The wild Wild West of the National League gained several big names, such as Shohei Ohtani, Matt Chapman, Dylan Cease, and Tyler Glasnow, while losing out on a few bigger names like Juan Soto and JD Martinez. With the rich getting richer and the kids getting better, this division will be one to keep an eye on all season. I'm going to predict and break down each team to see where they will finish this year.
No. 5) Colorado Rockies
The bottom feeder of the NL West, the Colorado Rockies finished last season with a 59-103 record, 41 games behind first place. This team was led by the breakout of outfielder Nolan Jones and shortstop Ezequiel Tovar, along with the defensive prowess of Brenton Doyle in center and sidearm submariner Justin Lawrence shutting it down in the bullpen.
The team traded for RHP Cal Quantrill, claimed LHP Jalen Beeks and outfielder Sam Hilliard off waivers, and signed RHP Dakota Hudson and catcher Jacob Stallings. The team only lost LHP Brent Suter, RHP Chase Andersen, and Chris Flexen to free agency, which isn't the biggest of blows. These moves aren't needle-moving as this team will again finish last in the west, unable to compete with the top dogs. Record prediction is 60-102
No. 4) San Diego Padres
The wheels really fell apart last year for the Padres as they finished 82-80, missing out on the playoffs and finding themselves 18 games back of the division while having to significantly lower payroll as the team was to put it nicely in a lot of debt. The team was led by Fernando Tatis Jr and Manny Machado while having Korean star Ha-Seong Kim and Cy Young winner Blake Snell. The team lost LHP Blake Snell, catcher Gary Sanchez, LHP Drew Pomeranz, DH Ji-Man Choi, 1B Garret Cooper, Austin Nola, LHP Rich Hill and Josh Hader, Tim Hill, and lastly RHP Luis Garcia, Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, Nick Martinez, Scott Barlow all to free agency.
They then traded away Trent Grisham, Juan Soto, Steven Wilson, Matt Carpenter,andh some prospect, in two separate trades. They picked up RHP Enyel De Los Santos in a trade for Barlow, picked up RHP Michael King, C Kyle Higashioka, RHP Jhonny Brito and Randy Vasquez for Soto, and Dylan Cease for Wilson and some prospects. They scored LHP Yuki Matsui, RHP Woo Suk Go, and LHP Wandy Peralta in free agency. All this turnover and a new manager make me believe we will see plenty of growing pains with this team. Record prediction 80-82
No. 3) San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are coming off a disappointing 79-83 season, where they were 18 games back from the division lead. Last year, the team was led by ace Logan Webb and closer Camillo Doval the team's offense didn't have that big name on it as they had guys like Thairo Estrada and Wilmer Flores carrying the load for the team. The Giants went out and hired Bob Melvin to lead the squad. They lost OF Joc Pedersen, C Roberto Perez, RHP Jakob Junis, John Brebbia, LHP Scott Alexander, Alex Wood, Sean Manaea, and SS Brandon Crawford to free agency. OF Mitch Haniger, RHP Anthony Desclafani, and Ross Stripling were lost in a trade.
The team signed OF Jung Hoo Lee to be the face of the offense while also picking up C Tom Murphy, RHP Jordan Hicks, DH Jorge Soler, 3B Matt Chapman, and LHP Blake Snell. The team also traded for LHP Robbie Ray and released 3B JD Davis. This team did a lot more than people think, and with the late additions of Chapman and Snell, this team is comfortably above .500 and could sneak into the playoffs. Record prediction 84-78.
No. 2) Arizona Diamondbacks
Baseball's Desert Darlings are coming off a National League Championship and World Series berth thanks to the impact of OF Corbin Carroll, 2B Ketel Marte, and 1B Christain Walker, along with their ace Zac Gallen being one of the best pitchers in the National League and having baseballs most underrated closer in Paul Sewald. The team lost OF Tommy Pham, 3B Evan Longoria, RHP Mark Melancion, and OF Kyle Lewis to free agency and OF Dominic Fletcher and C Seby Zavala through trade. They picked up 3B Eugenio Suarez through trade and brought in LHP Eduardo Rodriquez, OF Joc Pedersen, Randall Grichuk, and brought back OF Lourdes Gurriel Jr. This team filled every hole they had on the squad while keeping their young core together, posing themselves to be right back in the thick of the playoffs. Record prediction 87-75.
No. 1) Los Angeles Dodgers
The 100-win Los Angeles Dodgers easily won the NL West but were eliminated in the NLDS by the aforementioned Arizona Diamondbacks. This team was led by 1B Freddie Freeman and OF/2B Mookie Betts, LHP Clayton Kershaw, and RHP Bobby Miller. They lost out on OF Enrique Hernandez, SS Amed Rosario, RHP Shelby Miller, OF David Peralta, DH J.D. Martinez, and RHP Lance Lynn to free agency. They brought back OF Jayson Hayward, RHP Joe Kelly, Ryan Brasier, and LHP Clayton Kershaw. Traded away LHP Victor González, RHP Ryan Pepiot, Yency Almonte, 1B Michael Busch, LHP Caleb Ferguson.
That wasn't all they did, as the Dodgers additionally brought in RHP Tyler Glasnow, signed unicorn Shohei Ohtani, RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, OF Teoscar Hernandez, and LHP James Paxton. This team is here to win it all. Their star power with the youth and veterans is next to none. Record prediction 107-55. The NL West is the Dodgers to lose, but the crazy thing about baseball is that you must play all 162 games, and anything can happen in the Wild West of the National League.
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