NL West preview: The Dodgers should romp and those pesky Padres might take a step backward
The Arizona Diamondbacks might be the only team that can challenge the Dodgers in the NL West, but what about the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants?
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National League West superstars tend to be bunched on the Dodgers and San Diego Padres, which might have compelled two other teams to write a huge check to lock in a player of undeniable impact during the offseason.
Roll out the red carpet for Corbin Burnes of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Willy Adames of the San Francisco Giants.
Burnes, 30, is a top-rung starting pitcher, a Cy Young Award winner who regularly exceeds 30 starts and 200 strikeouts per season while keeping his earned-run average under 3.00. He signed for six years and $210 million.
Adames, 29, is a top-rung shortstop, a power hitter and clubhouse leader who compiled 32 home runs, 112 runs batted in and 21 stolen bases last season in Milwaukee. He signed for seven years and $182 million.
Whether Burnes or Adames are surrounded by enough talent to challenge the Dodgers' superstar trio of Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman or the Padres' dynamic duo of Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado remains to be seen.
1 | Los Angeles Dodgers
2024 | 98-64, 1st in West
Last year in playoffs | 2024
The expectations were World Series-or-bust a year ago. That hasn't changed despite the championship and subsequent parade. What else would anyone expect after the Dodgers added Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki to the starting rotation (not to mention Ohtani), Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates to the bullpen and Michael Conforto to the lineup while bringing back Teoscar Hernández?
The Dodgers also locked up manager Dave Roberts with a four-year extension at a record $8.1 million a year. His primary challenge this year will be to begin the playoffs with his pitching staff and aging lineup — nearly every regular players is in his 30s — at optimum health.
2 | Arizona Diamondbacks
2024 | 89-73 3rd in West
Last year in playoffs | 2023
The Diamondbacks led baseball last season in runs, batting average and on-base percentage yet missed the playoffs a year after making the World Series. They again should be formidable and probably will present the biggest challenge for the Dodgers, especially after fortifying their starting rotation with Burnes.
First baseman Christian Walker left as a free agent but was replaced by Josh Naylor, who hit 31 home runs and drove in 106 runs with the Cleveland Guardians last season. Designated hitter Joc Pederson also departed. Otherwise, it's pretty much the same lineup, with productive hitters throughout, beginning with Ketel Marte. The starting rotation behind Burnes is solid. The departure of closer Paul Sewald shouldn't cause much concern — he was average at best — but the role has not been filled. Bullpen veterans Kevin Ginkel and A.J. Puk are the candidates along with youngster Justin Martinez and his triple-digit fastball.
3 | San Diego Padres
2024 | 93-69, 2nd in West
Last year in playoffs | 2024
A protracted legal battle among members of the Seidler family after beloved owner Peter Seidler died in 2023
seemed to handcuff the Padres front office this offseason. Yes, they still have Tatis Jr., and Machado. Sure, center fielder Jackson Merrill finished second in rookie-of-the-year balloting. And starters Michael King, Dylan Cease and Yu Darvish are back from a team that won 93 regular-season games, a wild-card series and pushed the Dodgers to the limit in a five-game NL Division Series.
But while the Dodgers and to a lesser extent the Diamondbacks and Giants made splashy offseason moves, the Padres pretty much stood pat. John Seidler, older brother of Peter, was approved by MLB on March 12 as the Padres "control person," creating stability. Whether than means a resumption of general manager A.J. Preller's freewheeling ways or continued belt-tightening remains to be seen.
4 | San Francisco Giants
2024 | 80-82, 4th in West
Last year in playoffs | 2021
Under the new front office leadership of former All-Star catcher Buster Posey, the Giants began the offseason with a major splash when Adames chose them over several other suitors. Not much happened thereafter, however. They did sign Justin Verlander, a cinch Hall of Famer, but he's 42, coming off injuries and a 5.48 ERA in 17 starts last season. They also lost two-time Cy Young winner Snell to the Dodgers.
Spring training didn't prompt hope to spring eternal, either. Top prospect Bryce Eldridge, a power-hitting first baseman, rose through four minor league levels last season but batted .182 with a bushel of strikeouts this spring and will start the season in triple-A. Since posting 107 wins in 2021, the Giants have hovered just below .500 and offer no reason to think they won't again finish behind the Dodgers, Diamondbacks and Padres.
5 | Colorado Rockies
2024 | 61-101, 5th in West
Last year in playoffs | 2018
As bad as the 2024 season was, it marked a two-win improvement on 2023. Yet the Rockies have done little to engender hope, faith or anything else resembling a reason for substantial improvement in 2025. They scored the fewest runs per game and generated the second-lowest slugging percentage in franchise history last year. And their pitching remains woeful.
Ezequiel Tovar, 22, is one of the best young shortstops in baseball. Center fielder Brenton Doyle, 26, has 30-30 potential. Third baseman and Mater Dei High product Ryan McMahon seems stuck at about 20 homers, 70 RBIs and a .245 batting average every year. Kris Bryant is all but AWOL. Franchise icon Charlie Blackmon, 38, retired and joined the Rockies front office, a more difficult role than posting a .293 career batting average over the last 14 years — which he did.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
