
CJ dos Santos (GK), Dec. 11, trade from Inter Miami
Christopher McVey (D), Dec. 11, trade from D.C. United
Andrés Reyes (D), Dec. 12, trade from New York Red Bulls
Jacob Jackson (GK), Dec. 13, Re-Entry Draft
Aníbal Godoy (M), Dec. 19, free agent
Manu Duah (M), Dec. 20, SuperDraft
Pablo Sisniega (GK), Dec. 27, free
Anisse Saidi (F), Jan. 3, trade from Philadelphia Union
Emmanuel Boateng (F), Jan. 6, trade from New England Revolution
Franco Negri (D), Jan. 7, Re-Entry Draft
Onni Valakari (M), Jan. 13, loan from Pafos FC
Alejandro Alvarado Jr. (M), Jan. 14, transfer from FC Vizela
Luca de la Torre (M), Jan. 21, loan from Celta de Vigo
Anders Dreyer (F), Jan. 22, transfer from RSC Anderlecht
Ian Pilcher (D), Jan. 27, SuperDraft
Willy Kumado (D), Feb. 10, transfer from Lyngby Boldklub
Players Out
Thiago Andrade (F), Dec. 11, trade to Toronto FC
Hosei Kijima (M), Dec. 11, trade to D.C. United
Key player
Hirving Lozano is the team’s best player and the face of the franchise. We’ll see a few games in (including the March 23 matinee in Austin) how much sense the team’s build makes, and whether Lozano is the hub around which the rest of the team can rotate.
Fashion report
It being San Diego FC’s first year in the league, they get two.
I’m going to let the copy for the home kit speak for itself.
“San Diego FC’s inaugural jersey is more than a kit – it’s a story woven into every thread of the jersey. Azul, the Club’s primary color, captures the boundless horizon where the ocean meets the sky, highlighting the beauty of San Diego’s coastal regions. Chrome details seamlessly integrated into the fabric of the jersey shine as a reflection of the city’s vibrant communities. The gradient side stripes, featuring the Club’s community colors, symbolize the connection between San Diego’s neighborhoods that define the city’s diversity. The inaugural jersey also features a ‘Chrome and Azul’ Jock Tag in the bottom corner of the front of the jersey, and also features a ‘State of Flow’ Tag in the back collar of the jersey, emphasizing the way of life that best describes the essence of San Diego.”
And the away kit is white with an interesting pattern, but even the marketing copy admits more could be happening with it.
“Inspired by the club's mantra – “Woven Into One” – SDFC's first-ever secondary kit provides a blank canvas for the people of San Diego to come together and imagine the future of the club.
In future seasons, the club's secondary kits will be designed in conjunction with fans and local artists through focus groups, design workshops and community-driven campaigns to ensure each kit authentically expresses San Diego’s culture and spirit.”
So, I’m guessing that’s coming with the 2026 kit?
Over/Under on points total for 2025 regular season (courtesy of Soccerwise)
37.5, with all three picking the under. I completely agree; they're an expansion team and I'm not seeing the logic behind their build.
San Jose Earthquakes
How did their 2024 go?
It was a Wooden Spoon season, and how. A 6-25-3 record, good for 21 points. 41 goals scored, an MLS-record 78 goals allowed, for a -37 goal differential. Just an awful regular season. They also lost in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 to USL side Sacramento Republic and had one Leagues Cup rout in them, beating Necaxa 5-0, before bowing out with a “that’s more like it” 4-1 loss to LAFC.
Players In
Ian Harkes (M), Dec. 9, trade from New England Revolution
Mark-Anthony Kaye (M), Dec. 9, trade from New England Revolution
Dave Romney (D), Dec. 9, trade from New England Revolution
Nick Lima (D), Dec. 18, free agent
Max Floriani (D), Dec. 20, SuperDraft
Earl Edwards Jr. (GK), Dec. 30, trade from New England Revolution
Chicho Arango (F), Jan. 11, trade from Real Salt Lake
Josef Martínez (F), Jan. 13, free agent
Reid Roberts (D), Jan. 14, SuperDraft
Kaedren Spivey (M), Jan. 17, homegrown
Players Out
Carlos Akapo (D), Nov. 29, out of contract
Michael Baldisimo (M), Nov. 29, out of contract
Tanner Beason (D), Nov. 29, option declined
Jeremy Ebobisse (F), Nov. 29, option declined
Jacob Jackson (GK), Nov. 29, option declined
JT Marcinkowski (GK), Nov. 29, option declined
Alfredo Morales (M), Nov. 29, option declined
Will Richmond (F), Nov. 29, option declined
Tommy Thompson (D), Nov. 29, option declined
William Yarbrough (GK), Nov. 29, option declined
Casey Walls (D), Nov. 29, out of contract
Jackson Yueill (M), Nov. 29, out of contract
Emi Ochoa (GK), Jan. 17, transfer to Cruz Azul
Carlos Gruezo (M), Feb. 4, mutual contract termination
Key player
Though Chicho Arango and Josef Martínez should bring goals, the real key player here is new head coach Bruce Arena, who for all his irascibility, has a knack for raising a team’s floor no matter which team. He’s already entered the first phase of Arenaing the team by bringing in some trusted veterans.
Fashion report
Perhaps The Headliner Kit is a polarizing choice.
“The kit, designed in partnership with punk icon Lars Frederiksen, celebrates the Bay Area's rich history of punk rock. The handwritten/newspaper-clipped artwork style represents the DIY ethos of punk rock, the blue-collar makeup of many fans in the Bay Area, and the underground subculture that sparks creativity in the region.”
While I’m not 100% sold on the execution, I applaud a punk rock-inspired kit in 2025, and there’s something gloriously MLS 1.0 about a kit that declares “Bedlam at Buck Shaw.” (Remember: They’ll be wearing these for two years.)
Over/Under on points total for 2025 regular season (courtesy of Soccerwise)
38.5. All three picked the under; I'm picking the over. Again, Arena raises the floor, and we're only talking about needing to reach 39 points. 10-15-9 gets you there; that's what Austin achieved[[1]] in 2023.
Seattle Sounders FC
How did their 2024 go?
It was a year marked by battles with nemesis LAFC. The Sounders made it to the semis of U.S. Open Cup (playing matches at Starfire, which makes me giddy with nostalgia as I grew up about 15 minutes from this locale), losing to LAFC. They also made it to the quarterfinals of Leagues Cup, losing to LAFC. But they did beat LAFC in the playoffs before bowing out to the Galaxy in the West finals (the Riqui Puig ACL tear heroics game).
Players In
Leo Burney (D), Dec. 11, homegrown
Travian Sousa (D), Dec. 11, MLS Next Pro
Jesús Ferreira (F), Jan. 8, trade from FC Dallas
Albert Rusnák (M), Jan. 9, re-signed
João Paulo (M), Jan. 10, re-signed
Paul Arriola (M), Jan. 13, trade from FC Dallas
Kim Kee-hee (D), Jan. 28, free agent
Players Out
Sota Kitahara (M), Dec. 4, option declined
Nathan (D), Dec. 4, option declined
Raúl Ruidíaz (F), Dec. 4, out of contract
Dylan Teves (M), Dec. 4, option declined
Léo Chú (M), Jan. 8, trade to FC Dallas
Braudilio Rodrigues (M), Jan. 22, waived
Josh Atencio (M), Feb. 15, trade to Colorado Rapids
Key players
Jesús Ferreira moving from Dallas to Seattle was one of the more shocking moves of the offseason, and teammate Paul Arriola following suit was an even greater indication that the Sounders are in a bit of reinvention. As important as they’ll be, much of their success will hinge on how well they mesh with Jordan Morris.
Fashion report
Though we might have ribbed them a bit for a design reminiscent of SKC kits, the Salish Sea Kit was “designed in collaboration with artists representing the Puyallup, Muckleshoot and Suquamish Tribes” – who probably know nothing of Peter Vermes and a team that started its MLS life as the Wiz — “paying homage to the Sounders' deep connection to the Puget Sound and highlighting the club's shared responsibility as stewards of the greater watershed.”
It’s being widely praised, and rightly so. They’ve got what’s arguably the strongest home/away combo going.
Over/Under on points total for 2025 regular season (courtesy of Soccerwise)
59.5. They’re going to surpass this high over. They’ll be neck-and-neck with FC Cincinnati for the Shield.
Sporting Kansas City
How did their 2024 go?
A little weird! They did get to the U.S. Open Cup final, losing there to LAFC but getting themselves into the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup as a result. They made it past the group stage of Leagues Cup then got dispatched by the Crew in the Round of 32. They finished 13th in the West. Peter Vermes kept his job, having been head coach at SKC since 2009.
I previewed them for American Soccer Analysis; nerdiness ensues.
Players in
D - Ian James (12/6/24 - homegrown)
GK - Jack Kortkamp (12/6/24 - homegrown)
M - Jacob Bartlett (1/9/25 - homegrown)
F - Mason Toye (1/13/25 - free agent)
F - Dejan Joveljić (2/1/25 - trade from LA Galaxy)
M - Manu García (2/3/25 - transfer from Aris Thessaloniki)
F - Shapi Suleymanov(2/3/25 - transfer from Aris Thessaloniki)
D - Jansen Miller (2/13/25 - SuperDraft)
Players Out
D - Robert Castellanos (11/14/24 - option declined)
M - Ozzie Cisneros (11/14/24 - option declined)
M - Danny Flores (11/14/24 - option declined)
D - Andreu Fontàs (11/14/24 - out of contract)
GK - Tim Melia (11/14/24 - out of contract)
D - Chris Rindov (11/14/24 - option declined)
F - Johnny Russell (11/14/24 - out of contract)
M - Rémi Walter (11/14/24 - out of contract)
F - Alan Pulido (1/7/25 - transfer to Chivas Guadalajara)
Key player
Manu Garcia is the chance creator that SKC has needed for a while. Now that they have plenty of good center forwards, they might have the offensive side of the ball figured out. (The defensive side is another matter entirely.)
Fashion report
It’s got light and dark blue, it’s got hoops, and it’s integrated the state line pattern into it.
It’s most definitely an SKC kit, doing what it’s supposed to do.
Over/Under on points total for 2025 regular season (courtesy of Soccerwise)
37.5, with all three picking the under. The offense is definitely better, but they're the type of team (as is San Diego) that could lose a lot of 4-3 matches.
St. Louis City SC
How did their 2024 go?
It was a considerable dropoff from their hot 2023. They finished 12th in the West, got to the Leagues Cup Round of 16 before losing to América, and lost to Houston in their first CCC foray.
Players In
Timo Baumgartl (D), Nov. 29, free
Conrad Wallem (M), Jan. 17, loan from SK Slavia Prague
Alfredo Morales (M), Feb. 18, free agent
Players Out
John Klein (M), Oct. 22, option declined
Jake Nerwiski (D), Oct. 22, option declined
Hosei Kijima (M), Dec. 11, Expansion Draft
Nökkvi Thórisson (F), Jan. 14, loan to Sparta Rotterdam
Selmir Pidro (D), Jan. 18, loan to FK Velež Mostar
Key players
They didn’t do that much to transform their roster, so expect Eduard Löwen, João Klauss, and Cedric Teuchert to lead the way once more.
Fashion report
It’s got a collar and a button, rare for 2025’s kit rollout, but otherwise, it’s red with just a splash of design.
It’s fine.
Over/Under on points total for 2025 regular season (courtesy of Soccerwise)
45.5, with two picking the over. I think they'll be under, as one of the playoff bubble teams that just misses out.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
How did their 2024 go?
They made the playoffs, though going 0-5-2 in their last seven matches dropped them to 8th. They lost to LAFC in a hard-fought three-match series, which is something they do, but they did win another Canadian Championship. Then, inexplicably, they parted ways with popular, charming, and irreverent head coach Vanni Sartini, and start 2025 under a cloud, as the club is for sale and might be moved from one of the best cities on Earth.
Players In
J.C. Ngando (M), Dec. 11, re-signed
Ralph Priso (M), Dec. 11, re-signed
Tate Johnson (D), Dec. 20, SuperDraft
Jayden Nelson (F), Jan. 24, transfer from Rosenborg BK
Emmanuel Sabbi (F), Feb. 11, transfer from Le Havre AC
Adrían Zendejas (GK), Feb. 14, free
Players Out
Joe Bendik (GK), Nov. 27, option declined
Levonte Johnson (F), Nov. 27, option declined
Fafà Picault (F), Nov. 27, option declined
Ryan Raposo (M), Nov. 27, out of contract
Alessandro Schöpf (M), Nov. 27, option declined
Déiber Caicedo (F), Jan. 12, transfer to Junior FC
Stuart Armstrong (M), Jan. 31, transfer to Sheffield Wednesday
Key players
Once again, it’s Ryan Gauld and Brian White, especially having moved some other key pieces like Fafà Picault, Ryan Raposo, and Stuart Armstrong. (Suffice it to say, this team did not get better in the offseason.)
Fashion report
Your standard Whitecaps white kit. Simple, attractive, nice use of light blue accents, but feels very safe.
Over/Under on points total for 2025 regular season (courtesy of Soccerwise)
45.5, with two picking the under. I think they're be under, but could still sneak into the playoffs.
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We're rounding out our exhaustive look at MLS teams with the back half of the alphabet in the West ... which included Wooden Spoon winners bound to get better, playoff teams bound to get worse, and a perennial power that got even better in the offseason with the addition of two players you'd long associated with an Austin rival.
Portland Timbers
How did their 2024 go?
Well, it went better than Austin’s. Austin notably beat Portland on a fluky Dani Pereira goal late in the season when both were vying for playoff places, but beat out Austin for the 9 seed and then got to host the play-in game for the stupidest reason ever — Vancouver’s home stadium was being transformed for a monster truck rally. The Whitecaps went on to beat the Timbers 5-0 in that playoff match. Felt karmic.
Oh yeah, also, the Timbers had a pretty terrible kit sponsor they axed just weeks into the arrangement, and then landed Tillamook, which was amazing for them. They kept Phil Neville as their head coach the whole season, which was not amazing for them. (He might be the first to go in 2025 if the Timbers don't do well; only Caleb Powell's seat at the Revs might be hotter.)
Players In
Players Out
Key player
This is a key player out situation, and it’s Evander, though Portuguese midfielder David Da Costa is about as like-for-like as a GM can muster this late in the preseason.
Fashion report
The 50th-anniversary kit features a rich green and a stunning gold and even has a tree ring pattern using 50 rings to symbolize 50 years of the franchise, dating back to its NASL days.
We have 2025’s perfect kit. It’s amazing. Someone buy me this. (I will take a medium, and put Chara 21 on that in honor of the card-havinest player in MLS.)
Over/Under on points total for 2025 regular season (courtesy of Soccerwise)
45.5, with two taking the under. I’m intrigued by Da Costa, and I like the Kevin Kelsy addition, but I think they didn’t fix what they needed to fix, and Evander’s a singular talent.
Real Salt Lake
How did their 2024 go?
They finished third in the West on 65 points, which is great, but were ousted by Minnesota in the first round of the playoffs, and had dismal cup competitions, losing to New Mexico United in their first U.S. Open Cup match and didn’t make it past the group stage of Leagues Cup.
Players In
Players Out
Key player
This is definitely a key player out situation, as Chicho Arango has been moved on to San Jose, and RSL is taking a striker-by-committee approach to start the season. (Which, I was emotionally invested in RSL, I’d be very concerned about.) Diego Luna is poised to get to the next level, and his creation and tenacity will help this team, but he’s going to need attackers around him to succeed.
Fashion report
The Grid City Kit is a beaut. It’s using a checker design that makes it immediately distinctive in MLS, and the colors are on point.
Also, this detail about the designs visible in the white squares:
“The Grid City Kit's square patterns represent the architecturally famous grid system that shaped Salt Lake City's urban form. The kit pays homage to Utah's grid system, designed by settlers to fit a horse-pulled carriage.”
Perfection.
Over/Under on points total for 2025 regular season (courtesy of Soccerwise)
44.5, with all three picking the under. This is probably the year RSL comes back down to Earth a bit.
San Diego FC
How did their 2024 go?
Well, they ramped up to actually playing matches! The badge reveal happened in October 2023 (gradients!), and their highest-profile signing happened in June, and it was only in December that they really set out to build their roster.
Players In
Players Out
Key player
Hirving Lozano is the team’s best player and the face of the franchise. We’ll see a few games in (including the March 23 matinee in Austin) how much sense the team’s build makes, and whether Lozano is the hub around which the rest of the team can rotate.
Fashion report
It being San Diego FC’s first year in the league, they get two.
I’m going to let the copy for the home kit speak for itself.
“San Diego FC’s inaugural jersey is more than a kit – it’s a story woven into every thread of the jersey. Azul, the Club’s primary color, captures the boundless horizon where the ocean meets the sky, highlighting the beauty of San Diego’s coastal regions. Chrome details seamlessly integrated into the fabric of the jersey shine as a reflection of the city’s vibrant communities. The gradient side stripes, featuring the Club’s community colors, symbolize the connection between San Diego’s neighborhoods that define the city’s diversity. The inaugural jersey also features a ‘Chrome and Azul’ Jock Tag in the bottom corner of the front of the jersey, and also features a ‘State of Flow’ Tag in the back collar of the jersey, emphasizing the way of life that best describes the essence of San Diego.”
And the away kit is white with an interesting pattern, but even the marketing copy admits more could be happening with it.
“Inspired by the club's mantra – “Woven Into One” – SDFC's first-ever secondary kit provides a blank canvas for the people of San Diego to come together and imagine the future of the club.
In future seasons, the club's secondary kits will be designed in conjunction with fans and local artists through focus groups, design workshops and community-driven campaigns to ensure each kit authentically expresses San Diego’s culture and spirit.”
So, I’m guessing that’s coming with the 2026 kit?
Over/Under on points total for 2025 regular season (courtesy of Soccerwise)
37.5, with all three picking the under. I completely agree; they're an expansion team and I'm not seeing the logic behind their build.
San Jose Earthquakes
How did their 2024 go?
It was a Wooden Spoon season, and how. A 6-25-3 record, good for 21 points. 41 goals scored, an MLS-record 78 goals allowed, for a -37 goal differential. Just an awful regular season. They also lost in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 to USL side Sacramento Republic and had one Leagues Cup rout in them, beating Necaxa 5-0, before bowing out with a “that’s more like it” 4-1 loss to LAFC.
Players In
Players Out
Key player
Though Chicho Arango and Josef Martínez should bring goals, the real key player here is new head coach Bruce Arena, who for all his irascibility, has a knack for raising a team’s floor no matter which team. He’s already entered the first phase of Arenaing the team by bringing in some trusted veterans.
Fashion report
Perhaps The Headliner Kit is a polarizing choice.
“The kit, designed in partnership with punk icon Lars Frederiksen, celebrates the Bay Area's rich history of punk rock. The handwritten/newspaper-clipped artwork style represents the DIY ethos of punk rock, the blue-collar makeup of many fans in the Bay Area, and the underground subculture that sparks creativity in the region.”
While I’m not 100% sold on the execution, I applaud a punk rock-inspired kit in 2025, and there’s something gloriously MLS 1.0 about a kit that declares “Bedlam at Buck Shaw.” (Remember: They’ll be wearing these for two years.)
Over/Under on points total for 2025 regular season (courtesy of Soccerwise)
38.5. All three picked the under; I'm picking the over. Again, Arena raises the floor, and we're only talking about needing to reach 39 points. 10-15-9 gets you there; that's what Austin achieved[[1]] in 2023.
Seattle Sounders FC
How did their 2024 go?
It was a year marked by battles with nemesis LAFC. The Sounders made it to the semis of U.S. Open Cup (playing matches at Starfire, which makes me giddy with nostalgia as I grew up about 15 minutes from this locale), losing to LAFC. They also made it to the quarterfinals of Leagues Cup, losing to LAFC. But they did beat LAFC in the playoffs before bowing out to the Galaxy in the West finals (the Riqui Puig ACL tear heroics game).
Players In
Players Out
Key players
Jesús Ferreira moving from Dallas to Seattle was one of the more shocking moves of the offseason, and teammate Paul Arriola following suit was an even greater indication that the Sounders are in a bit of reinvention. As important as they’ll be, much of their success will hinge on how well they mesh with Jordan Morris.
Fashion report
Though we might have ribbed them a bit for a design reminiscent of SKC kits, the Salish Sea Kit was “designed in collaboration with artists representing the Puyallup, Muckleshoot and Suquamish Tribes” – who probably know nothing of Peter Vermes and a team that started its MLS life as the Wiz — “paying homage to the Sounders' deep connection to the Puget Sound and highlighting the club's shared responsibility as stewards of the greater watershed.”
It’s being widely praised, and rightly so. They’ve got what’s arguably the strongest home/away combo going.
Over/Under on points total for 2025 regular season (courtesy of Soccerwise)
59.5. They’re going to surpass this high over. They’ll be neck-and-neck with FC Cincinnati for the Shield.
Sporting Kansas City
How did their 2024 go?
A little weird! They did get to the U.S. Open Cup final, losing there to LAFC but getting themselves into the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup as a result. They made it past the group stage of Leagues Cup then got dispatched by the Crew in the Round of 32. They finished 13th in the West. Peter Vermes kept his job, having been head coach at SKC since 2009.
I previewed them for American Soccer Analysis; nerdiness ensues.
Players in
Players Out
Key player
Manu Garcia is the chance creator that SKC has needed for a while. Now that they have plenty of good center forwards, they might have the offensive side of the ball figured out. (The defensive side is another matter entirely.)
Fashion report
It’s got light and dark blue, it’s got hoops, and it’s integrated the state line pattern into it.
It’s most definitely an SKC kit, doing what it’s supposed to do.
Over/Under on points total for 2025 regular season (courtesy of Soccerwise)
37.5, with all three picking the under. The offense is definitely better, but they're the type of team (as is San Diego) that could lose a lot of 4-3 matches.
St. Louis City SC
How did their 2024 go?
It was a considerable dropoff from their hot 2023. They finished 12th in the West, got to the Leagues Cup Round of 16 before losing to América, and lost to Houston in their first CCC foray.
Players In
Players Out
Key players
They didn’t do that much to transform their roster, so expect Eduard Löwen, João Klauss, and Cedric Teuchert to lead the way once more.
Fashion report
It’s got a collar and a button, rare for 2025’s kit rollout, but otherwise, it’s red with just a splash of design.
It’s fine.
Over/Under on points total for 2025 regular season (courtesy of Soccerwise)
45.5, with two picking the over. I think they'll be under, as one of the playoff bubble teams that just misses out.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
How did their 2024 go?
They made the playoffs, though going 0-5-2 in their last seven matches dropped them to 8th. They lost to LAFC in a hard-fought three-match series, which is something they do, but they did win another Canadian Championship. Then, inexplicably, they parted ways with popular, charming, and irreverent head coach Vanni Sartini, and start 2025 under a cloud, as the club is for sale and might be moved from one of the best cities on Earth.
Players In
Players Out
Key players
Once again, it’s Ryan Gauld and Brian White, especially having moved some other key pieces like Fafà Picault, Ryan Raposo, and Stuart Armstrong. (Suffice it to say, this team did not get better in the offseason.)
Fashion report
Your standard Whitecaps white kit. Simple, attractive, nice use of light blue accents, but feels very safe.
Over/Under on points total for 2025 regular season (courtesy of Soccerwise)
45.5, with two picking the under. I think they're be under, but could still sneak into the playoffs.
In case you missed the earlier installments
West, Part 1 (Austin through Minnesota)
East, Part 1 (Atlanta through Montréal)
East, Part 2 (Nashville through Toronto)
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[[1]]: "Achieved is doing a lot of work here
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