With Opening Day simply over the horizon, groups throughout the league are gearing up for one more pennant chase in hopes of being topped this yr’s World Sequence champion. In fact, there’s nonetheless one other seven months to go earlier than somebody raises the Commissioner’s Trophy. And till the playoffs start, groups can be targeted on a smaller aim: successful their division. We’ll be conducting a collection of polls to gauge who MLBTR readers imagine is the favourite in every division, and that collection begins immediately with the NL West. Groups are listed so as of their 2024 document.
Los Angeles Dodgers (98-64)
The Dodgers have already notched two wins over the Cubs within the Tokyo Sequence for 2025, and so they did so coming off a season the place they completed the yr with the perfect document in baseball and went on to win the World Sequence over the Yankees in 5 video games. The membership’s core of MVP-caliber expertise stays in place with Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman all set to as soon as once more anchor the lineup this yr. In the meantime, a pitching employees that already included Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, and Clayton Kershaw has been bulked out additional not simply by Ohtani’s impending return to the mound but in addition the additions of Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki.
Within the bullpen, the staff’s strong late-inning mixture of Blake Treinen, Alex Vesia, Michael Kopech, and Evan Phillips acquired a pair of main additions within the type of Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates, whereas the lineup is basically unchanged from final season with Hyeseong Kim set to exchange Gavin Lux ultimately and Michael Conforto getting into the outfield rather than Jason Heyward. There are few clear locations to nitpick a staff that seems to be a transparent juggernaut on paper, though the mixture of Betts and Max Muncy on the left aspect of the infield figures to be beneath common defensively and the membership’s technique of stacking gifted, oft-injured rotation arms all the time runs the danger of well being issues.
San Diego Padres (93-69)
Whereas many view besting the Dodgers as a mountain that’s close to unimaginable to climb, it’s price remembering that San Diego got here inside only one recreation of toppling them through the NLDS again in October. The Padres had been restricted of their offseason actions by monetary limitations, however the core of the 2024 membership stays largely in place with Manny Machado, Jackson Merrill, and Fernando Tatis Jr. poised to anchor the lineup, Xander Bogaerts and Luis Arraez offering assist and a front-of-the-rotation duo of Dylan Stop and Michael King who can be motivated to construct on their wonderful 2024 campaigns forward of free company this winter.
That’s to not say the membership made no additions this winter, after all. The Padres waited out the market to signal gifted right-hander Nick Pivetta to anchor the center of their rotation alongside Yu Darvish, permitting them to make a splash on a good finances. Different additions had been much less flashy, however may nonetheless show precious. Whereas a supporting forged of Jason Heyward, Connor Joe, Jose Iglesias, and Yuli Gurriel could not appear like a lot on paper, nobody anticipated Jurickson Profar, David Peralta, and Donovan Solano to be as impactful for the membership as they had been final yr. If the Padres are to win an NL West that acquired much more loaded this winter, they’ll have to hit on these cube rolls as soon as once more.
Arizona Diamondbacks (89-73)
Whereas the Diamondbacks missed the playoffs by a hair in 2024 once they completed tied with the Mets and Braves for the ultimate two NL Wild Card spots, the 2023 NL champions put collectively a superb staff in 2024. The Diamondbacks led the majors in runs scored final yr, and lots of core items like Ketel Marte and Corbin Carroll are again for extra this yr alongside supporting veterans Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Eugenio Suarez. The losses of Christian Walker and Joc Pederson will definitely sting, however Josh Naylor ought to assist to make up for a few of that misplaced manufacturing and it wouldn’t be a shock to see longtime high prospect Jordan Lawlar break into the majors this yr, both.
The pitching aspect of issues is the place Arizona figures to enhance probably the most over final yr. Zac Gallen is now complemented on the high of the Diamondbacks rotation by a co-ace in Corbin Burnes, and Merrill Kelly and Eduardo Rodriguez ought to be capable of provide far steadier mid-rotation manufacturing than they did in injury-marred 2024 campaigns. The membership additionally enjoys a deep group of back-of-the-rotation choices, with Brandon Pfaadt set to get the primary crack at beginning. Ought to accidents as soon as once more complicate issues, Ryne Nelson is likely one of the finest sixth starters within the league and there’s nowhere for Jordan Montgomery to go however up after final yr’s disastrous marketing campaign.
San Francisco Giants (80-82)
The Giants loved a fairly sturdy offseason throughout Buster Posey’s first winter on the helm, however after ending with a middling document for the third consecutive season it will take loads of issues going proper for the membership to make important positive factors within the standings. The addition of a star-caliber shortstop in Willy Adames alongside Matt Chapman ought to make for one of many stronger left sides of the infield within the sport this yr, however it will take a renaissance from Justin Verlander to even match Blake Snell’s manufacturing down the stretch final yr. In the meantime, the membership has no established expertise at DH and faces questions concerning the productiveness of its outfield after Jung Hoo Lee’s debut season was sidetracked by accidents.
That’s to not say 2025 is a season with out hope for followers in San Francisco, nevertheless. Verlander and Robbie Ray are each former Cy Younger winners, and classic performances from the duo at the side of Logan Webb’s ever-steady manufacturing may make a powerful front-end of the rotation. Younger gamers like Heliot Ramos, Tyler Fitzgerald, and Patrick Bailey may construct on strong 2024 campaigns and take additional steps ahead. And in the event that they accomplish that whereas the rotation performs as much as its potential, it’s doable to see the Giants shocking this yr.
Colorado Rockies (61-101)
Whereas the division’s different 4 groups all have affordable paths to rivalry this yr, the Rockies would want to maneuver heaven and earth simply to get to .500 after a season the place they completed 37 video games again within the NL West and made no important additions through the offseason. The membership has just a few probably thrilling items in place, with heart fielder Brenton Doyle and shortstop Ezequiel Tovar creating an thrilling up-the-middle duo, however the supporting forged leaves a lot to be desired.
The membership traded its highest-ceiling offensive participant, left fielder Nolan Jones, for utility man Tyler Freeman over the weekend. And thrilling high prospects like Zac Veen and Chase Dollander stay within the minor leagues. Even a return to kind from $182MM man Kris Bryant wouldn’t be sufficient to return playoff baseball to Colorado this yr except it was paired with sturdy performances from these aforementioned prospects along with veteran arms like German Marquez and Kyle Freeland turning again the clock to 2018.
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With 4 of the division’s 5 groups making an effort to get again to the playoffs this yr, which membership do you count on to return out on high? Will the Dodgers stay the league’s dominant drive, or will they be overcome by an enormous season from one in all their rivals like San Diego or Arizona? Have your say within the ballot beneath:
